Med School Recap Week 8(?) Or... Y'all put that 2x4 down and we can settle this like gentlemen.

1. No one has the corner of the market on having a hard time. In other words, when someone is struggling, you don't have to monologue your difficulties in order to make them feel better about struggling. This is something I might have been guilty of this week, thankfully it was internal. I have heard a LOT of people say what a difficult time they are having for one reason or another, and I started thinking about how they have no clue what hard is, and maybe even I thought about what weenies they were. Before I stopped myself. A lot of interesting paths have converged here at school, and this is probably the hardest thing that most of us have ever done. I'm doing this hard thing and trying to balance the rest of my life with it. Thing is, everyone else is too. I can't say that my particular set of circumstances is any harder than anyone else's. It's all relative to your experience. Anyone who has gotten into med school has probably worked their tailfeathers off and none of this is coming easy for anyone. SO if you want to talk to me about what a difficult time you are having, I will save you space and give you a hug or handshake or high five and we will commiserate.

2. Having said all that, I have been SERIOUSLY surrounded by some really awesome supportive people. It was a stinking rough week, and I didn't make it intact by any wide stretch. I think if only about 3 of the 50 things that knocked me on my butt had happened, I would have been OK. But I'm rounding the bend on week 9 in a full army crawl, covered in mud and blood. I'm only still moving because someone dragged me through Tuesday.
3. If I make it through block 1 with my faculties intact, I'm going to dance it out for a good 3 days straight. After I sleep for 44 hours.
4. I had some rules that I had every intention of abiding by when this whole thing started. It had to do with not cramming, getting enough sleep, and staying ahead. I want to go back to week 1 and laugh in my own face. Because today, I've had 2 hours of sleep. I'm no longer juggling. I'm just madly defending my face from the next thing to fly at it and hoping I can duck the thing behind it in time. I've got two black eyes and a bloody nose. BRING IT.
5. I wouldn't advise asking a first year med student more than halfway through block one whether you should go to med school. Just back away slowly and put the ice cream on the floor within reach.
6. Hopefully I will be more optimistic next week. I'm waiting for my rose-colored hindsight to kick in. C'mon. Any minute...