Hi!! I am slowly transitioning into midterm weeks. Yes, that is
plural. Weeks! We have about four next week including the dreaded
"DRE" (Digital Rectal Exam) plus about five more the next week,
followed by a weekend full of the Chiropractic Board Exams. Busy
times are ahead, and I feel like I'm numb to all the stress I'm
going to have to be ready to dive into.
This week, we had Clinical Diagnosis and Physical Diagnosis
midterms, and I have to admit that I did not study for them as much
as I should have, but I did all right on both exams. I could have
done much better but there's always room for improvement.
I am trying to now prepare for the upcoming week because we have
a Neurology exam that I think everyone is freaking out about just
as much as I am. I feel like there is not enough time in the day to
prepare for boards more than I already have plus study for all
these exams! It's so crazy that everything happens to fall into the
same timeline. I just hope I make it out alive and that Ryan
doesn't get sick of me! Ha, ha.
The entire week, I could not help but anticipate the weekend
because we had Monday off for President's Day. Ryan and I went to
Michigan for Valentine's Day weekend, and I got to meet the some of
his extended family, which was so nerve-racking, but so much fun!
Everyone was so welcoming and the kids were absolutely
adorable!
I always love going to Michigan. It's a break from the stress
and overwhelming things I connect with Chicago. It's not good for
studying because when I'm there, I never want to study, but it's an
amazing break from everything here. We played with all the animals
and we all got addicted to the Wii Fit that Ryan's mom just bought
over Christmas break.
Last week, I was able to have a good conversation with one of my
readers who is a prospective student for Fall Trimester. She asked
a lot of good questions, especially about the field of Naturopathic
Medicine. One interesting question was:
"Do you feel the outlook is good for the naturopathic
field?"
And I had to think about it right away, but yes, I do! Of
course, I do. I think that society is slowly shifting towards a
healthier and more natural way of living. It's very subtle and will
take more time, but I definitely think people are more interested
in seeking alternative routes for their health. For example, the
trans fat movement slowly had every food company advertising zero
trans fat on their packages and even McDonald's is incorporating
that into their meal options. Alternative care is really successful
with proper education and living by example! So being a
naturopathic student has really kept me accountable, and my family
and friends even notice the change in my life. That's the best
impact we (naturopathic doctors and students) can have on the rest
of the world!
Well I'm off to conquer the stresses of being an
overachiever! See you all next week!
Tip of the week: Practice what you preach!