0.2mm

Not a fan of the 0.5mm pencil lead.  Lead breaks constantly, and it doesn't show up cleanly/dark on page.  And as someone who writes a crap-ton of notes, this is legitimate issue.  (you know, relatively speaking)

 Bought to save $, of which I have little.  Utter crap.

 

 

 

Much better.  0.7m Matic grip BiC pencil.  I take exams with the green ones.  not weird.

Hour 15..

Of studying today, that is.  Pharmacology is going to be the end of me.

I've been having fun with my Anki flashcards though.  I take pictures of mechanisms with my iphone and email them to myself to then add to a flashcard.  So cool, right?

 

 

 

 

There are 142 drugs on this exam (one of my classmates counted and posted this encouraging tidbit on our facebook page), not so bad I suppose compared to what it will be come final exam time.. But really right now poor brain is at maximum capacitance.  Exam in T-8.5 hours!  Ahhhhh!



Ride on

Kicked the test on Thursday's butt.  That was neat.  But, my favorite part of last week was my lesson on Saturday!  I just had so much fun - Luke was really forward and was Right there when I asked with the leg (this lead to me letting him run away a bit though and reminders from trainer to keep things rhythmic).  Canter work was pretty good for us, that is we had the correct lead each time and generally got into it within a few strides (low standards here, people).  A few minor frolics occurred, as is generally the norm for our cantering as we get warmed up (again with the low standards) one of which resulted in a lost stirrup for me and the requisite shouts from the center to SIT UP SIT BACK in response to my reflex hunched shoulders and grasping of mane.  Did manage to sit up and back despite instincts pressing me the other direction, and Luke was saintly and didn't take advantage of my poor equitation.  In typical advanced rider fashion, trainer is rather blasé about these moments and simply sends us back off to the rail to try again.  This, I think, is part of what makes trainer such a good fit for me. 

Should I be worried about that shadow??

 

I feel like I'm a fairly neurotic and high-strung person (a la most med students), so having someone on the ground who's so relaxed about these moments when I struggle helps Me to be more relaxed.  Actually, I feel like he treats me exactly as one might treat a high-strung and spooky horse - lots of new instructions to make me concentrate if I start to look nervous and a super relaxed chilly manner to encourage me.  I constantly overthink things, he tells me to just Sit Up and RIDE FORWARD.  He doesn't baby me, which I think would just make me realize oh yes maybe that does sound scary or hmm maybe that Is something to consider/worry about.

Well, that escalated quickly.

M2 year has begun, just starting week 3 now and holy batman they aren't kidding around this semester.  We have four courses, two of which are absolutely giant and soul crushing (pathology and pharmacology - but don't worry the slightly more manageable clinical practices and infectious disease courses are still beasties in their own right). 

I'm trying out a new system for the big courses, using a 'smart' flashcard program called Anki.  You make cards like any old flashcard system but it sets up quizzes and reviews of the cards based on how you rate the ease of answer (easy, had to think, forgot) as you flip through them.  The web version is free but there's a fee to download onto smartphones.  I think it's helping, I've never been a flashcard person before but I'm hearing they are imperative for the big gun classes.  I guess we'll see come exam time (first one this Thursday, then non-stop once per week till the end of the semester... yayyyy)

I was able to lease a very kind older gentleman horse over the summer from a friend at trainer's barn, it was very reaffirming and just good for my confidence.  He is a schoolie and as long as you do the right things up top (ie don't pinch him with my knees!) he just opens up and powers along.  When I took lessons I was still able to ride our friend Luke, which of course kept me plenty humble.

Kinda the worst picture ever, but shows the sweetest most darling gentleman horse.

Oh yes - and I got married this summer!   Yayyy!

 

 

Since med school started back up I've ridden twice.  Sad face.  I was supposed to have a lesson this past weekend but when I showed up trainer had forgotten and was 2 hours away picking up a horse from the vet clinic!  After a super stressful first two weeks of school frankly I was unreasonably sad about this, #whitewhine.

However, I will be more sad, and reasonably so, if I don't finish getting through all these notes for the exam on Thursday.  Byeeeeeeee