The new academic year is considerably tougher than m1, but not yet overwhelming. With days ending at 4 or 5pm on average, immunology lectures that confuse more than educate, and the very memory intensive microbiology and pharmacology syllabus, sometimes I wish I could whisk myself back to the simpler days of m1, looking at cadavers and ending at 12.
So far I have managed to cope simply by putting almost all my free time into studying, reading ahead of lectures and basically upping my basal level of mugging. I think I have never truly experienced being a mugger, but I think this year I'm fast approaching becoming pro. The rationale is simple - I definitely have potential to do much better, and the core purpose of attending medical school is simply having a good medical education, of which studying plays a cornerstone. And the stuff I'm learning now is both interesting and relevant, unlike maybe biochemistry last year which really seemed to play little purpose...
I know people will say, whoa, Jia Yi, you mean you can work harder than you did before? Actually I'm just resolved to be more focussed on what I do best...
Non-academic wise, I hope to be able to get to know loads more people, and at a deeper level. This may seem rather unambitious but rest assurred that for someone like me who used to keep to myself all the time... every step of the way needs constant effort on my part! But I'm glad I'm in a faculty where everyone seems friendly and really helpful.. but I could have been more cynical in the past..
The action plan is simple... in theory -attend all lectures, participate in extracurricular events (join squash? play for coda? PHS? ), be nice to people (hopefully they will reciprocate), study everything in advance.
Year 2 is a year for me to grow and grow...
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