day 1

today was the first day in med school. had lunch with faculty and got some good advice. Nasser scared the crap out of me. so did richardson. so did the two MS 2s. whatever happened to encouragement. liked what richardson... or was it nasser said about people who find themselves in academic problems. "its really not a question of their ability to handle the material, it is often the result of making bad after bad decisions, many times out of the academic sphere"
otherwise, the group is stellar! we played b-ball at the gym after the days activities. it wasn't such a bad day. orientation continues tomorrow... specifically anatomy, biochem and embryo....
oh... almost forgot... i now have a badge with my name in CAPS right under MEDICAL STUDENT. my brother joked that my name was written in RED to warn patients that i am an immediate danger....lol!

its good to be in DC!

i finally graduated. it was an ok ceremony.... k... i'm kiddin.. it was really nice. the commencement speaker was on point, mentioned my name as an example of what determination can do (thanks red rose for using quotes from my essays :( ) and most important, my entire family was there.... i digress.
D.C... yes, i cannot wait to get a taste of the NE. my best pals from high school will be there (badach, otema and oruoch) and also joe from BS days. i'll get to see regina... men! its been 13 years since i last saw her.
i plan to visit the house, the national library of medicine, national museum of health and med, hopkins...yawn!... i know, the nerd in me needs loving too...
then of course, we shall get down and party like its 1999... do people still say that?
anyway, i'll have some more vibe laterz.

finals...

tomorrow i take my final written exam marking the end of my undergraduate education. so, did i really learn? the science was superior... pharm and tox is a class that requires integration of knowledge from mostly cell bio and bio chem... the essay type questions dr. J gives are really misleading... i vented this on his class review... any, i digress...
what did i really learn?

1. i am in no hurry to join the work force. the only reason i chose to change my degree plan and embark on this md route is to delay as much as possible having to work for someone else.
2. despite being in denial, i'm not really good at balancing work (school et al.) and staying in a relationship... lets face it... my ambitions have made me really selfish with time, emotions, etc etc... i don't see it as a problem though...
3. despite the odds, just doing it will really surprise you... whats really there to lose!

ok, i really need to get back to studying toxicology...

and so it begins...

Well, it actually began 25 somewhat years ago. Being the last born of six, I quickly realized every morning my elder siblings did the disappearing act, leaving my poor behind with the 'mboch' colloquial term for nanny; only to reappear six hours later with great stories about school. School... mmmh! my two year old brain would churn its gears. It wasn't long before I began demanding my basic right to an education. The 'old man' succumbed to the pressure and it wasn't long before I began draping the red white checked shirt with barge shorts and followed in my family's footsteps - going to school.
I must admit, my first day was full of drama. The huge Lavington church was imposing. They had a beautiful hall, but all I could imaging is how big my universe had suddenly become. Before long, old man decides he has to get to work and takes off leaving me in the care of absolute strangers. I did what every normal child would do... wail and a run after his parent. Of course the teachers had anticipated my escapade and stopped me by placing a barricade (which if I remember correctly was a red-like gate). Anyway, and so it began...