This just might be the most flamboyant polish I’ve ever had on my nails. Two coats of Deborah Lippman’s Happy Birthday over three coats of Revlon’s A Walk On The Beach. I think one coat of Happy Birthday would have been enough, except my curiosity got the better of me and forced me to try a second — I ended up putting on way too much on the first nail on accident and had to match my other nails lest I start over. (And I hate starting over, so…)

I’m not sure if I can handle how incredibly flashy this feels on my nails (I usually wear neutral colors or your traditional red/pink) or if I can even go to class tomorrow without feeling like I’m drawing attention to myself, hah.

Also, excuse the shitty picture — the Sigma lens that I bought to replace my Nikon kit lens still has yet to be shipped (something about being backordered, boo), and having to shoot this picture with a 50mm prime is way too difficult. The focal length had me stretch my arm wayyy too far for comfort.

The extent to which medical school has kicked my butt since the beginning of the year is astonishing. I have an 89.7 set in stone for my end grade for one of my classes (but still hoping for a merciful bump), and I’m set up for (maybe) 2 more by the end of this module. That’s 3 89s. I cannot. With. All. The. 89s. (Note to self: STUDY MORE???)

Other news: to end off my delightful round of tests last week (6 exams in 8 days, I’ve never experienced such hell), my dentist replaced 3 of my fillings and started on a root canal this afternoon. My life = :(

But on the bright side, I’m finally getting to straighten my teeth after my parents refused to justify the thousands of dollars needed to do so when other teenagers were doing it. I’ve spent years trying to hide the imperfection so that I would look “normal” in pictures (show my left side more prominently, only open smiles when there’s flash involved, etc. etc.), and now I by this time next year I won’t have to….needless to say, it’s been a kind of thorn in my side ever since my permanent teeth started growing in. Crossing my fingers for no mishaps!

Other other news: I’m having a bit of a blog identity crisis. I’m playing with the idea of “merging” this blog with Drama Hour here — there wouldn’t be reviews or anything like that, but more of some occasional gushing about dramas I might currently be watching. The “theme” of this blog has yet to be decided, but I figure if this is to be my own personal blog, it would be a fusion of school, life in general, and Asian pop culture. (And NAIL POLISH. I seem to have developed an addiction lately.)

Late reflection post is late, but here we go!

In 2011, I:

• graduated from the best university in the country (us Longhorns have immense school pride),
• was accepted to medical school, only to feel way over my head when I actually started,
• made lots of amazing new friends, and
• traveled to Taiwan for the first time.

For me, 2011 was a year of realizations. I think I’m finally becoming aware of what kind of sacrifices are exactly made when you commit to the decision of wanting to become a physician. I’ve had the luxury of entering medical school straight from undergrad (the “traditional” student), so I can’t even begin to fathom what it’s like for my much older classmates…but in my case, just even reaching the epiphany that most of my 20s will be spent in a library or in a hospital, trying to fill my brain with thousands upon thousands of minuscule (but important) factoids was a bit dampening. Most of my friends are either working or about to work, and by the time I graduate from medical school (earning -$40,000/year), they will probably be working their way towards buying their first houses or settling down. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN SO FAST.

But despite how much it seems like I hate medical school, I know this was the right decision for me. It’s a contradiction, really — I hate how much time I need (and do) put in to my studying, but I love learning so many things about the human body. Time feels like it’s moving by so slowly, and yet I’m inching closer and closer to the end of my first year. Yesterday was the day Texas applicants matched to their medical schools — it feels like it was just literally yesterday when it happened for me. I know more things that I ever thought I could know, and there’s so much more to learn. I’m turning yet another year older…where has the time gone?

I think 2012 will be a very exciting year for me. I get to travel to Nicaragua for Spring Break on my first medical mission trip, and I have research lined up for the summer that I’m actually interested in. I want to make this year a memorable one, while bettering myself in the process. (How cheesy is that? I feel so old.)