Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot, And Never Brought To Mind

    Another year gone by, another year of my youth spent buried in books, but another year closer to my lifelong goal of becoming a doctor.  Okay okay, so I don't spend all of my time studying.  I try to keep a good balance, and I think I do a pretty good job.  And I still love what I'm doing.  Sometimes I just like to be dramatic.

   2011, overall, was a year of growth and discovery in my personal life, a year of cyclic burn out and energization in my professional life, and a year of prolonging the delay of my future "gratification".  Now that 2011 has come to a close, here is a recap of some of the highlights (and lowlights?):

The year I shadowed OB/Gyn's in jail and in L&D several times, falling even more in love with women's health

The year I went to Vegas with my med school buddies...

... Then went again with my sorority friends...  

... Then went again-again with my sorority friends

And apparently, I just keep wearing the same dress

The year I rode Amtrak all the way from San Diego to Sacramento all by myself

The year I took up a new hobby and ran my first half marathon (the farthest I have run to date)

The year I became a student leader for reproductive rights through Medical Students For Choice

The year I traveled to Baltimore, MD for the MSFC Annual Meeting 

The year my "UCLA relationship" ended (which subsequently allowed me to discover the triple threat of comfort food: egg rolls, shapes mac & cheese, and wine)

The year I tried online dating, and dated a ninja turtle

The year I went on a fantastic Eurotrip with my family

The year I went to Hana's beautiful wedding in Hawaii

The year my grandma scared the crap out of us all when she had her TIA

The year my sister unexpectedly had to have her ICD replaced

The year I helped write and direct a nerdy med school video

The year I rediscovered how much I love to sing

   Well, that sort of sums up a lot of 2011 for me.  I'm excited for 2012: I think it's gonna be a good one. 

VEGAS BABY!

Spring Break 2011 Part 1

My med school friends and I went to Las Vegas for our first weekend of spring break, and WOW we had a great time!  

On the airplane, excited to get the trip started!

Sparkling wine sampler at the airport

Our suite in the Venetian. Man, I love that place!

Feeling super stuffed after the Le Village Buffet at the Paris resort

PILLOW FIGHT

A few of us went to this extremely bougie buffet, Jasmine at the Bellagio.  Let's just say WOW, I have never experienced such a fancy meal.  Here are a few pics, but they really don't do it justice.  The food was like stuff you see on the food channel that you think to yourself "oh wow, that is fancy and I will probably never have it".  There was a whole ROOM dedicated to dessert!  It was extremely expensive, but very much worth it.

We met up with some of our other classmates... we just can't get enough of eachother! hehe

Jockey Club where our friends were staying

Highlights of the trip: "VEGAS BABY!", yummy food, good company.  

Fails: not ever getting to go to Fat Tuesdays (next time!), winning $20 playing roulette (which I LOVE btw), but then losing my $25 chip so losing $5 overall.  

This was my first time in vegas having guys in our group, and it was definitely a change having to pay for everything (haha) but we had a great time nonetheless.  It really was a great trip! 

I am now taking a day of rest back in Sac, and tomorrow I am headed to LA for part 2 of my spring break!

Home is Where the Heart is!

My roomie and I have found a house for next year!  It is a fabulous two bedroom right down the street from the med school, and its so cute! I will post pics as soon as I move in.  The only downside is that the landlord needed to rent it ASAP, so our lease starts May 15th.  That means we have to start paying rent for a month before I can even move in!  Oh well, we really like the place, so it will be worth it in the long run!  I can't wait to start buying furniture and decorating!  And hopefully I will get to bring my cat! (Crossing my fingers that my roomie isn't allergic).  So as soon as I move back after graduation, I can already start moving in and getting things situated, but also living with my parents and spending time with my family before school starts.  At least I will for sure have something to do now! :P  Steph and I want to start a vegetable garden, so I am definitely going to take that time to read up on gardening and maybe start things off! Exciting!!!!!

We are already heading into 7th week here at UCLA... 7th week! Can you believe it?!  This quarter is going by way faster than I ever anticipated!  I have been trying to spend lots of time with all my friends before I leave... I'm really gonna miss everyone!

Tomorrow Howard is taking senior portraits if Juliette and I, so that should be fun! I am excited!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot: I went to Vegas last weekend with 9 Gamma Phi's.  It was a blast!  Here are a few gems from the trip:

HAHAHA Poor Marrin.....