Week 3: Done.

I'm sitting in my last class of Week 3 of vet school (I'm obviously paying attention).  This is one of my electives, Etymology and Cognates, so basically we go through the origin of words and their definitions.  Every couple of slides there is a question that we answer in class - these questions will be our test.  These questions will be the ONLY questions on the test - hence my lack of concern for 100% focus in this class.

The past two weeks have seemed like the fastest and slowest two weeks of my life.  I turned 22 last week (which is much less exciting than turning 21).  I also found out I got an A on my first Gross Anatomy test over the bones, a B on my first Physiology test (I'm still not sure what that was over), and took my second Physiology test and am anxiously awaiting my grade. 

Milestones of the past two weeks:

1. I'm learning how to dissect! As an undergrad, I didn't get a ton of dissection experience, and am now learning a ton in my Gross Anatomy class.  We got our cadavers the Wednesday after Labor Day and work with them 9 hours a week (during class).  I'll spare you graphic details (not because I want to, but to comply with University policy), but we are currently learning the muscles of the thoracic limb and pelvic limb.  We will finish learning the muscles (locations of origin and insertion) this next week and have our test over all of the muscles next Friday.

Typical Thursday Night.

2.  I've made so many great friends!  It's amazing how studying at the library every night for 4 hours can help you get to know people :) There are typically 3 of us that get together almost every night to study, although on Thursdays (the night before tests) our group suddenly seems to triple :)

3. I love Hills Science Diet, Purina, and Bayer Animal Health.  I now have a new backpack, a new lunchbox, a new cup, chip clip, and free Little Bear food.  Seriously though, it's so great to get free things when I'm spending my entire life's savings (or about 6 times that) on school right now.  I know they are just trying to get us to eventually sell and promote their products... but it's working.  I support them :)

4. Twice a week I have Microanatomy lab.  Some days I can tell exactly what I'm looking at.  Others? Everything just looks like a bunch of pink and purple blobs.  Unfortunately our first test in Micro isn't until the end of September and therefore will have 2 months worth of material.  To the right is a picture I took on my cell phone through my microscope and surprisingly it turned out pretty good!  It's slide of a salivary gland and the big white/pink looking blobs are striated ducts, compared to the little darker purple outlined blobs to left, which are intercalated ducts.

5. I have joined two clubs in the vet school.  The first is the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association (SCAVMA) and the second is Food For Thought (FFT).  I haven't done anything yet for either club, but have my first meeting for FFT is Monday, so we'll see how it goes!  FFT is an agriculture group that basically promotes agriculture and discusses current issues in ag.  My brother-in-law, Brandon, was one of the first members in FFT - so hopefully I'll make him proud!

That's all that's been going on with school.  Tomorrow I'm going with Cole and his friend Devin to the Kansas State Fair.  They've never been before (pathetic, I know) and so I'm taking them to spend the day away from vet school, studying, cadavers, books, and anything that makes me think too hard.  We're ending the day by going to the Jake Owen and Billy Currington concert :)