Deku Posted January 3, 2019 Author Share Posted January 3, 2019 (edited) Finished up 2 fat MCAT chapters today: embryogenesis and development, as well as the nervous system. Next stop--the Endocrine and Respiratory systems. Edited January 4, 2019 by Deku 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deku Posted January 5, 2019 Author Share Posted January 5, 2019 I'm now registered as a hospice volunteer! The organization goes through a lot of premeds and seems very passionate about providing the best possible outcome for patients, so they really feel like a good fit. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
info-gatherer Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 On 1/2/2019 at 9:53 PM, Deku said: This is the wall I'll have to climb if I want to go to medical school. Having a wall to climb is a good way of giving direction to your life. The wall is there, you can’t be mistaken, there’s only one way in. Good luck with the climb. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRuns Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 @Deku awesome job on completing the detox! Don't be too hard on yourself, 90 days of no gaming compared to a week or two of bad habits is still a great accomplishment! As long as you realize if you can game responsibly to do it in moderation, but if you realized you weren't able to control it after stopping, then you just need to get it out of your life. I find it interesting how you equated hanging out with family and spending time with the people who matter not as important as getting back to work. I don't to preach, but just share my own experience. You will do a lot of work in your life, and like the saying goes "No one ever wishes they worked more on their deathbed". Spending time with family and people who are important to you I believe is one of the best ways to spend time in general. All of this work is normally used to get a paycheck which is used to do more of the things you love. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deku Posted January 6, 2019 Author Share Posted January 6, 2019 Saturdays are my main training days and as such have become one of the hardest days of the week. Did a 9 mile hike today with over 50 pounds on my back, now my thighs are like rocks. Hopefully the training only gets easier from here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deku Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 It’s looking like another sleepless night. The stress of thinking about medical school is keeping me up a lot recently, which may not be a bad thing. I never had a problem sleeping in undergrad. Finished submitting my volunteer packet for the hospice position and I’m signed up for my orientation, so ready to roll out on that front. The beauty of this position is that it’s 100% based on availability, allowing me to alter my commitment based on the ebb and flow of my other projects. Its also a way to interact with terminal patients in an incredibly unique way that will undoubtedly help me become a better provider. Excited about it! The other major front, MCAT studying, is also going surprisingly smoothly—just one chapter shy of clearing Biology and Physiology now. If next semester isn’t too challenging I might even be able to sign up for a test in the late summer which would be insane...but we’ll see how that goes. I think I’m doing a passable job patching up the many, many holes in my application, but I just have this deep worry that I’m overlooking something important. Guess it might be time to schedule an appointment with the premed advisor again. Going to try and catch some zz’s now...see you tomorrow friends. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deku Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 (edited) Had a good, productive day today. Saw one of my old flames with her new boyfriend, and rather than breaking down into a tiny ball of misery I ended up channeling all the anger and frustration into getting stuff done. Some highlights: -Woke up early in the morning and went for a 30 minute run -Went to bible study and reviewed my notes afterwards -Finished the CITI courses necessary to become an instructor next semester -Finished reading the Kaplan MCAT Biology/Physiology textbook cover to cover! My notes ended up taking up an entire spiral bound notebook, so regular review will be crucial or it's all going to be gone by next week. MCAT Biochemistry is up next. -Finished watching all the module videos for my volunteer position And it's not even 4:00 yet! Guess there's no excuse for not being able to achieve this much every day. My Rainier training plan calls for a 45 minute workout today, so I think I'll knock that one out right now. See you guys tomorrow! Edited January 7, 2019 by Deku 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samon Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Nice deku, keep going, you are doing so good lately :) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deku Posted January 10, 2019 Author Share Posted January 10, 2019 Made an appointment with one of the premed advisors from my undergrad university for next Wednesday, and I'm ready for her to rip me a new one. Let's get it! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deku Posted January 15, 2019 Author Share Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) Been a hot moment since I last wrote here, but honestly there isn't too much to talk about. I updated my resume for my phone meeting with my premed advisor; it looks like hot garbage, so I'm also requesting a coaching session with the career center at my current university. I figure it's never a bad thing to have a professionally-approved resume on hand anyways. Hospice volunteering is progressing well and I have my first patient encounter on Wednesday. Looking forward to that. MCAT studying is progressing slowly as usual, but I've covered quite a lot of ground since the start of vacation--about 1.5 textbooks out of the 6 I'll need to read before the test. Rainier training is also moving slowly but steadily. At this point in my training I should be able to ascend 3500 vertical feet in 3 hours carrying 65 pounds, and last Saturday I was able to do it in half that time, so I'm well ahead of the training curve at this point. That's great news because I honestly don't know how much time I can dedicate to training once school begins. That's all for now, folks. I'll definitely update this when I've got more to say! Edited January 15, 2019 by Deku 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lea Posted January 15, 2019 Share Posted January 15, 2019 Hey @Deku, I am Lea. Pleasure to meet you. After reading your journal, I feel very intrigued and a bit fired up as it is an interesting story with ups and downs. Well done for passing the 90-Days milestone. Keep it up! ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deku Posted January 16, 2019 Author Share Posted January 16, 2019 (edited) Had my phone call with my premed advisor, and it went...okay. My premed advisor said based on the positive progress I've made over the last semester, I should just keep doing what I'm doing and shoot for an application next cycle after I've finished my MCAT and racked up some good volunteering hours through hospice. If I can get a high score on my MCAT and get a good reference from hospice then I should be in a "decent" place to contest for a seat. That would mean that I'd be looking to submit my committee application this time next year, and formally applying in June 2020. That feels uncomfortably close, and I'm really motivated now to double-down on my MCAT studying efforts. It really does seem like the course of my future is riding on that one test. Edited January 16, 2019 by Deku 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coulibri Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 Good luck! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaming Zombie Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 @Deku Good luck on exam! Trust me, it is really worth pushing yourself to the max in this case. It will be hard with non stop work and countless sleepless nights, but the reward in the end is worth it all. P.s. just wondering, do you have any dreams, what kind of doctor you want to be?(specialisation) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deku Posted January 16, 2019 Author Share Posted January 16, 2019 1 hour ago, Gaming Zombie said: @Deku Good luck on exam! Trust me, it is really worth pushing yourself to the max in this case. It will be hard with non stop work and countless sleepless nights, but the reward in the end is worth it all. P.s. just wondering, do you have any dreams, what kind of doctor you want to be?(specialisation) Dunno yet! Actually, from what I hear the specialty chooses you, since most med students go with their favorite rotation in med school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deku Posted January 17, 2019 Author Share Posted January 17, 2019 This is probably going to be one of those posts that I retrospectively remove or laugh at, but I kind of just want to get something off my chest and this has historically been the best outlet for that kind of thing. I was texting Clarisse this evening (for those who don't remember, a girl from my bible study who I ended up crushing on for a bit--probably somewhere between pages 4-6 of this journal) and somehow the subject steered into the love/romance territory. After a bit of banter, Clarisse ended up telling me about this huge crush she had on her best friend, and even sent me this screenshot of a text she sent him as evidence of how much this guy meant to her. Wow, and I mean wow. That was a helluva text. She talked about how all his stress was her stress, how he could tell her anything, how she would go to any lengths to shield him from harm. She talked about how she was so glad that God had put this dude on the world to be in her life. I don't think even the lord himself could have written something so pure, emotional, and full of love. I don't know why but reading that just made me feel sick to my bones. It wasn't that I liked a girl who couldn't help but go on and on about some other guy. I guess it was...jealousy at the fact that this guy could get a quality girl to love him so much without even trying, when all of my effort and charm can't even get any woman to get more than one cup of coffee with me. Though I know it's stupid and ridiculous, it's times like these that I can't help but wonder, is there something wrong with me? Am I missing something important that every other dude on the planet seems to have? I'm too tired and exhausted to puzzle through it right now; I honestly feel like I've aged several years over the course of one night. My plan is to catch some zz's, get up tomorrow after 8 hours of sleep and hopefully feel a bit better. It's all I can do for myself right now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deku Posted January 17, 2019 Author Share Posted January 17, 2019 I'm back baby! After an extremely restful night and a rather pensive morning I guess I've come to the conclusion that these kinds of things just happen. I can't control how other people feel, so I guess I should be focusing on the things that are within my power instead. Finishing that marathon, getting to the top of the mountain, acing that accursed MCAT exam, getting my ass into med school, these are the things that I should be using to bring myself happiness, not the feelings of some girl. Maybe I've been focusing too much on finding the right girl when really I should have been focusing on becoming the right guy. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverlining Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 I respect the way how you analyze your feelings. Love is rare for many people. There are plenty of attractive, smart, funny people out there staying single and searching for love (including your future girlfriend). Just be yourself. It will happen when it happens. Also if a girl tells you these things, you are in her friend zone. And more likely "not-a-potential-boyfriend-material" zone. If you still have feelings for that girl, stay away from that zone. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lea Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 (edited) I have to agree with you on this: 9 hours ago, Deku said: Maybe I've been focusing too much on finding the right girl when really I should have been focusing on becoming the right guy. I know this is corny and maybe untrue for you, but love will come when you least expect it. I also struggled with the similar thing as you when I was in middle school. There was this one guy that I have a crush on, but he ended up "dating" one of my girl friends. This makes my heart broken and causes me to be jealous. It took a few months until my feelings for him fade. Edited January 18, 2019 by Lea 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deku Posted January 18, 2019 Author Share Posted January 18, 2019 Thanks @Silverlining and @Lea for your kind words and advice! Today was actually a great day. Got a lot of work done, got my flu shot for free (thanks hospice volunteering job), and best of all, got offered a team leader spot in Bible Study for next semester! With it I'll be able to add another leadership activity to my med school resume, and I've hopefully secured my second recommendation letter for medical school. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
info-gatherer Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 My god, you're such a living power... Every time I read your journal, looks like in 3 or 4 days you made it to a whole new plane of existence, again. I'm very inspired by your determination and attitude. Respect. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweblade Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 Great work man! i'm truly inspired by your willpower, even through hardships. You should be proud of yourself! Keep fighting ^_^ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 Deku, I am also in school, currently studying general science (biochem, physics, etc) and my goal is also med school. I've read the first few entries of your journal and will continue to read them for motivation. Thank you for your contributions, and keep up the great work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deku Posted January 22, 2019 Author Share Posted January 22, 2019 3 hours ago, Morgan said: Deku, I am also in school, currently studying general science (biochem, physics, etc) and my goal is also med school. I've read the first few entries of your journal and will continue to read them for motivation. Thank you for your contributions, and keep up the great work. Aw man got competition on here! You've motivated me to work even harder now ^_^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deku Posted January 23, 2019 Author Share Posted January 23, 2019 It was the first day of the Spring semester today! (Although technically classes don't start until Thursday). Pretty productive day--signed out a library locker, had an instructor meeting for Immunology lab, and did a resume coaching session at the career center. My resume got ripped apart but at least I know what to do better for next time. Imo 30 minutes well spent ^__^" Got an offer to teach a lab section of Bio 21 (freshman bio) for the upcoming semester and I am undecided as to whether I should do it or not. On one hand it would ensure that my whole tuition is covered, and I could really use the money...but on the other hand my schedule would be extremely saturated with all the commitments I'm doing. Decisions decisions... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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