This will be my last post for this blog. I achieved my goal of getting into the vet school at Minnesota, and I've been grateful for all of your support. I know I said last time that I would do a vet school blog, but I just don't see how I can accurately describe my adventures without compromising the privacy of specific cases. I just want to maintain the integrity of my future school. And I know that my audience is not very broad, so most of you will hear how I am doing by other means. You are more than welcome to contact me individually for updates, but this is not a private forum. I just don't want to infringe on anyone else's privacy, and I want to be the most professional student that I can be. I'm sorry if you are disappointed, but I just don't feel comfortable blogging anymore.
That said, I am so excited for the opportunities that await me! I cried when I found out, and I've received so many congratulations and wishes for good luck in the coming four years. The moral is that this story has a happy ending, which is the best kind in my book. Thanks for reading! You guys are the best!
Monday, February 18, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Winter Term 2012-2013, Week 10: It's the End of My World As I Know It
Well, the end of my college life, anyway. I can't believe it's finally here. All that stands between me and freedom for the next six months is my Animal Communication final, which will take me all of 15 minutes on Thursday. What can I say that I haven't already said? It's been an amazing time here. There have been so many ups and downs. I have enjoyed college more than I thought I would, and I've been informed that grad school is even better. I have so much to look forward to right now. I think it'll be nice to have such a long time off from school. It'll help me recharge my batteries and get ready for the hectic world of vet school. And yes, if you're wondering, I will be blogging about that, which is really exciting for me. I haven't decided what to call it yet, but I have a little bit to decide. I found out today that I've been placed on the alternate list for Iowa, which means that if any spots open up after the April 15th deadline, I may be invited to join the class of 2017 there. I'm still waiting on Minnesota, but I should know by Monday at the latest. Fingers crossed! If all else fails, I still have Kansas!
I also can't wait to be home to start our garden this summer. We didn't get one in last year, which was disappointing. In addition, I will be home for the start of the MLB season, which I haven't been home for in four years. The same goes for Easter. I missed the last two years because of not being able to find transportation, but I will be there this year! Finally, I am eager for the actual graduation/commencement ceremony here in May. It'll be so great to see my friends again and to celebrate our achievements with them. Assuming my Winter Term grades go the way I think they will, I will graduate Augustana summa cum laude, which means "with highest honors" for students who have a GPA of 3.9 and above. It will probably be listed in the graduation program, and it's something I can include on my resume when I am applying for positions after vet school.
Anyway, about this insane week. It really felt like two separate, very short weeks because of my short jaunt to Minnesota for the interview. I was so impressed with the school. Not only is the location great, but the opportunities there and the community of scholars is just so fantastic. Students there start their first year with two full weeks of just hands-on stuff with horses and cows, the latter of which is right up my alley as an aspiring food animal practitioner. There is a cool special study room just for first-years complete with personal desks and microscopes, so they don't have to purchase their own. For students pursuing careers with dairy cows, there is an opportunity to stay for two weeks at New Sweden Dairy near St. Peter, Minnesota. The facility is equipped with dorms and teaching areas so students can get the most out of the experience. The sheer variety of rotations and elective courses is just astounding to me. Plus, everyone there was so nice. Even the other candidates who were interviewing were really nice. I talked to another girl who also applied to Iowa, Minnesota, and Kansas and was accepted to Kansas. I hope we both get in at Minnesota, though. :)
One of my favorite parts of the day was when we got to see the anatomy lab and adjacent Anatomy Museum, which features a lot of plastinated animal specimens. One of the U of M doctors helped develop the process, which is how Body Worlds came to be. All of us candidates even got to take home CDs with anatomy slides on them of everything from poultry to cows to horses. I've only just scratched the surface going through it, but I can already tell you that there's some pretty darn cool stuff on it. Mom says I'm such a biology geek, but I reply that at least I know I'm headed into the right profession!
All in all, and as I predicted, visiting Minnesota just made me want to go there that much more. Just in general, it made me want to start vet school already! I know I'm going to meet so many incredible people and participate in so many awesome experiences. Success is going to require a complete revamping of the way I study, but I'm ready to change if it means learning the material and being the best vet I can be.
I just want to take this time to thank all who have supported me from day one. It's meant so much to me to have such encouragement to do my best and be my best.
As far as finals have gone, I felt really good about both of them. I am thankful that I've been doing well despite having my attention somewhat diverted from school work. There's obviously a good reason for it, but I just know that God has been helping me along every step of the way.
Well, that was basically my week! Now I just have a few little errands to take care of before I'm ready to be home and working a bit at the thrift store (and doing more shadowing!). I hope you enjoyed my baby animal post as much as I enjoyed writing it. Nothing lifts my spirits more than precious young creatures with big, round eyes.
And happy early Valentine's Day to all! I hope you can celebrate it with people you love. I will try to do the same here at school with my friends. But before I go, I wish to share with you something else that I love (besides the people in my life):
That's right. My home state! Part of the reason I want to be a vet is so that I can support agriculture in Minnesota because I just really feel loyal to the place where I grew up. It would sort of be my way of giving back to my community.
Because that's what Valentine's Day is for me. It's about celebrating all sorts of love, not just romantic. And chocolate. It's also about eating chocolate.
I also can't wait to be home to start our garden this summer. We didn't get one in last year, which was disappointing. In addition, I will be home for the start of the MLB season, which I haven't been home for in four years. The same goes for Easter. I missed the last two years because of not being able to find transportation, but I will be there this year! Finally, I am eager for the actual graduation/commencement ceremony here in May. It'll be so great to see my friends again and to celebrate our achievements with them. Assuming my Winter Term grades go the way I think they will, I will graduate Augustana summa cum laude, which means "with highest honors" for students who have a GPA of 3.9 and above. It will probably be listed in the graduation program, and it's something I can include on my resume when I am applying for positions after vet school.
Anyway, about this insane week. It really felt like two separate, very short weeks because of my short jaunt to Minnesota for the interview. I was so impressed with the school. Not only is the location great, but the opportunities there and the community of scholars is just so fantastic. Students there start their first year with two full weeks of just hands-on stuff with horses and cows, the latter of which is right up my alley as an aspiring food animal practitioner. There is a cool special study room just for first-years complete with personal desks and microscopes, so they don't have to purchase their own. For students pursuing careers with dairy cows, there is an opportunity to stay for two weeks at New Sweden Dairy near St. Peter, Minnesota. The facility is equipped with dorms and teaching areas so students can get the most out of the experience. The sheer variety of rotations and elective courses is just astounding to me. Plus, everyone there was so nice. Even the other candidates who were interviewing were really nice. I talked to another girl who also applied to Iowa, Minnesota, and Kansas and was accepted to Kansas. I hope we both get in at Minnesota, though. :)
One of my favorite parts of the day was when we got to see the anatomy lab and adjacent Anatomy Museum, which features a lot of plastinated animal specimens. One of the U of M doctors helped develop the process, which is how Body Worlds came to be. All of us candidates even got to take home CDs with anatomy slides on them of everything from poultry to cows to horses. I've only just scratched the surface going through it, but I can already tell you that there's some pretty darn cool stuff on it. Mom says I'm such a biology geek, but I reply that at least I know I'm headed into the right profession!
All in all, and as I predicted, visiting Minnesota just made me want to go there that much more. Just in general, it made me want to start vet school already! I know I'm going to meet so many incredible people and participate in so many awesome experiences. Success is going to require a complete revamping of the way I study, but I'm ready to change if it means learning the material and being the best vet I can be.
I just want to take this time to thank all who have supported me from day one. It's meant so much to me to have such encouragement to do my best and be my best.
As far as finals have gone, I felt really good about both of them. I am thankful that I've been doing well despite having my attention somewhat diverted from school work. There's obviously a good reason for it, but I just know that God has been helping me along every step of the way.
Well, that was basically my week! Now I just have a few little errands to take care of before I'm ready to be home and working a bit at the thrift store (and doing more shadowing!). I hope you enjoyed my baby animal post as much as I enjoyed writing it. Nothing lifts my spirits more than precious young creatures with big, round eyes.
And happy early Valentine's Day to all! I hope you can celebrate it with people you love. I will try to do the same here at school with my friends. But before I go, I wish to share with you something else that I love (besides the people in my life):
That's right. My home state! Part of the reason I want to be a vet is so that I can support agriculture in Minnesota because I just really feel loyal to the place where I grew up. It would sort of be my way of giving back to my community.
Because that's what Valentine's Day is for me. It's about celebrating all sorts of love, not just romantic. And chocolate. It's also about eating chocolate.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Yay, finals!
This is just a quick note that I probably will not get to my weekly blog post until Tuesday or Wednesday this week. Sorry for the delay. I just have my priorities with studying...
In the mean time, please enjoy these pictures of adorable baby animals.
Well, that's all the fun I have for you today, kids. Hopefully I'll have more time later to tell you about my crazy Week 10. Suffice it to say that the Minnesota interview went fairly well. I'll know in about eight days...but who's counting? ;)
In the mean time, please enjoy these pictures of adorable baby animals.
 |
| Yup. Cutest kind of puppy alive. Photo courtesy of www.ataboy.ca. |
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| Kitteh! Photo courtesy of loves-animals.com. |
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| How can you not love this?? Look how blubbery it is! Photo courtesy of cdn.hdwallpaperspics.com. |
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| My absolute favorite kind of baby animal, after puppies, of course. Photo courtesy of img0.etsystatic.com. |
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| A baby animal I will hopefully be working with a lot as a vet. :) Photo courtesy of 24.media.tumblr.com. |
 |
| I like this because the chick looks half-suspicious, like, "Hey, didn't I just hatch from one of those? I'm NOT going back in there!" Or maybe it's more like, "Hey, Susan, it's time to come out now!" These are thoughts I think during Finals. You're welcome. Photo courtesy of www.marlerblog.com. |
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Winter Term 2012-2013, Week 8: Girl Power
I was reading an article in the Augustana Observer (our school newspaper) earlier this weekend, and it mentioned how girls are having their time in the sun here at Augie lately. We had a female speaker for Symposium Day, over 60% of the students here are female, and I guess our women's sports teams are doing pretty well. Fortunately, I got to witness a little bit of this girl power last night. My good friend Hannah sang in a choir concert that I attended where most of the singers were female. Afterwards, she, her parents, and I sat in on the last half of my friend Devon's varsity women's basketball game against Carthage. We ended up losing, but Devon made a final-seconds two-point basket! It was awesome! I'm glad that I got to support two of my friends on the same night.
After the game, Hannah's parents were kind enough to invite me along to dinner. We found this cute Thai restaurant in downtown Moline called LemonGrass Cafe. And let me tell you, it was fantastic! We started off with some delicious appetizers, including some fresh spring rolls with peanut dip, shu mai dumplings with chicken and shrimp and a nice soy sauce, and something called the Crying Tiger--strips of steak on a bed of cucumbers, carrots, and lettuce and served with a pungent, spicy garlic sauce. Everything tasted so fresh, and I just love Asian spices. For the main course, I had Pad Keemao, which is basically wide rice noodles with lots of veggies and chicken. I topped it with a medium-heat sauce for an extra kick. It was quite the dinner! I would love to go back for lunch because they have bento boxes and a banh mi sandwich, which I have wanted to try for some time now (it's pretty much a staple of Vietnamese cooking). So, not all the food there is Thai. There are Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese influences, too, but as far as I'm concerned, it's all Asian and all delicious.
I'm sorta glad this week is over because I got two group presentations out of the way. Our courtroom-drama-esque presentation in Microbiology went over well, I think. I enjoyed watching everyone else's because some of them were hilarious, like an SNL Weekend Update spoof on the topic of Lyme disease. On the other hand, our Journal Club presentation in Physiology about sodium transport in saltwater and freshwater pupfish did not go so well. The article was really complex, so our presentation ran a bit long, and people in the audience got really bored. I also didn't do as well as I wanted to on the last test in that class, so I will really have to buckle down when we write our follow-up for the article and when I am studying for the final.
Meanwhile, I am pleased that I will actually be able to complete the requirements for Mortar Board. This basically means that I get a special medallion to wear at graduation in May! I was worried because we have not been doing much with Mortar Board, but it appears as though I will be just fine!
Microbiology is winding down with a really cool identification lab. We are running all these media tests to tell which organisms we have been given, and it is just really neat to look at all of the results and be able to tell which bacterium it is based on them. I suppose that's an important piece of a career in health, taking the results of many different tests and coming to a conclusion with the information they provide. I have already identified one of my two organisms based on its growth pattern (or lack thereof) at two different temperatures. The other is more difficult because I had to inoculate about eight different types of media to be able to distinguish it from other related organisms.
On a broader note, I am sitting here contemplating how I have just two weeks left here. It's so crazy to think that my college career is almost over. There is so much I did not do during these three-and-a-half years. I sort of have some regrets, but I'm mostly happy about the things I was able to do while I was here. I don't regret not going Greek. That whole lifestyle is just not for me. I don't regret joining anything that I did. I do regret not being a part of things like the UNYK dance group because they look like they have so much fun. I do regret never getting to Niabi Zoo, the color-changing bridge in Davenport, and not meeting many people until quite late in my college career. But those are just a few, and I want to keep this mainly positive. I'll probably wax more poetic next week or the week after that when everything really is ending, but it's just amazing how fast time flies. I'm sure you understand this better than I do, as it's part of growing up and becoming a real adult. Your life just starts to be crazy. One minute you're entering a dorm as an awkward freshman far from home, and the next you're moseying around campus like you own the place. Because you do. It's become a home away from home, a true alma mater for my growth as a biologist and future health professional. It makes me wonder how I ever worried about anything related to college. Before I began, I was nervous that I wouldn't do well, that my professors wouldn't be approachable, that I wouldn't make friends, that I'd get homesick, that I would never have time for fun, you name it. Now I look back on that version of myself and laugh.
But looking forward to this coming week, it should be quite the ride. I'm flying home Wednesday for my third and final vet school interview at the University of Minnesota on Thursday. As much as I hate airplanes for a multitude of reasons which I will not delineate here for the sake of keeping your attention, they do get me home a heck of a lot faster than cars. I'll have more time to relax and mentally prepare myself for Thursday, and I'll get some downtime after the interview to chill at home before I have to head back to the airport. For the most part, I'm not missing too much that's important as far as classes go. I've got it mostly worked out with my professors. Then, I can focus on studying for my finals when I get back so that I can end my college career on a high note academically. It seems appropriate and almost funny that I go my whole time here without missing a class until the very last week of my very last term at Augustana. But it's for probably the best reason I can think of, so I really don't mind too much. Honestly, I'm feeling really laid back about it, not in an I-don't-care way but in an I'm-not-going-to-worry-about-this-because-it's-not-going-to-do-me-any-good way. I have a friend at the U of M vet school right now, and she's told me that the interviewers are really cool, plus I've done this behavioral interview thing before, so I know what to expect. I do think I need to get away from campus for a little bit before finals because I've just been under so much pressure. A tiny stint at home could be just the thing I need to power me through Finals Week.
And now I leave you with some pictures I took this week.
After the game, Hannah's parents were kind enough to invite me along to dinner. We found this cute Thai restaurant in downtown Moline called LemonGrass Cafe. And let me tell you, it was fantastic! We started off with some delicious appetizers, including some fresh spring rolls with peanut dip, shu mai dumplings with chicken and shrimp and a nice soy sauce, and something called the Crying Tiger--strips of steak on a bed of cucumbers, carrots, and lettuce and served with a pungent, spicy garlic sauce. Everything tasted so fresh, and I just love Asian spices. For the main course, I had Pad Keemao, which is basically wide rice noodles with lots of veggies and chicken. I topped it with a medium-heat sauce for an extra kick. It was quite the dinner! I would love to go back for lunch because they have bento boxes and a banh mi sandwich, which I have wanted to try for some time now (it's pretty much a staple of Vietnamese cooking). So, not all the food there is Thai. There are Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese influences, too, but as far as I'm concerned, it's all Asian and all delicious.
I'm sorta glad this week is over because I got two group presentations out of the way. Our courtroom-drama-esque presentation in Microbiology went over well, I think. I enjoyed watching everyone else's because some of them were hilarious, like an SNL Weekend Update spoof on the topic of Lyme disease. On the other hand, our Journal Club presentation in Physiology about sodium transport in saltwater and freshwater pupfish did not go so well. The article was really complex, so our presentation ran a bit long, and people in the audience got really bored. I also didn't do as well as I wanted to on the last test in that class, so I will really have to buckle down when we write our follow-up for the article and when I am studying for the final.
Meanwhile, I am pleased that I will actually be able to complete the requirements for Mortar Board. This basically means that I get a special medallion to wear at graduation in May! I was worried because we have not been doing much with Mortar Board, but it appears as though I will be just fine!
Microbiology is winding down with a really cool identification lab. We are running all these media tests to tell which organisms we have been given, and it is just really neat to look at all of the results and be able to tell which bacterium it is based on them. I suppose that's an important piece of a career in health, taking the results of many different tests and coming to a conclusion with the information they provide. I have already identified one of my two organisms based on its growth pattern (or lack thereof) at two different temperatures. The other is more difficult because I had to inoculate about eight different types of media to be able to distinguish it from other related organisms.
On a broader note, I am sitting here contemplating how I have just two weeks left here. It's so crazy to think that my college career is almost over. There is so much I did not do during these three-and-a-half years. I sort of have some regrets, but I'm mostly happy about the things I was able to do while I was here. I don't regret not going Greek. That whole lifestyle is just not for me. I don't regret joining anything that I did. I do regret not being a part of things like the UNYK dance group because they look like they have so much fun. I do regret never getting to Niabi Zoo, the color-changing bridge in Davenport, and not meeting many people until quite late in my college career. But those are just a few, and I want to keep this mainly positive. I'll probably wax more poetic next week or the week after that when everything really is ending, but it's just amazing how fast time flies. I'm sure you understand this better than I do, as it's part of growing up and becoming a real adult. Your life just starts to be crazy. One minute you're entering a dorm as an awkward freshman far from home, and the next you're moseying around campus like you own the place. Because you do. It's become a home away from home, a true alma mater for my growth as a biologist and future health professional. It makes me wonder how I ever worried about anything related to college. Before I began, I was nervous that I wouldn't do well, that my professors wouldn't be approachable, that I wouldn't make friends, that I'd get homesick, that I would never have time for fun, you name it. Now I look back on that version of myself and laugh.
But looking forward to this coming week, it should be quite the ride. I'm flying home Wednesday for my third and final vet school interview at the University of Minnesota on Thursday. As much as I hate airplanes for a multitude of reasons which I will not delineate here for the sake of keeping your attention, they do get me home a heck of a lot faster than cars. I'll have more time to relax and mentally prepare myself for Thursday, and I'll get some downtime after the interview to chill at home before I have to head back to the airport. For the most part, I'm not missing too much that's important as far as classes go. I've got it mostly worked out with my professors. Then, I can focus on studying for my finals when I get back so that I can end my college career on a high note academically. It seems appropriate and almost funny that I go my whole time here without missing a class until the very last week of my very last term at Augustana. But it's for probably the best reason I can think of, so I really don't mind too much. Honestly, I'm feeling really laid back about it, not in an I-don't-care way but in an I'm-not-going-to-worry-about-this-because-it's-not-going-to-do-me-any-good way. I have a friend at the U of M vet school right now, and she's told me that the interviewers are really cool, plus I've done this behavioral interview thing before, so I know what to expect. I do think I need to get away from campus for a little bit before finals because I've just been under so much pressure. A tiny stint at home could be just the thing I need to power me through Finals Week.
And now I leave you with some pictures I took this week.
 |
| These are the multicolored handouts given to me by my Microbiology professor. She really, really wants to make sure we don't lose them. Obviously. |
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| The view of the woods around the Slough from the fourth floor of the library. I was just "stopping by snowy woods" on my way back from working on a project one day, and I thought I should snap this while I could. |
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Winter Term 2012-2013, Week 8: Exams and Parties and More, Oh My!
Well, another hectic week has passed, and I am just that much closer to graduation, affectionately referred to as the "G word" by a couple of my more clever and hesitant peers. You know that I am actually looking forward to it. I have enjoyed my undergraduate career more than I can express, but it is a chapter in my life that must end if I am to achieve my dream, so I am totally okay with it. Will I miss people and the experiences and everything about it? Yes. But that's okay, too. I'm so glad that I got to share this time in my life with you through blogging (well, the second half of it, anyway).
Wednesday was our big environmentally-oriented Symposium Day. The speaker was indeed much better than last time. She encouraged us to think outside the box and pursue what we want to do, regardless of our backgrounds. She spent more of her time, though, just going over the green features of the recently-rennovated Phipps Conservatory in Philadelphia. It was interesting in itself, but her talk could have been so much more; I was hoping it might be more personal as to how each of us as individuals can have a positive impact on the environment. But c'est la vie, I suppose.
Thursday was my second Microbiology exam as well as our Team Teaching day in Animal Communication. They both went okay, I think. The entire Microbiology class was pretty tired out, though, by the time we went to lab. We were basically just analyzing samples from last time, which turned out okay because my table was just slap-happy and hamming it up like nobody's business. I feel fortunate to have landed with the lab partners that I did. They are just a great bunch of people!
I received some very nice compliments this week, too. A couple of the students in the Organic lab I proctor have expressed their thanks to me for being so helpful, one of them even going so far as to say she is going to miss me next term. I just love hearing things like that because it lets me know that I am doing a good job. In addition, my Microbiology professor really, really likes the extra-credit poem I wrote and wants to feature it in some samples of creative work done well. Here is the poem if you would like to read it (it's supposed to look like the T4 phage it describes):
Friday was another busy day, too. I had my second exam in Human Physiology, and that went much better than my Microbiology exam (at least I felt that way). Later, Sarah had a little going-away party since she will be on her way to Ireland in about a month or so. I went to anothe Ireland-themed party on Saturday, which was also pretty enjoyable. I guess it's good for me to get out now and again, though.
Well, that about catches you up with my week. I'm not looking forward to this next one too much. I have two more group presentations that are kind of stressing me out. But I'll be okay. This is just the final uphill push before I can be home again, and it will feel much better to be home if I know I did a good job now. I know I've said that a million times before, but it's one of my deepest convictions. Anyway, I hope you have a fantastic week, and hopefully I'll be here next Sunday to blog about it (you know, assuming I make it out alive...).
Wednesday was our big environmentally-oriented Symposium Day. The speaker was indeed much better than last time. She encouraged us to think outside the box and pursue what we want to do, regardless of our backgrounds. She spent more of her time, though, just going over the green features of the recently-rennovated Phipps Conservatory in Philadelphia. It was interesting in itself, but her talk could have been so much more; I was hoping it might be more personal as to how each of us as individuals can have a positive impact on the environment. But c'est la vie, I suppose.
Thursday was my second Microbiology exam as well as our Team Teaching day in Animal Communication. They both went okay, I think. The entire Microbiology class was pretty tired out, though, by the time we went to lab. We were basically just analyzing samples from last time, which turned out okay because my table was just slap-happy and hamming it up like nobody's business. I feel fortunate to have landed with the lab partners that I did. They are just a great bunch of people!
I received some very nice compliments this week, too. A couple of the students in the Organic lab I proctor have expressed their thanks to me for being so helpful, one of them even going so far as to say she is going to miss me next term. I just love hearing things like that because it lets me know that I am doing a good job. In addition, my Microbiology professor really, really likes the extra-credit poem I wrote and wants to feature it in some samples of creative work done well. Here is the poem if you would like to read it (it's supposed to look like the T4 phage it describes):
The
T4 phage
is a virus, just
DNA in a protein
coat, that “eats”
the bacterium
E.
coli,
a
facul-
tative
an-
aer-
obe
and
meso-
phile.
T4’s
prey can sur-
vive with oxy-
gen or with-
out and likes
the tem- pera-
ture in the
mid-
dle
range,
not that
T4
cares
too
much.
Friday was another busy day, too. I had my second exam in Human Physiology, and that went much better than my Microbiology exam (at least I felt that way). Later, Sarah had a little going-away party since she will be on her way to Ireland in about a month or so. I went to anothe Ireland-themed party on Saturday, which was also pretty enjoyable. I guess it's good for me to get out now and again, though.
Well, that about catches you up with my week. I'm not looking forward to this next one too much. I have two more group presentations that are kind of stressing me out. But I'll be okay. This is just the final uphill push before I can be home again, and it will feel much better to be home if I know I did a good job now. I know I've said that a million times before, but it's one of my deepest convictions. Anyway, I hope you have a fantastic week, and hopefully I'll be here next Sunday to blog about it (you know, assuming I make it out alive...).
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Winter Term 2012-2013, Week 7: Wild Weather
It has really been a strange year so far, weather-wise. We started last weekend in the high 40s/low 50s, then plunged back into the teens by the beginning of the week. Then again, we got up to the 40s and 50s this weekend. Last night and Friday night, we had some pretty high winds, and now it's down to about 11 degrees again and is going to get colder by tomorrow and Tuesday. Yesterday honestly felt like March, but it appears that winter is returning again very soon. I hate all this fickle stuff. We can't get too used to any kind of conditions around here because they are likely to change within 24 hours. It's nothing I'm not used to from back home, but I would expect a little bit more stable weather patterns here. Oh, well. What can you do? The summer is going to be pretty bad, probably, given that we haven't had a good long cold streak. All I can think about this those mosquito eggs. Those buggers will eat me alive this year, for sure.
Anyway, I've rambled far too long about the weather. For other people, it might be small talk, but it's a favorite topic among us Minnesotans. Forgive me, kind readers. Onward and upward!
This was an exciting week in Microbiology lab. We started off by testing water samples from around the area for the presence of coliforms, bacteria that inhabit the human colon and often accompany more dangerous pathogens like the causative agent of cholera. My lab partner and I tested the water from my kitchen sink here, and I am happy to report that it appears that we only have about 23 coliforms per mL of water, which is pretty darn good. For comparison, the other pair at my lab table tested water from the Mississippi River, and their results showed nearly 2400 coliforms per mL of water. The other exciting thing we did in Microbiology lab was to blend up potato salad from the school's food service and incubate it on agar plates to see what kinds of bacteria might be lurking in it after it has sat at room temperature for a few days. We have not seen the results yet, but I just think it will be funny because (as you might remember) I am not the biggest fan of school food. Never have been, never will be. I guess that's what comes from living with an Italian mother who puts half the chefs on Food Network to shame (well, that hypothesis is untested, but I'd rather eat her food than half of their strange, artsy concoctions...sometimes you can be educated beyond your mental capacity, which is a gem from my father).
I would also like to address a rather important issue in this week's blog. The campus received an e-mail on Tuesday or so informing us about a dog named Lucy, who lived in Missouri. It appeared that Lucy's owner simply decided she did not want to own a dog anymore. Nothing at all is wrong with Lucy. She is perfectly healthy and up to date on all her vaccinations and licenses. The owner just got tired of her. You can imagine my outrage. What makes it even worse was that the owner brought Lucy to the local veterinary clinic so that they could try to place her (okay, so this part wasn't bad, but what happens next is). After weeks with no luck, the clinic informed the owner that Lucy had had no takers as yet and would probably be put down. The owner didn't care. I am so upset with people like this. I know I am preaching to the choir here, but owning a dog (or any animal) is for life. It's a big-time commitment that is not to be cast aside so lightly. We humans have it easy because we have many things in our life through which we can find satisfaction and happiness. Pets have only us. We are their whole world. Imagine how confused Lucy must have been, to be dumped at the vet's office (not really the favorite place of most animals) by a person she loved with her whole heart. Animals are not playthings that we get to cast aside just because we've decided we want to move on to bigger or better things. I would understand if this owner simply could not care for Lucy anymore because of money or health issues. In that case, it's perfectly acceptable, even encouraged, to find a new home. It's noble to realize one's own limitations and to acknowledge that it is in a pet's best interest to be placed somewhere where he or she will receive better care and more attention. But to blatantly admit that you just don't feel like being a pet owner anymore and then to not show any remorse over the impending death of that pet simply because of laziness or mere whim is absolutely detestable. This is why I want to be a vet. I want to advocate for animals like Lucy and to help educate people about how animals of all shapes and sizes need to be treated. And on a happy note, Lucy was moved here to the Quad Cities, where she is waiting in a shelter for a new home. She's still looking for new people to love her, but I've heard she's a sweetheart, and at least we know now that she will not be put down.
I also heard some exciting news this week. I'm sure you've all heard of Body Worlds by this time, that exhibit where preserved human bodies are put on display. Well, there's an animal version called Animals Inside and Out that's coming to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago this spring through this fall. I have a friend who is going to be moving to Chicago with her sister come late July, so I think I am going to try to visit her so I can go see this exhibit! It's obviously right up my alley. I've heard they even have a giraffe and a blood-vessel cast of a shark. I just think it would be so cool.
I'm currently hard at work on three separate group projects, and it's nearly driving me up the wall. The only thing keeping me sane is having a collection of awesome group members who make me laugh. I should have expected my final term of college to go this way, but I sort of hoped that since I was done with my SI project, I wouldn't be so stressed out anymore. But clearly God has a serious sense of humor, and it will feel so awesome when I am finished and know I did a good job, so the work I'm putting in now is definitely worth it.
To preview the coming week, Wednesday is our second Symposium Day of the year, where we have no class but are required to attend a speaker and one or more activities in the Quad Cities area (in addition to two meetings with our advising groups, one in the morning and one in the afternoon). There topic this time is Nature and Human Nature, so it should be more fun than last time. I am trying to get a spot volunteering either to distribute recycling information in Rock Island neighborhoods or to help install a hydroponic system in the Local Culture House on campus so that Augie students can grow vegetables in the winter (I need about five more hours of volunteering for Mortar Board). I have two exams (Microbiology and Physiology) and my group's Team Teaching day in Animal Communication. Oy vey. But I'm looking forward to Saturday because I get to help out at a soup kitchen with my friend Grace. I feel bad that I haven't been doing as much with Circle K lately as I would have liked, but that's just the way life works. I've had to focus on my schoolwork because that comes first right now (right up there with vet stuff and keeping my health up with exercise and enough sleep...I don't want to come down with the flu; even though I've been vaccinated, I'm not 100% protected, so I can never be too careful). Anyway, like usual, I'm sure I will have plenty of great stories to share by the time next weekend rolls around. Until then, take care, everyone!
Anyway, I've rambled far too long about the weather. For other people, it might be small talk, but it's a favorite topic among us Minnesotans. Forgive me, kind readers. Onward and upward!
This was an exciting week in Microbiology lab. We started off by testing water samples from around the area for the presence of coliforms, bacteria that inhabit the human colon and often accompany more dangerous pathogens like the causative agent of cholera. My lab partner and I tested the water from my kitchen sink here, and I am happy to report that it appears that we only have about 23 coliforms per mL of water, which is pretty darn good. For comparison, the other pair at my lab table tested water from the Mississippi River, and their results showed nearly 2400 coliforms per mL of water. The other exciting thing we did in Microbiology lab was to blend up potato salad from the school's food service and incubate it on agar plates to see what kinds of bacteria might be lurking in it after it has sat at room temperature for a few days. We have not seen the results yet, but I just think it will be funny because (as you might remember) I am not the biggest fan of school food. Never have been, never will be. I guess that's what comes from living with an Italian mother who puts half the chefs on Food Network to shame (well, that hypothesis is untested, but I'd rather eat her food than half of their strange, artsy concoctions...sometimes you can be educated beyond your mental capacity, which is a gem from my father).
I would also like to address a rather important issue in this week's blog. The campus received an e-mail on Tuesday or so informing us about a dog named Lucy, who lived in Missouri. It appeared that Lucy's owner simply decided she did not want to own a dog anymore. Nothing at all is wrong with Lucy. She is perfectly healthy and up to date on all her vaccinations and licenses. The owner just got tired of her. You can imagine my outrage. What makes it even worse was that the owner brought Lucy to the local veterinary clinic so that they could try to place her (okay, so this part wasn't bad, but what happens next is). After weeks with no luck, the clinic informed the owner that Lucy had had no takers as yet and would probably be put down. The owner didn't care. I am so upset with people like this. I know I am preaching to the choir here, but owning a dog (or any animal) is for life. It's a big-time commitment that is not to be cast aside so lightly. We humans have it easy because we have many things in our life through which we can find satisfaction and happiness. Pets have only us. We are their whole world. Imagine how confused Lucy must have been, to be dumped at the vet's office (not really the favorite place of most animals) by a person she loved with her whole heart. Animals are not playthings that we get to cast aside just because we've decided we want to move on to bigger or better things. I would understand if this owner simply could not care for Lucy anymore because of money or health issues. In that case, it's perfectly acceptable, even encouraged, to find a new home. It's noble to realize one's own limitations and to acknowledge that it is in a pet's best interest to be placed somewhere where he or she will receive better care and more attention. But to blatantly admit that you just don't feel like being a pet owner anymore and then to not show any remorse over the impending death of that pet simply because of laziness or mere whim is absolutely detestable. This is why I want to be a vet. I want to advocate for animals like Lucy and to help educate people about how animals of all shapes and sizes need to be treated. And on a happy note, Lucy was moved here to the Quad Cities, where she is waiting in a shelter for a new home. She's still looking for new people to love her, but I've heard she's a sweetheart, and at least we know now that she will not be put down.
 |
| How could you get rid of a cute face like that? She looks like such a good girl... |
I'm currently hard at work on three separate group projects, and it's nearly driving me up the wall. The only thing keeping me sane is having a collection of awesome group members who make me laugh. I should have expected my final term of college to go this way, but I sort of hoped that since I was done with my SI project, I wouldn't be so stressed out anymore. But clearly God has a serious sense of humor, and it will feel so awesome when I am finished and know I did a good job, so the work I'm putting in now is definitely worth it.
To preview the coming week, Wednesday is our second Symposium Day of the year, where we have no class but are required to attend a speaker and one or more activities in the Quad Cities area (in addition to two meetings with our advising groups, one in the morning and one in the afternoon). There topic this time is Nature and Human Nature, so it should be more fun than last time. I am trying to get a spot volunteering either to distribute recycling information in Rock Island neighborhoods or to help install a hydroponic system in the Local Culture House on campus so that Augie students can grow vegetables in the winter (I need about five more hours of volunteering for Mortar Board). I have two exams (Microbiology and Physiology) and my group's Team Teaching day in Animal Communication. Oy vey. But I'm looking forward to Saturday because I get to help out at a soup kitchen with my friend Grace. I feel bad that I haven't been doing as much with Circle K lately as I would have liked, but that's just the way life works. I've had to focus on my schoolwork because that comes first right now (right up there with vet stuff and keeping my health up with exercise and enough sleep...I don't want to come down with the flu; even though I've been vaccinated, I'm not 100% protected, so I can never be too careful). Anyway, like usual, I'm sure I will have plenty of great stories to share by the time next weekend rolls around. Until then, take care, everyone!
Monday, January 14, 2013
Winter Term 2012-2013, Week 6: Taking Care of Business
You probably know what I'm about to say, but I'm going to say it anyway. This first week back from break was packed. I met with three separate groups as we worked toward completing our projects. I did all of my regular activities on top of that, plus I had an exit interview with Financial Assistance for my Stafford loans. Needless to say, the weekend was welcome when it finally arrived.
The week wasn't all bad, though. For starters, we had our Circle K holiday party--a few weeks late, perhaps, but it was still fun. I got free Italian food, plus we received our t-shirts (plain white, but hopefully I will be around when we dye them, and if not, I'll just do it myself), our pins, and a bunch of other goodies (like tissues, hand sanitizer, a notepad, pens, and more).
I also found out the exact date of my interview at Minnesota--February 7th! It was my top choice of day to go because it's sort of at the end of the term when classes are more or less winding down. I have to fly back, which I absolutely detest, but I will get through it, and I will be happy if/when it turns out well in the end. I also have to miss two days of class (which I also hate), but again, this is my future we're talking about, and like Dad says, if I get into Minnesota, we're talking serious financial savings. Not to mention location and never having to miss the Minnesota State Fair again. Because that's the whole reason I want to go to Minnesota. For the State Fair. That was sarcastic, if you couldn't tell.
Other than that, not too many interesting things happened. My classes are going well. I'm learning a lot, still. I'm managing to enjoy myself here and there.
I imagine this coming week will be similar. I may sound bored, but I'm really not. I like having a couple of weeks where I can just focus on classes; even though I just complained about how hectic this last week was, in the grand scheme of my academic career, it was fairly manageable. I know this post was short, but I just wanted to update my faithful readers and such. Hopefully, I'll have a good picture or two next time, since I know I didn't have one last time, either. Thanks for tuning in!
The week wasn't all bad, though. For starters, we had our Circle K holiday party--a few weeks late, perhaps, but it was still fun. I got free Italian food, plus we received our t-shirts (plain white, but hopefully I will be around when we dye them, and if not, I'll just do it myself), our pins, and a bunch of other goodies (like tissues, hand sanitizer, a notepad, pens, and more).
I also found out the exact date of my interview at Minnesota--February 7th! It was my top choice of day to go because it's sort of at the end of the term when classes are more or less winding down. I have to fly back, which I absolutely detest, but I will get through it, and I will be happy if/when it turns out well in the end. I also have to miss two days of class (which I also hate), but again, this is my future we're talking about, and like Dad says, if I get into Minnesota, we're talking serious financial savings. Not to mention location and never having to miss the Minnesota State Fair again. Because that's the whole reason I want to go to Minnesota. For the State Fair. That was sarcastic, if you couldn't tell.
Other than that, not too many interesting things happened. My classes are going well. I'm learning a lot, still. I'm managing to enjoy myself here and there.
I imagine this coming week will be similar. I may sound bored, but I'm really not. I like having a couple of weeks where I can just focus on classes; even though I just complained about how hectic this last week was, in the grand scheme of my academic career, it was fairly manageable. I know this post was short, but I just wanted to update my faithful readers and such. Hopefully, I'll have a good picture or two next time, since I know I didn't have one last time, either. Thanks for tuning in!
Monday, January 7, 2013
Winter Break 2012-2013, Part 2--Into the Shadowland
Well, happy 2013, everyone! This is going to be a very big year for me and my family, and I hope you have great things planned, too!
I trust you all had a good Christmas. I was fortunate enough to receive a really awesome book all about how to care for baby animals, and the best thing is that the book was written by a veterinarian and a vet tech. I really wanted a stethoscope, but Mom and Dad want me to pick out my own, so that's going to be my graduation present. I can't wait!
This past Wednesday, I shadowed at the clinic (hence the title of the post) for a second time before I went back to school. As always, it was a varied day of surgery plus appointments. There were six surgeries in all: a feline spay, a feline neuter, a canine spay, a canine neuter, a canine spay with a mass removal, and a canine mass removal. I thought it was kind of funny that there was one of each of the most typical kind of surgery (the feline and canine spays and neuters). I love having a full surgery schedule because I actually get to do things instead of standing in an appointment room. Don't get me wrong, I love watching the doctors talk with clients, and that's an important part of my pre-vet education, too, but I feel so much more useful when I can participate and know that I am doing something necessary for the clinic (like freeing up someone else so that they can help a doctor or another tech with a tricky animal). The best part of the surgeries was that one of the patients was a really old Brittany, just like my dog! She took so long to go under and even longer to come back out of anesthesia. She didn't even respond to me pulling hair mats out of her ears, something my dog would never stand for. She was so much like my dog, though. She was just such a nervous Nellie, and she shed like crazy. I often joke that when we clean our house, we find another dog's worth of hair lying around.
Like last time, I was sort of like a mini-tech, which I really enjoy. I'm looking forward to getting back home after these last six weeks of school, where I can hopefully work somewhere science-y but still have time for more shadowing (you know, just so I keep myself in the right frame of mind).
Speaking of which, I cannot believe how close the end of my undergraduate career is! It will be absolute chaos to fit everything in, but when I am done, it will feel so great! This chaos will be compounded by my interview at my dream school, the University of Minnesota! I'm really hoping that I will be able to go in early February because that works best for my schedule, but we'll just see when the date and time get set. This one should be another behavioral interview, and I'm determined to do better at that format this time around than I did at Iowa State. I found out recently that Minnesota is a top-ten vet school, so I will really need to be en pointe with this one. It's going to be the hardest to get into. I know a girl who went to Augie, a very highly motivated student, who was wait-listed at Minnesota. She eventually got in because a spot opened up, but I wouldn't be surprised if something like that happened to me, too. We'll see, though, I have to try to be confident in myself because I'm an old pro at this by now (or at least, no longer a novice).
That's about if for now. I'm going to try to enjoy what little time I have left at Augustana. I'll try to have some fun with friends while I still can, too. Cheers!
I trust you all had a good Christmas. I was fortunate enough to receive a really awesome book all about how to care for baby animals, and the best thing is that the book was written by a veterinarian and a vet tech. I really wanted a stethoscope, but Mom and Dad want me to pick out my own, so that's going to be my graduation present. I can't wait!
This past Wednesday, I shadowed at the clinic (hence the title of the post) for a second time before I went back to school. As always, it was a varied day of surgery plus appointments. There were six surgeries in all: a feline spay, a feline neuter, a canine spay, a canine neuter, a canine spay with a mass removal, and a canine mass removal. I thought it was kind of funny that there was one of each of the most typical kind of surgery (the feline and canine spays and neuters). I love having a full surgery schedule because I actually get to do things instead of standing in an appointment room. Don't get me wrong, I love watching the doctors talk with clients, and that's an important part of my pre-vet education, too, but I feel so much more useful when I can participate and know that I am doing something necessary for the clinic (like freeing up someone else so that they can help a doctor or another tech with a tricky animal). The best part of the surgeries was that one of the patients was a really old Brittany, just like my dog! She took so long to go under and even longer to come back out of anesthesia. She didn't even respond to me pulling hair mats out of her ears, something my dog would never stand for. She was so much like my dog, though. She was just such a nervous Nellie, and she shed like crazy. I often joke that when we clean our house, we find another dog's worth of hair lying around.
Like last time, I was sort of like a mini-tech, which I really enjoy. I'm looking forward to getting back home after these last six weeks of school, where I can hopefully work somewhere science-y but still have time for more shadowing (you know, just so I keep myself in the right frame of mind).
Speaking of which, I cannot believe how close the end of my undergraduate career is! It will be absolute chaos to fit everything in, but when I am done, it will feel so great! This chaos will be compounded by my interview at my dream school, the University of Minnesota! I'm really hoping that I will be able to go in early February because that works best for my schedule, but we'll just see when the date and time get set. This one should be another behavioral interview, and I'm determined to do better at that format this time around than I did at Iowa State. I found out recently that Minnesota is a top-ten vet school, so I will really need to be en pointe with this one. It's going to be the hardest to get into. I know a girl who went to Augie, a very highly motivated student, who was wait-listed at Minnesota. She eventually got in because a spot opened up, but I wouldn't be surprised if something like that happened to me, too. We'll see, though, I have to try to be confident in myself because I'm an old pro at this by now (or at least, no longer a novice).
That's about if for now. I'm going to try to enjoy what little time I have left at Augustana. I'll try to have some fun with friends while I still can, too. Cheers!
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