Any Mentors Out There???

One thing I really wish I had was a mentor. Someone older and wiser to show me the ropes, talk about serious stuff, and who wanted to encourage me. When you get into Vet school it's nice to have someone on your side who can tell you it will all be ok in the end, because sometimes it feels like no matter what you do you are failing at not only school, but life in general. Vet school takes every ounce of strength and will power to stay positive and keep moving forward, and sometimes you just lose it and have to break down. Thank fully I have many wonderful friends and an awesome boyfriend to help get me through, but that doesn't mean I don't have bad days, because I definitely still do. Thankfully today is not one of those days, and hopefully I can get through the rest of the semester without another one. But to all those other vet students, don't be afraid to have miserable, nasty, tantrum throwing, cry your eyes out, hate your life, and wish you could quit days. It's part of the learning process they don't tell you about.

Anyways, that whole thing was supposed to be about the fact I got an email from a vet practice today saying they are full up with students for the summer and I will have to find someone else to do my mixed practice mentorship with. Boo. I don't have any idea who to do it with now...maybe I can ask a professor for advice. I suppose I could just look up vets near my home town too. I will have to do some detective work.

In other news, I had an excellent work out today! We did intervals on a bike, elliptical and treadmill for half an hour, and then we did strength training for arms, five different moves in three circuits. My arms are probably the fittest part of me so it wasn't terrible although I was still shaking at the end of each circuit. I felt very accomplished at the end though, which is great because I was not very happy today with my weight. I actually forgot to weigh myself this morning, but my jeans seem really tight which is never encouraging. Blehh. I'm very pear shaped, which I hate! Not that I would be happy if I was apple or any other shape since I need to lose, but it sure makes me hate pants.

Well I suppose I had better get on to doing some homework. Clinical Pathology waits for no man, and I am behind in all my other classes too. Excelsior!

P.S. If you don't know who Stan Lee is find out!!!

Is Failure an Option?

Last night was not good, and the day started out really well too! I studied, exercised, and did my laundry, then things went down hill. I hate studying and feeling like I am not absorbing anything! Yet all night I kept going through notes and feeling like I was trying to write on a craggy rock wall with a ball point pen. Then I got tired and went to bed, but I kept hearing strange noises and when I did finally get to sleep I woke up to a low blood sugar at 1:30. After that I woke again at 3:00 and prayed that it was 5:00 and time to get up, but no such luck. I ended up tossing and turning until the alarm went off.

Of course now my blood sugar is high! I was really hoping I ate the right amount last night, apparently not. I am also out of insulin after that high which means I will probably be freaking out about my blood sugar during class until I can go get insulin at the pharmacy, which doesn't open until 10:00 am!!! Raawwrrr!

So right now my day seems doomed. Sadly I am a very all or nothing person. It's hard for me to start out on the wrong foot and get back to the right one. However, I really do need to learn to adjust and plan. I can be flexible with other people, so why not with myself? Really most of the stress in my life comes from my own expectations, what I think I should be doing so that I am on equal ground with other people that I admire. I feel like I spend so much time trying to be someone else I lose sight of who I am, and what's important to me. I'll never be as smart, pretty, or cool as my friends so I need to stop trying and just try to figure out who I am, and why. Maybe if I concentrate on me, and not everyone else I will be less stressed with life in general, then I will be happier and healthier.

So my goal for today is to turn things around. Study well, Exercise hard and keep my cool!

Uncurl and go for it!

Have you ever seen a hedgehog uncurl? At first all you see is a tiny ball of quivering spikes huffing and puffing on the ground. Then slowly, very slowly, a little nose appears twitching and sniffing, tentatively investigating what is just outside that protective barrier of spines. Pop! There goes one foot! Pop, pop! There go the rest! Then the cutest face you've ever seen appears, as if to say, "Well this isn't so bad after all!" Then off it goes running, climbing, sniffing, eating, living an enjoyable life!

Sometimes I feel like a hedgehog. I have dreams and goals, things I want to do and accomplish...but the world seems so intimidating. What if I go out there and find out I'm too slow, weak or dumb to do the things I want? What if unforeseen circumstances pop up and knock me down? This blog will hopefully help me be brave, keep me on track, and help me accomplish the things that I want to with my life. Hopefully I can also impart some wisdom and ideas about life in general to those who need it!

Since I will go on forever about myself if given the opportunity (a bad habit I know), here are a few descriptors for me: Red head, Vet Student, Type 1 Diabetic (24years and counting), Animal Lover, Avid reader, "Writer", Singer, Baker, Cook, Geek, Nerd, Romantic, History Hobbyist, Facebook Addict, Average student, Asian Wannabe, and Proud Hedgehog Owner!!!

To give you an idea of what this blog will be about here are some of my goals I am trying to accomplish:

1. Prepare for Warrior Dash in Colorado August 2010

2. Lose 53 lbs, by the end of December 2010

3. Graduate from vet school successfully

4. Pass Boards Successfully

5. Become a IHA Registered Hedgehog Rescue by the time I am 30 years old


There are short and long term goals there, but there are many other small ones that I will be writing about in between. Also, I will be going to Africa this summer for 3 weeks and doing veterinary learning there about conservation medicine, so hopefully I will post journals and pictures after the trip. First I have to get through the last 4 weeks of classes for my sophomore year of vet school, no easy task. We have a Small Animal Medicine exam on Tuesday, hurdle number 1. I am also currently going to a personal trainer, so I have to finish up all of the sessions with her before finals week, plus I have to get my apartment ready for sublease! Lots of things to do, and very little time, but part of life is mixing work and fun, so hopefully the blog will flourish!