Saturday the 24, at about 4:30AM Nikki and I packed the rest of our stuff into an overloaded car- including the big Malamute- and hit the road. The 12 hour journey can at times be tedious and I was happy to have company along for the ride (otherwise, I have to converse to the radio or myself... not as much fun). We stopped a few extra places from where I normally stop so that Cherokee could stretch her leg, and also because I wanted to do the scenic pull off and check out the view of Mt. Katahdin in Maine. We had beautiful travelling weather, albeit a bit warm. We finally arrived at the destination of my new cottage at about 6:30 PM (Atlantic time) and unpacked the car.
My new living quarters for this year is a beautiful, small, 2 bedroom cottage not too far from the beach. It is a bit of a further drive to get to school each day- about 5-7 minutes longer than last year- but the peace and quiet, convenience to the beach, and the nice cottage all make it worth it- as well as the fact that it is totally pet friendly (as long as they are not destructive animals). It has no washer and dryer so I have to use a laundromat- but the nice thing is having the spare bedroom- so if someone comes to stay with me, or I need the storage space it's there! And, the rent is cheaper than my last place as well, by quite a bit. Ultimately I feel it works out well. Nikki and I unpacked, and then Sunday we took the big dog to the ocean for the first time. She was SO excited! The waves! The people! The birds! It was like Christmas for the old goof. She ran and played in the waves and didn't quite grasp you shouldn't bite the waves when they come in- they bite back! She did almost manage to drown in 2 inches of water... but she never has been the water dog that others are.
Monday classes started! I will be writing another blog on classes once I get in the rhythm a little more, but this semester I have Bacteriology, Pharmacology, Virology, Public Health, Diagnostic Imaging, Clinical Orientation and Systemic Pathology. Halfway through the semester we finish Diagnostic Imaging and go on to having another class. So far, I think Virology will be my toughest course. There are a lot of small details to remember about the viruses, and it is quite technical in terms of material. I don't necessarily dislike it, I just think it will be the course that gives me the most struggles. I love Pharmacology, and I like Diagnostic Imaging a lot as well! Pathology is also a favorite of mine! I anticipate that this school year will be very busy, but also probably a lot of fun.
My goal for the semester is to improve upon my study habits more from last year- though by the end of the second semester my studying was much improved- I would like to focus it even more and earlier in the semester so I am not scrambling. A few of my courses have quizzes this semester and it makes more sense to be prepared all along. I am also going to try to remain as organized as possible. Last year at times I did not have everything as orderly as it could have been, and it was detrimental to me. Hopefully I can take that lesson and put it to good use!
Lastly, club sign up happened on Wednesday. This year, I knew a bit more about what to expect- for one that you can pay your dues right away and then not worry about it later, and for another you can sign up for multiple clubs and pay your dues to them later- but risk not being chosen for their wet labs. I ended up signing up and paying for Pathology and Shelter Medicine Club- both of which I really enjoyed last year and was most active with, and then I also signed up for Alternative medicine club, Equine club, and Emergency and Critical Care Club (which if I pay will allow me to sign up for ICU shifts-- something that I would look forward to!)
WIth all the club work, the studying, and the outside activities available I should have a fairly busy semester- but I am looking forward to it! Here's to a new school year!!
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