Tour of School

Just got a new camera to play with and thought I would show you around campus a bit...

Welcome to St Georges University

Up the road to the guard booth

Charter Hall -Med Lecture Hall

Taylor Study Hall -My Second Home :)

Anatomy Lab



My dorm

My window is the one with the blue curtain, Elise lives next door

My Room

midterms!

Midterms are done and out of the way and now on to bigger and better things. They all turned out really well which is awesome and the best thing about this midterm round was that my studying has really improved. It's gotten to the point where I can notice the difference that keeping up in class and everyday studying can make when it comes to trying to put it all together in the end. Sadly, I've been on a strict junk food no time diet so looking forward to putting in some yoga tomorrow and lots of veggies in the next week! This week has lots of promise too.. tonight I am going to watch a movie and go to bed early! I cannot say how excited I am to watch something other then lab movies. Then Tuesday is St Patricks day and the build up begins for Sandblast which happens this weekend. Beach Party here I come!! Miss you all...
XOX

academic day

Today and the rest of the week will be filled with "academic days". Going on an epic grocery shopping trip with my friend Alex tonight to stock up for the upcoming onslaught of my first official vet midterms. I'm looking forward to studying!! - sitting and trying to absorb all this material (is that sick?). Maybe after the tests are over I'll feel like I am starting to know something because right now it seems like every class we just find out how much more we have to learn ;) Also exciting news, my roommate Amanda has invited me to go and visit her family where they live in Barbados over Easter break! My tickets are booked and i'm so excited to go and see how another part of the caribbean is about. I'm also trying to line up a camera of sorts so that I'll have pictures to post -Manda says Barbados is famous for caves and her mom has booked us for a caving expedition already. I absolutely CANNOT WAIT!!
Yesterday I also tried something new. One of the visiting professors on his trip down here a couple years ago set up a bouldering wall on one of the hidden retaining walls by the human anatomy lab. Not many people know about it but it is the perfect climbing location. Thanks to Jess for bringing my shoes down here (and Keith for sending them with her). Not only do you get to climb (don't worry mom, it's not that high) but there's amazing views on all sides, an ocean breeze and these crazy little geckos that pop out from behind the holds while you're going along. Definitely excited to slip climbing in instead of the horrible weight room at the gym.
Last night I spent some time on my application forms to try and be an RA or resident assistant in one of the dorms next year. Fingers crossed that I get the position because I think it would be a great way to meet some more people and practice some leadership skills. Alright.. time for class!! Talk to y'all soon :)

Island love

I love my friends!! Some of my closest girl friends took me out for a surprise post birthday dinner. I feel so spoiled -my birthday this year was kind of lost amongst a million exams so it was a pretty unexpected fun surprise. We went to the beach house which is my absolute favorite restaurant here (I also got to go there for whitecoat with Grandma and Grandpa -too much fun :) ).

In other news.. I was shocked today to see that lines had been painted on the road outside of campus. They literally paint every single one by hand using a string -WOW!! you don't see that everyday. :P

Figaro

I had kinda a topsy turvy day today. If you hadn't heard, we recently lost Figaro to some chronic medical concerns. We were absolutely so fortunate to have such a great veterinarian to help us with him. Dr. Schlingman from Uncas Vet Clinic is an amazing lady and I hope that I can be just like her when I'm practicing. She made an impossible decision one that we could make and feel like we were doing the right thing. I know that he was in the best hands all the way through. We had a visiting professor offer a workshop on helping clients through grief of losing a pet. I decided to attend with the hope that I could figure out how to help my future clients with something so difficult. Surprisingly, the workshop really helped me to. The clinician outlined the psychology behind euthanasia, and presented some different perspectives on not only determining when it is an appropriate option but also post euthanasia support for patients and although I will always miss my little buddy, I can move past the fact that he has been lost and appreciate what an asset he has been to my life. He was my support, best friend and little buddy all the way up through grade 4 to moving out on my own across the globe to SGU at the initiation of this blog. I will always be thankful to have had a kitty cat that was so amazing.

supercharged term

So looking back, it seems the last couple updates start with apologies as to why I'm not updating and a quick catch up on past events. New approach starting now!! Shorter updates more regularly on cool stuff that happened that day or the past couple of days. Hopefully that will make it easier to keep up on posts with my crazy crazy study schedule. That being said, I'm really sorry I haven't been updating more, It's been crazy trying to keep up with the rigors of school :)
I need to talk about a couple of things that have been going on since the last post. First and foremost Mom, Dad, Tom and Grandma and Grandpa made the long trek down to the island for my whitecoat ceremony. I get all misty even thinking about it because having them here for a ceremony that meant so much to me means the world. I had a great time with them, they rented a house down the street from school and it was so cool to have my family here while I started my first couple of weeks in vet school. First and foremost the support I've been getting from my family has been absolutely unbelievable. I'm still floored whenever I have a tough day at school and talking with family on the phone or friends on the net will just pick up my day. Jess and Colleen thank you so much for the little cards you have been sending they are such an awesome surprise when I open up my mailbox. Mom and Dad have been fantastic -Love you guys so much!! And aunty Chuck and uncle Perry, uncle Jack, aunty Joy and cousins your emails always make me smile! Some pics from whitecoat :) :





Next was an awesome visit from Jess, she came down on her way to a wedding in Cuba and a backpacking trip to Argentina. It was an absolute blast showing her around campus, and the normal routine as well as St Georges. She's also responsable for getting me out to the beach! It was a sad day when I had to take her back to the airport!



Since then, life has been a whirlwind of trips to and from class, the grocery store and the gym all blurring into one. The term is speeding by so fast and it's pretty much supercharged. Hope everyone is enjoying their week -HUGS!

Vet Orientation

This past week has been an absolute blur filled with school functions, registration and orientation workshops. It's a relief I'm finally all settled in, unpacked, registered and ready to start. It's official -I'm in vet school! WOO HOO!!!
I'm extra lucky because I have the two best roommates in the world. My two friends from the medicine program Amanda and Elise have been amazing the past couple of days. We've got our small apartment all hooked up and unpacked it actually feels like a sort of home for the first time since I arrived on the island. Our place is set up really well, we each have our own bedroom, there's a really large kitchen and the bathroom and shower are separate which prevents blocks in the morning. The last two days have been particularly busy because of the Professional Academic Workshop or PAWS put on by the vet school. The purpose of the workshop is to allow us to get to know the faculty and other students in our class in a less formal environment while giving us an indication as to what we are expected to do at SGU and eventually in the profession. I'm extra excited because tomorrow is our first day of real classes. Anatomy is first on the agenda so I'll let you know how it goes.
Night!