This is one of the things I miss the most.
Sometimes, I feel like I’m in undergrad all over again because of all the random hobbies I keep taking up, but not entirely, because if I look back on that, I’m actually doing a lot less now than I was then. (Weird. Very weird. But school is really supposed to be encompassing my entire life right now.)
My friends and I are currently scrounging up ways to complete 50 community service hours before April 1st (while still maintaining our grades, of course…). Apparently, you need 50 to get any recognition for it in our dean’s letters. If this were still undergrad, I would have had gotten 50 in under a month, but alas. :[ Med school is a little different.
Volunteering also has its perks. :x I apparently have no shame and am straight-up eating leftovers from the tray. I miss PHAC!
First years kinda get shafted, in a way, because our community service hours don’t count until the first day of class starts (August 10th) and we have until March 31st to accumulate all them hours. Second years have the whole summer to do this, and let’s face it, if I spent my summer volunteering at PHAC, which is exactly what I’m hoping to do, I’d easily have over 50. >_> (Which is why I will be shooting for gold and/or platinum next year. >_> Gold is 100 hours and platinum is if you do more than everyone else. The latter is much less feasible because I’m not freakishly brilliant like some people here and thus, I do need to study a lot, but it can’t hurt to try.)
That said, I have from now until March 31st to accumulate 35.5 more hours.
So far, I’ve potentially secured the following (to be completed in the near future, before April 1):
1) Walking dogs at the local no-kill shelter.
I’ll get a weekly dose of cuteness to curb how much I’m missing Ninja! Once the weather gets better, this could also be pretty awesome exercise, since the dogs are pretty big. I can go running with them! :D
2) Playing piano every week at the senior citizen home
Hooray for weekly time to practice piano! But apparently, I’m gonna be limited to just playing gospel music since I can’t play country and she says they probably wouldn’t know how to appreciate classical. :'( She says it might be cool to sneak in classical every here and there though. :O
3) Being a dessert judge (oh yes) where I get to taste-test either pies, cookies or cakes
This includes a free catered dinner. :D I hope I get the pies, haha.
4) Mini med school where we teach the general public about a case on difficulty breathing (specifically, asthma).
My group is going to be lots of fun to work with. :D (For instance, witness the email exchange:
S: Hey, looks like we’re all in a group together to present difficulty breathing! when did you all want to meet up and go over what we need to do?
I: Stop spamming my computer!
C: I want a recount.
Me: Preferably sometime after the renal final? :D?
S: How about next week? Maybe Monday after class?
I: If you guys don’t mind, I would like to do it before this summer.
Me: That’s far too early. Way to be a gunner. >_> (That was directed at Isaac. :P But in all seriousness, Monday after class sounds good!)
M: Monday after class sounds good to me too. Anyone opposed?
S: Well, I was hoping we would meet in 5 minutes or just before the renal final…but I guess Monday after class will have to do as long as it works for everyone.
C: Monday afternoon sounds good to me…wait, will Isaac be there? Count me out if so. I think my indoor badminton club practices Mondays anyway.
5) Follies
I get community service hours for dancing and playing in Carnegie hall. <3
Also, my friend (current 1st year rep for Sports Med club) is putting together a program to work with kids on sports/physical activity + nutrition. :D! I hella want to be a part of that one. *-* Not sure when it’s starting up, but I’ve definitely expressed my interest, perhaps a little too enthusiastically.
I hesitate to tell my parents about any of these endeavors because their response is always, “Make sure you keep your grades up.” It’ll be like undergrad all over again if I do. It’s sad when you can’t share the things that make you happy with the people you love though? I’ve gotten a little more used to it than I’d like to admit.
