...that a single college Senior in possession of an excruciatingly slow home internet connection must be in want of some sort of entertainment during her time in Alabama for the holiday season.So far, two weeks out of my four-week winter vacation have been filled with movie-watching with the 'rents (oldies, newbies, and James McAvoy-ies), sporadic runs past the homes of neighbors (and the McCain-Palin signs that are ever-present on their perfectly manicured lawns), science-y/med school-related book-reading, and random errands with my mom. And, recently, I had dinner with old friends from high school, at the iconic corner of "Good Food and Good Times". Still boggles my mind that so many of them are married already, though...
Today was a prime example of finding a happy medium between coexisting with the social nuances of Southerners and being individually productive. While most people from a city like Atlanta might get easily annoyed by how aimlessly (and badly) Mobilians drive or how it seems as though no one is ever in a rush to get anywhere, I think I've actually begun to find some solace in these seemingly frustrating realities of small town life. It's not that I've completely stopped paying attention (to the ignorant, uninformed, and close-minded individuals that continue to be permanent fixtures where my family resides); I've just started to not let unnecessary things bother me as much. Maybe I've become more patient, or maybe I'm just getting older. Whatever it is, I think it's a better expenditure of my time and energy to concentrate on what actually matters.
After taking my dad's Audi TT roadster for a joy ride (in all honesty, it was more of a slightly nerve-wrecking ride to brush up on stick-shift car-driving, and my dad was in the passenger's seat the entire time, making sure I didn't stall or crash his snazzy car), I spent approximately 4 hours in the West Regional Public library, studying B.S. about the male and female reproductive systems. [I especially like how B.S. is the abbreviation for the Biological Sciences portion of the MCAT, quite possibly the most clinically relevant section, but ironically named, nonetheless. The test-makers sure have a hilarious sense of humor.] Had it not been for the random, middle-aged man (supposedly a painter) who struck up a conversation about my "intriguingly photogenic facial structure" and my potentially promising future in modeling and art, it would have otherwise been a relatively uneventful afternoon of academia.
I'll take the 5-hour exam in about a month, on January 31st, 2009 - hopefully, this third time will be the charm, i.e., the first time I complete the test, and the last time I ever take the MCAT. Note to self and other aspiring pre-med students: the key to success is to a) not move the test date for a third time, and b) not punk out after the very first section/prematurely void your scores.
P.S. Kitty, if you read this, I took a look at your latest post and I was absolutely shocked to read about your gum-smuggling criminal activities. The Singaporean government is probably assembling a clandestine group of agents at this very moment, in hopes of tracking you down... Seriously, though, I'm glad you're having a nice time so far and adjusting to life in Singapore - it's definitely entertaining to hear about your everyday escapades!
*Quote adapted from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
