Approach PA school with positivity

Hey gang!

Not much time to blog today (I'm taking it easy this evening, and I want to make it last!), but I just stopped by to say that PA school can be tough. Lots of reading, lots of assignments, and lots to learn. PA school can be stressful. PA school can wear you down. But here's the good news...it's all relative.

Isn't everything in life. Throw two people into a bad situation...I mean a situation that is so bad, so challenging, it makes your head spin. One person could view the glass and half full, while the other sees it as half empty. The point is, both parties have a choice! How would you choose to see the situation?

The same goes for PA school. Yep, there will be days when a professor switches test days and screws up your plans to go out on that hot date. Yep, there will be days that that student continues to ask the most irrelevant questions. Yep, there will be days when everything that everyone does just gets on your nerves. There will be times when you wonder why you continue to come to class. Attitude is EVERYTHING! For me, this is becoming more evident and school progresses. A positive attitude can make the worst of times the absolute best of times. A positive attitude is contagious. A positive attitude demands attention. A positive attitude is a winning attitude!

Sure, I have my moments when I grow tired of the mundane, day in, day out PA school routine. But two thoughts run through my mind: there are lots of students that would give ANYTHING to be sitting where I am, and...I signed up for this, not because I was forced to, but because this is what I love doing! I suck it up, put on a happy face, and keep plugging along. I love being here. I love doing what I am doing. I am blessed to be here. I want to see only the good in all things. I trust this attitude will serve me very well.

O Happy Day!

Today I feel good. No, I feel GREAT! Why???

No particular reason. Doesn't it feel good to feel good, for no real, tangible reason? That's the best feeling in the world. Truth be told, I can look around and find lots of things to be happy about. Let's name a few:

I had a virus on my computer last night, and this morning I figured out a way to get rid of it.

I'm having a good hair day.

Today is "Dress Up Monday" and I am dressed well.

I had a few minutes to listen to Hab mir's gelobt this morning and it brought a smile to my face.

I spoke with my husband and my mother this afternoon.

I'm having a good hair day.

I'm all caught up with my notecards for Patho and Clin Med.

I self installed an Air Conditioning Unit in my bedroom. No more night sweats!

My car is in great working order, and looks great! (I need to wash it, badly.)

I just had a great bowl of oatmeal, and a sweet navel orange.

I could keep going....but you get the point.

There is much to appreciate, so many free gifts in this world. Never will I let another day go by without taking some time to focus on the many things that are going right in my life.

We just concluded a 4 hour class. Only one more to go. Then I have the rest of the afternoon and evening to myself. Yipee!!

Great First Day

Just returned from the first day back at school. Today was an easy, laid back day. It felt good to be back in the swing of things. Four hours of lecture before lunch, and two hours after...plenty of powerpoints, but the material is very interesting. Tomorrow we begin Procedures and Diagnostics, and by next week I will be sticking someone! Sweet!

I'm glad that the weekend is just a day away. This will give me ample time to get all this new information down in a study guide format, and rest up before we begin our first full week of class. I'm still feeling quite sluggish after such a restful 2 week break. I haven't slept well since I returned, which explains why I yawned my way through class today.

Well, our class tomorrow has been moved from 8am to 10am, so you know what that means. Salsa time! I promise, I won't be out too late!

Summer Break: Done...

...but that doesn't mean my brain isn't still on break.

Hey folks! Words cannot express just how PHENOMENAL my break was. I feel so rejuvenated, rested, calm, and ready to embark on the next step in the PA school process. I got chance to see lots of family members, salsa friends, and I spent lots and lots of time with the detective and Linc. It was exactly what I needed. About half way through the break I felt my brain turning to mush, but I forced myself not to read any textbooks or medical-related literature. Difficult, but doable.

I'm eager to return to school and get back into the books. I've spent most of the day restocking the kitchen, cleaning, throwing old papers out, and reorganizing my binder to make room for the new stuff. I'll be in class tomorrow morning at 8am...sharp! And the countdown begins again; only two months until we get another HUGE break.

Finals week: DONE!!

I’m happy to report that I have successfully completed my first semester of PA school!!! *happy dance*

This past week has been a whirlwind.  The script went something like this: stay up late, study, get 5 hours of sleep, wake up, study, take test, repeat.  Needless to say, I’m exhausted for the first time in a long time, simply because I can be!  I’m really proud of my academic performance this semester.  No C’s, no academic probation, and I get to come back to do this all over again in the summer.  Some of my colleagues will not be able to say the same.  However, there is great room for improvement.  I started off quite strong in the beginning, but slowly, as the workload got heavier and heavier, I began to procrastinate.  And that, folks, spells disaster.  I can’t let that happen in the summer, and it surely can’t happen in the fall semester.  So today, I am rewarding myself with…yep you guessed it…SALSA!  Party starts at 10:30pm, and I intend to stay until they throw me out.

I head home tomorrow to spend the next two weeks with the cop (oops, sorry…Detective) and Linc.  I can’t wait to see them and my entire family.  And now that I’m dancing mostly on2, I’m looking forward to seeing my salsa folks back home and showing them all the stuff I’ve learned while I’ve been away.  It’s gearing up to be a busy, fun-filled summer break.  Much needed, and much deserved.

I’ve already written about what classes await us this summer.  I’m really looking forward to getting my hands dirty.  The summer semester is only 1 1/2 months long, so there will be no time to play around.  Right now, the summer semester is the last thing on my mind, but I know myself.  Give me one week of no studying, no reading, no medicine, and I’ll be wishing I were back up here with a million and one things to do. 

I plan to check back in with you guys once I return.  Until then, happy summer break!

Wrappin Things Up

Hey folks. It's been a while.

The semester is quickly coming to an end, and as a result, the workload is piling up. I've got so much on plate right now, it's ridiculous. We continue to learn so much everyday, and I'm still enjoying every bit of it.

Last week we were allowed to register for the upcoming semester. Here's what lies in store for us this summer:

Procedures and Diagnostics
Medical Ethics
Clinical Medicine II
Pathophysiology II
Pharmacology I
Primary Care Modules

And all this for a measley 10 credits. Yes, you read that right!

The summer is shaping up to be an exciting semester. I think I'm looking forward to the Procedures and Diagnostics class the most. I love being in lab and using my hands! But before I can embark on that journey, I've got to wrap up this spring semester...successfully. I'm really pleased with my grades this semester. I've worked hard, but I've found a healthy balance with work and play. I have time to go out when I want, and I've learned how to divide my study time among every course I'm taking. It's impossible to do well in PA school if you devote your time to one subject and neglect the others. Each subject must be looked at daily, and I've been slacking in this area. Oh well, summer semester is the perfect time to re-implement this study habit!

On a personal note, the cop will now be referred to as the detective! Yes, hubby is now a detective with the Traffic Specialist Unit back home. I can't be more proud of him. For some reason, the closer we get to summer break the more I miss him. I just have to hold on a little longer, then I can spend two straight weeks with him and Linc. I can't wait!!!

Well, back to Anatomy...and Clin Med...and all the others!!!

Currently on Easter Break...

...yep, and lovin' every minute of it!

What a week this has been! It all started with a HEENT quiz on Monday, a physical exam practical on Tuesday, and ended with a big, fat anatomy test on Wednesday. I literally skipped out of class on Wednesday. My break began as soon as the proctor had my test in his hands!

School resumes on Tuesday. I have made a pact with myself to relax and enjoy this beautiful weather for two days. I'll be back in the books tomorrow afternoon. Honestly, I've found it pretty difficult to stay still. PA school has required me to stay "up" for so long, and now it seems so difficult to come down and chill out for a spell. I better take advantage of this time while I can. A mountain of work awaits me tomorrow! So far the break has been wonderful. I went salsa dancing Wednesday night (I didn't waste any time, did I?), caught up on a few Twilight Zone episodes, and I'm going salsa dancing tonight! Life is so sweet.

Not much else to report right now. We begin summer registration in the next week or two. I'll let you know what classes lie in store for me.