Student life

My anatomy haiku:

Everything hits me,
Bulldozing into my brain,
Anatomy....wow.

Deep, I know hahaha. Most of my anatomy practicals so far have been really intense and there is SO much information. We already have our first exam after Freshers Week (3rd week of September) and even though I'm studying and making notes, I don't feel like I'm really truly absorbing anything. Anyways, here's a picture of what I look at in the lab, they are prosected specimens so we haven't done any dissecting ourselves.Pretty awesome eh? This one is focusing on the extrinsic muscles of the tongue.

Other than that, a bunch of us went out Friday and Saturday night and I have to say that it was a LOT of fun. I usually don't get the chance to go out and dance and drink with people since Kyle's not a big fan of it. Also, I think jagerbombs are our staple drink now. Last night, we went out to a gay bar (Eddie, our token gay friend, had an excellent time btw) and the music was actually really good! It was nice not getting noticed and just being to dance like a crazy person. And the guys know what it feels like for girls in a straight club now :P. But yea, no more deets on that ok? hahaha

Anyways, I'm still trying to finish my EMS forms by the end of August and they are so time consuming!! None of the questions are specifically difficult to answer but each document has about 13-17 pages worth of questions. Bluh....

Gooooo school!

First anatomy class was last Thursday and I have to admit...it was like being hit with a giant anatomy MAC truck in the brain...up the nose, through every head orifice really. It was on the forelimb which I pretty much know but the professor, who was originally from Russia, talked a little too fast and put way too much information on his slides. He kept saying, "Don't worry, I'll touch on this later" which would make me feel a little relieved because I thought he would go over it in more detail later. And then after some more slides he would say, "so I already touched on that so we won't go into too much detail here...". WHAT?! Did I miss something? Anyways, I know now that I have a LOT of studying to do before classes and after and I should stop going out...
Speaking of going out...
....
....
I now know what it feels like to go clubbing until 6 am in the morning. It was definitely an interesting and sweaty experience but we were a big group and we stayed safe together. Didn't wake up until 2 pm today because of it but I was at least smart enough to put up my "Do Not Disturb" sign on my door. I forgot the night before and they ended up knocking on my door at 9 am. NINE!!!!! AM!!!!!! On a SATURDAY!!!! Ah well, good times to be had by all. For now on though I'm going to calm down a lot more with the going out and start getting my act together. I AM in school and I SHOULD be studying all the time right? Right?!
Other than that, went shopping for the first time yesterday with Graeme (my TO buddy!) and we both bought pashminas...not matching but pretty close. And then went to the Chinese store and bought myself instant noodles :)...just a little piece of home in Edinburgh heehee....

Anyways, off to finish my forelimb notes...*sigh*

Edinburgh

Hey everyone!!
I've had an amazing time in my first week in Edinburgh and I have to say that I think I'm really going to like it here. I was worried about the packing but now that I'm here, it's really amazing that I'm going to see all these beautiful buildings and castles for FOUR years!!! I'll be posting pictures on facebook soon but currently I can't log onto the internet with my own laptop.
This week, I was able to spend time with my family and walk around to most of Edinburgh's major landmarks, most notably being the Edinburgh Castle which is situations at the top of a dormant volcano, and Holyrood Palace; which is where the Queen and the royal family stay when they are in Scotland. I basically did a lot of walking this week and am now moved into my August accommodations in Pollock Halls.
Tonight, I went out with some of my fellow GEP-ers and I couldn't have been happier. I got to chat it up with many of them and get to know a few of them better than before. Currently, our class size is 68!! Which is a lot, and although people have been saying it will be like high school again (with the same people in all of your classes), cliques will form. Although I don't want this to happen, I have a feeling it will just because people have different personalities and some just don't fit well with others. I learnt that when I went to Australia for volunteering that i was able to make conversations and be more comfortable around some than others (although everyone was very nice!).
School starts on Monday with matriculation, which apparently doesn't involve some fancy ceremony but instead is all of the students lining up, paying our ridiculous sums of money and then jetted off to introductions and tours of the campus. Hopefully I'll be able to meet some more of my fellow students then and maybe (probably not though) size them up!!

Please comment!

Leaving VERY soon!! (In about 7 hours)

So I finished packing everything...I think. The end result is 5 checked in luggages and then 1 small luggage for carryon plus respective backpacks and purses from the rest of my family. I am so glad and appreciative that they are coming with me because without them, I would've had to buy almost everything over there and be even MORE ruthless about what to bring. The things that I've learnt from packing for school overseas is:

1. Weight and not size is the real concern when packing
2. Vacuum bags are only as good as when they are not torn by accident! (Had a clothes explosion last night)
3. Having family that loves you is totally awesome and makes you homesick even before you leave the country
   
4. Giant winter coats and thick sweaters take up the most room even when vacuum packed
   
5. Truly appreciate all of the great friends you have when you are leaving
   

Want to thank everyone again for saying goodbye to me at bubbletea on Thursday and especially to Wilter for coming to my house at like 12:30 in the morning on Saturday just to give me back my sunglasses! I hope you like the rockstar beagle!! It's a gift from the master of the watergun carnival game to the apprentice hahaha.
My flight is around 6:15 pm today and I should arrive Glasgow, Scotland at 9 am August 2nd. Gah, an entire day gone!!!!

Please keep in touch and hopefully you'll be reading my blog as I try to document how I'm crazy about going into veterinary medicine. I swear I'll try to post some more pics on facebook as well as on here if they are truly awesome pictures. I'll post my new cell # as well when I get one and hopefully I'll be able to skype with you guys when we're somehow both on the internet at the same time!! *Note* I'm going to be 6 hours ahead!! *End Note**

Good bye Canada!! You've been really good to me and now I'm going to walk into rain..lots and lots of rain!!

xoxo
Barb