Green day

Green day

Following yesterday’s successful og lunch (for a few of us) at pgp canteen, our og decided to hail today as lakota day! So today, the whole og (or at least the part of the og who were informed) wore green! Photo opportunity, despite the gaps in the green of orange, white and … Good sign of lakota’s og spririt eh? ;P

Following the photo session, first session with our new PBL mentor! Suffice to say, the session was really swift and decisive, and we finished in record time (50 mins?) compared to what we were used to (2.5 hours!). Comparing the two tutors, the first possessed contagious enthusiasm, the second is really knowledgeable. For a case study on “near drowning”, I got assigned “the consequences and treatment of cyanosis”. But I later realised cyanosis was just a symptom of hypoxia!!! So how?

The next highlight of the day was MALAY LESSONS!!! Which were very confusing, very fun and which really did weird things to my brain. I think mugging anatomy is not even half as hard as learning basic Malay!!! Haha but maybe I’m not used to the language yet… but some excerpts will help jog my memory:

· (Pointing finger at me) “Awak mugger!” – jon

· “Huntu di belakang awak!” (“ghost behind you!”)– a classmate when asked to form a malay sentence using what we had learnt.. to which the teacher replied with a hearty “terimah kaseh!”

· “saya suka cakap” (“I like to talk!”)– another classmate.

Saya suka belajar Behasa Melayu! At least it’s a good reason to take a break from physio anat and biochem…

The duke-nus interview went along quite well today.. and it was certianly interesting to be informed about changes in the medical landscape so pertinent to me in my face by the vice dean of education of the GMS himself.

haha i am tempted to reveal the details but since i am merely a photographer/cum morale booster for LY, i shall not spoil the article for pulse...

some interesting points I gathered:

• there are 26 ppl in the pioneering class (if i rmb correctly), with 17 singaporeans
• the fees are 35k per annum for 4 years after subsidy
• the students use ganong for physiology. (but they supplement with guyton coz ganong's "incomprehensible")
• they use papa moore for anatomy!
• they finish biochemistry in like 6.5 weeks
  
• they have tests everyweek that are counted if i'm not wrong, and a major test every four weeks
• interestingly, they get to dissect specimens themselves at SGH

And that’s the end of this post. I will *try* to be more mugger tmr. Oh, and happy birthday Jason and Sheila! :P:P:P

How does a person go about deciding what he has to do, at this moment? This question has intrigued me particularly, not just because I am curious intrinsically about the nature of thinking, but also because I am a particularly indecisive person. How, for example, does someone decide to go for a run when his usual schedule dictates that he must have breakfast? (That, for one, is exactly what I did today) Logically speaking, his environment must play a very important role in shaping his thought process. A nice, cool and sunny day, for example, would likely influence his decision to run positively. A stormy night would affect it oppositely.

But obviously, a person’s individuality would have to come into play, and this is particularly complex because it is in turn determined by a multitude of factors, genetic and acquired. Let’s examine the reasons a person might give to go for a run:

1. He is feeling tired and would like to boost his spirits by exercising

2. He has benefitted from the Healthy lifestyle campaign and has incorporated running into his plans for keeping fit

3. He notices he has no other more important activities lined up and he can afford to use his time for running

4. He spontaneously decides that he wants to run, perhaps having been informed of this thought in a dream or by some higher being while he was unconscious

5. Or perhaps he doesn’t want to run, except he is being forced to do so by higher authority; for example, in the army or during physical education class

Most of the time though, it is unlikely that any one of these factors alone influence his decision to go running; it is more likely an interplay between several modes of argument going in his head that will affect his actions. What about reasons for not running?

1. The person feels lethargic and doesn’t want to run. In other words, he is LAZY. (which is quite a common reason actually)

2. The person has unfortunately, fallen ill, and doesn’t want any intensive physical activity to compromise his physical well-being in this time when his immune system is under stress.

3. Or perhaps, as mentioned above, it is raining heavily outside and nobody in the right mind would run when it is raining cats and dogs. (Notice, in this case, that two arguments are in play – one, that it is inconvenient to run in the rain. Two, there is a kind of social pressure that acts to prevent one from running)

4. He could have been given advice not to run, possibly from a nagging mother or grandmother concerned for his well-being.

I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY I HAVE TO STUDY now.

somehow the marine parade/katong region seems quieter nowadays. what with two/three different classmates leaving for the uk to further their studies. (which 3? vipul, michelle and yunhua. okay maybe yunhua doesnt live that near me..)
what to say ah. kind of lost for words. coz im not a sentimental person. but its still kind of sad to see friends leaving for places far away. hmph.
anyway here's wishing those studying overseas all the best for their studies. coz it is kind of competitive out there. but most of all, pls come back often to visit!!! hahahaha.
meanwhile i shall have a nice time here poring over obscure texts. and maybe expand my social circle.
it seems like a very hot day...