The Very Beginning

 Just over four months ago, I was sitting in one of 288 very precious seats for the very first time. It was August 20th, a sweltering day outside but air conditioned to the utmost indoors. It was bright and early, full of excitement and hope. In other words, it was my first day of medical school!

The faculty warmly welcomed us, showered us with congratulations, and friendly faces sitting near made introductions. It was a bit surreal getting to know the people who'll be my classmates for the next four years, and my colleagues for our entire careers! The first two weeks were the heaviest, with long academic days ending in social events almost every day. While we learned the basics of cell biology, genetics, and so much more from 8 - 5, we played games at the beach, got to know faculty over wine & cheese, took photos with matching red backpacks, and learned about all sorts of student groups in the evenings. It was a lot of fun, albeit exhausting. When week three rolled around, we transitioned to the more "normal" schedule, with a bit more time to do what I hadn't had much time to do yet - study! 

This is me (right) and my friend Lauren (left). We did our undergrad degrees together and were overjoyed to both be accepted to the same site! This was taken on the first day when arms-in-the-air excitement was all around. 

Every year each Canadian med student gets a matching backpack, and this year the colour was red. It's a fun event with food, a photo booth and prizes! Here are some of my lovely classmates and I.

One of the best things I did this semester was join the student run medical journal. I am a junior section editor, and I absolutely love it! My role involves reading articles submitted to the News & Letters section, communicating with authors, and contacting students and faculty to be article reviewers. Above is the happy bunch of people involved! 

Lunchtime yoga! We have an hour lunch break every day, and what better way to sneak in some exercise. Myself and two of my classmates rotate leading sessions so that we can hold a lunchtime yoga session every Friday!

A summary of my first term wouldn't be complete without at least one reference to studying. ;) One of the most challenging parts of the semester for me was learning blood vessel gross anatomy. We covered the vessels of the fore-gut and pelvis, and my oh my, this was a challenge. Real human beings just don't look all that much like textbooks! 

The second best way to study during Christmas time is with a fireplace on the big screen! The best way, of course, is with a real fireplace, but this was a close second. 

After exams and in the mood for a celebratory photo! Since our program is divided into four sites across the province, many of my classmates will be leaving to continue at another site for the next 3.5 years. It's bittersweet and I'll really miss them! Thankfully, all of our lectures are video-linked, so if someone asks a question from any site, everyone gets to see them on the big screen. :) Although this was somewhat terrifying at first, it feels really normal now.

An end of semester semi-formal started winter break, and helped everyone unwind a bit after exams! 

Last but not least, this was taken at the end of a hike with some really lovely people: two of my classmates and a dietitian friend. I've never hiked in December before, but loved it because it was so empty! We had nearly the whole trail to ourselves, which made for a peaceful, nature-filled hike. Medical school can sometimes get overwhelming and feel as though a whole pile of work is always on the to-do list. But despite this, it's important to never forget about the people in your life. Spending time with my family on weekends doing simple things like walks or grocery shopping really helped me stay balanced this semester. I also joined the Christian Medical and Dental Society, which helped build community into my week. Although med school is busy, there is still time to invest in the people and activities of life that are important, and that's something I never want to take for granted! 

Until next time,

Vivi