Changes.

Wow! Life is so different today than the last time I updated. I am completing my last "real" semester at the moment, and I will be graduating in May. However, I still have both sessions of summer school and one or two classes in the fall to tackle. Academically, it's going to be a long year. However, I'm so much more prepared for it now than I have been in the past.

I have found that I have had to COMPLETELY change the way I learn now that I take mostly science courses. I have always taken large amounts of history, literature, psychology, sociology, and other humanity and social-science courses, but until deciding on medical school, I avoided science courses. When I studied for and completed assignments for the humanities classes, I had a certain routine to follow. While I wouldn't say that all of my humanities classes were just SO easy, the knowledge came naturally to me and I thought much more abstractly. Unfortunately, I carried that thinking pattern into my science courses, and I did poorly in some of them. However, even while doing poorly in those classes in terms of grades, I learned how to think about science and how to study for it! I learned what I did wrong and now I think I'm doing it right. I have studied hours for my upcoming organic chemistry test on Tuesday, and I feel confident in the material. I no longer procrastinate NEARLY as much because I know how miserable it makes me and how much it affects my grades. I actually practice problems and write questions down now. I am shooting for a 4.0 this semester. I owe it to myself.

Speaking of grades, I am applying to medical school this year for the fall of 2010. My top choices are William Carey University College of Medicine (Hattiesburg, MS), UMC (Jackson, MS), Lake Erie College of Medicine (Bradenton, FL), and Lincoln Memorial University - Debusk College of Medicine (Harrogate, TN), but I am applying to more than that. I am taking the MCAT in the fall, and I hope to have a full-time job then and take at least one more science class. I will also be living with one of my very best friends (Katie!)...one of my very best friends and current roommate (Megan) is getting married and will be moving a few miles away this year with her husband! She has asked me to be one of her maids of honor, and I am so thrilled! I love her and I love weddings =) One of our other friends is also getting married on Valentine's Day.

I will also be starting a new job tomorrow at a local sandwich shop in town. I hope I like it! I don't want to fall behind on all of my schoolwork, but I really need this job. I hope I can balance everything.

Anyway, sorry for not updating in forever and having to rush to fill everyone in. I hope to update this more frequently so I can share more details about everything. Also, I turn 22 on Saturday. Kyle and I are having dinner with both sides of my family throughout the weekend AND he's taking me to...The Melting Pot! My favorite restaurant! I will be sure to write soon, as I think it will be a great weekend.