Week 1 - Lo empieza

This post begins my weekly posts on Sunday nights during the study period before the national board exam I take at the end of April. Check in for updates, stories, and motivational quotes that are probably more for me than they are for you but I hope you enjoy it all anyway ;)

Today is the first day of my study period for the USMLE Step 1 exam... 

and what a day it was!

The weather is miserable outside. It's been raining for two days now. I hope it isn't an omen for my NBME exam tomorrow!!! Today was a light studying day focusing on high yield topics. But before I started studying, I had quite an interesting morning. I went to Walmart for the first time since I moved to Philadelphia today. And it was great! They had lots of produce, the aisles were stocked, and everyone was really nice! I will attribute part of it to going at 8 AM because anyone up at that hour on a Sunday in the pouring rain has to be a morning person :) I found some spaghetti squash (finally!) and that made my day! I got two hehe. They had awesome pineapples and cheap kale - it was great! (Plus they had super cheap Cadbury mini-eggs but I'm still pretending like I'm not addicted to them.) I was also able to snag some things for my upcoming move for pretty cheap too. 

Once I got home I was starving! I resisted the urge to stop in at Dunkin' for a donut (been seriously craving a donut for weeks!) but I was feeling like something hot and fresh. I had seen a recipe for pancakes that are just two ingredients: a ripe banana and two eggs.... could it be true?? Oh it is, and they are delicious. I cooked them up in a bit of coconut oil and they seriously hit the spot - however I did add a bit of vanilla extract.

Then it was 10 hours of review. Okay minus a 45 minute nap. But I finished so now we hope for the best. For day 2, I have a predictive exam that is 5 hours long. So, no studying tomorrow! But I'm definitely going to make sure that I'm happy with my study plan, get my meal planning set for the week, and get general organization things done. Maybe I'll even pack a bit if I'm feeling ambitious - emphasis on ambitious.

Each week I'm going to post a motivational quote - it's partly for me [ to remind myself that I can get through this next month] but I hope that it will speak to you too.

Coming in to this month with a plan in hand (Thanks Casey!) has really helped to ease my stress. I know exactly what I need to do and I'm really excited to get started... never thought I'd say that haha. 

I have the plan, I have the goal, now it's time to work!

See you next week 

L

This is the rhythm

A lot has happened since I posted last! We've covered GI and now hematology pathologies in school - which has been interesting. The weather has been horrendous. It got above 40 degrees this weekend and it was like a sign of the apocalypse...but I totally indulged in it. I actually spent this past weekend in Arlington/DC with my cousin and her cute family and my best friend. I had a race on Sunday in DC so I made a weekend of it. The race went well considering I am fighting a pretty nasty cold. There were over 4,000 runners - it was the biggest race I have ever done and gave me a taste for what to expect with my next race that is in just under a month. I am a bit nervous for that one because it will be much closer to the upper limit of how far I can run. 
The light at the end of the tunnel is near - my board exam is scheduled for April 28 and my flight to paradise is scheduled for April 30. The hunt for housing in Pittsburgh is still ongoing - I will feel a lot better once that is squared away and settled. Still, trying to keep up with school and life is getting tiring. I am kind of over it and just want to get started with my board prep and get it done and over with. I only have 21 days to go until that starts. Yay? 

So, I know I am late to the party, but I recently discovered the band Bastille (I don't listen to the radio so I have to find new music by chance).  Anyway I am really in to them. Their album is great. I like every song -which hasn't happened in a while for me. They posted this song several months ago but seeing as  I am an '89 baby, I had to share it with you. The concept is a bit creepy but the cover is bangin'.

L


Oh and here are a few pictures from this weekend:

The only race related photo I took - showing off my green socks

My most recent purchase.

My best friend is gorgeous.

Especially when she eats Pupusas. Ha

How I feel with a final approaching...

Psychosis, pediatrics, pudding, and posting

It has been my usual two month break from this blog but no more! One of my new years resolutions is to blog more so hooray for you, the readers of my blog. A lot has happened since I last posted. Let's recap.

Thanksgiving with my best friend was amazing. Everything I thought it could be. And leftovers fo days. NOM.
I chose a date for my board exam aka D-Day.
I got to spend more time with my man friend than I ever would have thought possible when he moved away in July.
I spent a little over a week in Utah for Christmas and new years which was nice. I was a huge bum and watched many movies and had leisurely mid morning runs with no traffic and amazing scenery.
Here are some pictures of said events - 

My cooking on Thanksgiving. All from scratch.

Backseat selfies on NYE

So very sleepy.

BFFF

Me and Erica on Christmas

Momma bear

 

Hamming it up with my lil Bro

Thanksgiving Touristy Time

  Now to this year :
I have a few important new years resolutions to share and then an insight and a story. (they are are linked I promise)
I am training for a 15k race 6 days a week and doing yoga 2-3 times a week. These are two of my resolutions. They also help me achieve my third of being on a time efficient schedule for studying for the boards. So far it has been working out really well! I feel energized and really productive with my days. But I will say that I can't be happier that thursday is my rest day! My quads need some tlc!
Another resolution of mine is to be positive and thankful every day.
This month in school we are learning abnormal psych and neurological pathology. I have never realized how lucky I am to wake up every morning and know who I am, to not hear voices, or to not suffer from some irrational delusion. I am now thankful for my sanity. Every day.
I was at a recent outpatient session and the faculty I was working with kept using the phrase, "the proof of the pudding". He said it probably 5 or 6 times in a few hours. I got curious and looked up where the phrase comes from :

 'The proof of the pudding' is shorthand for 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating'. it is a proverb that goes way back to the 1400s. In this proverb, "proof" means test so it basically means that to fully test something you need to experience it yourself.    

Even though I think the Doc wasn't using it in the way it was intended, I think that the proverb itself is a really valuable lesson. I mentioned before, one of my resolutions is to be more positive about life - well until I try it myself, I can't label anything with a judgement, particularly a negative one. It is a great mantra to have to encourage yourself to try new things, meet new people, and get out of your comfort zone! And it makes me want dark chocolate pudding... nom.