summertime and the living's easy so far

Oh dear well I tapered off there for a while…

Since last time, I graduated from undergrad, took my last first-year medical school exam, and started work as a full time CNA for the summer. Yes, in that order.

Graduation weekend: As expected, it was stressful and a little reminiscent of high school graduation, except that this time we got these awful $85 one-size-fit-all caps and gowns (the 5'5"-sized gown fit me almost as well as a circus tent so I was not impressed). Man do I miss the days of living pure JoCo style and getting our silky "Lancer Blue" caps and gowns personally fitted by volunteer moms because HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION is A BIG MILESTONE. Graduation from college just seems like an afterthought.

(Photos soon, once photographer-extraordinaire dad finishes fiddling with them.)

I spent that weekend running around showing my parents and grandparents around the campus again, but thankfully they spared me from giving a big involved tour of Boston so that I could study for my Endocrinology and Histology final. Those went off without a hitch, and to my sheer CHAGRIN and with some mortification, I later found out I missed only two questions on one of the exams. Annnnnd so the unnecessary overstudying lesson has been learned. And not a moment too soon for second year.

We celebrated the end of the first year the best way we know how: with margaritas and nachos, and then an all night BUSM-only dance party at a bar in the Financial District called the Vault. It was sweaty, it was drunken, but it still had just the hint of class.


Since the end of school I went home for a few days to see my family again, this time without the uneasy burden of two finals. I also caught up with most of my old high school friends. We went out for my first legal drink in Kansas City (wow), and did stuff that I only do with my high school friends (namely play Hearts and Catchphrase and talk about how silly we were in high school). We did summery stuff, like have a delicious barbecue, but mostly I stayed home and enjoyed the luxury of the time to read all the Harry Potter books again.


When Andrei and I got back to Boston, we started making a Boston Bucket List of things we wanted to do this summer. One of these we crossed off by catching an early ferry to the Boston Harbor Islands, where we whiled away an entire day with leisurely hiking, having a picnic, reading, and sleeping on a blanket in the grass. It was superbly satisfying and humbling to be able to see the Boston skyline from the islands, yet still feel a world away from city life. We definitely plan to go again later this summer, because besides being an awesome time, getting there and back only costs $14. I've paid to see movies for more than that in Boston!


The island in the last picture used to be the site for a horse rendering factory and a landfill for Boston, but it got a makeover when the the city laid the dirt from the Big Dig onto the island to fill the landfill and beautify the island. I wish I were kidding, but it was beautiful nonetheless.

Anyhow, today was the first day of work. It started at the ungodly hour of 7.30AM (had to wake up at 6AM just to get there in time), and it was dead boring. But for sitting through orientation for 8 hours we were handsomely paid nearly $150, so you won't hear much complaining from me.

More about the program tomorrow or Wednesday when I get a better picture of what I've gotten myself into. (The director's words, not mine!)