Well, I cannot believe the summer is almost over and it is time for me to head to New York to start med school at Cornell! I’m leaving this afternoon and should get there on Saturday or Sunday. I’m taking the scenic route over Lake Superior and through Canada so it should be a nice drive. (At the price of almost 50 bucks a tank. Grrrr.)
I took what seemed to be the general consensus about how to spend my pre-MS1 summer and have done practically nothing all summer, except hang out at the lake. Now that it is almost time to go back to school I am really scared! Also I’m a bit nervous about adapting to the New York City lifestyle. While I’ve been packing and trying to reduce my stuff so that it will fit in my upcoming 9 x 11 foot dorm room, it’s been really hard to convince myself that no, I will not need flippers and a snorkel or other swimming gear in Manhattan. The thought of books and exams and things I WILL be dealing with is so hard to relate to right now!
Oh well, next time I return to OPM I will be an official orientee at med school. Talk to you all again soon! I hope everyone is enjoying the last few weeks of summer.
Good luck and best wishes!!! 
Please keep in touch!
You should have a really pretty drive through Canada and then down through upstate New York. Be careful!!
Now you are beginning a journey which you will never forget. There will be many good times, lots of trying times, and many, many times when you feel you must be crazy. But through it all keep your faith! Keep your eye on the light at the end of the tunnel. As you begin, you will wonder where the heck the light has gone, but keep plodding, one foot in front of the other, and before you know it, you will see that beacon shining brightly!
As to the flippers, snorkel, and other swimming gear . . . Heavens! You’re going to Manhattan! When the weather is good and you need some relaxation (and you can find the time), you are sitting on the Atlantic coastline. There are lots of places you can swim, snorkel, etc! So, if you have room, squeeze that gear into your car and your room. You will have some time for yourself . . . and you may even find others that would like to join you!
Good luck and keep us posted as you continue your journey!
All excellent pieces of advice Linda.
I want to add… sleep when you can… it will make all the difference… as I have discovered.
but don’t sleep while you’re snorkeling… that would be bad.
Pushkin,
Hope you’re having fun on your trip…
Good Luck in NY! You’ll adapt fast !!! This is where you wanted to be (I remember your dilemma “Chicago or NY”) - so enjoy!
Kasia
Hey everyone,
Thanks for all the good wishes! I did indeed bring some of my swimming gear, although I’ve been inundated with opportunities to many join other exciting activities since I got here, so I am not quite as sad as I was about the summer ending. There is even a co-ed ice hockey team which is right up my alley. Anyway, I am here and more or less settled in now–today I finally got my internet connection. Classes started today too! We are doing a biochemistry/genetics class this fall, followed by anatomy next winter. I have to get right back to studying–it’s the first day of classes and I ALREADY feel like I’m way behind! We’re reviewing acid/base equilibria right now…
Matt, I will get in touch soon! Thanks again, everyone!
Just wait till you get to protein metabolism and amino acid synthesis. You’ll love it. Trust me. 