Long Days, Short Week

Weekend = Marriott/beach fun

Long days, but a short week!  Life Of A Grad Student

All of my shows are premiering this week!

On Monday, I had no breaks from 8-5:30pm including a lunch meeting and a tutor.  Since I didn't get much done on Sunday, I had to do laundry and cleaning that night.  I also was constantly checking/writing emails for some new PAWS cats we are bringing in.

3 hours of pharm on Tuesday.....ugh! So again, no breaks from 8-4pm.  VBMA meeting at lunch (free food!)  in order to start on my gold certification.  I got my silver two semesters ago, but they are now doing a gold certification, so I'm going to try to earn that.  You basically just have to attend lectures for certain business categories and earn credits toward this certification that looks great on a resume and helps you learn a little about the business end of veterinary medicine.

Wednesday, we had our exam review from our exams on Friday, PAWS meeting for new members at lunch (free food!), and then a ClinPath tutor, and another goodbye dinner ( :( hopefully the last one) that night at Rituals Sushi.

I went to morning classes on Thursday, but I had a flight to ILto catch for cousin Joey and Danielle's wedding weekend!  Of course, don't forget the Hokie game that night too!!

Weekend = Wedding fun!

Too Many Goodbyes

Crystal's goodbye dinner

Koby's goodbye dinner

Beachfest was this past weekend.  It was nice to get out into the sun since I will be locked up the rest of the semester.

 

Sunday was the aviary cleanout, where we scrubbed the aviary and then did physical exams on all 13 on the birds.  I had a Pharm tutor and then the bovine club dinner that night.  I also found my first white hair!  Not even gray, but white!  I think this vet school thing is bad for my health.

Our first Path 2 quiz was on Monday, but it was open note, open internet, and open friends.
Tuesday, we had double pharm, which made 6 hours of lecture that day.
We didn't have the second hour of ClinPath today, because our professor decided she wanted to go home early.  Works for me, more time to study!
Thursday was the independence day for St Kitts, the university was closed and we had no classes.  Yes, we do get off for the independence day of St Kitts, no we do not get off for the independence day of America.....island problems.
Our first set of exams/miniblocks are on Friday! We have an exam in both Path and Epi.  I then have a suture lab, that I wasn't suppose to have originally, but since I am going to my cousin's wedding next week, I will be missing the lab.  I was luckily able to switch with someone.  Sadly, there is another goodbye dinner tonight.
This weekend, is the very last that we will be able to relax, so I will probably try to watch the VT game and get some studying and tutor sessions in.

30 Signs You Live In Grenada  (Just change Grenada to St Kitts!)

Mr Ross

Saturday was an extremely busy day starting with chicken research at 7am until 9am, then adoption day from 9am until 1pm (we found homes for 4 dogs and 6 cats!), then I had to go back to help count lice at 1:45pm and again at 3:45.  I cleaned my car in between the two counting lice times.  Then came home to get dressed for Mr Ross that night.  Usually 7th semester wins Mr Ross, but my semester (Pink) won this time!  Opening Act

Up early again on Sunday for more lice counting on the chickens, but I did get a long nap in afterwards.  I did a few things around the apartment and then it was off to Shipwreck!

So as one research project ends, another one begins.  The whipworm research that I was doing last semester is being continued into this semester, so we had a meeting at lunch about what else needs to be done this semester.  That evening, I brought another cat into the PAWS program, so I went to pick him up and give him to the new foster.  As part of our Epi class, we had to do a few online quizzes for the Initial Accreditation Training certification (for USDA) and I finished that.

I had to weigh some spray bottles for the chicken research Tuesday morning.  There was also the first scuba club meeting that night.  Yay for some more dives! (if I'm somehow able to find the time).

On Wednesday we didn't start until 1pm, so I ran some errands in the morning and did some studying.
Kelli found this song, that totally describes St Kitts life outside of, you know, the whole school thing:
Kenny Chesney - When I See This Bar

I had my VTH shadowing this morning which was fun and made me miss working at a clinic.  We saw a dog with a degloving injury, two routine vaccine exams, and a dog who might have gotten into ant bites and whose face was all abscessed and sloughing.  The first surgery club meeting was at lunch and that night I had a friend's goodbye dinner at Bombay.

Today, I have my Canine Physical exam, which was pretty much just a review.  There is an avian club meeting at lunch and tonight I'm going out for another friend's goodbye dinner at Ritual's sushi.  I really do hate this time of the semester when people start leaving.  :(

This weekend is Beachfest (yay for showing off some more new swimsuits I bought over break and getting some sun) and of course studying because I already have a quiz and mini-blocks next week!

Hitting The Ground Running

Everyone likes to ease into a semester, but unfortunately I do not have that privilege this semester.  My first week was incredibly busy and I'm sure it's not going to slow down from here.  I'm exhausted from just looking at my schedule.

I was up early for the gym on Monday in order to get into the routine right away and of course work off all the food I ate over the break.  I had Path (pathology 2) Lab from 8-9:30am, registered afterwards, ClinPath (clinical pathology) from 10-11, ran to the bank at 11am, Path lecture at 1pm, Epi (veterinary public health and epidemiology) at 2pm, and then Pharm (pharmacology 2) at 3pm.  A very long/busy day for the first day!

The professor I did chicken research with (Dr. Ketzis) at the beginning of the year wanted me to help her do it again this semester.  Since this semester is incredibly busy, she wanted to get started right away.  So, any free time I had from classes this week is filled with research. Tuesday marked the start of that research with set-up including weighing spray bottles, setting up the room, and other basic preparations for the chickens.  My class this day included ClinPath at 10am, MOD (Mechanisms of Disease) at 11am, Path at 1pm, Epi at 2pm, and Pharm at 3pm.

Wednesday was a very tiring long day.  I had research all morning measured and filled the spray bottles, got the room set up with a video camera, went to pick up the chicken, then did a vet check complete with weights, nail trims, and physical exams.  Then I had class all afternoon: Path 1pm, Epi at 2pm, Pharm at 3pm, ClinPath at 4pm.   I went to go check on the chickens again around 7:30 to make sure they had enough food and water.

I had to check the chickens again on Thursday morning.  I went to the gym afterwards instead of before since I really didn't want to get out of bed :)  I then had ClinPath at 10am and MOD at 11am.  During lunch, we had to wash three of the birds to get rid of any lice they had on them.   Another late afternoon with ClinPath lab from 3-5pm.  7pm and I was checking on the chicken again.

More research on Friday morning.   I also have essential Vet Skills: Ovine physical exam from 10-12pm, which should be interesting.  That afternoon, I then have Path at 1pm and Epi at 2pm.  I do still have to check on the chickens tonight though!

I don't even get a break this weekend!  I am doing research starting at 7am, then the first PAWS adoption day of the semester is on Saturday, and it's Mr RUSVM that evening. On Sunday, we have to do lice counts on the chickens at 8am and then I have to check on them again at 7pm.

Whew...what a way to jump right back into the new semester!

4th Semester!

I made it to 4th semester!  I'm incredibly grateful for everyone who helped study with me (especially Kara, Ashley, and Amber).  I wouldn't have gotten here without you guys!  I worked my ass off this semester and I'm so excited and proud that I have something to show for it.

I had an amazing break, full of seeing lots of friends and family, eating way too much (thanks mom), shopping and relaxing!  It was much needed, but as always, I do wish that it could have been longer!

Here is my schedule for the semester (the labs will vary).  I am taking Pathology 2, Epidemiology, Pharmacology 2, Clinical Pathology, and Mechanism of Disease.  If I thought I was busy last semester, this one is going to be even harder.

Here's to hoping for another successful semester.