Being a better student

I was a much better blogger my first year, but I was a much worse student.

As I become a better student and I get better at really trying to integrate information, it seems I have less time for jacking around on the computer.

Our classes this block are still not super intriguing, but things are getting so much more applicable. I know that pharmacology isn't particularly interesting, but I have always wanted to know why drugs do what they do. I see them used in the clinic and I am pumped to know why we pick one drug over another. It is hard and takes a lot of mental work (ie. paying attention in class and using my brain for all 50 minutes of it). We'll see if it's as rewarding as I hope it is :-)

We are also taking a new class (as in they have never done it before) where we learn about emergency response. We get the training necessary to be a part of the Missouri Veterinary Response team and get to learn about disaster relief and our part in all of it. It can be a little dry because they are all government power points but it is very practical and awesome. Veterinarians play a HUGE role in public health (actually that is the name of one of our other classes this block - Public Health) because they handle food inspection, learn about both the animal AND human side of pathogens that can jump species (such as West Nile), and take care of the livestock that produce the meat and dairy that we all eat. Today I get to practice taking on and off (called donning and doffing) super protective gear in case of biohazards. Gonna look like an alien. Gonna be awesome.

And we have more pathology still. Pathology is really important and luckily we have new teachers who do not suck so much and I am learning more. It is all about the big problems you would see if you opened up an animal and how you would know what caused them. If you see that a dog has an ovarian tumor, is it most likely cancer? Is it producing a hormone? What kind of tumor is it most likely? So that is hard to get through sometimes, but again is incredibly practical.

And then there's public health. Right now we are learning about a salmonella that only people get...and how they get diarrhea. People are gross. That's really how I feel about that. Glad I am not a human doctor. Just saying.

Everything else is going great! Get to see the boyfriend almost every month and get to go see his school over Thanksgiving break! I also will get to go home for  weeks this winter including a trip to the homeland for family Christmas and hopefully a visit with my new little niece :-)

Some days are just awesome.

Yesterday stared off well and continued in the same way.

Here is my day in order
1) In in the morning my roommate walked downstairs with the "Life's a Happy Song" song from the Muppets playing
2) Took  a test and for once everything went my way - if I was down to 2 choices, I picked the right one; if I changed an answer, I changed to the correct answer
3)came home and took the best nap. NEVER underestimate the power of a good nap
4) Took all 3 dogs to the dog park. Park was packed, dogs ran SO much, roommate's little dog picked the most badass looking big dog and played with him even though she normally doesn't play with dogs
5) came home and watched Bones
6) Took all 3 dogs to Andy's to get frozen custard. Also got some for us. Dogs get free puppy cone. Dogs = happy, people = happy!
7) snuggled with the cat and got some studying done
8) talked to the boyfriend about our niece/nephew who is due on the 9th!
9) Bed by 10:30.

I mean seriously, can you beat that?
Working the overnight tonight, making all the money. Also really like getting some clinic time to keep all my information fresh.
Did you know - the kind of roundworms that come from raccoon poop are the kind that like to migrate into the nervous system and eyes of people? As in they will crawl into your brain and give you seizures...or into your eye and mess up your vision? Parasitology is awesome and so gross. Don't let your dog eat raccoon poop. Just don't do it.

Can't wait to know stuff. Just waiting for the day when I make a diagnoses, treat the animal, and fix it!
But that is also terrifying. One of my roommates is 2 weeks from getting to clinics and I may be the only one who knows why is she is more terrified than excited... Real life is scary and awesome and scary.

Suck less than others

Yea, so the beginning of this week sucked exactly as much as I thought it would

We started with a test on Mon and the moved to a test today at 6:30am. The sun was not even awake. And there was a crap ton of information.

I did not do as well as I had hoped but other people are saying it was one of their worst tests in vet school so I guess since it was not even close to my worst then that means I did well? I don't know if that logic follows, but I'm gonna go with it.

This has made me tired and crabby. However, Mike deals with me well when I am like this. I think I will keep him.

Plus everyone came to visit this weekend! My aunt and uncle came down for the BBQ contest - my uncle judges them - and we just hung out in Columbia. Columbia is a pretty cool town, I mean they have a place that sells strictly alcoholic slushies. How can that be bad?

Ok I apologize that this was probably the least interesting post ever. I'll do better, I promise, when I have rested from this week. I will tell tales of the ICU or at least be entertaining, but right now this is how I feel...

Whabam!

This block is kicking my butt a little.
2-3 tests a week doesn't sound all the bad in theory...except that it kinda sucks.
Just because there is constantly something that you should be studying furiously. All the time.

But on the bright side, all the club meetings are starting and those are my favorite!
The bat lady came to ZEW club last night to talk about white nose syndrome which is causing a lot of death in bats in the US. This could have huge implications for farmers as well as the rest of the ecosystem because 1 bat can eat up to 250lbs of insects a year. Which is a lot.
She also brings a few bats that cannot be released and we get to feed them and see them up close. They have really sweet faces and it is so cool to see the way they eat and move. One of the ones she brought this time was just a baby and if we weren't constantly feeding her, she would just jump off and go in search of food elsewhere. She reminded me of a toddler and it was hilarious.

I am working out a lot and trying to eat healthier, which makes me feel better about myself and is also healthy haha. It helps that there are a lot of us working on our health so there is a good group of people to work out with, swap recipes with, and to tell you that you don't need ice cream everyday :-)

This weekend is the BBQ festival where my uncle comes to judge and he and my aunt come hang out. It is so much fun when people come visit! Columbia is such a fun town and I love getting to see people from home :-)

And now I should go back to learning I guess....
Have a good weekend!

Best and mostly timely blogger ever!

Ya..
About that...
I got so busy!!!!

Summer ended and school started and everything went nuts.

So instead of  trying to catch you up, here is a synopsis:
school
workout
people visiting :)
sleep
dogs
cats
food
weight loss

So that's what's up in my life. Trying really hard not to get behind in my classes because we have at least 2, but sometimes 3, tests every week and somehow through factors beyond my control all of my weekends are getting taken up!

But with really fun things. Like Mike coming to spend our 4 year anniversary with me, getting a picture taken with us and the animals, going into St. Louis on Sat night to celebrate the anniversary. And going home to babysit my little, baby brother and the dogs. And seeing Mike again.

It's so very stressful to be me.

I did help farrow (farrow = pigs giving birth) some gilts (gilts = first time pig mommies) in the middle of the night. The experience was amazing because I had never dealt much with pigs and especially momma pigs. It was so neat to see them dry off, get their first meal, and start running around like crazy piglets. Even some of the littlest little bitties got up and got going pretty fast.

My friends and I are having a weight loss competition which is a great way to keep ourselves motivated. We all weigh in once a week and the person with the highest percentage at the end gets a Dicks gift card which will be paid for by $10 from each loser :) It is a fun way to encourage each other and keep ourselves healthy as school starts to get real busy. I have been using the myfitnesspal.com app which I HIGHLY recommend. So easy to use, lets you follow your friends and has a barcode counter for easy nutrition fact counting. People who have logged with weight watchers and myfitnesspal say that the food amounts are very similar. I just like keeping track of my food and workouts together.

So enough bout me for now. Everyone is marrying, getting engaged, and having babies. Congrats to everyone!

Symposium

I really have been uber busy, ask anyone.

But it's no excuse!

I spent this whole past weekend at an absolutely stellar research conference in Colorado. Because I am too lazy to type in full paragraphs, I'll break it down in bullet form then give ya some pics I stole from a class mate :-)

• food was AMAZING. We had like 3 snack breaks a day with coffee, water, juice, candy bars, chips, ice cream, or at least 3 of the above at every break
• Free breakfast - 'nuff said
• Free drinks in the evening
• Awesome BBQ where I got to hear Temple Grandin speak for the second time. She is amazing and so bad-ass for lack of a better work. Google her. I linked the advertisements for her movie and her book (I own a signed copy).
  
• There was free beer.
• We got $15 to go out on the town and had a blast.
• When moving from bar to bar, one person yelled "M-I-Z" and everyone else yelled "Z-O-U"
• Saw my cousin who lives in Colorado and met her dog!
• So many presentations about seriously cool research projects
• Presented my poster, did not feel like a moron, dressed like a grown up
• Dressed like a grown-up all weekend
• Loooooong bus rides both ways
• Not much sleep
• Stayed up too late, got up too early, was happy
• Hiked in Rocky Mountain National park - 8.5 miles. 
• For the first time ever, I was the one climbing the big rocks first and was one of the faster hikers. Big change from Outdoor Adventure Club
  

  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  



Beautiful lake!



Look I'm teeny tiny



Climbing to the edge to get a better pic

 My new roomie moved in and she is awesome! She brought a little bitty dog, but the pup is awfully cute and causes no trouble at all. She is also scared of my cat and my cat is very aware and may or may not chase her for fun. Mean...but funny.

I cannot wait to go to VET and get to know all the first years.

Also cannot wait for my man and I to celebrate 4 amazing years together in a month. It both seems like we've been together forever and like time is passing way to quick. Harvey turned 3 this past month, everything is going too quick!

I have month full of awesome, oh and school is starting too, with a batch of new classes and an insane test schedule. At least 2 every week, sometimes 3. But some days... I get out at 1 pm. In fact, most days I get out then :-)

Life is good and the mountains were beautiful and I am happy.

...and then they do this...