Back From The Dead - Well, Sort Of...

I know. It has been a very, very long time since I posted anything up here. However, I have a legitimate excuse. The spring semester totally beat me up. It was by far the most challenging semester I have had as a student, and I suspect it is a preview of what I am going to see in January.

First, I have to report that I was accepted to the Physician Assistant program at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. I'll be at the Manchester, New Hampshire campus. Orientation is January 10, 2014, and the first day of classes is January 13. I am both excited and terrified at the same time, if that is possible; I know that it will be a great experience, but I am concerned that I won't measure up. Everyone that I know that has been through the program has consistently said that it is the most difficult thing that they have ever done. For lack of a better description, each person (and I know 4 people that have been through it and are all practicing as PA's) has told me that I can "check my sanity at the front door" when classes start, and they all compare the amount of information that is put out during the first year (didactic three semesters) to trying to drink from a fire hose. All of that said, I am going to do my best to get through it. And I will try to not totally lose my mind.

This past semester at UNH-Manchester was my last. I completed everything I set out to do. Actually, I got everything done back in the fall. The spring semester was for a couple of reasons. First, the classes I took in the spring were classes that I wanted to take; they weren't required for admission to the program. Second, I had financial aid money available, so I took advantage of it. That said, I sometimes question the wisdom of the decision simply because of the difficulty level of the courses I took. The three courses, Elementary Chinese II, Genetics, and Pathogenic Microbiology, were tough. Probably the hardest of the three was Genetics, without question. It was  more than I thought it would be. And the instructor, who is the chair of UNHM's Biology Department, was more difficult than the material. Probably among the most challenging of teachers that I have ever experienced. Part of it was his teaching style; he jammed a lot of material into 16 weeks, and both homework assignments and exams were pretty rigorous. I worked harder in that class than I have in any other with the exception of Organic Chemistry, and it without question is the lowest grade I've received in all of the courses I've taken. But, ironically, I'm proud of the grade I earned, but I truly earned it.

It's not to say I didn't earn others; on the contrary - I have earned everything I've gotten. But some grades mean more than others. And even though the grade isn't as good as it could have been (I got a "C" in Genetics compared to "A's" and "B's" in all of the other courses I've taken) it is one that means more than others simply because of the work I put in to get this grade. And I'm okay with it. I did my best, and I deserved what I earned. If I could have done better, I would have. But it was tough. And I know I'm not the only person who experienced these challenges.

This summer I plan on working as much as I possibly can. Plus, I have a lot to do around my house, and I have a lot to get accomplished. Painting, a little bit of light remodeling, clearing out the overhang next to my garage, and ensuring everything is in good working order are among the list of things I have to do between now and the end of the year. Most of it will get done during the summer, I suspect, but there are a few things that will probably hold over to the fall. Also, I plan to do some reading and studying to prepare for January. Most of the reading I plan to do will be related to Pharmacology and probably some review of body systems. At least that is what I have in mind.

I also plan on writing as much as I can this summer, at least as much as time permits. I should have a little bit more time available to me. With that in mind, I will pick this up at a later time.

It's good to be back. Enjoy your summer.