July Recap 2016

     I don't know how it was for you, but for me, the month of July was definitely the month of freedom. Apart from celebrating the Fourth of July holiday, July was the month that I was liberated from the chains of SPP and my was that amazing. I feel that this month felt a bit more laid back than many of the previous months. In true summer fashion, I feel that the month had a lazy feel to it, which is a lovely calm before the storm that is coming in August!

Highlights

     Fourth of July weekend is a bit of a tradition that I started with my Chicago squad last summer, so even though I was impossibly busy, I couldn't bring myself to break tradition. As I was in the midst of studying for finals, we kept our get together pretty low-key. We had drinks and dessert on Megan's rooftop, followed by watching the Navy Pier fireworks on Oak Street Beach. The desserts were delicious, the conversation delightful, and my heart was definitely full with friendship. I brought along my roommate Emily and our friend Derek for the festivities and it was a bittersweet moment since they'll be at a completely different campus next year. I was so blessed to have met them during the program and it was so difficult to say goodbye to them. Of course, we plan to keep in touch and visit one another, but knowing that we won't be able to have the same classmate dynamic is a bit heartbreaking. It was so cool to meet my first set of future doctor friends and I can't wait to make more during my M1 year, but Emily and Derek will always have a special place in my heart.

My SPP fam<3

Delicious fruit tart courtesy of Emily and Megan's picture worthy pie

One of my favorite views with two of my favorite people

     The following week, SPP concluded and the T.A.s threw us a party on our last day to celebrate! I didn't happen to snap any pics, but I did take a picture with my friend, Dante, so I'll include that below. Otherwise, the rest of the week I spent catching up on all the sleep that I had lost in the previous six weeks. We did happen to make a trip up to Michigan for a beach day, and that is where I snapped the lovely pic for one of my previous posts.

My favorite M2!

Look familiar?

     The following Saturday was incredibly busy for me. I met up with Meg and Chandler for 9 A.M. brunch, then I went over to Elida's house so we could go to the beach for her friend's birthday, and then I finished my night by meeting my family to celebrate my cousin Rob's birthday. I left my house at 7:45 A.M. that morning and I didn't return until 2:00 A.M. the next morning. It was well worth it, though. I was so glad that I got a chance to meet up with Meg and Chan since the three of us hadn't gotten together in quite some time. We ventured out to Logan Square to have brunch at this place that I've been dying to try, and let me tell you, it was probably one of the best brunches that I've ever had. Meg and I split a plate of chicken and waffles and a plate of biscuits and gravy. Both were amazing. I had never had chicken and waffles before, and I was very happy with what I tried. We will definitely be going back there! Afterward, we had a little photoshoot courtesy of my "blog husband", Megan, who always makes sure to help me do things for the blog. We obviously dragged Chandler into it, because what photoshoot would be complete without bestie pics?

Our Delicious Brunch at Longman & Eagle

Me getting my sass on

Super lucky to call them my best friends<3

I was super happy she let me have my good side:)

Later that night with the fam

     The Tuesday after, Elida and I took a little road trip to Indiana Dunes State Park. I had been to the park before, but it had been quite a while since I had last been and I don't think I had ever fully hiked the dunes. The scenery was pretty, but the hot, humid weather that we'd been having in the midwest made the hike slightly less enjoyable. Nonetheless, we completed our almost 6-mile hike. The last portion of the hike was along the lakeshore and although it was beautiful, it was super hot. Sadly, we didn't bring anything to swim in, so we couldn't take a dip. We did get our feet wet, so that helped us a little bit, but also provided for a sandy ride back home. As always, I love exploring places with Elida, so it was a great trip.

One of my favorite pics

The beautiful lakeshore

The dunes...glad we didn't pick that trail

Nothing but miles of empty beach

I would've given anything to dive in

Glad we were getting away from the bugs...but were apparently about to risk sunburn

Misnomer. Paradise wouldn't have any bugs :p

This part made me feel like I was in Jurassic Park

Navigating through the forest

     Last weekend, I just spent time at home. I did drive up to visit G for a beach day, but I didn't happen to take any pics. We went to the beach for a while and then went back to her place and ordered some yummy Chinese food. It had been a while since we had a chance for some one-on-one time, so that was really nice. 

     The remainder of July I will be spending getting myself ready for my move to the city. I have a couple of DIY projects and packing that I have to do but otherwise, I'll just be spending time with my family. I want to get as much time with them now that I am at home as I will miss them a lot when I'm in the city.

Looking forward

     Next month holds so many life changes for me and I can't wait to begin this new chapter in my life! I'm sure you guys are tired of reading it, but it is so incredible that everything that I have worked for is right around the corner. This is everything that I've been dreaming of and it has finally been made a reality, so you can imagine my enthusiasm is through the roof. By this time next month, I will have had my first couple weeks as an M1, and that is absolutely crazy! I can't wait to tell you all about it:)

     Thank you for taking the time to take a little glimpse into my life. I hope you guys had an incredible month and I will be talking to you soon!

~Genesis<3

   

Apartment Planning

     

     As of Sunday, I have two weeks left before moving into my new apartment! So, you can imagine that I've been spending quite a bit of time thinking about how I'd like to decorate my new space. The only issue is that I don't quite remember how big my space will exactly be. When we went in for a tour, we saw quite a few places and the apartment that we chose was furnished when we toured it, so it makes it a tad difficult to visualize the space. Regardless, I love interior design, so I've been throwing around some ideas of what I'd like to do.

Bed Area

How dreamy is this bedroom?!?

     I've been a pretty big fan of the white bedroom trend and that's what has been on my mind for my new space. I love the simplicity of a white room. White tends to make a space feel so bright and open, but I also love that it serves as the perfect backdrop to add in other elements. I just bought this really pretty white comforter, so that'll be perfect for the look I am going for and will work really well with the coral sheets that I already have. I plan to keep the bed overall white but bring in coral and turquoise elements. 

Desk

     I LOVE desks. I know it probably has to do with my love of stationery, but this is where I've been planning/daydreaming a lot. 

I love this desk space! I also thought it was cool how the gallery wall had my initials:)

     

     I know I want to go with a simple, white desk but I want to dress up the area above it with a gallery wall of sorts. I've been wanting to make a gallery wall for a while and I've seen hundreds of ideas on Pinterest, but I'm still trying to think of what elements I'd like to incorporate. I have a little canvas that I painted one of my favorite quotes on, and I'd love to include that among white frames.

This has been the main inspiration for what I'd like to do.

     Another must have for me is a comfy chair. Sitting for hours at a desk really takes a toll on your bottom if you don't have something comfortable to sit in. My mom has a chair almost identical to the one pictured above in our spare room, so I'm hoping it works well with the desk that I have picked out. It would be perfect to just sit back and study in, that and it just makes the room look a little bit more elegant than a regular desk chair would. 

Other Spaces

     I am sharing the rest of my apartment with my roommate, so I really haven't put a lot of thought into our communal spaces. We'll both be bringing stuff, so I'm sure it won't exactly all match, but it's a grad school apartment, so that's assumed. The bulk of my kitchenware is turquoise and some of the furniture I am bringing is gray, but I don't know what else my roomie will be bringing.

     I do get my own bathroom, but I don't exactly remember what color scheme they had in there. I'm honestly just waiting to move in, so I can plan out how I'm going to decorate everything else, and also to see what else I need for storage. I do have a closet in my room, but I know I have tons of clothes, so I have to find a way to make that all work for me.

Inspiration

    My main sources of inspiration come from Pinterest (as you've noticed from my screenshots), but another place that I like to check out is YouTube. You can find a ton of room/apartment tours, but I recently came upon a channel called Mr.Kate where an interior designer shows how she decorates different spaces and I've been pretty obsessed with her videos. To be honest, her style can at times be too eclectic for my taste, as I tend to like more of a classic look, but she incorporates a ton of DIYs into her designs, so it's really cool to watch the things she creates. 

     For now, that's as much as I have planned out. Once I move in, I'm sure my creative juices will be in full force, so I'll share what I come up with. I can't wait to check out my new canvas. 

I hope you guys had a fabulous weekend and I will talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

Being A Gunner In Medical School

    During SPP, while reviewing parts of the cadaver, our rising M2 stated, "If you really want to be a gunner" before continuing to add in details that we weren't going to be tested on, but would certainly need to know in the future. My roommate and I chuckled at his statement to which he responded, "Being a gunner isn't a bad thing. Wanting to know more doesn't make you a bad person." When he said that, It really got me thinking. 

     Typically when anyone talks about someone being a gunner, it has a negative connotation because a gunner is someone that tends to go above and beyond in their pursuit of knowledge, and this often includes bringing people down in the process. When you hear of gunners in medical school, these are the students that sabotage their classmates in order to get the highest grade. I am certainly not suggesting that you become this type of gunner, but I do think being the type of gunner that our T.A. was describing is something that you should do.

     When I think about being a medical student, I think about how much of an honor it is that I've been selected to pursue this career and how it is a privilege to learn all the things that I will be learning. While in cadaver lab this summer, something that frequently crossed my mind was how incredible everything I that I was seeing was and that many people would never be able to see it. Of course, I know looking inside a body cavity would be the last thing many people want to do, but just the sheer fact that I got to do it blew my mind. If I've been given this incredible opportunity, why wouldn't I want to make the most of it? 

     So, in your academic pursuits, gun away. Take advantage of every learning opportunity, push yourself to acquire as much knowledge as possible because not only will it make you a great student, but it will also make you a better doctor in the future. One thing, though, never do any of this at the expense of another. Something that was incredibly evident while in SPP is how important it is to have a positive connection with your peers. After all, we are all enduring the very same struggle. One of my favorite quotes is "A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle." I believe this also holds true in the sharing of knowledge. If you understand something well, it won't hurt you to help a classmate. If anything, you are just reinforcing the knowledge. Also, something that might happen when people see that you work hard is that they give you a hard time. Let them say what they want. You are doing what you need to do, to become the person you want to be and not everyone is going to understand that.

     Hopefully, I have inspired everyone to get out there and slay whatever it is that needs slaying. Have a wonderful weekend and I will talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

     

Dry Shampoo Review

     As part of maintaining my blonde hair, washing less frequently has been a necessity, and with that of course, comes finding a way to get rid of grease in between washes. I naturally tend to have oily hair, so dry shampoo has been a product that I've been using for a while. Recently, I feel that I've come across products that have really left an impression on me and obviously, I'd like to share the knowledge!

Osis+ Refresh Dust

     This dry shampoo was one of the first salon brands that I tested out and Schwarzkopf as a brand has some really great products, so I expected just as much from their dry shampoo. This particular dry shampoo works best for short-term use (i.e. we are just trying to extend in between a wash or so), but doesn't really do well for heavy duty use (at least not in my hair). Although it isn't my number one, it still is on my top five list mainly because it smells great and it does a great job not leaving a grey-cast in my hair.

AG Hair Simply Dry Dry Shampoo

     Ever since trying AG hair products in March, this product has been my ride-or-die. This dry shampoo does an excellent job keeping up with me no matter how long I would like to go in between washes (Which is typically around every three days...maybe four if necessary). Something that I've also noticed is that this is one of those dry shampoos that I don't have to pile on. I can put some on one day and the next day it still has pretty good oil control. As with other AG products, the scent is lovely, and it sprays on without leaving a residue. 

Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Dry Shampoo

     This product was a recent discovery for me and let me tell you, I was impressed. I picked this up on a whim because I wasn't going to get a chance to make it to a salon store with my sister, so I bought this one at my local Target. This was pretty much the only dry shampoo that I used during SPP, and I thought it worked just as well as my beloved AG Simply Dry. Best part? It was only 5!!! So for the people that want to stay at a drugstore price point, I highly recommend that you try this one as it's probably the best drugstore dry shampoo that I've tried. 

Using Dry Shampoo

     

     To get the most out of your dry shampoo, it is best to apply about 4-7 inches away from your scalp and then give it some time to soak in. I typically will apply my dry shampoo and then will go off to do my makeup. When you've given it some time to settle, just use your fingers to work it into your scalp and then massage out the rest. In general, your hair will take some time getting used to not being washed as frequently, but using dry shampoo can help while you are in transition. Over time, your hair will get used to going longer between washes and you won't need to use as much dry shampoo.

     So, for the days that you woke up a bit late from your post-all-nighter nap and you don't have a lot of time to wash your hair, dry shampoo can be your best friend. Also, it is a great thing to use to freshen up after hitting the gym, when you don't want to walk out looking a hot mess, in case you run into the cute Histology T.A. 

I hope you are having a wonderful start to your week, and I will be talking to you soon! 

~Genesis<3

     

The Fitbit Life

     This post is something that I've been itching to write about since I first purchased my Fitbit back in May, but it didn't make sense to write a review until I had actually used it. Now that a couple months have passed, I feel like I've used it enough to give an honest review.

Overview

     The craze in the use of activity trackers has picked up in the past couple years as it seems everyone is on the fitness train. Although I had been interested in getting one for a while, I couldn't justify spending the money for one.  On a random trip to Target, I came upon this Fitbit Charge that was marked down to $69.99 (they are originally priced at $99) and I thought it was an incredible deal. My sister told me that she would pitch in for half of it as my present for starting medical school and with that, I honestly couldn't pass on purchasing it.  So, that brings us to this little blue guy that has been permanently adorning my wrist for the past couple months.

Things I Like 

     Although I don't think you need fancy accessories to live a healthy lifestyle, I do feel that having a Fitbit helps motivate you to make more of a conscious effort. The main thing that a Fitbit does is count your steps and how much activity you are getting in during your day. The original step goal on my tracker was 10,000 steps per day, so I decided to stick with that. In the grand scheme of things, that equates to your average daily activity plus about 30 minutes of actual exercise. To me, that seems pretty good to just ensure that you are getting some activity in. The tracker syncs up to a Fitbit app and that allows you to view your steps and your activity for the day. Additionally, the app allows you to input your water intake, your meals, and check your sleep, as the Fitbit tracks your sleep. I am pretty good about drinking my water, so that's not a feature I use too often and I am not that conscious about tracking every meal. I do like to check out my sleep pattern, though and of course, my steps and activity level. I like that I have a way to hold myself accountable for being healthy as I can go into my app and see the days that I didn't reach my goals. 

This is what the home page for the app looks like.

After a full-day including a workout.

     I haven't used this feature much, but I believe Fitbit connects to other health apps such as My Fitness Pal or Runkeeper so that you can have a better overall connection on your health. I am a huge fan of being able to sync everything up, so that's pretty neat.

What I don't Like

     Unfortunately, the Fitbit model I have doesn't track exercise super well, so although it can register that I did take steps and that I was active for a certain period of time, it doesn't register that I went for a run/walk. I believe the newer versions do happen to measure exercise, though. Also, an issue that I seem to have is that you can't input food/water data for a previous day. Sometimes, I don't have the time to be putting everything in at the moment of doing it, so it would be a nice feature to have.

General Consensus

     Having an activity tracker the past couple months has been pretty great. I have been able to assess what I've been doing with my health and motivate myself to get my 10,000 steps in for the day. I have also been able to see just how much activity I get in without actually "exercising". When I was in the city for SPP, I was easily getting my steps in just by walking around the neighborhood going to grab a coffee. Also, the first weekend of SPP, Em and I went downtown and walked around and I got about 20,000 steps in for that day. It was seriously crazy because it felt like a pretty casual walk around the city. Having a Fitbit isn't essential to your fitness routine, but it is definitely a great addition. I love having one and I'm currently trying to see how I can get the most out of mine.

     I hope my review helped you if you were on the fence about getting one. Have a great rest of your week! I'll talk to you soon! 

~Genesis<3

Life After SPP

     Hello! So, as you can probably imagine, the last couple days I've been busy trying to adjust to being a normal person. I didn't plan out this week's blog posts as well as I could have, so here we are... But, there were definitely a couple things going through my mind, and I figured I could write about that for today's post. 

     First thing, adjusting from a schedule where studying is all I would do to not having a plan at all was quite weird for the first couple days. I didn't really know what to do with myself. It's like going from 100 to 0 real quick (high-five if you got where I was going with that;)), and that can be rather confusing. I've mostly been getting myself a bit more organized, spending quality time with family, and of course thinking about what I would like to do with this blog...that latter portion leads us to the next section.

     Second, Medical school is a month away! I can't even begin to tell you how surreal it feels to know that I am exceptionally close to initiating the genesis of my career. I've honestly worked my butt off to get exactly where I am right now, and although I'm very hard on myself most times, I've been rather proud of this moment. Most importantly, I am excited to share it with you guys! I don't know who follows me (Other than my best friends Megan and G. Hey dolls!), but I want you guys to see what this journey is like, as much as I can. I've been thinking about how much I'd like to share, as you can understand that this is very personal for me, and how much it's safe to share. I know other med bloggers that have posted where they go to school, but I don't personally know how that has impacted them. I can tell you that I attend one of two medical schools located in the Illinois Medical District of Chicago, but I think we shall stop there (if you've been reading my other posts, you'll be able to figure it out).  What my hopes for the future of the blog (the medical portions at least) are to share how my experience is going, what I've been learning, and how I cope with it all. I doubt it will be a glamorous experience, but that's medicine for you.

     Lastly, I wanted to say thank you to everyone who happens to take the time to check out my blog. I know at this point it's my fledgling brainchild, but the excitement I feel when I see my view count increase keeps me going. If there's anything that people would love to hear from me, I say either leave me a comment here or do so on Instagram. This will always be one of my creative outlets, but I also want it to be helpful. So, suggest away! 

     I hope everyone has been having a great start to their week! I apologize that this post is brief, but I will talk to you guys soon!

~Genesis<3

The End of SPP

     Hello! I know that it has certainly been a minute since I have posted anything, and for that,  I greatly apologize. The last week of SPP hit like a wave, so I had to take a step back in order to stay afloat. Thankfully, I will have a few weeks of rest before the beginning of M1 year, so you can expect to see more of me:)

The Final Struggle

     The last week and a half of the program were filled with knowing that the end was near, and with the end came our final hurdle. We finished our last regular exams on Monday and by Tuesday, the thought of finals was very clear in our minds. At that point, we had taken nine exams, but another five exams separated us from the end. Last weekend, I spent the majority of my time trying to prepare for exams. Exam day came and I just tried to give it everything that I had. Hitting "End Test" for the last time (for a while at least) was such an incredible feeling, but definitely surreal as being a quasi-medical student is all I have known for the past six weeks. Overall, I felt like exams went rather well, and we got results today that I did well in the program.  I am so thankful for this experience, and everything that it has allowed me to learn along the way. I've had a taste of what to expect in the next coming year (although I've been told that SPP definitely is more rigorous),  I've begun to build my peer network, and I've been able to verify that I am doing exactly what I love. Trust me, it's not easy, but in the struggle you remember that you are working towards everything that you've ever dreamed of and that is an incredible feeling. I can't wait to begin my journey towards the next four years!

Outfits

   
     Thursday: I was tryin to look put together, so I wore one of my favorite Express portofino shirts with my navy chinos.

     Friday: The warm weather called for shorts, so I whipped out a pair I bought for the summer. I LOVE nautical themed items, so these anchor shorts were a must buy for me. I went for one of my favorite pairings and paired my turquoise anchor shorts with a cobalt tank.

     Monday: It was my last set of normal exams, so I wanted to keep it simple. I went with a classic black and white look. 

     Tuesday: I was seriously loving this outfit. I picked up this top from Gap last summer and it's been so fun to wear! I think it's mostly because of the color.

     Wednesday: I brought out another top that had not yet made it's round. I got this one on sale from JCP from their Liz Claiborne collection.

Thursday: I went for bold combo pairing my daisy print pixie pants with my coral scalloped top. 

     Friday: We were getting to the weekend, so I wanted to just be a bit more relaxed. I paired a Gap tee with my Gap ripped jeans.

     Tuesday: It was the first round of finals, so I just kept it really simple. That and I wanted to wear my Kate Spade keds. 

    Wednesday: The struggle was real. I didn't have time to snap a pic, but I just wore my black zip leggings with a chambray shirt. I've shown both of them on the blog before, so I figured it's not a big deal.

    I hope you guys enjoyed the update! I am hoping that I can go back to a regular schedule next week. I need to think up some posts first:) I hope you guys have a fabulous week and I'll be talking to you soon!

~Genesis<3