20 Weeks

Twenty weeks to be prepared for what I perceive as the last BIG hurdle between me and my dream. Twenty weeks to master Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Histology, and Microbiology all the while juggling Pharmacology, Pathology, and numerous other exams, quizzes, and projects. Twenty weeks until I take the National Board Examination part 1 for Dentistry.

I have taken a National Board before, back when I thought Dental Hygiene was the end of my college career and the beginning of my life outside of school. I keep reminding myself that it wasn't as bad as I had expected it to be, but somehow this doesn't seem the same. I had time, time to focus, time to think, time to breathe, time that I do not have right now. And even though the information was just as dense, I was using it everyday in the clinics. I haven't thought much about Microbiology, hell let's be honest, I haven't thought about it, or any of the other courses, since their respective finals. How could I? It's difficult enough to focus on the current ones; Pathomedicine, Pharmacology and Fixed Prosthodontics to name a few. I just keep hearing this semester repeat itself out loud saying, "Welcome to Dental school Jyme, are you prepared?"

I have been saying for months now that I am going to work out a schedule, make a plan, get on it, start studying, be productive and so on. However, here I sit, writing about how I need to work out a schedule, make a plan, get on it, ok you get the point. I am hoping that taking my daily journal writings, that only I know exist, and putting them out there for someone to read will motivate me. I don't know who reads blogs, or if people even care, but I figure that I type faster than I write anyway and I could obviously benefit from time saved. 

On top of scheduling for boards, I also registered for the Louisville Kentucky Derby MiniMarathon this week. I ran for the first time today since August and any distance really since June. It felt amazing! Just me, all alone on the treadmill, pounding it out. A good sweat never hurt anybody. I think running is my ticket to motivation for a lot of things in life. It's a big part of how I got here in the first place. I've been a runner since I joined the cross country team in the 6th grade. I was faster than anyone expected, even myself, and I ran my way to the top of every school record in both middle and high school. I ran solo at the State Championship my freshman year, wearing a shirt with my favorite quote on it. One by Steve Prefontaine, which most runners will recognize, "To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift." I have always tried to apply this quote to everything I do in life, including getting into Dental school. In fact, I used it in my entrance essay for admission, but that's a story for later. 

Bottom line, it's time to get serious. Serious about studying, serious about training, serious about giving my best so that my gifts can continue to thrive. The harder I work, the easier it will be and the more I run, the more tickets to motivation I will earn.  

Twenty weeks full of training, studying, and dedication. Twenty weeks full of sweet sweaty success.