My attempt at a nutshell...
My alarm goes off at 6am, Monday through Friday. I hit the snooze button for a solid 45 minutes before I actually get out of bed. I can't help it. But it's totally ok, because I plan for those 45 minutes. They are scheduled, completely necessary, snooze-button-hitting minutes that are completely accounted for. At first I would jump up to snap a picture as soon as the sun peaked through the clouds over the horizon, but eventually I got a little too obsessed with said sunrise and forced myself to stop. Now I just make coffee, eat some breakfast, get dressed, pack my backpack, and then hit the road no later than 7:30am.
I then bike two miles to school, rain or shine. Most times it's with Amit and Billy, a couple times with John, and so far never with Suman (I've decided he probably hits the snooze button a few more times than I do, and then hustles/pedals a little harder to school, hence why he is so out of breath when he finally takes his seat with 10 seconds to spare). Occasionally, however, I bike alone, and as much as I love my new friends, I especially love those mornings. This morning, for example, the birds were chirping, the air was a little cooler and filled with aromas of the salty ocean and tropical flowers, and all alone, I pedaled slowly, taking in the Bahamas with each stimulating breath. It was wonderful. Not so wonderful are the mornings I bike in the pouring rain and almost get hit by cars... Those mornings I sit through class with wet jeans and bangs matted to my forehead.
School runs from 8am to noon every day, with a ten minute break between each hour. Every week and every day changes, as far as which classes I take, but between Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Anatomy and Histology, and Physiology, they manage to schedule four hours of each class, each week (Mondays being strictly test days). Some days there are additional anatomy labs, zumba or yoga classes, review sessions, seminars on handling stress or study habits, school sponsored "field trips" to National Parks or beaches or grocery stores... All optional, of course, and I tend to pick and choose, based on my personal needs and preferences. I mean, come on, what's in it for me?
Generally speaking, I bike home from school around 12:30-1pm. When I get home, hot and sweaty and tired and hungry, I make something quick to eat and then plop on the recliner for a little R&R (usually this means I fall asleep within 5 minutes). Whether I wake up shortly after or simply move to the bed, my brain doesn't turn back on around 3pm, and then it's back to the books. I read, take notes, draw diagrams, take practice quizzes, watch explanatory videos, talk out loud, study flashcards, download iPad apps, and pretend teach whoever is near me. I think things through while I shower, cook, clean, brush my teeth, comb my hair, fold my clothes, exercise, eat dinner and wash dishes. At around 9pm, however, my brain starts slowing down (mostly I feel delusional). Some nights I will take a text book or some notes with me to bed to skim through one last time, other times I simply throw in the towel and watch an episode of "Battlestar Galactica". Before Jake arrived, this was when I would FaceTime (or Skype) with him. Either way, 10pm rolls around and it's always "lights out", to be repeated the following day.
Here is a group of students and some teachers playing soccer on the field in front of my apartment building one afternoon (an organized exercise activity). I had so much fun watching them play! I totally would have joined them but I was too busy stuffing my face with Macaroni and Cheese. I'm sure they managed just fine without me...
And that's typically how it goes. Occasionally, a group of us will plan to go to the beach for a couple of hours after class, but it often depends on the study material, weather, or day of the week. Today, for example, is Monday. Mondays are test days, and after studying all weekend and taking tests all day, most of us just relax on Mondays. With no new material to go over, there's less guilt associated with going to the beach, or, since it's raining outside, lighting some candles, playing some music, and working on my blog... ;)
Aside from Monday, the other awesome day is Friday. Friday is the world's greatest day in the entire universe!!!! I LOVE Friday. I've spent Fridays here getting to know my friends, this beautiful island, the nightlife, playing beach volleyball, collecting shells, sun tanning, looking for dolphins, avoiding sharks, and not thinking about school. It's my one day (from noon on, at least), to be a normal non-student. I still get sleepy around 10pm and can't usually stay up past then, but Saturdays I get to sleep in (until 9am at the latest) so if I'm up later on Fridays that's perfectly ok with me. BUT then it's back to the books by mid Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday, covering a weeks worth of material and aiming at getting all A's come Monday morning's exams...
And there you have it! My life in the Bahamas since school started. It's A LOT of studying, but all that hard work makes the in between times really, really special. I also enjoy studying (most of the time anyway), so I am perfectly content. Being able to open the sliding glass door to hear a tropical storm or some seagulls, or take a break to walk to the beach, or eat dinner on the balcony to watch sun light fade across the ocean, makes this whole experience that much greater.
PS. Notice the optimism? This clearly wasn't written on a Sunday night... ;)
I then bike two miles to school, rain or shine. Most times it's with Amit and Billy, a couple times with John, and so far never with Suman (I've decided he probably hits the snooze button a few more times than I do, and then hustles/pedals a little harder to school, hence why he is so out of breath when he finally takes his seat with 10 seconds to spare). Occasionally, however, I bike alone, and as much as I love my new friends, I especially love those mornings. This morning, for example, the birds were chirping, the air was a little cooler and filled with aromas of the salty ocean and tropical flowers, and all alone, I pedaled slowly, taking in the Bahamas with each stimulating breath. It was wonderful. Not so wonderful are the mornings I bike in the pouring rain and almost get hit by cars... Those mornings I sit through class with wet jeans and bangs matted to my forehead.
School runs from 8am to noon every day, with a ten minute break between each hour. Every week and every day changes, as far as which classes I take, but between Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Anatomy and Histology, and Physiology, they manage to schedule four hours of each class, each week (Mondays being strictly test days). Some days there are additional anatomy labs, zumba or yoga classes, review sessions, seminars on handling stress or study habits, school sponsored "field trips" to National Parks or beaches or grocery stores... All optional, of course, and I tend to pick and choose, based on my personal needs and preferences. I mean, come on, what's in it for me?
Generally speaking, I bike home from school around 12:30-1pm. When I get home, hot and sweaty and tired and hungry, I make something quick to eat and then plop on the recliner for a little R&R (usually this means I fall asleep within 5 minutes). Whether I wake up shortly after or simply move to the bed, my brain doesn't turn back on around 3pm, and then it's back to the books. I read, take notes, draw diagrams, take practice quizzes, watch explanatory videos, talk out loud, study flashcards, download iPad apps, and pretend teach whoever is near me. I think things through while I shower, cook, clean, brush my teeth, comb my hair, fold my clothes, exercise, eat dinner and wash dishes. At around 9pm, however, my brain starts slowing down (mostly I feel delusional). Some nights I will take a text book or some notes with me to bed to skim through one last time, other times I simply throw in the towel and watch an episode of "Battlestar Galactica". Before Jake arrived, this was when I would FaceTime (or Skype) with him. Either way, 10pm rolls around and it's always "lights out", to be repeated the following day.
Here is a group of students and some teachers playing soccer on the field in front of my apartment building one afternoon (an organized exercise activity). I had so much fun watching them play! I totally would have joined them but I was too busy stuffing my face with Macaroni and Cheese. I'm sure they managed just fine without me...
And that's typically how it goes. Occasionally, a group of us will plan to go to the beach for a couple of hours after class, but it often depends on the study material, weather, or day of the week. Today, for example, is Monday. Mondays are test days, and after studying all weekend and taking tests all day, most of us just relax on Mondays. With no new material to go over, there's less guilt associated with going to the beach, or, since it's raining outside, lighting some candles, playing some music, and working on my blog... ;)
Aside from Monday, the other awesome day is Friday. Friday is the world's greatest day in the entire universe!!!! I LOVE Friday. I've spent Fridays here getting to know my friends, this beautiful island, the nightlife, playing beach volleyball, collecting shells, sun tanning, looking for dolphins, avoiding sharks, and not thinking about school. It's my one day (from noon on, at least), to be a normal non-student. I still get sleepy around 10pm and can't usually stay up past then, but Saturdays I get to sleep in (until 9am at the latest) so if I'm up later on Fridays that's perfectly ok with me. BUT then it's back to the books by mid Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday, covering a weeks worth of material and aiming at getting all A's come Monday morning's exams...
And there you have it! My life in the Bahamas since school started. It's A LOT of studying, but all that hard work makes the in between times really, really special. I also enjoy studying (most of the time anyway), so I am perfectly content. Being able to open the sliding glass door to hear a tropical storm or some seagulls, or take a break to walk to the beach, or eat dinner on the balcony to watch sun light fade across the ocean, makes this whole experience that much greater.
PS. Notice the optimism? This clearly wasn't written on a Sunday night... ;)
Comments
Post a Comment