Reality Check

Ok. first week of classes went well...
positives-
1. I got a 100 on my first quiz (taken on the 1st day of class)
2. I still want to be a vet tech
3. I've got lorazepam for any panic attacks that may occur
(already had one on wednesday...not too bad, though)
also...don't worry, mariah's no junkie...i take 1/2 mg pill...nothing compared to some folks..just helps me calm down so i can focus, function (aka..talk to people instead of looking like a hunkered down surly hermit crab/turtle staring/glaring into space...ie..looking creepy and mean)
4. I've been talking to folks and interjecting in conversations...not worrying so much about how i'm percieved (ie..typically mariah overthinking the situation and ending up not participating at all)

negatives-
1. none, really.
i did have a bit of a panic attack on wednesday when we recieved our "CVTEA Essential Task List" ... the Committe on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities. A thin green bound volume containing everything that i should be proficient in at the time of graduation. each item must be witnessed, signed and dated by either a licensed veterinarian or veterinary technician. yeah. and its 52 pages long with tasks such as "dehorning cattle & goats, gastric intubation, restraining rats and expressing canine anal sacs" interesting stuff to say the least.

on Friday at my first Anatomy & Physiology class i had a mini-attack when presented with materials for the entire semester all at once. Three bound volumes. one thin & blue, a lecture outline. One green and about 110 pgs, part 1 of the prof. slide presentation (the text of her powerpoint slides) and last a thick white volume of lecture illustrations to accompany the powerpoint slides.
very convenient and helpful material, yes. makes it much easier to take notes, review material and pay attention in class. but...
to recieve it all at once on the first day of class...
just a little shocking. (not to mention that she immediatley launched into lecture and sped through 88 slides in 3 hours) we do get a ten-min. break every hour, though.
all of the prof. are good about that.

My schedule has turned out interesting.
I've got the same prof. for 2 classes (intro to animal science & intro to vet tech)
which meet 2x a week on Mon & Wed for about 75 min...back to back.
then Tues. I've got the same prof for lab (for the same 2 classes) that's 3 hour labs, back to back.
So, i only see one prof all day MTW.
ThF i have anatomy (3hr lab TH/ 3hr lecture F)

woohoo.
actually, i really am liking it.
its intimidating and a hard program, yes.
its not so much the difficulty of the material as it is the sheer mass we're expected to ingest in such a short time period. intense, to say the least.
and i still want to be here!
yeah!

ok, enough babble...got to study my vocab...got a test on Tues.