It is amazing how short 24 hours seems and how long 18+ hour days feel. Finally I've made it to the medical school people imagine--long nights, early mornings, lectures, libraries, mnemonics, microbes, drugs, and
no time. Nonetheless, while the length of a day remains constant, I am still discover new ways to fit/replace/combine more activities into a day simultaneously juggling with what to excise. Fortunately it has not been a bitter pill to swallow as it is possible to find at least something pleasant in arduous work--studying all day at Panera Bread Company, reading flashcards at the gym, experimenting with new teas between study breaks. I have inevitably had to make some sacrifices to remain only moderately insane. I've started to occasionally exercise at the gym rather than going on hike: an inverse from my pre-med days; I'm eating Trader Joes frozen meals or frozen leftovers scavenged from the parents, or food of unknown origin left in the student commons rather than cooking or eating out; I've practically given up TVs, movies, this blog, free reading.... I have still appreciated life as it goes by in part because I have to mentally justify every distractor I indulge ensuring those activities that steal my time from studying are either required for sustenance (eating sleeping), civility (laundry, hygiene), academics (class, professional requirements), and most importantly sanity--because they represent who I am at the core. Some activities I could not give up regardless of other time constraints- I still have my grandpa's keyboard--always turned on, just in case I have time to run through one song between chores and school. I'm constantly connected to Google news or wikipedia. Currently, my chocolate cupboard is better stocked than my refrigerator. It is with this pseudo-rationalization my newest competitions for cram time is picking apples, slamming the bongos, and dizzily practicing spotting.
Adding to the chaotic schedule of February and March, affectionately known by faculty and OMSI students alike as hell month, is Bhangra and Hindi Film dance. My ever growing quest to better understand my culture and heritage has uniquely blended with my path to become a physician. I am now an active member of WesternU's SASA club or South Asian Student Association. I am spending a considerable amount of time dancing--in preparation for the International Medicine club's cultural day March 8th. Each movement has been creatively names as "The King" or "bird man" "puppet" "apple picking" "sexy squats" etcetera. Music and dance have always been a gateway into cultural appreciation. As much as I'm learning about the science of medicine, medicine as an art is interwoven in culture, yours and your patients so I am happy to replace study time with dance. I hope that even through my brain is saturated with pharmacology, microbiology, and pathology, I can organize Apples, Bongos, Birds, puppets, and the other steps associated with dance Bhangra dancing.
illustrations from Weili Zhang.
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