I am a week late on coming up with my New Years Resolutions...but better late then never, right?
1) [Health/Food]: Learn how to cook cheap, healthy, and easy meals.
I got a cookbook many Christmases ago with a lot of meals that are designed for college students with little money and little time to devote to cooking. Although I haven't really spent much time at all looking through it, I really want to get better with cooking easy, nutritious meals. My goal is to make 50% of the recipes in the book this year! Hopefully, this will encourage me to stop eating out and stop wasting so much money on food that I could easily make myself!
2) [School Goal #1]: Master each domain.
I was very happy with how I performed in my classes last semester and hope to continue to work hard and earn above an 85% in each of the domains this semester.
3) [School Goal #2]: Pass my USMLE step 1 board exam
I am registered to take my USMLE Step 1 on June 15. *gulp*. I know that the next 6 months of my life are going to be filled with stress, little sleep and lots and lots of late-night studying, but I am hoping that it will be worth it after I see my score. In the end, I do have a goal in my mind and would like to hit that score goal. However, I will be happy if I pass with a score at or above the national average. Everyone wish me luck!
4) [School Goal #4]: Honor a clerkship.
By the end of 2013, I will have completed HALF of my clinical rotation! Crazy! My goal is to honor at least one of these first three rotations. I know that it will take a few rotations to get in the swing of things, but I hope to have at least one honor under my belt before the new year.
5) [Relationship]: Encourage S with his residency placement and adjust to his new career position.
S is graduating from medical school this year and will start his residency in General Surgery. He has had incredible interview opportunities at a ton of great programs all over the country. So, this change is mostly exciting...However, I know that there is a huge possibility that he will not end up in or around Michigan. So, based off of where he is matched, I think that this year is going to bring challenges to our relationship. These challenges definitely don't imply anything negative, but I know that they will require change. My goal is to be able to adjust to this change and continue to grow our relationship together.
6) [Personal]: Travel to a new place.
I had this resolution last year and will probably keep it for the rest of my life. Traveling is probably my greatest passion in life. I love to experience new places and see how many amazing places there are in the world.
Showing posts with label resolutions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label resolutions. Show all posts
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
A look back on 2012 Resolutions
Its that time again!...the time when I look at my New Year Resolutions from last year to see how I did!
1) [Health]: Continue to work on my exercise plan and diet.
Well...I tried. I know this resolution is by far my hardest resolution to actually follow-up on because I am a stress eater, and in med school there is lots of stress, and therefore lots of eating. I can think of two positive things that I have done this year, although much improvement is still needed. First, I started doing hot yoga and I loved it! There is something amazing about being in a hot room, stretching your body to its limits. I think its a great exercise and everytime I go, I pledge to incoporporate it into my weekly schedule. However, I get busy and stressed out, and yoga is one of the things that goes. This should change. The second thing that I have liked to do is incoporate fruit-and-veggie cleanses every few months. I have done this three times so far and find it really helpful! When I have gotten out of control with eating out and not cooking at home, making myself do a fruit-and-veggie cleans has helped me get refocused and back into the swing of cooking healthy. I hope that I will continue to remember to do this next year. I know that I need to continue to find a balance between my health and school; I plan to work on this a lot again in the new year.
2) [School Goal #1]: Improve semester average and Master each course!
Success! Normally I wouldn't want to share my grades on my blog, but I am so proud of myself that I feel like I need to. Not only have I mastered each course (which is above a 85%), the lowest grade I received on any exam for the whole semester was an 89%, finishing the semester off with a 91% average. I am pretty proud of myself to say the least! I hope to continue this trend into the next semester and give myself a confidence boost as I enter into my intensive study period for my board exams!
3) [School Goal #2]: Participate a valuable externship or research experience.
Success again! This summer, I participated in a fantastic month-long externship at St. John's Hospital, that allowed me to spend 1-week shadowing in Pediatrics, OB/Gyn, Emergency Medicine, and General Surgery. I learned so much and totally and completely reaffirmed my decision to go into medicine. I have also been doing Neonatology research for the past year and am hopefully adding a new research project soon.
4) [Relationship]: Continue to work on the balance between school and my relationship.
Also successul! [I'm on a role!]. I think this year has been so much easier because S is a 4th year and has way more time to spend time with me, even when I'm busy. There has been many times that he will come visit when I have exams and he will just sit in my study room and watch movies on his laptop while I study. I know that does not sound exciting, but for busy med students, I am thankful for the time we get together. This last semester, we even got to see each other about 3-4 times a week, which is great! I'm very happy.
5) [Friends]: Contact friends from the past.
Hrm. I'm going to say that I half-way completed this. I can't think of anyone I really contacted that I have completed lost contact with, but I think that I did do a good job visiting friends in different areas of this country. For example, I am lucky to still see my girlfriends from high school everytime I come home from break....AND, a few months ago, I went to New York City to meet up with all my old college roommates. So, I think I should keep working on this, but I am happy to say that for the friends that are important to me from high school and college, I think that I am making an effort to maintain these friendships.
6) [Self #1]: Travel to a New Place.
1) [Health]: Continue to work on my exercise plan and diet.
Well...I tried. I know this resolution is by far my hardest resolution to actually follow-up on because I am a stress eater, and in med school there is lots of stress, and therefore lots of eating. I can think of two positive things that I have done this year, although much improvement is still needed. First, I started doing hot yoga and I loved it! There is something amazing about being in a hot room, stretching your body to its limits. I think its a great exercise and everytime I go, I pledge to incoporporate it into my weekly schedule. However, I get busy and stressed out, and yoga is one of the things that goes. This should change. The second thing that I have liked to do is incoporate fruit-and-veggie cleanses every few months. I have done this three times so far and find it really helpful! When I have gotten out of control with eating out and not cooking at home, making myself do a fruit-and-veggie cleans has helped me get refocused and back into the swing of cooking healthy. I hope that I will continue to remember to do this next year. I know that I need to continue to find a balance between my health and school; I plan to work on this a lot again in the new year.
2) [School Goal #1]: Improve semester average and Master each course!
Success! Normally I wouldn't want to share my grades on my blog, but I am so proud of myself that I feel like I need to. Not only have I mastered each course (which is above a 85%), the lowest grade I received on any exam for the whole semester was an 89%, finishing the semester off with a 91% average. I am pretty proud of myself to say the least! I hope to continue this trend into the next semester and give myself a confidence boost as I enter into my intensive study period for my board exams!
3) [School Goal #2]: Participate a valuable externship or research experience.
Success again! This summer, I participated in a fantastic month-long externship at St. John's Hospital, that allowed me to spend 1-week shadowing in Pediatrics, OB/Gyn, Emergency Medicine, and General Surgery. I learned so much and totally and completely reaffirmed my decision to go into medicine. I have also been doing Neonatology research for the past year and am hopefully adding a new research project soon.
4) [Relationship]: Continue to work on the balance between school and my relationship.
Also successul! [I'm on a role!]. I think this year has been so much easier because S is a 4th year and has way more time to spend time with me, even when I'm busy. There has been many times that he will come visit when I have exams and he will just sit in my study room and watch movies on his laptop while I study. I know that does not sound exciting, but for busy med students, I am thankful for the time we get together. This last semester, we even got to see each other about 3-4 times a week, which is great! I'm very happy.
5) [Friends]: Contact friends from the past.
Hrm. I'm going to say that I half-way completed this. I can't think of anyone I really contacted that I have completed lost contact with, but I think that I did do a good job visiting friends in different areas of this country. For example, I am lucky to still see my girlfriends from high school everytime I come home from break....AND, a few months ago, I went to New York City to meet up with all my old college roommates. So, I think I should keep working on this, but I am happy to say that for the friends that are important to me from high school and college, I think that I am making an effort to maintain these friendships.
6) [Self #1]: Travel to a New Place.
Yes. Yes. and Yes. I traveled to lots of new places!!! Most exciting was my trip to Peru. I spent three weeks there and visited lots of cities (including Lima, Cuzco, Chiclin, Chicama, Trujillo, etc). I also did a 4-day hike through the Salkantay Trail and up to Machu Picchu. [You can read all about my trip here.] Besides Peru, I also got to explore more of my new state! This summer, I lived with my friend Michelle in Harrison Township and volunteered in Grosse Point; I also went to Detroit a few times. I also went to the neighboring state of Ohio (to go to the Cedar Pointe theme park). For spring break, I road-triped down to North Carolina to have the most incredibly relaxing week of my life in the Outer Banks...and finally, I recently just returned from the state of Massachusetts, where I visited the city of Boston for the first time. So, yes. I way accomplished this goal and hope to have many more additions to this list next year! :)
7) [Self #2] Learn a New Skill.
Does studying count? Because I have gotten really good at that!
No? Okay, I know that. I think I failed at this one. The only thing I can think of is that I have really started to enjoy drawing. At Disneyland, I have taken a few of those mini-art classes where they teach you how to draw Disney characters; this is always my favorite part of my Disneyland trips (as nerdy as that sounds). I also am currently doing illustrations for a children's book that I wrote last year and am hopefully getting published in the near future. So, no I don't think that I have learned a new skill well...but I have become interested in a new skill that I still need to learn. Does that count?
Well thats it for now. I think overall, I did a pretty good job with my 2012 resolutions and hope that 2013 proves to be just as great, if not better!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
New Years Resolutions
I hope everyone had a fun and safe New Years! This year, I spent New Years in the Bay Area. My night started with a trip to the ice-skating rink, something I haven't done in many many years. I then went to a dinner at Beni-Hanas for dinner (a tradition that was started last New Years). Finally, S and I decided to go into the city to watch the midnight firework show on Pier 14 in San Fransisco. It was such a nice way to start the year!
Like last year, I wanted to develop a solid set of new years resolutions that I could look back on them each month to make sure I make some progress. So, here we go....
Resolution #1 [Health]: Continue to work on my exercise plan and diet.
I realize this is the most common resolution made each new years, but nonetheless, I still think it is a great idea for everyone to consciously start out the year with the goal of improving their diet and improving their exercising. Some ways I plan on doing this is to schedule different exercise classes, Yoga classes, or hours to Lap Swim in my schedule each week. I also will be going to my apartment gym other nights that I do not have the time to attend these other options. Finally, I am bringing a cookbook with me to school, in hopes that I wont get bored of cooking the same things and will actually cook nightly, instead of buying food that is bad for me.
Resolution #2 [School Goal #1]: Improve semester average and Master each course!
I was very happy with how I performed academically throughout my first semester. My semester average ended up being at around a 87%, but I know my coursework gets harder next semester. Instead of having one or two exams each week, next semester I have two or three a week. So, I am going to need to keep on top of it better than I did last semester. More than simply improving my semester average, I want to continue keeping above a 85% (or a "mastery") in each of my classes. I know I can do it!
Resolution #3 [School Goal #2]: Participate a valuable externship or research experience.
There are so many amazing summer opportunities around the country for first year medical students. These experiences can be externships that allow you to shadow in different departments in a hospital or conduct research in hundreds of different fields with some of the most well-known and well-respected researchers in the country. So, I want to make sure that I take advantage of some of these opportunities. I also am entertaining the idea of participating in research during the school year, but I wont decide if this is possible or logical for me to do until I figure out how the semester's course load is for me.
Resolution #4 [Relationship]: Continue to work on the balance between school and my relationship.
While school is in session, basically all of my "free" time is spent studying. In other words, I really don't have free time...ever. So, being in a relationship with someone who is equally as busy is obviously hard to balance. Last semester, I feel like we did a pretty good job seeing each other almost every weekend. However, most of the time we were together, we spent studying. So, this years goal is to try to take a break and go on dates, go explore Michigan more, and just be with each other. It sounds easy, but this honestly is probably the hardest of my resolutions. For any of my fellow-medical student readers, you all know this feeling of feeling guilty when you aren't with your books. So, by taking off time to "hang out" seems pretty difficult.
Resolution #5 [Friends]: Contact friends from the past.
I think I do an okay job with maintaining friendships from the past, but I definitely want to work on improving this year. I go weeks (or even months) without talking to some of my best friends from high school and college. I know everyone is busy, but it doesn't take long to send a quick text or make a quick call. Moreover, for those relationships that I have somewhat let go, I want to re-contact those friends from the past. Specifically, some friends from high school that I have lost contact with and basically all of my friends from abroad. Its so hard to maintain all of my friendship relationships from all the aspects of my life, but I want to improve this over the next 12 months!
Resolution #6 [Self #1]: Travel to a New Place.
Yes, I am reusing a resolution from last year, but I love to travel and will probably have this resolution every year until I die. I would obviously love to travel out of the United States (specifically to somewhere in Africa or to Thailand), but I am happy to go where ever life takes me...as long as its somewhere new!
Resolution #7 [Self #2] Learn a New Skill.
I realize this is broad, but I don't care. I want to learn something new! Maybe to cook, maybe to draw, maybe to play the piano. I don't care, but I want to learn something and I want to learn it well! :)
So, thats all for now. I probably will come up with some new goal mid-way through the year, but 7 resolutions is enough for me right now!
Happy New Year everyone! :)
Like last year, I wanted to develop a solid set of new years resolutions that I could look back on them each month to make sure I make some progress. So, here we go....
Resolution #1 [Health]: Continue to work on my exercise plan and diet.
I realize this is the most common resolution made each new years, but nonetheless, I still think it is a great idea for everyone to consciously start out the year with the goal of improving their diet and improving their exercising. Some ways I plan on doing this is to schedule different exercise classes, Yoga classes, or hours to Lap Swim in my schedule each week. I also will be going to my apartment gym other nights that I do not have the time to attend these other options. Finally, I am bringing a cookbook with me to school, in hopes that I wont get bored of cooking the same things and will actually cook nightly, instead of buying food that is bad for me.
Resolution #2 [School Goal #1]: Improve semester average and Master each course!
I was very happy with how I performed academically throughout my first semester. My semester average ended up being at around a 87%, but I know my coursework gets harder next semester. Instead of having one or two exams each week, next semester I have two or three a week. So, I am going to need to keep on top of it better than I did last semester. More than simply improving my semester average, I want to continue keeping above a 85% (or a "mastery") in each of my classes. I know I can do it!
Resolution #3 [School Goal #2]: Participate a valuable externship or research experience.
There are so many amazing summer opportunities around the country for first year medical students. These experiences can be externships that allow you to shadow in different departments in a hospital or conduct research in hundreds of different fields with some of the most well-known and well-respected researchers in the country. So, I want to make sure that I take advantage of some of these opportunities. I also am entertaining the idea of participating in research during the school year, but I wont decide if this is possible or logical for me to do until I figure out how the semester's course load is for me.
Resolution #4 [Relationship]: Continue to work on the balance between school and my relationship.
While school is in session, basically all of my "free" time is spent studying. In other words, I really don't have free time...ever. So, being in a relationship with someone who is equally as busy is obviously hard to balance. Last semester, I feel like we did a pretty good job seeing each other almost every weekend. However, most of the time we were together, we spent studying. So, this years goal is to try to take a break and go on dates, go explore Michigan more, and just be with each other. It sounds easy, but this honestly is probably the hardest of my resolutions. For any of my fellow-medical student readers, you all know this feeling of feeling guilty when you aren't with your books. So, by taking off time to "hang out" seems pretty difficult.
Resolution #5 [Friends]: Contact friends from the past.
I think I do an okay job with maintaining friendships from the past, but I definitely want to work on improving this year. I go weeks (or even months) without talking to some of my best friends from high school and college. I know everyone is busy, but it doesn't take long to send a quick text or make a quick call. Moreover, for those relationships that I have somewhat let go, I want to re-contact those friends from the past. Specifically, some friends from high school that I have lost contact with and basically all of my friends from abroad. Its so hard to maintain all of my friendship relationships from all the aspects of my life, but I want to improve this over the next 12 months!
Resolution #6 [Self #1]: Travel to a New Place.
Yes, I am reusing a resolution from last year, but I love to travel and will probably have this resolution every year until I die. I would obviously love to travel out of the United States (specifically to somewhere in Africa or to Thailand), but I am happy to go where ever life takes me...as long as its somewhere new!
Resolution #7 [Self #2] Learn a New Skill.
I realize this is broad, but I don't care. I want to learn something new! Maybe to cook, maybe to draw, maybe to play the piano. I don't care, but I want to learn something and I want to learn it well! :)
So, thats all for now. I probably will come up with some new goal mid-way through the year, but 7 resolutions is enough for me right now!
Happy New Year everyone! :)
Saturday, December 31, 2011
2011 Reflections
In light of the fact that today is New Years Eve, I decided that I would look at my old New Years Resolutions and see what progress that I made. I also hope that I this will make me highlight some of the important things that happened this last year.
1) Get into Medical School
Well, I am so happy to know that you all know the answer to this one. Getting into medical school, specifically being accepted to MSU has been one of my life's greatest accomplishments. This year has allowed me to really realize my career dreams are becoming a reality. I am only one semester into school, but I know that I made the right decision to work so hard in high school and undergrad.
2) Exercise 5 times a week
This resolution I was pretty good with for the first half of the year when I was not in school. I would either swim laps, work out on the elliptical, do "biggest loser" workout exercises, or even just play wii Fit. However, since school started, I have definitely been slacking on the work-outs I should be putting in. So, I will continue working on getting a regular exercise plan in order for the new year.
3) Travel to a new place
On first thought of this one, I was not to impressed with my traveling in this year. I have not traveled outside of the United States all year, BUT I have done a ton of traveling within the US. Heck, I want on a cross-country road trip!! So, really I have traveled to lots and lots of new places this last year! Some of the highlights were Yellowstone National Park, Crazy Horse, and Mount Rushmore. I also have moved to another state! So, I have been to a lot of different cities in the state of Michigan that I had never traveled to before. My personal favorite: Holland, Michigan (basically a cute little Dutch town!). Finally, I ended this year in Disney World. I went there one time when I was much younger, but I don't really remember anything. SO, I am counting that as a new place that I traveled to. Overall, I think that I completed this resolution quite well.
4) Learn how to cook healthy meals
Much like number 2, I was doing this pretty well up until school started. I have mastered how to make Lemon Peppered Chicken and vegetables (one of my favorite meals). I have also learned how to make several other variations to the whole lean meat/fish and vegetables combination. However, I have stopped there. So, I will continue to work towards learning how to cook more healthy dinner and lunches as the next year goes on.
5) Read for Fun
My grandmother always loved to read books. I, however, did not really develop this passion until the last bit of college. I now can say that pleasure reading is one of my favorite hobbies. This year, I have happily read a ton of books. Some of my favorites have included:
1) The Harry Potter Series (obviously)
2) The Hunger Games
3) Catching Fire
4) The Pact
5) Dear John
6) Eat, Pray, Love
7) The Lovely Bones
8) A Walk to Remember
9) The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down (Which was actually a required book for school which I really loved!)
10) The Last Song
6) Be genuinely happy.
I think I can confidently say that I have developed genuine happiness. 2011 started out very confusing. At the start of January 2011, I had received two medical school interviews, but had not attended either of these interviews. I was not sure how many more I would get and if any of these interviews would result in acceptances. I was not sure if I would continue working my three jobs throughout the 2011-2012 school year and if I would need to develop an entirely new career plan. I didn't know where I stood in my relationship. In January 2011, I had already been long distance for a year and a half and could not see an end to it in the future. However, come April, everything changed. Being accepted to MSU not only reassured me that I would be able to fulfill my career dreams of becoming a physician, it also meant that my long distance relationship would become much much MUCH shorter distance. I was obviously nervous about school and about my big move, but I was excited! Now, on December 31, 2011, I can happily report that this is the best I have felt in years. The friends that I have made in medical school have helped me through the daily struggles of school and for the first time in my academic career, everything I am learning I find interesting. I can see how everything I am learning will play into my future career and how the work I put in now will benefit my future. I am happy with school. I am happy in my relationship. I am happy with my family. I am happy.
These were my resolutions for 2011: Get into medical school, exercise five times a week, travel to a new place, learn how to cook healthy meals, read for fun, & be genuinely happy.
1) Get into Medical School
Well, I am so happy to know that you all know the answer to this one. Getting into medical school, specifically being accepted to MSU has been one of my life's greatest accomplishments. This year has allowed me to really realize my career dreams are becoming a reality. I am only one semester into school, but I know that I made the right decision to work so hard in high school and undergrad.
2) Exercise 5 times a week
This resolution I was pretty good with for the first half of the year when I was not in school. I would either swim laps, work out on the elliptical, do "biggest loser" workout exercises, or even just play wii Fit. However, since school started, I have definitely been slacking on the work-outs I should be putting in. So, I will continue working on getting a regular exercise plan in order for the new year.
3) Travel to a new place
On first thought of this one, I was not to impressed with my traveling in this year. I have not traveled outside of the United States all year, BUT I have done a ton of traveling within the US. Heck, I want on a cross-country road trip!! So, really I have traveled to lots and lots of new places this last year! Some of the highlights were Yellowstone National Park, Crazy Horse, and Mount Rushmore. I also have moved to another state! So, I have been to a lot of different cities in the state of Michigan that I had never traveled to before. My personal favorite: Holland, Michigan (basically a cute little Dutch town!). Finally, I ended this year in Disney World. I went there one time when I was much younger, but I don't really remember anything. SO, I am counting that as a new place that I traveled to. Overall, I think that I completed this resolution quite well.
4) Learn how to cook healthy meals
Much like number 2, I was doing this pretty well up until school started. I have mastered how to make Lemon Peppered Chicken and vegetables (one of my favorite meals). I have also learned how to make several other variations to the whole lean meat/fish and vegetables combination. However, I have stopped there. So, I will continue to work towards learning how to cook more healthy dinner and lunches as the next year goes on.
5) Read for Fun
My grandmother always loved to read books. I, however, did not really develop this passion until the last bit of college. I now can say that pleasure reading is one of my favorite hobbies. This year, I have happily read a ton of books. Some of my favorites have included:
1) The Harry Potter Series (obviously)
2) The Hunger Games
3) Catching Fire
4) The Pact
5) Dear John
6) Eat, Pray, Love
7) The Lovely Bones
8) A Walk to Remember
9) The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down (Which was actually a required book for school which I really loved!)
10) The Last Song
6) Be genuinely happy.
I think I can confidently say that I have developed genuine happiness. 2011 started out very confusing. At the start of January 2011, I had received two medical school interviews, but had not attended either of these interviews. I was not sure how many more I would get and if any of these interviews would result in acceptances. I was not sure if I would continue working my three jobs throughout the 2011-2012 school year and if I would need to develop an entirely new career plan. I didn't know where I stood in my relationship. In January 2011, I had already been long distance for a year and a half and could not see an end to it in the future. However, come April, everything changed. Being accepted to MSU not only reassured me that I would be able to fulfill my career dreams of becoming a physician, it also meant that my long distance relationship would become much much MUCH shorter distance. I was obviously nervous about school and about my big move, but I was excited! Now, on December 31, 2011, I can happily report that this is the best I have felt in years. The friends that I have made in medical school have helped me through the daily struggles of school and for the first time in my academic career, everything I am learning I find interesting. I can see how everything I am learning will play into my future career and how the work I put in now will benefit my future. I am happy with school. I am happy in my relationship. I am happy with my family. I am happy.
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