What a rough week of exams, papers, and quizzes! Whew! I did not
know if there was even a light at the end of the tunnel! You will
notice that the closer you get to clinic, the LESS motivation you
have to sit down and study. It has been the hardest thing for me to
do! By the time I come home, all I want to do is relax and watch
some shows saved on my DVR. It has been the biggest feat for me to
open the notes up, use the Internet for school rather than
Facebook, and prepare rather than procrastinate. However, don't get
me wrong, I'd rather have this obstacle than go back to basic
sciences! I like rewarding myself after a hard week or day, so that
is my excuse!
So my reward at the end of this week was DIM SUM! Yummy! Ryan
and I took a little short date day and went to Chinatown in Chicago
and had lunch at Three Happiness. For anyone that is not familiar
with dim sum, it's small little dishes served by waiters and
waitresses in a serving cart. It's a unique experience because when
a cart comes by you basically look and choose! The style of the
mini dishes can be compared to Spanish tapas! The fun part is how
they serve it because you usually have no idea what's in all the
different dumplings, but you just pick and try!
I grew up in California where there are many different types of
food everywhere, and my mother always made sure I explored all
different kinds of food. Ryan grew up in western Michigan and the
craziest food he ate was Chinese food, so it was a culture shock to
marry me because I eat EVERYTHING! He also says his menu of food
has grown by just living close to Chicago since it is a melting pot
of cultures and food, too! My overall message is to go out there
and explore the city with your mouth! There are so many amazing
places to discover from India town to Vietnam town to Greek town!
Every little neighborhood has it's own story to tell through the
food!
Soak up the city while you are here, especially if you are not
from here. There have been times when I find myself just driving to
the city and studying at local cafes and restaurants just to change
the scenery and atmosphere. Doing small things like that has helped
me cope more with the demands of what the program sucks out of
you.
There's even a 24-hour Starbucks on North Avenue (not that I'm
recommending All-Nighters, but just in case!). The biggest downfall
that will be frustrating no matter what type of person you are is
the TRAFFIC! No matter what time you enter or leave Chicago, you
will be held back by traffic either caused by rush-hour, accidents,
or constant construction. It is so worth it once you get there
though! Sometimes it has been my own sanctuary to breathe the city
air, walk city streets, and sit in little cafes with homemade
pastries and coffees. Oh, and it's the most ideal place to take a
date! Ryan and I went to Chicago for our first date and that's
where we got engaged!! :)
So my tip of the week is GET OUT THERE AND EAT! (Remember to
have moderation in moderation!) You will love every moment of it!
Have a great week!