Advice for Running, Advice for Life

Well, we’re just over one week away from our second Brain and Body exam, so really it’s time to buckle down and hit the books. Unfortunately we’re also almost halfway through the semester meaning that by this point, everyone is pretty much exhausted and could really use a break. The University had Fall Break the past few days, but this is PT school, and we like to march to the beat of our own drum. So there’s no rest for the weary, and we press forward!

I was looking for some motivation the other day, and I stumbled upon this little gem in a Runner’s World article.

“The race always hurts. Expect it to hurt. You don’t train so that it doesn’t hurt. You train so you can tolerate it.” – Mark Rowland, Lauren Fleshman’s coach

(source)

And goodness isn’t that the truth! Even when trained, a half marathon is no easy feat. I assume the same is true for a marathon, though I can’t speak from experience. But as accurate as this quote is about running, I think it’s also very true of life. (I love running because I’ve found that most of the lessons I learn are directly applicable to my life.) We have to challenge ourselves, we must continue to push ourselves – physically, academically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually – not so that one day the race suddenly becomes easy, but so that we know how to tolerate it and cope. It still hurts, it is still a battle, but we’re more prepared.

Every day we are being prepared.

One down, 125 to go

Well, I think this has been the longest week of my life.  I can’t believe Monday was only four days ago. 

 

Needless to say I’m very excited that it’s the weekend, AND that we have a three day weekend.  We had class til 4 pm today, and to be honest the last four hours of the day were pretty painful to get through. 

 

But we DID learn how to take a blood pressure today.  So that was kind of cool.  (Kind of.  Actually it was really super awkward, and I need a lot of practice.  There’s a lot of tubes and velcro and cuffs involved and lots of things to hold, and let’s just say it was not the most graceful thing I’ve ever done.  Uhnnnnnhhg put it on my tab of things to do this weekend.)  Hopefully since it’s a long weekend I’ll have a chance to write more about the first week! Stay tuned, more to come!

 

Jump right in!

There really is no better way to sum up the past nine days.  My roommate and I were just discussing the fact that we haven’t even finished our first full week of classes, and yet, it feels like we we’ve been here forever.  I pulled my personal computer out of hibernate for the first time today since I started using my school issued Mac, and it was funny to see the documents and websites that popped up.  Maps to campus, amazon book orders, the orientation schedule… in a lot of ways it feels like a lifetime ago.  It’s only been a few days, but we really are just jumping right into this stuff.  I’m realizing that over the next two years, just how close we’re going to grow as a class.  I guess that’s just kind of what happens when you spend 8+ hours a day with the same people. Some classes have only met once or twice, but it’s already starting to feel routine.  The walk from Erwin to the clinics and med campus is now easy and familiar.  I’m sure there will still be lots of questions and new experiences to be had in the coming weeks, months, and even through the end of the program, but we are jumping right into the thick of it feet first! So, my blog’s namesake song is making another appearance as the title for this post.  (Every day it seems, I realize more and more that this really is the perfect theme song.  And yes, I may or may not have just been dancing around my room to that song.  Emphasis on the may.)

Keeping this short and sweet because my external hard drive is almost done backing up my computer so that means break’s almost over! Let’s go study some anatomy!  Axilla!  Cephalic vein!  Clavipectoral triangle!  🙂

Hopefully with the long weekend coming up I’ll have a little more time to write about all the happenings of this eventful week!  (HOW has it only been a week?!  HOW is still only Thursday?!)

Day 0.1

Two new posts in one day, say WHAT now?

I know, it’s crazy, but technically I wrote that last post over the long weekend while still at the beach and just never got a chance to post it.  And in my attempts to not let this blog fall into a pit of neglect, I thought the events of today deserved a quick post as well.

Today was the first bit of pre-orientation, but check out what I got.

It’s like Christmas in August!

Look at that loot!  We’re talking gait belt, stethoscope (you guys I got a stethoscope!), blood pressure cuff, ID badge WITH lanyard, not to mention a brand new Mac Book (which I kind of have no idea how to use, so this is gonna be fun). Christmas in August I tell you, except that really, I’ve paid thousands of dollars for this… well this and of course for a whole bunch of knowledge that I have yet to gain. (WORTH IT.)

I went to pick up my laptop bright and early this morning at the Trent-Semans Center for Health Education.  It’s over by the main campus, and to get there from the parking structure, you walk through the Medical Center and the Duke Clinics.  Really, that was my first time being over on campus since my interview back in February, and it made me so excited.  The buildings are absolutely beautiful, and the campus is just amazing, medical and academic alike.  It made me very excited, so that was a good thing.

And after I picked up my computer I headed over to the DPT Department classrooms at Erwin for my couple hours of pre-orientation.  A lot of it was logistical signing forms, getting the rest of our loot, orientation schedule and drug screen, but it was great to finally meet my whole team.  We went out to lunch afterward, and I’m excited to work with and get to know them for the next couple years.

Overall, a positive day.  Sure there’s a piece of me that’s saying, “But I don’t want to go to school tomorrow!” but all in all, I’m very excited for what’s to come.