It actually happened

Well, this is what happened today.

The first step in a long, looooong road. Also, that picture is probably one of the most important I have taken in a while. Not only am I stuck with it for the next four years, but it will also be sent to all residency programs I apply to. I freaked out this morning when I woke up with a large pimple and a crazy scratch that I had apparently given to myself in the middle of the night. But luckily none of those show in the picture.

Side note, it rained in the middle of the night. Here are some other crazy things that I learned in Orientation about my new home. 

• Sun visors for your car are necessary to make sure you don't burn your hands on steering wheels.
• Don't forget to leave a small crack in your window or else the 130 degrees that it can get in your car will blow out your car windows
• You should also get jumper cables because the heat will destroy your car battery, even if you drive a new car.

 Otherwise, Orientation went relatively smoothly considering we just sat all day. I've met a lot of interesting new people. Some are cool, others are quirky and weird, but all are friendly. Though there were some points in the day where I felt like I was back in high school, having to decide where to sit and who to talk to. Clearly, cliques are beginning to form. Mainly a lot of the mormons from Utah who are married with families have found one another. And there is always the large group of Asians or Indian girls that tend to gravitate towards one another. I'm not in any of these. I do really want to make new friends, but I recognize that it is unrealistic to go from complete strangers to best friends in one day alone.

It was a long day, so Lauren (my roommate) and I decided to celebrate medieval style with Argentinian Malbec. (Chris is part of a pool league that plays on Monday evenings and he doesn't start classes until Wednesday, so he was not part of the celebrations unfortunately). Life (so far) is good.

Hello Las Vegas!

I am currently writing from my new home in Las Vegas (actually Henderson) Nevada. I've been here since Wednesday, but I've only actually been here alone for the past 24 hours when my sister drove home to LA. Luckily, the transition has been very smooth. My room is pseudo completed, just lacking the little personal items that separate it from feeling more home-y. And while the temperature here may suggest hell has finally boiled over, I'm surprised at how I am slowly getting used to the heat. My roommate keeps the AC on, which gives me some anxiety that our utility bill will be outrageous, but I've been told that energy is much cheaper here than in LA, so we'll see what happens.

I'm excited about this first experience having roommates and truly living on my own. I get along well with my roommate Chris and my other roommate Lauren should be arriving anytime in the next few hours. I can't wait for her to get here, so we can meet in person. Also, so that I can finally unpack the rest of my stuff!

Yesterday, Chris and I met up with a few of my classmates at a First Friday event in downtown Las Vegas. It was not an ideal place to meet people for the first time and really get to know others, but it was fun seeing a different side of Vegas. The event was like a fair and Abbott Kinney First Friday combined into one. There was a lot of beer/liquor booths, lots of teens and families, and while there were plenty of food trucks, they were not the kinds I'm used to. My classmates seem pretty fun so far. Somehow we ended up going to Fremont Street, where a promoter got us into a club at the Golden Nugget Hotel called Gold Diggers (Clever). Clearly, the club had lower dress standards (I was wearing shorts and flip flops) and catered to an older clientele where wouldn't you know, Willow--- (I blank on the actual name) High School Class of 1992 was celebrating. 

Anywho, school begins on Monday with two full days of Orientation. I'm still in disbelief at this entire situation. I've actually moved away from Los Angeles and my family, I'm actually about to begin the path to becoming a doctor, its all happening, and its all happening in just two more days. I'm so excited and even listening to Celine Dion cover "All by Myself" right now is not ruining the mood. Sorry Celine, not this weekend! But come back in a few weeks when I'm up to my neck with work.

I am going to make an actual effort to regularly post. They probably won't be long posts like I usually do, but it might be fun to look back at the end of med school at these posts.

P.S. I don't have cable or a TV converter box, so I've missed the past few days of the Olympics. Its really heartbreaking because I really want to watch them.