Slippery, Swirly (and Sulky) Semester

Slapping September

This part is actually a combination post for August August and Slapping September (pardonne-moi for my alliterations; it is a chronic condition of mine.) We had orientation for two days, and I got to meet or see everyone that is in my class. Then we had the White Coat Ceremony. I got a white coat, a nice note pad with a pen and a spatula from Kroger pharmacy as a gift. We were the 125th incoming class, so the spatula was something that only *my* class got. It pretty much looks like a butter/jam spreader, but hey, it says “pharmacy” on it. The WCC was almost like graduation, but so much better. It framed me as a pharmacy student – barely educated as I was. I had my first prescription homework; first pharmacy exams; first classes about drugs.

Looking back, September served as a transitional period for me in every sense; I went from living in dorms + at home to having my own apartment (with three roommates); I used to be a pre-pharmacy student, and now I am a legit pharmacy  student. Two of my closest friends at Purdue have moved on with their lives (one moved to Pittsburgh & the other attends graduate school, and grad school has adsorbed him thoroughly); my brother is back in the United States; even my life goals have transformed. In the previous two years, I had been so focused on getting into pharmacy school that I feel like I’ve missed out on other life aspirations; I don’t know. Just about anything from learning how to cook to looking at what my ultimate professional, nay, life goals could be. Now that I’m in pharmacy school, I’m trying to figure out what is it that I exactly want to do – everything seems so fascinating (and oh so demanding). I’m currently doing the Nuclear Pharmacy certification (one of the several specialisations a pharmacist can pursue.), but I’ve seen a new light in clinical pharmacy (especially oncology), and even industrial pharmacy has mesmerised me. I guess I have ample time to determine my direction, but sometimes I wonder I need to figure out what I want for myself, non-professionally, I mean.

Exam Count: 4

Overbearing October

I thought last year broke me pretty well into a good, obedient student… I was terribly wrong.

As a child, migraines were part of my life. Puberty granted me the blessing of headaches. Pharmacy school brought my childhood back. In October alone, I had eight exams. That doesn’t sound that bad, except that each exam covered what two exams would in a typical undergraduate class. Now that I look back to it, it doesn’t seem as bad, but at the time… well, with homework, quizzes and other obligations, further excruciated by the lack of sleep, everything seemed to spell doom.

At times, I felt like a messy desk equaled a messy life. Everything evolved around the endless exams, quizzes, homework and other academic duties. Then there was a ray of hope: October break.

For October break, I drove down with some people to Smoky Mountains. Breath taking. Wonderful. Calm. Though the driving was rather painful (think no sleep combined with dark and rainy weather), what I saw there made up for it. Granted, I didn’t get much rest because I wanted to see as much as possible as long as I stayed down there, but I learned that a world more beautiful and peaceful exists outside the realm of school… a world I hope to join in a few years matter time. I went horse back riding, and I almost instantly bonded with the horse. I felt lucky because I know others struggled with their furry four-legged creature and because riding through the smokies (while not worrying about falling into streams and dirt) is, well, simply ineffable.

October reminded me of my love for gum, coffee and chocolate (not that I needed any more of that), but it also prompted me to understand importance of juggling. I interviewed for a few internships (keep your fingers crossed!), got in touch with some faculty with awesome research projects, so hopefully I can manage a thing or two before summer 2010 begins. On top of that, there were apartment and other humanly interests, such as, families and friends, to take care of, but I am excited to announce that I have a studio to myself next year! =)

Exam Count: 8

Since November has not left us yet,I think it’s safe to say that I’m not quite ready to reflect on it. Life has definitely finished a sentence though! Hopefully, I will write in a more positive note. But in the meantime:

savvy?

 

I’m Still Alive

To state the obvious, it’s November now. The last time I posted, it was August. So September, October and November: three entire months, I have procrastinated in writing to myself. A tremendous amount of stuff has happened, so I’ll be doing a recap on things that has happened perhaps over Thanksgiving. Hopefully a new layout, too? We’ll see. I’m at a library now taking a (rather long) study break: it’s so much better than studying drug preservatives… oh well! Seventeen exams in so far, and two more coming up next week, and it’s finally turkey break!

Pharmacy school… It’s as awful as awesome it can be.

*** What pharmacy students look like theoretically: professional, intelligent and happy.

(and yes, I’m in there somewhere! That was our WCC [White Coat Ceremony].)

*** What we really look like:

Need I say more?

Back for now

This year has been quite the experience. Despite the almost impossible airplane trips to and from home, the slightly crazed class load and the huge shift in social dynamics, I’ve gotten through the loops and hoops that seemed to strangle me away from whatever the end of this year was supposed to accomplish.

First things are first. I’ve made my decision as of where I will be next year. I will continue to stay at Purdue University to finish my Doctor of Pharmacy education; so it’s another four years to get through, taking and making the best out of whatever comes my way. I think it’s quite easy to say that now, that I’m going to try my best since I’m not directly involved with the predicament. That said, I’m writing write now from the post-hardship phase – well, actually, my vacation hasn’t started yet – I’m writing this from Narita Airport. I haven’t arrived at my final destination yet: home. (Actually, I am writing from Incheon Airport, now.)

Since I’m on the subject of airports anyways, I’d like to lament about the unfortunate plane trips I’ve had since starting my college career. My first trip back to Korea, Chicago got a major snowstorm. Getting from Indy to ‘O Hare was no problem – leaving Chicago was. They made us board, and then we stalled for four hours! The worst part of it all was that they kept on saying that we’d be leaving in ten, fifteen, thirty minutes (keeping our hopes up, eh?) and wouldn’t let us go. Needless to say, I had missed breakfast because I had to leave at 5:30 in the morning from the big PU), and had not bought lunch because the plan was that the plane would feed me – so I was quite the hungry one. The return trip back from Korea was all right, but the snow storm hadn’t passed. Getting to ‘O Hare, once again, was no problem. The problem was that the luggage compartment had frozen over, and they couldn’t get out the luggage so we were stuck in ‘O Hare again. See my luck? The plot thickens, but all I’m going to say about this trip was that United Airlines did not provide even a blanket and it was delayed for at least three hours because a) the filter wasn’t working quite right, b) they messed up the legal work and c) the pilot was late. I think I’m going to start flying Delta or Korean Airlines again.

When we got to Narita, it was even more frustrating. Because of the Swine Flu that is apparently (and not really) ravaging the minds of clueless people, we got a bunch of confused looking Japanese health officials to poorly “inspect” us. They made us fill out paper work, and then provided masks. (Which, I thought silly again, because a mask doesn’t provide much protection from a virus. Viruses are way too small.) Whatever to my sarcastic point of view, and I put them on for my respect for even the dumbest of legal procedures, but what astonished me was that, they didn’t even have us wear it throughout the airport. In other words, they just had us wear the masks to communicate with the already air-filter/goggle, scrubs and et. al. protected people… Seriously? Seriously! Seriously. I mean, for real, people? They’re definitely not isolating a virus strain through some paper work and some flimsy fomite of a mask. All I’ve got to say is I love over-excited, over-reacting and overtly dumb public policies. In the mean time, I accomplished something that I would never do: I started reading the Twilight series (much to my own dismay, but I wasn’t really feeling Faulkner), and got a good laugh out of the self-important protagonists. I finished the first two books (Twilight and New Moon), and I think if I can acquire the other two books without cost, I may finish it.

So, it’s summer now. It hasn’t hit me now, but I suppose it soon will. It still hasn’t really hit me that school is out. I suppose it will become more obvious when I get accustomed to my work schedule and my summer life. I have two jobs (in a lab and as a tutor), but I wouldn’t mind picking up another at a hospital. I’m hoping to train for long distance running so hopefully in two years, I can run the Indy Mini-marathon in a reasonable time. On top of that, I’ll be picking up tennis again (more like re-learning) and learning how to drive… which, in all honesty, I’m not too excited about. We’ll see how it goes. This summer, despite all these plans, I want to focus on becoming more self-composed. I want to become more independent that before. I have good reasons for this decision. I’m quite the independent person to begin with, but self-maintenance seems to be an important quality to succeeding.

I’m starting pharmacy school next year, which means that classes are going to get harder, but most important, I’m a step closer to becoming a person that I wanted to, and I want to use that opportunity well. Like I’ve chosen to move on with my life, my two closest friends at Purdue University have, too. One is transferring to Pittsburgh University and the other is staring graduate school. I suspect this shifts some of the dynamics in my closest relationships, whether for the better or the worse. In order to maintain the academic standards, social security and healthy life style I want, it’s important that I know how to take care of myself well. I know I have wrap up the easiest part of my life – adolescence… and I definitely do not want to make this time an awkward phase of my life

Well, that’s it for now. I know I’ve been absent from the blog a lot, but school comes first. I hope I won’t get that bored over the summer ☺.

- the end -

*** that said, I do plan on watching re-runs of Grey’s Anatomy Season 5 and catch up on House M.D.

****** and read a LOT. I want to re-read Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, try the entire series of 토지, a lot of poetry, Jane Austen, and other great books, classics and otherwise alike.

******** and spend time with the family and a good friend. : )

Of The Map Uncharted

I’m in college. I have a major called pre-pharmacy, and my problem and joy is that I’m doing it in two years while other people tend to do it in 3+ years.  This means pain. Lots of.

Speaking of pre-pharmacy, I need to let this out:

I’ve been accepted by one of my top choices!

but I’m waiting to make the decision till Spring Break and after I hear from my other top choice. Once this whole process is over, I’ll let you guys know more, but I’ve applied to five schools (all ranked; all +40 ), was offered interviews from all of them, but we’ll see how my future turns out after this semester. I turned down three interviews because I got into Iowa and since two were them were not the best match (the third, University of Illinois-Chicago was awesome, but that would be quite a wait, and there are decisions to be made!).

So actually, I obviously didn’t finish that post, but I’m going to finish it short and sweet, if that’s possible for me. I finally heard back from my own school, and…..

For those that have a life and don’t know what it is, I’ve been accepted to Purdue’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science’s Doctor of Pharmacy program as well!

I have till this Friday to make the big decision. I’ll let you know.

AND just six weeks till liberation! I can’t wait to go back home!

Rx Mumble

I found this link today on a google search:

http://www.nursingdegreeguide.org/2008/top-50-pharmacist-blogs/

I liked the page. I never really thought about grown-pharmacists (real pharmacists?) blogging, but I guess I’m not very surprised. We have opinions, too, and I suppose, in a way, many-a-pharmacists seem to be disillusioned and frustrated with their job. We have a lot to say about the frustration in our job field. Many of the blogs contain funny stories, complaints, opinions on the medical system in the US (MedicAid, MediCare, insurance, etc.), but mostly complaints and satire about the world. (My only complaint now is that it’s snowing AGAIN.)

I’ve only worked retail pharmacy for a summer, but I’ve worked/volunteered at hospitals since 2005. (I’ve had three pharmaceuticalresearch summer internships.) So, I’m more skilled in some areas, but completely lacking in others. While I’m a little intimidated by the job prospects (especially after reading a few blogs), but I would like to work at a retail pharmacy store to get more exposure to the most apparent side of pharmacy. I don’t know where I’ll be next year yet, so I guess my summer plans are still a little unsure, but I guess I’ll have to be patient to figure things out.

iBreathe

Well, I survived several tough weeks. I planned on writing a new-year/new-semester post, but obviously the newness evolved a little quicker than I thought, so here I am finally. Rather than an entire post on excuses of being negligent, I’ll just proceed.

1. First is first, READING!

Over the short winter break, I actually did get a lot of reading done than I thought. I suppose my brain, deprived from non-technical writing, lunged onto my ever-beautiful library at home. Here is the list.

iRead:

JK Rowling’s Harry Potter Series.

Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Roald Dahl’s The Collection of Short Stories

and part of:

Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World (I never seem to finish this book.)

_

I unabashedly re-read the entire HP series. Easy plot, quick read and instant satisfaction. I got into the whole audio book fad (mostly for Dr. Seuss and Roald Dahl’s children books.) over break because I traveled quite a deal (Motion sickness = my nemesis) and it allowed my tired eyes to rest.  Now that school has started again, I haven’t had time to read much (five labs/week!) but science text books, of course, more notes and lab manuals, but I’m taking a creative writing class as a stress-reliever, so I haven’t completely severed myself from the dark side. Maybe I’ll post something that I wrote one of these days, so keep an eye out!

2. If I could play seer…

Last semester, I busied myself by applying to pharmacy school and trying to survive. The cacophonous and rather-blackened-out agenda paid off quite well! I’ve received interviews from all of the schools I applied, and I’m really excited about visiting them! I already interviewed with one of my top choices, and I fell in love with the school even more. Another big interview is coming up soon, so keep your fingers crossed!

Having to apply to school and correspond with the school faculty have re-convinced me of why I’m pursuing this profession. I won’t bore you by some speech, but despite the stress, the competition with the applicant pool and the countless number of exams, papers, quizzes, et cetera, I think I made a fantastic choice. Though it’s a longer course of study, I’ve been actually thinking about continuing education after, but we’ll choose the door when I see the rectangular frames.

3. Yoga

We had to do yoga in high school PE; I despised it. No joke, I thought it soporific and lame at the best. Perhaps a change in mentality, personal interest, or even age (and more wisdom, eh?), but now je l’adore! Last semester tired me tremendously in so many ways, and I decided that I would take a few more steps (or less strenuous ones) to enjoy what I have and love life for its simplicity I so often seem to miss. My friends know very well that despite my happy, and almost flippant façade, I do have a lava pool of thoughts ready to rupture… and I guarantee you that lava can be very deadly hot.

Anyways, I’ve observed that after starting yoga, I do not hyperactivate as much. I do not give yoga all the credit for this demeanor. Better time management and better stress management. Obviously, I enjoy writing, so I try to fit that in here and there (and yusssss, the blog serves as a form of anti-drug.), I started singing again, etc, but yoga does help a lot. A lot of my shoulder and back pain have been diminished, and to be honest, a lot of the time, I don’t even feel it any more. And, I promise on my secrete stash of chocolate in my room, that’s taken away a huge portion of my illogical stress.

While it’s too early for me to swoon for yoga, hopefully I can keep this calm, but happy, demeanour up this semester.

4. Anemia&Hypotension….

SUCKS! and let me introduce you to a devil: 1,3,7-trimethyl- 1H-purine- 2,6(3H,7H)-dione.

also commonly known as: caffeine. It often takes the form of coffee, Monster and cappuccinos from Starbucks.

Caffeine is obviously a stimulant; it stimulates both the nervous and the cardiovascular system (a.k.a. your nerves and your heart.) That’s why caffeine wakes you up (them β-1 receptors) and increases your heart beat. Get it? Good.

While there seems to be distrust and speculation widely held by the medical community of whether caffeine is a diuretic or not, I just say it depends on who you are. If I drink even a small cup of milk coffee, I bounce off the walls and seem to miss the toilet a lot. But if one of my guy friends (who has larger body mass) has a pot of coffee, he just continues on with his life just like any other day.

Since I don’t drink coffee often (I stay at least a mile away from energy drinks), the effects are obviously magnified on me.  Though this won’t be the case for everyone, this is what happens to me. Here I present you a beautiful numbered systematic thought process:

1. Caffeine intake.
2. Urine output increases. The heart rate (HR) increases alongside,
3. blood volume (BV) falls
4. BV falls, so cardiac output (CO) decreases. The HR increases even more to maintain CO levels [the body needs a constant amount of blood flow].               **In my case, the BV decrease seems to mask the HR’s attempts…
5. chest (pectoral) pain due to too rigorous heart activity. Also, due to BV decreasing, less blood to brain and anemia is magnified.

Thus, next time you drink coffee, if your anemic AND hypotensive, think again! [I obviously need to mention a disclaimer! So here's one: you're responsible for your own actions. I'm a student IN SCHOOL, and most likely younger than you are, and even if I'm not, you should follow your doctor's advice, not mine. If you do, and you stay away from coffee, etc, and you go psychotic, that is not my fault, but yours.]

But really, I think it makes sense, anyone have a better idea about my chest pain that follows my extreme caffeine intake? [FYI, I have normal heart beat, etc. Got it checked at the hospital.] The floor is open now.