My Riesens

I don't multitask.
Can't walk and unwrap candy.
plup plup plup
3 of my Riesens are on the sidewalk of Vienna's Main Street equivalent.

2 Options:

Walk away with the 6 I have left.

Honor the "10 second roll" rule.

I chose the latter. And I'm not dead yet.

Addendum 1 of 2: The "10 second rule" has no exceptions, ever.
Addendum 2 of 2: There is also a "3 minute rule" and a "1 week rule" when living a student life-style.

my Z A N Y friend

You know how everyone develops a patented intro over time?



Mine has become:

"This is Esther. She's my friend from _{school/ church/ mutual friend}_. She's from Alaska and speaks 3 languages. She now attends Medical School in Vienna."

Yawn. NOT WORTH IT.







I would much prefer the following:

"This is Esther. She's chronically late to everything. Her German is different because she's from Alaska and Brazil and who knows where else. She goes to Med School because someday she'll start a charity in Africa. Besides that -- don't ask me, ask her."

Fun! WORTH IT.






A bit informal, and two times longer than the other, but FAR MORE ME. Just a couple weeks ago, 2 different people described me, one as crazy and the other as zany. Finally! The real me is making a statement!!

Pen, Please?

A pen ran out of ink while under my jurisdiction.

This NEVER happens. But since it just did, history is changed forever.

KinderUni

Aren't we sooo cute in our sooo yellow shirts and sooo big smiles?! Best colleagues ever.

Last week, 44 of my hours were donated to helping 4,000 kids of Vienna herd from one medical lecture to the other. They learned (from some of my professors!) about the most poisonous animals (Taipan Snake), how the Cell is a City, that the human bones fit like a puzzle, how hygiene is key in medicine, why boys run faster than girls, etc...



Favorite Story came from the class "Dicker Bauch? Nein, danke!"
This hour was dedicated to nutrition, and emphasized the importance of eating right and staying a healthy weight.

The professor passed out measuring tapes, one per child. Their assignment was to go home and measure themselves and their parents. One little boy, hand wildly waving in the air, asked, "Can I have 2?!" The teacher asked why. "I don't think 1 will fit around my Dad!"



For pictures of the adorable Viennese children who were at KinderUni this year, click here.

AIDS Research

According to my recent poll: AIDS research is totally worth it!

Many right-winged conservatives drop by to read my blog. I was surprised to have see 100% of voters support AIDS research. CoNgRaTuLaTiOnS! (not quite sure if I'm congratulating AIDS research or you people who voted. ToBeConsideredLater)

A friend of mine, Arek, worked the convention that took place in Vienna Austria last week -- a worldwide conference to raise awareness concerning the crisis that AIDS poses on humanity. Target topics at the conference included: prevention, research, infection statistics, and awareness. (From what I witnessed, the only topic that the conference cared about was condoms, but whatever. I got a free T-Shirt.)

Melissa is one of my best friends {insert anything you could want with regards to bragging about a person. all are true when it comes to Mel}. She sent me a letter, via mail (on the most beautiful stationary), mentioning that she was at an AIDS conference that same week at the Harvard Medical School. Mel has actively participate in AIDS research since 2005 at the University of Utah. Her studies then took her east to MIT, where she is currently a Grad Student, again furthering AIDS research. Because she was at the Harvard Convention, I decided to attend here in Vienna.

Opinion I formed:
AIDS needs to be stopped. Promiscuity in the Western World and Cultural-Rituals in Africa and Drug abuse everywhere needs to stop. Is this even a possible goal? No,{shame that} it isn't. Today's world is one that solicits a lifestyle where AIDS can thrive. Really, too bad. Although I myself am choosing the only guaranteed way to stay HIV-free, this does not allow me to shun others who aren't. Like I mentioned above, AIDS affects humanity. I need to do my part to make a contribution; do my part to promote a safe lifestyle; do my part to notice and assist those groups of people who are affected, do my part in supporting the research that might someday be successful. Why? As a good person, I view it is my responsibility to care for the poor and needy. Mosiah 18:9

Listen -- What could happen should AIDS not be stopped? Could it alter enough to become contagious? Could it grow at a more accelerated rate, affecting the next generation even more? Might it begin to simultaneously create other viruses?

All that... x6

The formula for getting a med degree here at the MedUniWien:

Lock yourself in your room. All distractions, no matter how tempting or necessary, are simply out of the question. The locked door will also keep you in your own room.

Food may only be purchased if doubled with a trip to the Uni or library.

The sun may only be seen through your window (so glad we had rain for these past 2 months). You will need a fan in your room.

Phone calls have new parameters: Medical School buddies are allowed, all other friends must be ignored (they might distract you).

Study. Going into detail would put me in a state of psychological distress, so lets leave it at that: STUDY.

Pick 1 outfit per week, and wear it daily. My pick this year was a floral skirt from the thrift store, white tank, and green cardigan. Saved time. Looked presentable. Fit comfortably. Temperature adaptable. All-activities appropriate. Relieved stress.

Cry. This lets you feel the magnitude of the exam you'll be taking.

Smaller rules:
Don't do laundry.
Don't clean anything.
Don't cook. You don't have time.
Don't go shopping.
Don't stop thinking, ever, about Med Classes.
Text pop-quiz questions to your friends.

Have a To-Do list with only study-relevant goals listed...

Expect the worst out of life.
Be jealous of everyone who isn't studying for this test. No matter how bad their day looks, they still don't have to take the SIP. This includes close friends, family, and strangers on the Strassenbahn.
Develop a love for YouTube (distraction purposes as well as learning material)
Facebook during study breaks, so that you don't have to leave your room.
Forget to shower for days on end.
Sleep whenever you are tired, study whenever you are awake.
Drink lots of water.
Sometimes, throw yourself a pity-party. No guests allowed.
Forget you ever had hobbies.
Run. away+fast -- JK!
Do only what you want, when you want. Since you only want to pass the test, you will only want to study... but sometimes you can't mentally handle it, so do whatever the heck you want. It's like your birthday.
Have cool music on your iPod which should always be charged.
Have a variety of pens and highlighters and paper. Makes note taking bearable.

EARPLUGS!

Have attitude problems, and say it is out of your control.

Mumble whatever you want under your breath.
----------------------------------------------

Then it's over. Life is worth living again.

Oh wait... 5 more times?!

Shout-Out to: My Psyche

My body is cool. My body is probably cooler than your body. Wait, more accurately, My Psyche. Yeah, that's right: My Psyche is Cooler Than Your Psyche.

Mine can prioritizes subconsciously.

Being an expert procrastinator and rookie student, at my disposal were 50 Crossword Puzzles (one being on the exam), 12 hours (to study, sleep and be at the testing center), and 60 pages of Medical Terminology.

Down. Across. Down. Across. Dens and Ortho both mean teeth?? Down. Across. Zzzzzzzz.

My Psyche is Master Balancer, in charge of everything and anything pertaining to me. It knew I needed sleep and study. No credit to me, all credit towards My Psyche . Clever Solution: sleep for 2.5 hour. That's right. It took a NAP in the middle of the night! Didn't need and alarm clock. Didn't need to be drug out of bed. Didn't need time to 'look cute'. My body fell asleep, My Psyche told it, "Wake-up!"


My Psyche is Cooler than Your Psyche.

DiS-tRaaaa-K: shun-Z

How am I supposed to study for and pass the most ImPortAnt medical exam of my life (up to this point) by being the Queen-of-Distractions?!

Wanna know what I uTubed yesterday:

• asdf
• A Celtic Woman
• Flash Mob
• My Boy Lolipop
• Brian Stokes Mitchell
• Jason Castro

How? Why? One MoNTH and counting. Counting down. Please, let my brain know that it needs to understand how it works anatomically before it can take time to 'blog' 'sing' 'dance' and essentially 'waste'.

Yet here I sit, figuring out for the first time 'how to blog'.