MS1

I started med school, you guys! So far, my life has been filled with dramatic changes. For example, I recently changed my igoogle theme from "farm animals" to "radiohead." I also changed my gmail theme from "candy" to "ninjas." This last one has been life-changing. Remember how much I used to love those cutesy little cartoon girls eating their cutesy candies? Well, the new med student version of me is way too hardcore to put up with such saccharine google themes. "Ninjas" is much better suited for my new lifestyle. Now, every time I log onto email (which is, admittedly, significantly less often than I used to), I see cutesy cartoon ninjas kickin' ass all over my emails. Kickin' ass just like I am in med school!*

Another fairly significant change in my life is that I study all the time. And it's not just me. Everyone around me is studying pretty much always. I've actually never heard of so much studying before. It's pretty much all that everyone ever talks about.

For example: It's Friday afternoon and everyone is going his/her separate way (i.e. to his/her respective study group). In parting, this conversation can frequently be overheard (I will color coordinate the speakers to avoid confusion):

"Hey! Whatcha gonna do this weekend? Study?!"

"Yeah, I'm pretty much going to study all weekend."

"Me too, I have so much to do. There is just SO MUCH material. I just really need to study it all."

"Well, if you want, maybe we can study together later."

"Yeah, sounds good... maybe after I study this a little on my own first."

"Okay, well see you later! Good luck with your studying!"

WTF?! Are you kidding me?! Studying should never be the subject of conversation for longer than, let's say... um... EVER! Hopefully we'll develop personalities and start talking about important/interesting things. Like who is going to hook up at this weekend's student-faculty retreat.

*Just to clarify, my school is pass/fail and intent on fostering a non-competitive and cooperative learning environment; we are learning to be "good friends," in the words of the head of the Biochemistry department. So, when I say I'm "kickin' ass," I mean, I'm kickin' biochemistry's ass. And by "kickin' biochemistry's ass," I mean, I just want to pass.