The end of 2nd semester

This week was the end of 2nd semester. I had 4 finals - one each day this week. What a week! Having been out of the undergrad schedule of finals, this was a lot for me! 1 was completely accumulative - Microbiology. This required knowing the organism, what it looks like, all the diseases or problems it can cause, and how you would test for it in the lab.

2 of them were semi-accumulative: Neonatology and the Physiology/Biochem class.

Neonatology consisted of 2 exams for the entire semester. I had a TON of slides to memorize but it was more than that. The exams were more application, which is good but hard to study for. For example, a 36 week gestation baby is born with X vital signs (Blood pressure, pulse, respirations, etc.). The mom has a history of X and had X complications in pregnancy. The baby is now having trouble breathing - what do you think the problem is or what kinds of tests would you order?

Physiology and Biochem was the class I was most concerned about but it went really well. The exam is all write in/short answer. Sometimes it is hard to know what the prof wants because the questions are a little too vague.

The last exam was in Women's Health and that one went well too. It was just a regular exam but after a week of studying for other exams, my brain was just shot! :-) I needed sleep and my brain needed a break! It is hard to keep cramming information into an overflowing brain. I have never been so ready for a break than right now.

Wednesday night (the night before my Women's Health exam), I took part of the night off to go to my campus Bible Study where we read the Christmas story. We each had a part to read. I hadn't done that in a long time and it was a lot of fun! It is easy to lose the Christmas spirit when there is so much going on in the season. I am thankful for all this time off before Christmas to "get in the mood" and prepare (mentally) to celebrate the birth of Christ.

Now I have a little over 3 weeks until I have to be back so I am visiting my grandparents. It is nice to be away from school, relax, sleep in, and hang out with my grandparents. Being so busy throughout the school year, I have very limited chances to see them.