Life Is Happening!

Two weeks left. TWO! Then I am done with my first year of vet school. How crazy is that?! As I am composing this joyful post, I am basking in the sun and listening to Alt-J (∆).  *Seriously. Give them a listen.

In the words of Liz Lemon, "Life IS happening!"

So here's a quick update:

My AHWAFS exam results are in! THUNDERCATS ARE GO! Now I just need to finish 5 weeks of Animal Husbandry EMS by August then that chapter of my life will close. After the farming EMS is complete, I can move onto clinical EMS. That means working in practice! Happy days!

My EMS checklist:
2 weeks with dairy cattle (still on the prowl for this placement)

2 weeks with horses (current plans are at a thoroughbred breeding facility in Germany!)

1 week of poultry (ugh. Do have to?)

As for my final Animal Body Module (AB4) it's been pretty low-key. It's comprised of short, student group tutorial sessions. We are given a problem set examining the effects of an illness or adaptation on various body systems (i.e. Sperm whale adaptation to deep sea diving or the systemic effect of diabetes mellitus). This means more self-directed, at-home learning and less time sitting in class guzzling red bulls in order to get through lecture-laden days. Every once in a while, I get a day off (like today) and tomorrow we're taking a trip to the Edinburgh Zoo. Fingers crossed for some intermittent Scottish sunshine (I know I'm asking a lot here but hey! A girl can dream, right?)!

To Do List:
1) Get through one more week of school

2) Power through exam week

3) Dominate summer

I've got this. x  

 

True Facts About Vet School

Again, I've been bad. Really bad. It's been a very long time since I last wrote but life + vet school = unspeakable horrors. Seriously. Before I started school, I had these lovely ideas of how fabulous vet school was going to be.

I'd be surrounded by animals...                                        

    

And the people that love them.

All of my teachers would be passionate and encouraging.

In actuality, we hardly see animals our first year. Formalin drenched ones don't really count. As far as the people, vet school is a strange microcosm of society. One filled with girls. Crazy, competitive, scary, smart girls. While many of them are truly lovely, some are just downright nasty. It's like a pre-vet club on steroids. Sheesh. Fortunately, the GEP class has now merged with the 2nd years from the 5 year program. I'm happy to say that they (along with some gems from the other years) are diluting the crazy with great success.



While most of my teachers are brilliant and passionate in their area of expertise, some of them are clearly clinicians or researchers at heart. Not teachers. A couple seem more concerned about being addressed by their "appropriate title" than making sure we understand their material. Some make you feel like an inconvenience of the worst kind, despite the horrific amount of money we pay to be "an inconvenience." Fortunately, most of my teachers DO strive to encourage and support students.

Subsequently, there are quite a few days I come home from school feeling like this. Thank goodness for Ben and Jerry's Cookie Dough.

But it's not all bad! I promise! I gave in and adopted two kittens from the local shelter. Kitten therapy is always close at hand now. Meet Crazy Cora and Quigley.

I have also passed every exam so far despite some unfortunate setbacks. AB2 and AB3 are finally behind me! I also just finished my last Animal Health, Welfare, and Food Safety (AHWAFS) exam today. Victory dance!!! I had 5 handling exams: cattle, cats/dogs, exotics, sheep, and horses. I am proud to say that I exceeded my expectations and received fantastic scores all around. The exams were certainly flavourful. Do a one-handed pigeon hold? No problem. Catch and age a ewe by its teeth? As you wish. Make that fat horse trot? Let's do it, Chunks. Pill a dog? Resistance is futile, pup. Make your examiner giggle as you bullshit your way through an 8 minute calf monologue? Well it worked didn't it?! Now I just have to wait for today's written exam results (worth 80% of my AHWAFS grade). Fingers are crossed. Anyways, I'm off to celebrate the end of this long, long week with a bit of sunshine; this pasty Voldemort look isn't really working out. Cheers!

Aaaaaand we're back!

I've been completely MIA. I can even hear Mrs. Weasley's voice screeching, "Where have you been?!" The truth is I've been incredibly busy with school (vet school is no joke!) in addition to partaking in Scottish shenanigans with shocking regularity.


So where did I leave off... ah yes. Animal Body 1 (AB1) is now finished! After 4 weeks of anatomy lectures, and cadaver filled practicals I was feeling very knowledgable but horribly animal deprived. I just want to pet something alive and formalin free! Is that too much to ask?! Seriously. It's gotten pretty bad as I've never been without a pet of some kind.
I was reduced to chasing stray cats...

And staring like a creeper at dogs in the park.

Anyways, moving on to school! I first had an oral exam where I had to showcase my knowledge to the best of my abilities within 10 minutes. Though it was only worth 5% of my grade, it was extremely nerve wracking. I'm pretty sure I was talking incoherently fast at times since my examiner was very intimidating. She had a stony poker face that left me doubting myself.
Her: Which nerve innervates these muscles?
Me: The radial nerve.
Her: Are you sure? *Unyielding poker face
Me: Yes? Um.. wait. No. Wait. *F!*&t9$#
Harumph. Let's just say that oral exam format is not my favourite.

Two days later I took the written portion of my exam worth 95% of my grade. Realising that my exams could leave me weeping in despair, I proactively planned a post-exam trip to Ireland with my friend Dale. More on this later! Fortunately, the written exam wasn't as bad as I expected! There were 9 short answer questions and 30 MCQs. I should mention that grades are completely different in the UK than they are the US. To "pass" you need a 50+, for a "credit" you need a 60+, and for a "distinction" (the best rating possible) you need a 70+, and no one can ever really score 90+. It's a very challenging system and takes some getting used to.

I ended up receiving a distinction and as you could imagine, I was absolutely thrilled.

Sadly, it's back to work for me. AB2 is here, bringing the pleasures of immunology, inflammation, parasitology, bacteriology, and virology. So many -ologies, so little time!

And So It Begins.

Yesterday and today were my first two days of school. As much as I'd like to rave about how exciting everything was, I have to admit that at times it was downright boring. We have been filling out forms and listening to mundane lecture topics such as fire safety or protective gear explanations.
For example, if the building catches fire, please leave; crispy vet students are not happy vet students. Also, wear the required steel-toed boots so an ornery horse doesn't get the best of your toes. The whole thing reeks of common sense.

On the bright side, my classmates seem like a genuinely friendly group. Meeting people has been exciting especially with all of the different nationalities, academic backgrounds, and professional interests. Of course, the class is undeniably female dominated. Believe it or not, there are only 6 guys in the entire GEP class! I can't decide if this is good or bad for them. For the time being, I would guess it's a bit overwhelming since three of them hide together in the back of the classroom...

Bit of a recap: we all met last Sunday at a school event. It was surprising to see how quickly people fell into groups/cliques. I have not met everyone yet but that won't last; with only 56 people in a class, you can't hide for long.

Yesterday, some 4th and 5th year students invited us to meet them at a place called, "The Ale House." Encouraged to work hard and play hard by the faculty, we took over the entire pub, drinking and socialising (on a school night? *gasp). I could get used to this...

<=Typical UK vet student*


Tonight, I decided to go all out and study my first lectures ahead of time. I want to be extra prepared for my first real classes tomorrow: Animal Body 1, Animal Health, Welfare and Food Safety (AHWAFS), and Terminology. Yup. I'm nerdy and I know it.

Random bit: The head of our school asked if we knew what Chariots of Fire was and without thinking, I found myself humming the song to a room of silent students. Ya. First impressions anyone?

A Knight Always Helps!

I've been enjoying a place in Edinburgh called The Meadows. A beautiful area with a phenomenal park and fields lined with trees. Students play sports where great intellectuals once enjoyed their leisurely walks, hundreds of years ago. Of all these wonderful things, nothing beats a little knight "C" and I met this week.

We stopped to watch some men's football (a.k.a. soccer, not American football) when I noticed a little boy walking with his father. This adorable 6 year old was wearing a full on knight's suit: helmet, shield, breastplate, you name it. Right then, the game ball shot out of bounds and past the little knight. His face lit up with a smile and he cried, "A knight always helps!" Then he took off to retrieve the ball as quick as his little legs could carry him. The player sent to retrieve the ball blew past the knight, grabbed the ball and started jogging back. The whole field froze in horror at the sight of the knight's crestfallen face. His heroic efforts had been thwarted.

As he slowly shuffled back, his father (noticing our dismay) quickly told us, "He is always trying to help people. With anything! He loves returning things that people drop, for example. So if you want..."

I looked down at my house keys and then back at the knight who was now near tears. I "sneakily" (ha.) tossed my keys onto the path. With the straightest face I could muster (haha.) I asked, "C, where could my keys have gone? I just had them! I must have dropped them somewhere!" The little knight's face broke into an excited grin. He ran over and proudly handed me my keys.

C and I trilled his praises, "Oh my goodness! Thank you so much for finding my keys! You are such a wonderfully helpful knight! Thank you thank you thank you!" We were instantly rewarded with his proud little grin, "A knight always helps."

Did I mention that I love this place?

Week 1: Bipolar Weather, Crazed Landlords, and Dramatic Gophers!

So I've been here in Edinburgh for a week now and truth be told, I'm in love. Arthur's Seat is every bit as glorious as I remembered it.






The city itself is spectacular, rain or shine (yes yes, it's more rain than shine) and I still can't quite believe that this is now my home. My city. The place where the next 4 years of my life will unfold.

Ahem. Now that I got that off my chest, we can move on to the other humorous/sordid details of my week. 

The Weather: In Scotland, the weather is actually an interesting topic due to its wildly unpredictable nature. A common saying here is, "If you don't like the weather, wait 20 minutes. You might like it then." 

Hmm. Well of course the summer I move to Edinburgh happens to have the worst summer weather that any of the locals can remember; it doesn't seem to faze the locals one bit though. Hidden beneath unflattering layers, I couldn't help but glower a bit at the girls are running about in tank tops and shorts regardless of the rain and wind. Ugh. 

Slowly but surely, I have been shedding layers but... I have a sneaking suspicion that by the time I'm adjusted to the summer weather, winter will simply step up and slap me across the face. Harumph.

The Flat Situation: Ah yes. Where to start? I had this brilliant idea to sublet a room from a current vet student for July through August. We arrive on the 12th of July, scruffy and exhausted, only to step into a sublet nightmare. In addition to the flat being dirty/unfinished halfway through the first month of the lease (What the what?!) we find that the landlord is a crooked, grumpy, little troll. For example, when my flatmate and I politely notify the landlord that the washer/dryer combo machine does not dry (as advertised) he angrily snaps, "Well I never specified that it would work! You'll have to find an alternative yourself." Click. 

Oh no he didn't!

I must admit, that we as Americans have come to take our dryers for granted. This is sadly an unusual luxury in the UK, especially with sketchy landlords like this one. First world problems anyone? ;)

Sadly, it gets worse. Window locks on a ground floor flat? Psh. Why would we need that? 

Flat key exclusivity? But sharing is caring (in this case only it seems)! Three "plumbers" (who needs three?) walked into my room without permission to enter the flat, much less my room. "Oh hi... didn't know you'd be here." My thoughts exactly. "We're here to do erm, the plumbing for the upstairs flat." Then why are you rummaging through my downstairs flat, hm? Can't forget the painter in our hallway at 8 in the morning. Exactly how many strangers have keys to my flat Mr. Sketchy Landlord?! And the final straw: The gas leak that all of the building's occupants can smell? "Erm. That's just incense." Yes of course! Gas scented incense that no one in the building is burning... 

*Cue Angry Badger Face. 

That's it. Time to move. Like now. Despite our lack of credit in the UK (American credit means nothing here) and the dwindling vacant flats (thanks to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival) we were still very motivated. If all goes well, my flatmate and I are signing a lease this Monday to our very own 2 bedroom flat. *fingers crossed! :D

Edinburgh University and the National Museum of Scotland: For all of Scotland's recent weather/landlord shenanigans, I am still thrilled to be here. My flatmate, "C" and I spent a couple of days exploring the museum (which is free like all museums and art galleries in Scotland) and we still haven't seen all of two floors yet (there are 4 or 5 in total!). I'll post more on that later.

On the way home, we stopped and took pictures of an Edinburgh University building. It's absolutely beautiful. 

                                            "C" caught me napping in the sun.

   

                                      So who's a happy camper? This girl. <3

                                                             Cheers!

And we're off!

Today is the big day! I am finally moving!

As I am writing this post, my little sister is driving my friend and me (as well as an army of baggage) to the San Francisco airport.
Beforehand, my family and I ate our "goodbye" lunch together at my favorite place in Santa Cruz: Cafe Brasil. I needed my Brazilian food fix to hold me over during times of haggis, blood pudding, and the like. *shudders.

In addition to dietary adjustments, I will also need to prepare for Scottish weather: rain, rain, and you guessed it, more rain! Hopefully we will get a few sunny days before school starts. My very tan sister kindly noted that my already "pasty"complexion will be translucent by Christmas break. Hoebag. Sadly, she is probably right. So if you you see a glowing vet student in Edinburgh, say hi. It's probably me. ;)

Anyways, thank you to everyone sending me supportive messages. I'll miss you all so very much. I'll update as soon as I eat a pound of Scottish shortbread cookies and wade through the rain to my flat. Wish me luck!