Truths of a Medical Student

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

PERPETUALLY HUNGRY

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

Friends make it all worthwhile.

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

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?”

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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?

The Mansion Twins: A Book Review

Author: Rose M. Channing

Publisher: Createspace

Published on: July 23^rd 2014

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Synopsis (via Goodreads):

Ellie and Savannah Senka, fourteen year old twins, ran away from their unhappy homes, thinking they’d return after a brief adventure. Together, they journey to another world. The new world is full of magic, but though it was once beautiful, it is damaged, unbalanced, and dangerous after a terrible storm. Ellie and Savannah may be the only ones with the power to restore the world to its original state, for the magic of twins is rare and powerful. The girls are welcomed into a grand mansion, the safest place in the aftermath of the storm. There, they learn who they are, and what they have to do. To restore the world, they must travel through the mansion to the center of magic and reset the balance. They discover their own magical abilities, find joy and friendship in the mansion’s family, and face the dangers of the storm’s left-behind magic. The journey to the center of magic is full of twists and turns, magic and excitement. Ellie and Savannah support each other to overcome obstacles along the way, knowing the whole world is depending on them.

Note: I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Review:

A different world? Storm-created beings? Monsters? Quests? Totally up my alley! I have to say that I enjoyed reading this novel. I got totally hooked into this other world that I instinctively switch off from reality for a while. This book is engaging along with the characters who are just lovable and fun to read.

Speaking of the characters, the protagonists in this novel are twins—Ellie and Savannah Senka.  So we’re having the chosen two! Because why not?

So, they once live in a world of magic but then a storm ravaged that world, brought chaos into the whole kingdom and now there is no balance. During the storm, the Senka twins escaped and then they grew up into this world with no magic. But a prophecy about twins resetting the balance back in the center of magic brought the Senka twins home. Personally I think that the premise is interestingly unique. First we have a storm so strong it destroyed the balance of the magical world, disrupted the current of magic and created magical beings. The storm-created beings got me intrigued. I mean it is so freakishly awesome yet disturbing at the same time. Although I was just looking for more details about the storm. Everything about it and the events right after was still unclear and I get that its part of the storytelling. So maybe on the sequel. Right?

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Also can I just mention how fascinated I am with the so-called “Glow” which serves as the kind of magic people are all capable of having aside from special gifts such as levitation or healing. The Glow is something that is natural for the magic folks, it can be used for fighting, illumination and even for dancing! How awesome and fancy is that?

Like any other fantasy novels, of course we have an adventure for the protagonists and here, it is to go to the center of magic to reset the balance. The events that transpired before finding the center of magic is so exhilarating. To give you a heads up, everything occurs inside an enormous mansion, which I guess is obvious from the title alone so I don’t know why I’m giving a heads up. Anyways, OH. MY. GOSH. The mansion is yet another fictional world I’d like to take a tour on. Every time they get into yet another part of the mansion, it just makes me read even more. Every opened doors, every transporter mirrors and every fighting scene with some storm-created beings were all enthralling I forgot the reason for needing sleep. So I guess I’m making it clear how fascinating this book is.

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Now aside from the premise, I also admire the characters in this book. Though there might be a lot of names to actually take account of, those who are of need in the story got the right exposure. I like the idea of having a queen in a child form because it makes it even more magical. What I like about the queen is her relationship with the twins, it was all pure love, care and guidance.  And the twins see her as a friend and at the same time a queen who would face the enemy herself to protect her people. And not just that, the relationship that exist between everyone inside the mansion is what I admired the most. It’s a familial love that I find as comforting and magical as it should be.

But of course, we should always have a villain. As witty and anger-driven as any other villain in any other fictional worlds. However, I find his background story still lacking. And in my honest opinion, I just think that his character as a villain doesn’t have much of an impact. I mean, he is powerful, deceptive and brutal (that last thing he did broke my heart) but I think that maybe those traits still needs development. And there was a twist to his character and which I guessed but it was well played. That part, I just have to commend.

So in totality, I really enjoyed this book a lot. I have sacrificed sleep just so I could get to the end of the Senka Twins’ journey. I hope there is more to this world.

My Rating:

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Check Author (Rose M. Channing)

Website: https://www.mycrossworldsjourney.com

Email: chickadee24@comcast.net

Twitter: RoseMChanning

Add book on: Goodreads

Available on: Amazon

Kafka on the Shore: A Book Review

Author: Haruki Murakami

Publisher: Knopf Publishing Books

Published on: January 26th 2005  (first published 2002)

Genre: Magical Realism, Cultural

Synopsis(via Goodreads):

Kafka on the Shore, a tour de force of metaphysical reality, is powered by two remarkable characters: a teenage boy, Kafka Tamura, who runs away from home either to escape a gruesome oedipal prophecy or to search for his long-missing mother and sister; and an aging simpleton called Nakata, who never recovered from a wartime affliction and now is drawn toward Kafka for reasons that, like the most basic activities of daily life, he cannot fathom. Their odyssey, as mysterious to them as it is to us, is enriched throughout by vivid accomplices and mesmerizing events. Cats and people carry on conversations, a ghostlike pimp employs a Hegel-quoting prostitute, a forest harbors soldiers apparently unaged since World War II, and rainstorms of fish (and worse) fall from the sky. There is a brutal murder, with the identity of both victim and perpetrator a riddle—yet this, along with everything else, is eventually answered, just as the entwined destinies of Kafka and Nakata are gradually revealed, with one escaping his fate entirely and the other given a fresh start on his own.

Review:

There are books that could make you cry, laugh or even fall in love.

Then there are books that would go deep into the core of your being and stir your consciousness. Books that provokes you to critically challenge once again your pre-constructed thoughts and thereby opening up your mind into the ambiguities of existence. In my honest opinion, Kafka on the Shore is that kind of book. Haruki Murakami’s writing makes me dive deep into the realms of make believe and yet at the same time exposes the realities of life. Of all the thought-provoking books I’ve read, this one probably brought chaos into my mind in the most beautiful way possible.

For the characters: Kafka, the fifteen year old protagonist, is weird like most of HM’s character. But this boy interests me in ways I couldn’t fathom and it is hard to put into words since I’m trying my best not to spoil it for you. However, the way he perceive things allows me to ponder my thoughts carefully.  The fears he’s trying to fight along with the independence and strength he manages to hold on to amazes me in a way that it makes you see life in the most pragmatic point of view.

Another character I’d like to talk about is Oshima—the assistant librarian who was a friend and a brother to Kafka.  Gosh, I fell in love with his brain.

I am certain that there is an intricate process on how his brain works to make sure it coincides with the workings of his mouth. I wish I could be as erudite as him. Let me share to you a very much on point line of him:

And the last character who deserves a mention is my favourite of all—Mr. Nakata. Nakata describes himself as dumb due to an incident that occurred during the war. But there are things that only he is capable of, which makes him rather more special. I extremely adore his character and I guess I’ve learned the most from him. You know those mantras we live for today like forget about the past, live in the moment or worry about tomorrow when tomorrow is here? Well, that is exactly how Mr. Nakata lives his life and to be honest it is the most carefree living I have ever read/imagined. He is a very interesting and amazing character. I’d love to spend a day with him and be worry free!

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With regards to the plot, Haruki Murakami introduces us to the concept of a metaphysical reality. How the existence of some things are different from what humans perceive it to be. In my opinion, this book aims to make humans become open-minded and critical. Honestly, there are times when I read and I actually have to put the book down for awhile to gather my thoughts and understand the lines.

The struggle is real but I enjoyed it so much.

Kafka on the Shore is an important book. And I will most certainly recommend it you my lovely readers!

My rating: 

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Have a nice day and God bless you all :*

Top Ten Tuesdays: Bookworm Delights!

Once again, I’ve decided to participate in this weekly meme of The Broke and the Bookish. The theme for today is about the things that would most certainly bring a smile on every bookworm’s face. I’ve missed doing this so let’s get into it and here’s my list of the little things that brings me delight!

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Staring lovingly at those beautifully organized bookshelves

There’s nothing more you can ask after a long day’s work but to sit and stare at your books right before you start picking one of them to read

Sniffing up the aroma of books, both old and new!

When someone adores the book you recommended

Having conversations with a person who loves the same books as you do

For those people who unintentionally sacrificed long hours listening to me blabber about books, I LOVE YOU HUMAN!

Getting excited to go on long drives even on public transpos, because audiobooks! 

You just have to get used to the stares you’d be getting.

Reading references of things you like in the current book your reading.

Every time I read harry potter references it just makes me love the book even more ❤ 

Finding the perfect reading nook AND POSITION! even just for awhile…

This is tricky! But once you find it, enjoy every last bit of the moment 

Getting cut-off from reality because most likely you’ve found THE ONE in a fictional world.

Finally getting your hands on a book that made you ration a weeks’ worth of food into two.

A weekend you can enjoy reading because finally that report, or this exam or those tasks are done and Monday doesn’t seem too much of a buzzkill!

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There’s still a whole lot of others things but I guess those I’ve listed above made it to the top! So are any of those I’ve listed the same with yours? Comment the link of your post down below and share it to everyone else!

Have a great day ahead and God bless! :*