Truths of a Medical Student

February 5, 2017 / abOOkishOwl / Leave a comment

Hello there, fellow medical students, kudos! You are one brave soul, just like me, to waste time in this virtual reality we call THE WEB. Or you know, it’s a “study break” as we often label it to lessen the guilt. On a scale of a 20-minute nap to a caffeine-fueled all-nighter, how’s it going? In my case, I am a cup away into the latter and I am absorbing nothing so I’ve decided to write this instead. Lo and behold, the truths behind every medical student!

WE CHASE TIME OR TIME CHASES US.

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Time is a paradox. Time is an illusion. It is both freeing and binding. Freeing, because we know it is there but we try not to care, because if we do, we go into panic mode, anxiety heightens, everything we do becomes futile. Binding, because we never really get to do things without thinking about time.

Multiple exams with multiple references yet we still get bored.

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I don’t know but during these trying times, boredom can’t be killed. Boredom fights, boredom gets through and so boredom survives!

The paradoxical effect of caffeine consumption.

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Stress if funny sometimes.

The level of drowsiness is directly proportional to the amount of upcoming exams.

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HIGHLIGHTING IS EVERTHING. LITERALLY.

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But in all seriousness, if painting the whole page with a neon highlighter works for you, then by all means keep doing it. We have different ways of studying, different strategies so really asking tips from different people is a risk. What works with them might not work with you. Study at your own pace, at your own way at your own risk. Stop comparing!

Power naps only powers up our perpetual desire to sleep and become a panda instead.

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I just feel twice as tired sometimes.

Studying = 5 minutes, Study Break = 1 Sherlock episode, 1 whole season of FRIENDS or 5 magical hours spent on the internet watching videos of baby elephants taking a bath.

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The endless cycle of doubts and questions of self-worth.

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TRIGGER: A succession of failed exams, lack of sleep and significantly increased stress levels. It happens, might even be normal to some point, just make sure you don’t get trapped in such vicious cycle. Go out, talk to friends, eat or read a book. Think happy thoughts.

Nobody said it was easy, but no severity scale can quantify how hard medschool is.

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You live for the eat-outs and drinking sessions as a celebration for a hellweek (which is pretty much every week)

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You have every sign and symptom of every disease in Harrison’s Textbook of Internal Medicine. Even flatulence makes you think you’re dying.

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PERPETUALLY BROKE

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PERPETUALLY HUNGRY

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When you’re done studying or you have no time left.

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Friends make it all worthwhile.

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You don’t need to be friends with everyone. But you have to find the real ones, the rare gems, the snort-laugh inducers, the drinking buddies, the nonsense talkers, the equivalent of 5 cups of brewed coffee and you’ll find that medical school is the best thing that has ever happened to you. As they say, it’s all about the journey not the destination.

Now back to studying, young Padawan!

Existence of the Weed

November 25, 2016November 25, 2016 / abOOkishOwl / Leave a comment

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I was staring intently at a weed. It was still young, with its slim roots clinging tightly to the ground and its tiny leaves swaying proudly to the subtle touch of the wind.

Then it hit me. It’s there living in a space surrounded by substantial life–fruit trees, daisies and some wild roses too. Oblivious to the fact that weeds are savagely plucked out or stepped upon.

So I thought, “What if this weed came into existence thinking it is needed like everything else that surrounds it?”

“What if it took notice of a white rose just beside it? Of its elegant beauty. Of its velvety petals as white and as pure as the pearl in the middle of the sea. Of its thorny stem and its tiny leaves. Of how gracefully it stands out but still adds to the beautiful chaos of the woods.”

“What if in that mere moment, it became filled with hopes of becoming an elegant white rose?”

“What if in that mere moment, it longed to have the worth of a rose?”

“What if because of that mere moment, it decided to live its life trying its best to become a rose?”

“And then what if it finally matures and realizes that it will never bloom into a rose?”

…

What if I was the weed? What if I thought I could be a “rose” too? What if I’m wasting my time, patching the holes of my existence, pushing one foot after the other, climbing what seemed to be a never ending staircase only to find out that it’s all futile? What if I found out too late that this has all been a mirage? What if I can’t be what I want to be even if I’ve exhausted all efforts?

What now?

May Wrap-up and June TBR

June 3, 2016June 3, 2016 / abOOkishOwl / Leave a comment

I feel like everything in the past month just flew by. It’s already the third day of June which means I have exactly 37 days left of freedom. But to be honest, (I can’t believe I’m about to say this!) I kinda miss school. Some days I’d like to start on those big and intimidating medical reads but most of the time, I dread the arrival of July coz that’s when the real thing starts. But before I jump into the other life that I’ve also been dreaming of, I have planned how my June’s gonna go, as bookish as it’s supposed to be. And before I share it with you guys, here’s a wrap-up for the month of May. I have read 6 books in total and I’d say it was a quality over quantity kind of book month.

Clean Break