I'm warning you for the second time... this is a rant
This rant is about people believing they deserve the world and then some. This is what our society tells us. I can't count the number of tv commercials that advertise along the lines of "you derserve _____" or "treat yourself to _______ because you earned it."
Am I saying that we shouldn't be rewarded for hard work? No.
Am I saying that people walk around thinking that the world owes them? Yes.
Most recently I am reminded of this behavior at medical school. I apologize if you're one of my classmates and I am describing you, but now you know how I feel about this situation...
MSUCOM does not "owe" us anything but the education that it promised. Yes, we are paying (ahem... you are paying) lot's of money for this education. Does this mean that the professors need to spoon feed us? Does this mean that we shouldn't have two exams on one day? Does this mean that we shouldn't have MANDATORY classes? Especially during the summer!
STOP COMPLAINING. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Med school is hard. Duh.
Yeah, medical school is hard. What were you expecting? It's hard so that it weeds out those people who are not fit to be doctors. I'm sorry if you think that MSUCOM should make things easier on us, but I don't think that. You are not owed this. You earn this.
I truly feel like medical school is a blessing. I'm not going to lie and say I never complain about it... but most of my complaints have to do with not wanting to study, not that I feel like my school is taking advantage of me in anyway. We get the chance to learn and do things that most people don't get to do. We get the chance to have an awesome career that is probably always going to be in demand. You have to work for this. You don't deserve it.
This is my rant. And now I'm done.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Eternal Perspective
I've mentioned before how even though I don't have time to spare, in my spare time I volunteer with a group from my church called Chaos. Chaos is aptly named because it is a group of middle school, or more specifically 7th and 8th grade boys and girls. I am the lifegroup leader of the 8th grade girls and I am continuously learning from them.
I don't know about you, but remembering my middle school years makes me want to cringe. How awkward was that time of life? I remember one time I wore overalls (they were cool... especially with one strap not buckled) and some person came up behind me and gave me this super wedgie. I mean, it's super funny now to think about, but at the time I was so embarrassed! But I feel like that was middle school. Embarrassing.
Now-a-days though, my girls have it rough. I feel like they talk about big life issues that I never would have faced when I was their age. Technology has definitely had a hand in it. It's sometimes hard for me to relate to them, but I just love on them as much as I can because some of them don't see that at school or home as much as they should.
I thought about stepping down this semester since I have so much school to worry about. 23+ credits, electives, board exams coming up, seminars, etc... But I am so glad that I didn't. As I said, I learn so much from these girls and this ministry that to give it up would cause me more stress right now I think. Even though it's chaotic, it's calming.
Lately I haven't been sleeping. I have been tired all day and lacking motivation. Yesterday was one of those days. I had barely studied all day and I just felt no motivation to get anything done. Days like this are detrimental during school because you get so behind. Currently I have about 8 lectures to catch up on and a lot of studying to do. I also have been lacking motivation to work out and all that extra eating I did during the holidays really caught up. So I put on my "fat jeans" (girls, you know what I'm talking about) which now fit just fine, and headed to Chaos last night feeling very defeated. I hadn't studied and I gained weight. Woe is me, let's have a pity party.
In Chaos, we're teaching the kids about the book of Phillipians which is quickly becoming one of my favorite books. In our lifegroups, we were discussing the eternal perspective that Paul has while he's writing this letter... I mean, the guy is in jail and is still super encouraging, loving, and motivated to share his love with his friends in Phillipi. I asked the girls what they thought eternal perspective means, or what it meant to them. They said it beautifully (paraphrasing): Don't worry about this world, it's not where we belong.
Gosh I love those girls for how smart they are.
Don't worry about this world. It is NOT where you belong. What does that even mean (I asked them)? And they replied with typical middle school things "When your parents tick you off...", "When you don't get to do what you want...", "When school is hard..." "...DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT!"
I know I totally did the punctuation wrong up there... not worried about it.
Anyway, I've been so stressed lately. About school, time, sleeping (especially sleeping), and most of the time I worry about my husband as well. I'm pretty good at keeping that worry under control, but when it all adds up, especially with a lack of sleep, I kind of lose it. I feel like being reminded to not worry about this world because this is not where I belong, is a message I needed to hear. I'm not of this world because I am with Christ. I am destined for Heaven and nothing I do here on earth will change that. That's a pretty awesome truth that I often forget, but is so relieving when I remember it.
This isn't to say that I'm going to stop worrying about all the things I've listed above. But hopefully when I do start to worry, I can find peace in knowing I'm not of this world and instead of getting discouraged, be encouraged to move on and deal with whatever is in front of me.
I don't know about you, but remembering my middle school years makes me want to cringe. How awkward was that time of life? I remember one time I wore overalls (they were cool... especially with one strap not buckled) and some person came up behind me and gave me this super wedgie. I mean, it's super funny now to think about, but at the time I was so embarrassed! But I feel like that was middle school. Embarrassing.
Now-a-days though, my girls have it rough. I feel like they talk about big life issues that I never would have faced when I was their age. Technology has definitely had a hand in it. It's sometimes hard for me to relate to them, but I just love on them as much as I can because some of them don't see that at school or home as much as they should.
I thought about stepping down this semester since I have so much school to worry about. 23+ credits, electives, board exams coming up, seminars, etc... But I am so glad that I didn't. As I said, I learn so much from these girls and this ministry that to give it up would cause me more stress right now I think. Even though it's chaotic, it's calming.
Lately I haven't been sleeping. I have been tired all day and lacking motivation. Yesterday was one of those days. I had barely studied all day and I just felt no motivation to get anything done. Days like this are detrimental during school because you get so behind. Currently I have about 8 lectures to catch up on and a lot of studying to do. I also have been lacking motivation to work out and all that extra eating I did during the holidays really caught up. So I put on my "fat jeans" (girls, you know what I'm talking about) which now fit just fine, and headed to Chaos last night feeling very defeated. I hadn't studied and I gained weight. Woe is me, let's have a pity party.
In Chaos, we're teaching the kids about the book of Phillipians which is quickly becoming one of my favorite books. In our lifegroups, we were discussing the eternal perspective that Paul has while he's writing this letter... I mean, the guy is in jail and is still super encouraging, loving, and motivated to share his love with his friends in Phillipi. I asked the girls what they thought eternal perspective means, or what it meant to them. They said it beautifully (paraphrasing): Don't worry about this world, it's not where we belong.
Gosh I love those girls for how smart they are.
Don't worry about this world. It is NOT where you belong. What does that even mean (I asked them)? And they replied with typical middle school things "When your parents tick you off...", "When you don't get to do what you want...", "When school is hard..." "...DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT!"
I know I totally did the punctuation wrong up there... not worried about it.
Anyway, I've been so stressed lately. About school, time, sleeping (especially sleeping), and most of the time I worry about my husband as well. I'm pretty good at keeping that worry under control, but when it all adds up, especially with a lack of sleep, I kind of lose it. I feel like being reminded to not worry about this world because this is not where I belong, is a message I needed to hear. I'm not of this world because I am with Christ. I am destined for Heaven and nothing I do here on earth will change that. That's a pretty awesome truth that I often forget, but is so relieving when I remember it.
This isn't to say that I'm going to stop worrying about all the things I've listed above. But hopefully when I do start to worry, I can find peace in knowing I'm not of this world and instead of getting discouraged, be encouraged to move on and deal with whatever is in front of me.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Currents...
You can tell I'm on break and I'm bored because I am posting two days in a row.
Thoughts: I wish I had time to re-read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books. I went and saw The Hobbit over break and I'm currently watching The Lord of the Rings and I just want to nerd out and read the books.
Also, I'm super psyched for the last Wheel of Time book to come out. Am I a nerd? Yes.
Blessings: Although I complain about my house, it's really quite homey and I am glad that I have that. It would stink to really hate where you live. I'm also so thankful for my Aunt Ruth, Uncle Greg and cousin Megahn who opened their home up to me for the past couple weeks. There have been a lot of changes at home lately which kept me from bringing Hank to either my parents or Sterling's parents houses and I really didn't have anywhere to stay back at home. They were so good to me and I am so thankful to have family reach out and help me when I needed it.
Struggles: Well. I haven't been great about exercising lately. I think I just kept telling myself that after the holidays I will get back on track (I feel like this happens every year) and now that the holidays are over, I really have no motivation. Except that I promised my husband I'd be in awesome shape when he gets home. And that makes me a little motivated. I just super hate running in the winter. Especially in Lansing where the sidewalks are awful (mine included)
Projects: I really don't have too many going on right now. I'm finishing up THE CUTEST little "monsters" for my niece and I think I am going to make one for my nephew as well.
I also have a few hats and things that I need to finish for family members. I kind of want to make myself some leg warmers as well :)
OH and I got a beautiful new sewing machine for Christmas:
So I am going to play around with that today and see what kind of damage I can do :)
Favorites: My darling puppy of course. And chamomile vanilla tea. And messages from my hubby :)
Desires: For my skin to not be so dry (damn eczema). To get this semester over with and to see my husband sooner!
Thoughts: I wish I had time to re-read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books. I went and saw The Hobbit over break and I'm currently watching The Lord of the Rings and I just want to nerd out and read the books.
Also, I'm super psyched for the last Wheel of Time book to come out. Am I a nerd? Yes.
Blessings: Although I complain about my house, it's really quite homey and I am glad that I have that. It would stink to really hate where you live. I'm also so thankful for my Aunt Ruth, Uncle Greg and cousin Megahn who opened their home up to me for the past couple weeks. There have been a lot of changes at home lately which kept me from bringing Hank to either my parents or Sterling's parents houses and I really didn't have anywhere to stay back at home. They were so good to me and I am so thankful to have family reach out and help me when I needed it.
Struggles: Well. I haven't been great about exercising lately. I think I just kept telling myself that after the holidays I will get back on track (I feel like this happens every year) and now that the holidays are over, I really have no motivation. Except that I promised my husband I'd be in awesome shape when he gets home. And that makes me a little motivated. I just super hate running in the winter. Especially in Lansing where the sidewalks are awful (mine included)
Projects: I really don't have too many going on right now. I'm finishing up THE CUTEST little "monsters" for my niece and I think I am going to make one for my nephew as well.
OH and I got a beautiful new sewing machine for Christmas:
Favorites: My darling puppy of course. And chamomile vanilla tea. And messages from my hubby :)
Desires: For my skin to not be so dry (damn eczema). To get this semester over with and to see my husband sooner!
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Hello 2013!
Once again, I find myself starting the blog back up after a long hiatus. Sometimes I think I am too lazy to keep this thing up, but then I always enjoy reading up on my other friends' blogs in order to feel somewhat up to date on their lives. So I'll make it a "resolution" to try harder this time.
Let's recap 2012.
Right after Christmas, my stud husband left for Ft. Benning, GA to start up Ranger School. I stayed in Lansing and worked on school. He graduated from Ranger School in March and up until that point, I mainly just worked on school (I lead a very interesting life). I went down and visited him in March and then we went our separate ways again until the end of the semester in May when he moved from Ft. Benning, GA to Ft. Campbell, KY. I finished my spring semester and was able to stay with him for about a week as he settled in. Oh, and Hank got to see his dad too :).
Moving to TN (right on the border near KY) was the most fabulous part of 2012 for me. Since it was only about a 9 hour drive, I spent a lot of the time in the summer semester driving down to visit my husband. I spent almost an entire month with him in August (though he spent most of that month traveling back and forth to Louisiana for training).
At the end of August, I started back up with school. Turns out that the second year of medical school is MUCH harder than the first year. I also took on a lot more responsibilities this past fall semester.
The classes = Neuromuscular System (5 credits), Gastrointestinal System (5 credits), Reproductive System (4 credits), Growth and Development (3 credits), Endocrine System (2 credits), Behavioral System (3 credits), and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (1 credit)
That's a total of 23 credits. Oh, and we also had to take a class where we basically shadowed/helped out in doctors offices for another credit. SO 24 credits last semester.
The electives = Student OMM Clinic (1 credit), SAAO elective (1 credit), TA for first year OMM lab (1 credit)
This year I've really discovered what I have an interest in as a future physician, and as you can see with my elective courses, it's centered around OMM.
For those of you who don't know what OMM is it stands for "Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine" it is also often called OMT (Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment). The simplest way to explain it is to compare it to what chiropractors do. But I think it also has a touch of physical therapy and maybe a slight dab of massage therapy. Basically manipulating your body to fix any dysfunctions whether they be skeletal, muscular, lymphatic, etc...
Along with learning new techniques, I've also been TAing for the first years and while it is quite the time commitment (4 hours every Tuesday afternoon) I really enjoy doing it, and I learn a lot.
Along with classes and electives, I have also started some extracurricular activities. First I do scribes... which is kind of a job (because I get paid for it). Basically just type out what is said in the lecture. It sounds simple but it takes forever. Also, in addition to just working in the student OMM clinic, I am also one of the coordinators... so I work more frequently.
My newest extracurricular though, that I really enjoy AND is the most time consuming is volunteering with a group called Chaos through my church. It's kind of like a bible study/hangout for 7th and 8th graders. It takes up a lot of my time (and energy some days) but I love doing something that ISN'T all about school. I love my 8th grade girls and its fun to hang out with them and teach/learn from them.
Okay, enough about school...
Sterling got to come and visit us here in Michigan for about 2 weeks in October which was awesome. Also hard... This past year has been hard for me to juggle a long distance relationship and school, but I've passed all my classes thus far and really, that's good enough for me!
I went and visited Sterling for almost 2 weeks at the beginning of November (again... school was put on the back burner) and saw him off for his first deployment mid-November. It was a sad day, but I feel like we were both prepared for it and I didn't cry as bad as I thought I would.
Since Sterling has been gone, we have gotten to talk a lot. Almost everyday. He can't really tell me what he's up to over there, but I understand. We have pretty dull conversations as I was either studying, or on break being an absolute bum. A month has already gone by and although I'm going to regret saying this later... deployment isn't as awful as I once thought it would be. It is hard, don't get me wrong, but I'm not sad and crying or depressed or anything like that. In fact I'm pretty normal. I think I'm a lot hardier than I thought I would be. I've barely cried and I've barely gotten upset about it. I am very thankful for being in school to help keep me busy and I am even more thankful for my amazing husband who takes care of me even though he is living in a different country.
In fact, I am pretty positive that I can say Sterling and I have gotten closer since he's joined the army and since he has deployed. I will be so happy the day he comes home to me, but I am also thankful for the trials our marriage has already gone through because I know that we can get through anything. He is awesome, we are awesome.
So how about the future?
This year is my last real year of "book work" type schooling. I finish classes sometime in May and then I am scheduled to take my first step of the board exams on July 1st. This exams covers the first 2 years of medical school so I'll have my hands full studying for that. After I PASS my boards, I will go back into the lab and finish my PhD. I am so excited to go back to that way of thinking and working. I'm so over medical schools "memorize and regurgitate" attitude and I'm ready to problem solve and DO things. While I am working on my PhD research, I'll also be working a day or two in the hospital to slowly chug away at my clerkship rotations (which are what typical med students do their last two years of school) so that when I finish my PhD, I'll just have to finish whatever is left over.
Right now I am on track to graduate in May of 2017... I think. But it may take longer than that. Boo.
Sterling should get back from his little vacay in August. He mentioned something about getting home earlier, but I'm not holding my breath. After he gets back he'll be around Ft. Campbell for a while longer (which is awesome!). We will be taking a nice vacation when he gets back, and it will be awesome. After that, I'm not entirely sure where he is ending up. I am pretty sure he has to go out to Arizona to do some training eventually, but I like to focus on the now and try not to dwell about where my husband may be someday. Eventually (around 2016) he will get to come hang out with me again until I finish school. Then I have to do a residency (but at least I start getting paid!) and we will find a place to live and be a real married couple again.
Other than all that, not much has been going on except crafting, visiting family and friends, and being a bum...
Let's recap 2012.
Right after Christmas, my stud husband left for Ft. Benning, GA to start up Ranger School. I stayed in Lansing and worked on school. He graduated from Ranger School in March and up until that point, I mainly just worked on school (I lead a very interesting life). I went down and visited him in March and then we went our separate ways again until the end of the semester in May when he moved from Ft. Benning, GA to Ft. Campbell, KY. I finished my spring semester and was able to stay with him for about a week as he settled in. Oh, and Hank got to see his dad too :).
Moving to TN (right on the border near KY) was the most fabulous part of 2012 for me. Since it was only about a 9 hour drive, I spent a lot of the time in the summer semester driving down to visit my husband. I spent almost an entire month with him in August (though he spent most of that month traveling back and forth to Louisiana for training).
At the end of August, I started back up with school. Turns out that the second year of medical school is MUCH harder than the first year. I also took on a lot more responsibilities this past fall semester.
The classes = Neuromuscular System (5 credits), Gastrointestinal System (5 credits), Reproductive System (4 credits), Growth and Development (3 credits), Endocrine System (2 credits), Behavioral System (3 credits), and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (1 credit)
That's a total of 23 credits. Oh, and we also had to take a class where we basically shadowed/helped out in doctors offices for another credit. SO 24 credits last semester.
The electives = Student OMM Clinic (1 credit), SAAO elective (1 credit), TA for first year OMM lab (1 credit)
This year I've really discovered what I have an interest in as a future physician, and as you can see with my elective courses, it's centered around OMM.
For those of you who don't know what OMM is it stands for "Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine" it is also often called OMT (Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment). The simplest way to explain it is to compare it to what chiropractors do. But I think it also has a touch of physical therapy and maybe a slight dab of massage therapy. Basically manipulating your body to fix any dysfunctions whether they be skeletal, muscular, lymphatic, etc...
Along with learning new techniques, I've also been TAing for the first years and while it is quite the time commitment (4 hours every Tuesday afternoon) I really enjoy doing it, and I learn a lot.
Along with classes and electives, I have also started some extracurricular activities. First I do scribes... which is kind of a job (because I get paid for it). Basically just type out what is said in the lecture. It sounds simple but it takes forever. Also, in addition to just working in the student OMM clinic, I am also one of the coordinators... so I work more frequently.
My newest extracurricular though, that I really enjoy AND is the most time consuming is volunteering with a group called Chaos through my church. It's kind of like a bible study/hangout for 7th and 8th graders. It takes up a lot of my time (and energy some days) but I love doing something that ISN'T all about school. I love my 8th grade girls and its fun to hang out with them and teach/learn from them.
Okay, enough about school...
Sterling got to come and visit us here in Michigan for about 2 weeks in October which was awesome. Also hard... This past year has been hard for me to juggle a long distance relationship and school, but I've passed all my classes thus far and really, that's good enough for me!
I went and visited Sterling for almost 2 weeks at the beginning of November (again... school was put on the back burner) and saw him off for his first deployment mid-November. It was a sad day, but I feel like we were both prepared for it and I didn't cry as bad as I thought I would.
Since Sterling has been gone, we have gotten to talk a lot. Almost everyday. He can't really tell me what he's up to over there, but I understand. We have pretty dull conversations as I was either studying, or on break being an absolute bum. A month has already gone by and although I'm going to regret saying this later... deployment isn't as awful as I once thought it would be. It is hard, don't get me wrong, but I'm not sad and crying or depressed or anything like that. In fact I'm pretty normal. I think I'm a lot hardier than I thought I would be. I've barely cried and I've barely gotten upset about it. I am very thankful for being in school to help keep me busy and I am even more thankful for my amazing husband who takes care of me even though he is living in a different country.
In fact, I am pretty positive that I can say Sterling and I have gotten closer since he's joined the army and since he has deployed. I will be so happy the day he comes home to me, but I am also thankful for the trials our marriage has already gone through because I know that we can get through anything. He is awesome, we are awesome.
So how about the future?
This year is my last real year of "book work" type schooling. I finish classes sometime in May and then I am scheduled to take my first step of the board exams on July 1st. This exams covers the first 2 years of medical school so I'll have my hands full studying for that. After I PASS my boards, I will go back into the lab and finish my PhD. I am so excited to go back to that way of thinking and working. I'm so over medical schools "memorize and regurgitate" attitude and I'm ready to problem solve and DO things. While I am working on my PhD research, I'll also be working a day or two in the hospital to slowly chug away at my clerkship rotations (which are what typical med students do their last two years of school) so that when I finish my PhD, I'll just have to finish whatever is left over.
Right now I am on track to graduate in May of 2017... I think. But it may take longer than that. Boo.
Sterling should get back from his little vacay in August. He mentioned something about getting home earlier, but I'm not holding my breath. After he gets back he'll be around Ft. Campbell for a while longer (which is awesome!). We will be taking a nice vacation when he gets back, and it will be awesome. After that, I'm not entirely sure where he is ending up. I am pretty sure he has to go out to Arizona to do some training eventually, but I like to focus on the now and try not to dwell about where my husband may be someday. Eventually (around 2016) he will get to come hang out with me again until I finish school. Then I have to do a residency (but at least I start getting paid!) and we will find a place to live and be a real married couple again.
Other than all that, not much has been going on except crafting, visiting family and friends, and being a bum...
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