A second exam has come and gone

There's only one way to describe the last two weeks -- pure misery. The saturday before the exam, I checked in to one of the study room around noon, thinking I'd have to go home for dinner at some point. Some "kind" folks brought food and snacks over, so with food, water, books and a restroom nearby there was no need to go home...at all. I stayed until 1:30 in the morning. The sad thing is, there were people who got there before me and were still there when I left. Our exam covered 40 lectures, 9 histology labs and 7 anatomy labs. The lab practicals consisted of 50 identification items, one minute each. Somehow, despite getting the front of the

body confused with the back of the body at one of the stations (scary eh? how did I not notice the buttcrack), I came out of the 7 hour exam relatively unscathed. I was top third for the first exam, and was aiming for top 25% this time. Top 12.5% was better than I couldn've imagined :)

It took me the entire weekend to transition back to life as a normal human being, and by normal, I mean someone who makes their bed, does dishes, and does something other than sleep/eat/study. I had been studying while I ate, watched tv, worked out, and every "free" moment, so it really felt strange not having to study over the weekend. I still feel like I need a major break though. I haven't touched a book all week, and I do feel quite guilty about that. But honestly, if you're going to start going at it the first day after the exam, what's it going to be like 2 weeks before the third exam. Haha, that's what I tell myself when I see people in the library after I spent the afternoon shopping. School's going by really fast though; we're one-third done with the first year!

So, thanksgiving's next week, and I wish I were going home, but there are a few things making me really happy right now.
1. Trader Joe's just opened a few blocks away, and I found my favorite brand of multigrain bread there today. I thought I'd have to eat the unsubstantial Sara Lee bread for the next four years.
2. HOLMES PLACE. Our school gym costs $100 for the year, which I thought was an amazing deal. They're closing the place down in a month, but they've negotiated a deal and heavily subsidized another plan with holmes place. So we're paying $120 for the entire year. Regular membership is $115 a month. Free classes, sauna, pool, all amenities provided. It's the swankiest and most beautiful place to sweat it out, and I don't think I'll ever manage to do better than this. http://www.holmesplaceus.com/
3. We're making thanksgiving dinner from scratch next week. So keep your fingers crossed for us.