January Juxtaglomerular Apparatus

I need to remember to stop mentioning that my month has been a hectic one. It's always going to be hectic from now on, and I have to get used to it. My days have been choc-a-bloc with lectures, PBLs, extra lectures and cadaver examining; I fit eating somewhere in there too (nowhere near the cadavers, although they do get your salivary glands going ¬_¬). Anyway, several things happened that didn't happen the month before, like becoming part of a new PBL group (they shuffle things around in the new year); and so far I don't think we have gelled very well at all. We're just different people, and the higher male numbers in the group create an imbalance with who says what, and generally it's either very quiet (most of all when I'm cracking my jokes or introducing some 'psychosocial' ideas), or very noisy with people speaking over each other, maybe in an attempt to impress the tutor. But I do feel that sometimes people are with-holding information in an attempt to deprive it from others; which is a bit too competitive if you ask me.

So yeah, I've noticed that my blog posts are mainly going to be revolving around life at uni, which would make sense since I spend most time there, but after these exams I'm promising myself to have a proper life again. Sometimes I question myself and wonder whether or not I do have any hobbies, or what I've achieved generally, but it could be just forgetfulness especially if I'm caught up in the moment of hectic pre-exam cramming (which I'm not really doing at the moment). Maybe my 'competitive' nature and random urge to start 'projects' serve as a sort of reminder to myself of the things I can achieve. Maybe that's with everyone.

So what happened this month? Algeria qualified for the world cup, by beating Egypt in a tense final encounter, and which has resulted in the countries (and their residents) not talking to each other any more. They just played each other in the semi final of the African cup of nations; Algeria losing 4-0 with 3 players sent off (including the goalkeeper for headbutting the referee, which surprisingly got him only a yellow card first). So I am looking forward to seeing Algeria play in the world for the first time (in my life), and ironically they're drawn in the same group as England, so that will be fun to watch!

I also became a first year representative of MESS, which is basically a student-led group at uni who get upper years to give extra lectures on the topics covered earlier that week by lower years. I actually love it, and have barely missed any. I practically learn more in MESS than I do in real lectures, even though the extra lectures are held in a dingy chalkboard lecture theatre in the basement of the hospital; it's where I've learnt most. So now I have to make lecture announcements twice a week, along with another rep, to the rest of the year on what would be covered that evening. Plus I've now got a cool hoodie with my name on!

What I like to do is look at a month and wonder where I was the same time the year before. But January/Febrary time is especially significant because of the turn-around my life has undergone in these months. Two years ago I was in a completely different world (in almost every aspect) to where I am now, and last year was halfway to where I wanted to be. I hope to talk a bit more about my past once I get my short-term future sorted out, i.e. not flopping this 3-modules-in-one mega exam! So I'll leave you with a few things I'm including that I haven't done in the past, to paint myself, and you, a better picture of what this month has brought.

Facebook status updates:

-They dragged it out for ages, but twas a sad end to Tennant's doctor :/

-Stop and search number 4, standard

-is in a room full of dead bodies... alone

-Best feeling today: pulling the cord on the routemaster bus for the first time in 15 years!

-The force of gravity beats ironing any day!

-Transport FOR London?? You're having a laugh!

-Who needs changing rooms when you've got a tube carriage all to yourself?

-has concluded that meeting the BMA treasurer has done no harm to his future bank balance

-Professor Kumar ♥

-has yet to learn that oyster cards don't open front doors ¬_¬

-Standing outside the egyptian part of edgware road. Maybe I should keep my distance :P

 ~~~

Ah, how can I forget Professor Kumar? She is one of the co-writers of Kumar and Clark, Clinical Medicine; THE book used by doctors and medical students all over the world, and she gave a couple of lectures on gastroenterology at our university! She qualified from there, and she is one of the nicest people ever! You would think that being world-renowned could have a negative impact on your personality (especially if you're a doctor already, and apparently she's from Pakistan- not that that's related at all :P), but she is so down to earth, and warned us of becoming arrogant in the future; that we were like everyone else, just choosing this career path because we wanted to help people. She is quite funny, and knows how to keep a bunch of students interested, bringing in three patients suffering from random gastro-intestinal diseases, and telling stories of her life experiences, and the lessons she learnt on the way.

A friend's moment of pondering:

If black is the absence of colour, how do colourless things exist?

Another friend's cool quote:

May the (mass x acceleration) be with you.