Overwhelmed?

That isn't the word. I just had my first biochem course today. Along with histology and cell biology and clinical correlates. It sure is a good thing I took biochemistry last summer, because we covered about three weeks' worth of last year's material in about two hours. This blog I started might be going the way of the dodo.

That being said, things might be a little less overwhelming once I am really settled in. Darron has been soooo wonderful in helping me move and trying to cheer me up in moving down here. One thing I can say: it is warm down here and you don't have to walk around dressed for summer/winter all the time. The beaches are nice. The second years put on a BBQ for us yesterday at the beach. But that's it! My heart still lives in Oakland.

Things I've learned or been told so far:
• I'm a First Year, aka MS1 (=Medical Student 1)
• But I get a fancy name tag that says I am a "Student Physician." Yay!
• You can still party while being overwhelmed.
• You need to party because you're overwhelmed.
• I unwittingly picked a great spot to live, and my commute is now 5 minutes by bike.
• People still show up to class an hour late, just like in college.
• They give you free food whenever they want you to show up for something.
• They are really friendly to you at first, just like orientation at OFD. I just hope things don't quickly deteriorate like they did at the OFD. There, they greeted us with donuts, coffee, fruit, lofty praise and congratulations from the funky podium while we were with our families. Then they separated us, still smiling, giving our family and friends the false impression that they were going to take us away and still be nice to us. In fact, the moment the door to the tiny classroom slammed shut, the torture began. I'll never forget G.W. raising his hand and asking our short-haired academy cadre leader - who happened to be a woman - if he should address her as "sir" or "ma'am." Actually, this feels like the calm before the storm. I just hope it's not a Category 5.
• My new email signature is going to be, "Gotta get going - I have to study!"