So every couple of weeks we have an in-class quiz. If you get 100% on it, you get an extra 5% attached to your block exam mark, which is a pretty sweet deal. They also give incentive for the students to keep up with the material which I think is a great idea. The day before the last quiz I worked my ass off in the library - put in a solid 7 hours. I didn't do so hot on the quiz due to a few really stupid mistakes, but more importantly, I felt caught up with the material. All of these facts that were tumbling around loose in my brain had solidified into something more complete. Even better, that feeling of despair melted away.
Today, I thought I'd hit the library and catch up, maybe read ahead. But that my-ass-is-on-fire just wasn't there because I knew that the next quiz isn't until Friday. I ended up reading over the same slide for 2 hours before I called a spade and spade and went home.
Then I realised it - this place is really very boring. I had no idea! I've been too busy worrying about how I'd break it to my parents when I flunked out. Or too busy calculating if retirement was a viable option to notice this before. Without school filling my every waking moment with anxiety and deadlines, this place is severely limited. My classmates are figuring this out too.
I was going to lay low tonight but a cute girl asked me to go to a party - how could I say no? There, I got to talking to my drunk peers and quite a few of them were having a difficult time with the Island life. Until this afternoon, I really couldn't relate. I'm not saying that I'm having a difficult time living here - On the contrary, often times when I look at the hills surrounding campus, or I walk at night under a bright star-lit sky, I smile knowing what a lucky life I've lived and have been living. I could have certainly done worse, and God knows I've lived with less. To say that I'm comfortable here is an understatement.
With that said, I realize that this place isn't for everyone. I'm coming to understand that people have different levels of what they consider basic necessity... This necessity has probably derived from a number of things like how they've lived their lives before coming to this Island, and their expectations of what going to med school Should Be Like. Socially, this place is more like high school. The same people who were out last night were the same people that were out tonight. And Monday morning, in class, these people will be there again. A few of the guys I was speaking with were talking about wanting to get laid. It's understandable, but basically the gender ratio isn't in these guys' favour and, I could be wrong but it seems as if everyone is too busy and anxious to put out. Heck, I know I am. Well... I could spare a few minutes. But I'm not most people. Most people need to be woo-ed and there's no time for that here - being brought out to dinner, complimented in a variety of ways, you know the deal.
I digress. The moral of my story this evening is that if you're thinking about coming to Saba, there's a great chance this Island isn't for you. But, if your lucky, the class material will intrigue and captivate you in such a way that you won't notice. And in your goal-oriented, time-managed life, you might even take comfort in knowing that there is very little here to distract you. That the Island itself is just as helpful as the profs, peers and upper semesters at seeing that you reach your goal.
Today, I thought I'd hit the library and catch up, maybe read ahead. But that my-ass-is-on-fire just wasn't there because I knew that the next quiz isn't until Friday. I ended up reading over the same slide for 2 hours before I called a spade and spade and went home.
Then I realised it - this place is really very boring. I had no idea! I've been too busy worrying about how I'd break it to my parents when I flunked out. Or too busy calculating if retirement was a viable option to notice this before. Without school filling my every waking moment with anxiety and deadlines, this place is severely limited. My classmates are figuring this out too.
I was going to lay low tonight but a cute girl asked me to go to a party - how could I say no? There, I got to talking to my drunk peers and quite a few of them were having a difficult time with the Island life. Until this afternoon, I really couldn't relate. I'm not saying that I'm having a difficult time living here - On the contrary, often times when I look at the hills surrounding campus, or I walk at night under a bright star-lit sky, I smile knowing what a lucky life I've lived and have been living. I could have certainly done worse, and God knows I've lived with less. To say that I'm comfortable here is an understatement.
With that said, I realize that this place isn't for everyone. I'm coming to understand that people have different levels of what they consider basic necessity... This necessity has probably derived from a number of things like how they've lived their lives before coming to this Island, and their expectations of what going to med school Should Be Like. Socially, this place is more like high school. The same people who were out last night were the same people that were out tonight. And Monday morning, in class, these people will be there again. A few of the guys I was speaking with were talking about wanting to get laid. It's understandable, but basically the gender ratio isn't in these guys' favour and, I could be wrong but it seems as if everyone is too busy and anxious to put out. Heck, I know I am. Well... I could spare a few minutes. But I'm not most people. Most people need to be woo-ed and there's no time for that here - being brought out to dinner, complimented in a variety of ways, you know the deal.
I digress. The moral of my story this evening is that if you're thinking about coming to Saba, there's a great chance this Island isn't for you. But, if your lucky, the class material will intrigue and captivate you in such a way that you won't notice. And in your goal-oriented, time-managed life, you might even take comfort in knowing that there is very little here to distract you. That the Island itself is just as helpful as the profs, peers and upper semesters at seeing that you reach your goal.
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