I'm still alive!

Wow so apparently a lot of time has passed since I last posted :( so much has been going on, its rediculous...

As far as my classes, the bad news is, I had to drop calculus. I KNEW I shouldnt have tried to be a hero and take all of those insanely hard classes at the same time... I have a zillion DR grades on my transcript now :( Organic chemistry is practically kicking my ass. I didnt do well on the first test, nor did I do well on the second test... The "good news" here is that he allows us to drop one exam... I'll drop the lesser of the two evils. Also, the final is worth 50% of our grade, so there is some chance of redemption... I just have to work really really really (really) hard... AGH!!!!

Everything else is going alright... genetics is tolerable. Zoology is just - well, zoology...

My research has been drying up slightly... we arent working on a particular experiment at the moment, so I'm stuck in front of the computer doodling around with brain slice images... I hope that picks up soon.

Shadowing, however, has been great. The doctor i shadow rotates between hospitals on campus so I've been to his private office, and two other hospitals, and I've been on two rounds. What an experience!! Next week, I'm back in the private office with him.

I feel badly for my tutor, by the way. Apparently she is on the verge of losing her job, not because she's a bad tutor (she is stellar, in fact), but because shes not actually taking classes this semester and they were telling her that if she isn't an actively enrolled student, then she cant work on campus under "student' status. I can understand that though.. I've had problems with that in the past as well. But its so frustrating.. especially since she has so many students that depend on her for help. In light of that, I think, in order to help my calculus problem, I'm going to have her tutor me in college algebra and trig. I need the foundation in order to finally be able to pass calc. This is becoming a damn joke. Ad coms are going to look at my transcript and fold it into a paper airplane.

The funny thing is, when I was shadowing the other day, one of the residents was asking me about my background etc... I started telling him about my research, my activities, my work, my diverse (really diverse) background ... he looked up, smiled, and said, "Well, you dont seem like you'll have a problem getting in then!"

HA!!!!

Of course I smiled back and thanked him... He's right though, if adcoms didnt look at grades, then yes, I wouldnt have a problem getting in... but grades? Therein lies the problem. I'm just not a good test taker and it isnt fucking fair. But, I'm not going to give up this time.

My parents certainly seemed to have given up on me though. My dad told me that if i dont finish my bio degree in the spring then he will no longer help me pay for my classes. Part of me finds that hard to believe because, well, he's vowed to always support my education. But thats not the point! It's about time I let go of the coat tails. I shouldn't have told him that I'd be able to crank out my degree in two semesters... I should have said it would take me three. Leeway, thats what I need. But spreading myself too thin is has always been my biggest downfall.

Lets see where this takes me.