Week 4, First Round of Midterms

Took three midterms this week (Anatomy and Physiology, Basic Public Health, Healthcare Terminology) and I am proud to say I am 3/3 with A's. Lets see if I can't keep that up the next 6 weeks and pull off a 4.0 for first quarter! It's crazy but studying actually helps...weird. In other news, been doing a lot of driving around the city and I have come to a few conclusions:

1. California drivers may be jerks, but Georgia drivers are RETARDED CRAZY. Seriously, there is not a day that goes by that I don't see someone almost cause a wreck.

2. Atlanta traffic is some of the worst I have ever seen. It doesn't matter what road you are on, it seems that it is stopped between 6am-10pm (including weekends!). Add crazy drivers (and a complete disregard for driving safety) and you have a fun obstacle course.

3. The $5 million shacks are all located in the hills and there are a surprising number of them that look like normal families live there (cheesy Halloween decorations and poorly made political signs on the lawn).

4. Did I mention drivers in Atlanta are a danger to the public health? Oh, I did.

When 2 miles isn't enough...

...6 will have to do! Just finished a quick (90 minute) jaunt through God's backyard (Kennesaw Mountain). Only had a couple hours to kill before I had a study date with the library, so I took off on the trail toward the top, only to find that in 20 minutes I was there! With spare time and knowing I could make it, I went ahead and cruised the rest of the way down and around the small mountain for a great mid-morning hike in some great fall weather (40-45 F). Here are a couple choice pictures from the trip:

The first rest bench was only a few hundred feet in. The trail was rather busy with joggers down to casual walkers.

Now this is what I was looking for, a bit of elevation! In total there is about 600 ft gain, mostly covered under 1 mile.

Cheater's way up. Costs $2 to cut out 1 mile of moderately steep trail.

Paved trail from the bus stop up to the top.

Downtown Atlanta on the horizon, bout 20 miles away.

One of the MANY battlements on the top of both peaks. One of the decisive battles for Atlanta took place here.

FINALLY some familiar terrain! Only lasted about 50 feet though.

A fun little decent down, took it at scramble speed to test out my new trail runners - they passed!

Country road, take me home...

Willing to bet Dad would stop and try to catch a fish here...

I want THAT house.

Open battlefield next to the Visitor's Center. Earlier I could hear a KABOOM and the cheering and giggling of kids watching a cannon reenactment at this field.

Week 2 Update

Its been a crazy 10 days of class. Well, not too crazy, but definitely hectic. Trying to stay attentive, much less awake, for 12 hours at a time with only a short lunch break (10 hours of sitting in class) is a stretch for the best of us, but we get to do it every Tuesday and Thursday! Balancing 12 classes at once is definitely a challenge, but studying early and often helps to keep them under control.

Also on a positive note, this weekend is our homecoming, and the event that falls on that weekend is Lyceum, one of the largest and most diverse stages for modern Chiropractic. Another plus is that classes are cancelled from noon Thursday through the rest of the weekend, so we get a small respite for the weekend, though we must attend at least a few of the various seminars :-). Which, I might add, I am actually VERY excited about, as many of these speakers you would normally pay loads to go see, while the university brings them right to us and then requires we go see them. Sounds like a good deal to me! I don't know that I'll make it to any of the 7am seminars, but it looks like my weekend will be full of speakers and free lunches. Sweet!

Orientation is over!

So glad on one hand, but on the other sad that I won't be forced to work with a group of relative strangers on balancing on a 2x4 while blindfolded...but with that said, I met some great people and am totally looking forward to 9am class Monday!

On a related note, I just paid my first month's rent in Georgia, so now I'm here to stay!

Classes Start Monday!

Can't wait! My schedule includes Biochemistry, Anatomy & Physiology, Intro to Business Principles, Histology, Osteology, Embryology, Clinic Experience, Intro Seminar, Basic Public Health and Healthcare Terminology. Yep, ten different classes (with an extra orientation class online!). I'll be in class approx. 26 hours a week and will probably spend twice that outside studying. Think of me as a monk in a secluded monastery...set on the outskirts of metro Atlanta...ok, so maybe not the best analogy, but you get the picture! If you have any study tips be sure to leave a comment and I'll take them for a spin!

PS If you read this blog regularly (or at least as regularly as I post to it) please become a follower/subscribe! Seeing comments and people following along gives me much more incentive to post regularly (and not just you, MOM :-P )