They (whoever "they" are) weren't kidding when they said vet school was a lot of work. Especially, because unlike undergrad, they expect a lot of the learning to be self-directed. We're not in class to fulfill GE requirements or follow the required courses for a major; we're learning about inner workings of all the biological systems that we'll apply in later years when we're diagnosing patients or preforming surgeries. It can be hard to see the connections now, but the professors do a good job of giving us the reasons why the stuff we're learning about now will be relevant to our practice of veterinary medicine in the future. For example, the mechanism by which enzymes are activated are the same mechanisms utilized in the development of drugs to either activate the process the enzyme regulates or to inhibit the process. It's frustrating as hell trying to understand every little nuance, but the fact that I still find this fascinating and to actually understand it enough to be able to explain it in both scientific and layman's terms makes me think that I've made the right choice studying what I'm studying. And yes, I am a nerd.
Even with all the work, I have been able to play, getting out to explore the country side with my roommate Sarah, which I have absolutely fallen in love with. What can I say, I'm a country/small town girl at heart. I've been to Howth and Bray (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2069812&id=28502552&l=415ce3c716) along the east coast as well as Glendalough (pronounced Glendalock) in the foothills of the Wicklow mountains (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2070222&id=28502552&l=45e1fb21b3 ). Oh, there are also some pictures from the Dublin Zoo in there. I can't go anywhere without going to the zoo. These have all just been day trips within Ireland, but a group of vet students are all going to Edinburgh, Scotland for the first weekend in November. There is a big event for veterinary students at the University of Edinburgh called AVS. There were limited tickets for the weekend, and although I didn't get a ticket, I'll be able to meet up with the group for some of the open events like the pub crawl through Edinburgh. We'll take a bus to Belfast, then we and the bus will get on a ferry to Scotland, then the bus will take us to Edinburgh. It should be a lovely weekend with plenty of good craic (aka "fun"). I also got to see Joshua Radin and Train in concert (separate concerts) as kind of a late birthday present. Both shows were in smaller House of Blues type venues... really great shows :-) and totally worth going to even though I had a midterm later in the week. It's all about balance.
I go back and forth being homesick and really enjoying my time here. I'm currently sitting in a Starbucks-like chain here called Insomnia studying for my Cell Metabolism & Replication and Cells, Tissues, Organs & Development midterms on Friday. It's no River Road or Whole Day Cafe, but it's nice to have a change of scenery and not be in my room. I've come here the past two Sundays after I go to Mass as the church in Donnybrook. I have yet to ask if they can get English toffee and Irish creme syrups (since the syrups they use are Torani :-) ) in order to make a Union Jack latte. I've found that the more I make comparisons between UCD and Denison or places here and places at home, I tend to miss them more. It's really about finding what I like about being here and letting the other things go. "It'll be grand."
60 days...
