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| Well, I've been too busy to call up Coach Customer Service, but Daniel called them up for me while I was on my 34-hour shift @ the hospital. Apparently, they are going to take "another look" at my purse and see if there isn't anything to repair. I just don't understand why they didn't do that in the first place...?!!! Next time, I am buying a different brand, one w/a reputation for good Customer Service and non-breakage.
So, I also had a pair of La Cross manicuring clippers that broke on me after a few uses (realize that during the 4 days off I had this summer, I decided to do all my yearly errands at once; I'm not the type to just complain over every little thing). I sent it to Customer Service, and they just mailed me a brand-new pair of clippers (I did NOT have to pay a CENT unlike Coach), a letter of apology, and 3 coupons for ($5, $3, and $1) their products. I am definitely a fan of this company - they do it RIGHT! They didn't make me pay a handling fee and say it was irreparable and give me 40% off my next purchase. For your info, they are the same company as Coty, Sally Hansen, NYC cosmetics, & Miss Kiss. I love them!
Anyway, my newest rotation is going swell. The only problem is the SEVERE lack of sleep, as in averaging 3-4 hours a night, consistently. I should have my blinkers on my car every time I drive just to warn my highway neighbors! I feel like I'm DROWNING in work, learning/studying, presentations, assignments/homework, and then exams on top of that. Plus, all the standing has given me spider veins up the wazoo (I know, it sounds "vain" - no pun intended - but it's really noticeable). I'd have to say the worst was my night on-call (the 34-hr shift), when I was battling a nasty viral respiratory infection and then starting my period -- then after my shift, I had CLASS!!! I almost died, but apparently am doing much better. This coming week, I have 2 more of those shifts ("Q5" or every 5 days, I have to pull an all-nighter basically).
I'm arriving at work at 6am (and this is 1 hr commute away), and this is STILL TOO LATE! I don't know how this is possible. I already wake up at 4am, should I start waking up at midnight? But that's when I go to bed! Oh well. 3 months more of this rotation, and maybe I'll be able to recover then...
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| Recently, my Coach bag broke. It looks terrible, with the plastic handle skeleton sticking out, ripped leather, and all. It's unusable, functionally and aesthetically.
Thankfully (or so I thought), there is a Coach "lifetime warranty" so I sent them my purse (~$15 for shipping, and I didn't even include the insurance they mandated) as well as a $20 check for their "handling fee"... so what, I'm rescuing a couple-hundred-dollar bag, right?
WRONG! I just got back my Coach purse, untouched. It still looked horrible. The letter that came with it explained that it was irreparable, and that they would offer me a 40% discount on any FULL-PRICE item in their stores (not outlet stores). What?! So, I looked back at my bank records, and they actually DID cash my $20 check.
So basically, I had to pay $35 to have them tell me they couldn't do anything about it, other than to ask me to buy another Coach product and put in MORE of my money, for a product and company that has proven to be ill.
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| If anyone would like a free subscription to USMLE World, I bought my account until July and no longer have need for it. I think I only used about 400-something questions, so there's still tons of unused questions left. If you're interested, please shoot me an email so I can fwd my account & password to you! [claimed] Overall, the test was much harder than I anticipated. Studying did nothing for me, and I think only like 10% of the questions were located SOMEwhere within First Aid. Also, my site did not yet have the new FRED2 software running (with the calculator and newer functions), even though they said they would by May 18th. I had been practicing with the newer version, so that sucked. Also, realize that the breaks are shorter than you'd like since you need to sign in and out every time with your gov't ID at the front counter and in and out at your computer desk with a really long sign in code. You are NOT allowed a watch in the testing center. They even told me that if I want to take OFF my sweater, I have to raise my hand and get "help". When the A/C was blowing straight onto my face, I put on my hood and some lady came over & said I couldn't, even though there was a camera above my desk the entire time. I guess it'll be another 6 weeks before I find out if I passed or not.
My advice:
1) They say that pushing back your test date doesn't change your score. Almost everyone I know did push it back, but now I see why they say that. More studying really doesn't help since the questions were more intuitive or really thought-provoking ones in which they present most of the info you need to figure it out in the question stem. Furthermore, the more time you spend studying, the more you start forgetting the stuff you learned from the beginning. Enjoy your summer break instead! There seems to be an insurmountable amount of info to cover, but really, very little of it will actually help you on the test. So don't fret if you don't finish everything you thought you would or if you get behind. Leave a lot of time for reviewing First Aid if you didn't read it prior to starting the month. I left 3 days to do it, and it ended up being about 1 day since I slacked the other 2. Oh, and Goljan's Rapid Review Path is a great resource - I sorta thought of it like a First Aid #2, since the book obviously didn't just cover Path (but a lot of Physio, Pharm, etc). It is REALLY long, but worth it. It was also helpful to use concurrently with Goljan's audio lectures, esp if you're a visual learner like me (has pics of Histo slides and Path, the names of stuff you'd otherwise never know how to spell from just audio, etc). It is in the same organization/order so the book flows almost perfectly w/the audio.
2) Take a few breaks. Do things that make you not want to commit suicide, talk to FUN & MOTIVATING friends, as your motivation (if like me) is pretty much at zero. Watch TV or veg out. Your brain will seriously get angry if you don't, since even while sleeping, it's probably defragging and "studying" more. I watched "17 Again" - great brainless movie!
3) I had an Odwalla protein smoothie for the test day since EVERYthing gave me food coma. Plus, it was fast and easy so that I could quickly review some memorizable stuff in between sections (formulas, the freakin' interleukins and CD's, which virus goes in which category, etc). Oh, and btw, I think there was veryyy little virology. There was only 1 Q that required you to know RNA vs DNA viruses. Other than that, there wasn't really any brute memorization questions that I HAD been seeing prior to the test (like the anti-centromere or HLA-DR3 stuff).
4) My noise-cancelling headset STUNK (as in, smelled like greasy ear funk). And it did NOT noise-cancel. You're allowed to bring your own earplugs if you want. My testing site was pretty loud with people going in and out all the time. Even with our own cubicles, earplugs would have helped a little if you're distractable. Most students at other testing sites had the same problems. Remember there will be high-schoolers taking SAT's at the same site!
I'm starting my med peds (internal medicine, pediatrics) rotation in 1 week, and really anxious about it. I hear it's the hardest rotation at my school and I will not have any time. I recently bought an itouch PDA to use for school (there's always wireless internet provided @ our hospitals, so no need for a phone plan). If you have further questions, FB or email me! If you'd like to add any of your own advice, please comment below 
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| (yes, I pushed back my test date because I bought more books than I've ever read in my life & felt horrible wasting the $$)
an 8 hour test is actually surprisingly short, considering the amount of hours I've been putting in (8am - 4 or 5am sometimes!!!!).
THANK YOU:
for all the support,
the gazillions of rides,
meals (and snacks, and drinks),
neck massages,
"don't worry, you'll do fine"s
and for letting me take out all my stress on you.
hopefully i will be moving onto my third year and actually DOCTORIN' soon!!!
*if anyone would like tips on how to study for step 1, please let me know (i can easily fwd my daily/monthly study schedule, review books of choice, and tips)!!!*
wish me luck or say a prayer on may 18th i would like to not have to be kicked out of med school, thx.
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| This the randomest post, but I figured that it's been a while since I uploaded pics. My mind is nowhere near coherent enough to make intelligible sentences as I just finished 2 weeks of intense examinations and shelves + still have more to go...
1) Finally got published (actually this happened in November '08 but been too lazy to mention since)! I'd have to say that so many pre-meds have been wanting advice/counseling from me about how to get into medical school that I have actually contemplated starting a blog on it. As much as I LOVE to help and give EV'ryone feedback on their personal statements, advice on how to get good grades (hehe learning from my MISTAKES, not my achievements), MCAT prep, etc... I find myself with very little time. Pre-meds tend to be VERY demanding (wanting email replies within a few hours), anxiety-ridden, and petty (no, I cannot tell you what credits you need to graduate - you need to talk to your guidance counselor!!!). Sometimes I think I go overboard with helping them since I felt like I didn't have anyone to go to when I was in their shoes. I got paid $100 for my publication. It's better than nothing, but it was a grain of sand on the shore of school loans.
 
P.S. Please check out the newest BULLetin Spring edition '09. It deals w/fitness & a bunch of other cool stuffs!
2) Hmm, I guess I forgot to update since my bday last November, too! Sigh, well here are some pics to prove I turned 25 (almost 26 now...). I went to a Mexican restaurant near my place with a couple of friends. It was delightful & that's about all I can remember... I actually don't even recall if they sang "Happy Birthday" to me, but I figure they did. I also watched COLDPLAY (yes. THE Coldplay) in Orlando and it was freakin' amazingness, in all its homosexual glory (the butterfly confetti being released with the gut-wrenchingly emo lyrics). I also spent a day on the white sandy beach of Honeymooners Island with Daniel and we watched Phantom of the Opera together for the first time. Omaguh, it was perfection! Everyone has to see it at least once! We got amazing box seats in the front (apparently worth hundreds $) for $20-something by sheer "luck". I guess it was God's bday gift to me.
 
Meghan, Matt, and I (Matt looks like John Mayer, no?)
 
Acting like a hottie when I'm a nottie! I'M OLD!!! hahaha
 
Contemplated whether or not I should post this beach pic b/c it is really embarrassing, but whatever. Nobody checks xanga anymore, right?!
 
  
My friend Jake also came along to Phantom! I have a really embarrassed look on my face b/c I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to take pics inside the theater...
3) This is sooo random, but I heart Craigslist! Their haiku section is so much fun, and this is my favorite one of all (it used to be my computer desktop last year):
4) OK, Christmas break. Again, I don't remember much. As a side note: medIcaL skOOL has made me dumber than dumb. Last year, I lost my wallet and my ipod nano. This year, I lost my entire set of keys God-knows-where (been using only a spare car key and a house key for the past 3 months). If I went into all the stupid things I've done the past two years, you'd send me back to preskOOL. Anyway, I went to Inchonwon, this great Korean BBQ (all-you-can-eat) in Garbage Grove & the tried 'n' true Mimi's Cafe w/my sis and Jon. Also went to this club in LBC for New Year's. I totally forgot the name of it as well (figures). It was then that I realized I'm not only old, but I'm SUPERLY DUPERLY old. Well, I had no clothes to wear so I had to dig thru my MAMA's closet and found something halfway decent!!! Major old points there.
 
 
5) Went home for Valentine's Day weekend, mostly for the Preventive Medicine Conference 2009 in Century City. Dannng, that mall is crazy! Their food court is probably the best $10 you can spend anywhere for food, and the only place I've seen fast food Korean @ a mall. Even the Panda Express was decked out with real silverware and ceramic plates. Here's a pic from SNA. My bf was so sweet, knowing that I wouldn't be in town long enough to enjoy fresh roses so he bought me a plant to hopefully raise until I get back. We'll see if it lasts, just like our relationship... 
6) I dyed my hair "Candy Pink"! It will only be for the summer as a last hurrah to spit in the face of "professionalism". After that, it will be all Ann Taylor, EasySpirit, and pearl earrings for yours truly. P.S. the eyeshadow is by Make Up For Ever (the only company I've found consistently wild enough to be borderline-Halloween), with the best shades from Tiffany blue, brilliant yellow, and hot pink.
7) Went to this year's Esculapian Ball for my school. Once again, I decided it should be Halloween and went as a Star Trekker. P.S. It's really amazing what fake eyelashes can do! No wonder all the fake AzN's (such as me) do it! Of course you HAVE to pair it w/colored contacts, eXXtreme eyeliner, and highlights in your hair 
 
Blue is in! All I need is something white to add to my red hair and voila~ an American FLAG!
  
I am still drinking Shirley Temples; since 1986 it has been my spirit of choice. I'm wearing MAC eyeshadow, which does fade more quickly than Make Up Forever.
8) If you are a girl, I am demanding that you go to THIS site. This 'thing' has changed my world. It deals with girly things if you know what I mean. So boys need not apply. I have no more sense in "TMI" bodily functions as medicine has wiped it out of me, so feel free to forward any questions along to me!
9) I will be coming home in FOUR DAYS!!! Unfortunately, I'm gonna have to qualify this: I will be taking my USMLE Step 1 (board exams) on May 14th in Anaheim! So that means I will be cramming all day every day & should technically be in FL rather than CA. So I probably won't be able to meet up or hang out until afterwards. However, I'm always accepting free food and free massages haha 
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