Studying how to study

I must be a bigger dork than expected. As my break before hitting the books for class, I'm reading a book about learning styles and how to study.


Lesson 1: Environment matters. I focus best when I have a large, well lit desk and open sort of environment. Ideal: Fayetteville Public library. It's well lit, and it has large tables in large open rooms with natural lighting.

In my own apartment...I think I need to find a new home for the items on my desk. I need a large work space and the clutter is distracting. As for my personal biorythm...I'm pretty sure the time change messed that up. I'm tired all day and can't get up early to study... and I'm nodding off in my classes.


Lesson 2: Multiple intellegences. Howard Gardner's theory states there are different areas of "intelligence" that activate different parts of the brain. Different people favor different areas. There are now 8 recognized multiple intelligences:
-Mathematical
-spatial
-Kinesthetic/bodily
-intrapersonal
-musical
-naturalist - (ability to discriminate among living things...classify and organize etc).
-verbal/linguistic
-interpersonal

According to the little quizlets online and what not I seem to favor intrapersonal and musical over the other subjects. Being aware and utilizing the multiple intelligences can help make study sessions more effective.


Lesson 3: learning styles. Basically there are hundreds of ways to classify learning styles....some in the book i'm reading are...

- According to Pask:
Top Down/Holist/Global learners - learn by looking at big picture then the details. Forest --> trees
Bottomup/Serialist/Sequential learners -need information presented in an detailed, sequential manner. trees -->forest
Like most people, I'm somewhere in the middle, but I think I tend to favor the "Top Down" learning style. I'm always complaining about getting lost in the details. I also can't remember details as well as anatomy would like for me to. Perhaps I should outline the big picture then fill in the gaps instead of jumping into the details presented during class.

VAKT - Visual, auditory, kinesthetic, tactile
Visual learners - maybe 65% of population are this. These are the folks that have to write it down. If I don't write it down, it doesn't exist.
Auditory learners - have to hear it. I'm pretty sure this is not me. 30%
kinesthetic - whole body movement, imitation and practice
Tactile - touch-dominant

I seem to be more of a visual/tactile learner. I might as well not go to class most of the time...the book is much more helpful than lectures, but I suppose lectures help too.

Ok...so today during my studies I'll try to keep this stuff in mind. I think next lesson will be about reading effectively.


And now for a little Emily Dickinson

I felt a cleavage in my mind
As if my brain had split;
I tried to match it, seam by seam,
But could not make them fit.

The thought behind I strove to join
Unto the thought before,
But sequence raveled out of reach
Like balls upon a floor

Perhaps she didn't know her learning style and how to effectively use that to her advantage....or maybe she was just dead tired.

This time last year

<--october br="" last="" year="">This time last year, I was going on weekend hikes with Chase, going out with friends, watching movies, scrapbooking more. :) This year I'm stuck studying in doors a lot, but today I studied on the deck. If I had a table and a chair out there I think I would study out side more, but it was nice just sitting on a blanket with Gary. He's a good dog - sits quietly while I study. I'm feeling a lot better about school. All of my classes are very challenging, and I wish I was doing better in half of them...but I'm managing. I'm passing. Including quiz grades, I have 2 Bs and 2 As...and that's nothing to be ashamed of :) I've been really whiny about it lately which isn't at all the attitude I should have about vet school. There are a lot of students who would have love to have been here, but I was blessed enough to be offered admittance to vet school. God has blessed me exceedingly. I'm thankful for the opportunity to become a veterinarian, my friends (old and new), Chase, and my supportive family. My life is full of blessings, and I shouldn't let the challenge of vet school obscure that fact. Peace and joy to all of you!

Smoker

Smoker wasn't near what the 2nd years made it out to be. We didn't really get hazed, but there was a lot of beer. They sat the first years down and showed some slide shows, poked fun at our professors, and passed out beer after beer. I only drank one, which tasted roughly of watery bread. Gross.... After the video, everyone went outside and smoked cigars. They gave bubble gum cigars to everyone who refused to smoke (ie...me and some friends). However those that did smoke and drink....Some of my classmates were pretty trashed. I suppose Saturday wasn't the best of days for them. Before I left Smoker, someone was already throwing up in the bathroom...and the tradition of someone stripping at Smoker had been upheld (BLEH!!). There are some people who are going to be mad at themselves when classmates show them pictures of what they did. Just say no! Poor kids...

Bubble Gum cigars

Chase came! Yay!

My lab group!

It's a fun group.

FRIDAY

Here's another layout using Tara Dunstan products. I still need to upload it to DST, but I can't make up my mind if it's finished or not. Mostly used the So Tweet Kit..also Colourful Coasters, Chalky Checks (alpha), and Another White Alpha. Font is of course DJBkatieM.


I'm so happy it's Friday! This week wasn't bad at all, but I feel behind again! I'm starting to think it's impossible to keep up. One DAY of Anatomy puts me WEEKS behind. Studying the heart makes my head spin. However, Chase is coming to visit and that makes it all better....hehe...except I won't get as much done this weekend. Tonight is Smoker....I suppose if it's not to traumatic I'll blog about it later. I'm not really looking foward to it, but they (the ambigous they) tell the us (the VM1 students) it isn't that bad....

Week 5 layout!=

Of course I used mostly Tara Dunstan products for this (because she's the best designer out there). Full Credits in DST

I'm about to run off to the anatomy lab today. I hate anatomy! I like the lecture part ok...but then the actually memorizing every single structure just seems ridiculous and overwhelming. It looks like I'm more of a physiologist than an anatomist. From what I can tell, the two groups don't always get along. My physiology professors are always saying something along the lines of "well, here's the physiology lesson in anatomy" and this is normally only a summary of structure instead of the in depth crap I have to learn in anatomy. Ugh...looks like I'm not going to be an orthapedic surgeon (not that I wanted to). But who knows...maybe I'll catch on to this anatomy stuff yet...

This Week

So it's almost Wednesday, and despite my solemn vows to keep up with material this week...I find myself just getting behind again! Monday night I went to Wal-mart and cooked dinner. Tonight I did my bible study stuff. When you get out of class at 5, it makes it hard to fit everything in the evening. I need to go to bed at ten in order to stay awake through my classes. That leaves only 5 hours for walking and feeding Gary, taking a shower, cooking dinner, and eating. 5 hours goes by so quickly! GEEZE...how can I fit everything I want to do in one evening??


In other news, I rocked my physio test. Phyiology is one of those things that makes sense. Thank goodness something in vet school does!

Test tomorrow...

Well, I hope I'm ready for my physiology test. I really need to learn how to keep up with my material. I feel like I'm only putting out fires instead of preventing them, but it's hard to keep up with the sheer volume of material presented! So I'm going to try really, really hard to keep up! "Do or do not; there is no try" However, I'm not sacrifing my sanity and every minute of every day to keep up. Hopefully my best will be good enough! Ug.... how come I start the week already tired of studying? Thank goodness for Fridays!

Anatomy

So how did my anatomy test work out today? Well I studied all of Saturday and Sunday and I think I squeaked by with a passing grade, but not much better (C maybe?). The lab part was more difficult than I thought, but the lecture was easier. I completely froze on the muscles of the lower limb...deep digital flexor, extensor carpi radialis....yuck they all blended together. Unfortunately most of the test consisted of naming those darn things. I don't know how I did on those, but I don't expect to recieve a good grade on the practical. The lecture I know I made at least a C..so that means I'm in good shape for passing anatomy. I think I'll do better on the next anatomy exam. Although I didn't do as well as I would like on the first one, I learned from my mistakes. Next time I'll keep up w/ the lecture and be more aggressive learning structures in the lab. Now to move on to the next exam on Wednesday....Microanatomy. I'm just glad I don't have to have a rabies shot this Friday too! It would stink to have to have a rabies shot on my birthday!

Anatomy

So the panic regarding anatomy has for the moment subsided leaving a quiet determination in its wake. As long as I continute to ace the quizzes I need a 75% exam average for a B, 63% for a C, and a 51% for a D. Anatomy will not be the end of my vet school career. I will persevere!

My weekend

Green tea. mmm.

Gary's life is so good. He never has to worry about stuff...

Picture from my dissection guide. I get tested on these tomorrow...plus a billion more!

Drinking from a firehose

Anatomy is overwhelming. The pelvic limb makes me want to cry. The pelvic limb and the thoracic limb combined...heaven help the VM1s. I feel like I'm drowning.

Dr. Seuss and My Many Colored Days

Dr. Seuss sums it up....I'm ready for a pink day!

Some days are yellow.
Some are blue.
On different days
I'm different too.

You'd be surprised
how many ways
I change
on different
Colored Days.

On Bright Red Days
how good it feels
to be a horse
and kick my heels!

On other days I'm other things.
On Bright Blue Days
I flap my wings.

Some days, of course,
feel sort of Brown.
Then I feel slow
and low, low down.

The comes a Yellow Day.
And, WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE
I am a busy, buzzy bee.

Gray Day...
Everything is gray.
I watch. But
nothing moves today.

Then
all of a sudden
I'm a circus seal!
On my Orange Days
that's how I feel.

Green days.
Deep deep
in the sea.
Cool and quiet fish.
That's me.

On Purple Days
I'm sad.
I groan.
I drag my tail.
I walk alone.

But when my days
are Happy Pink
it's great to jump
and just not think.

Then come my Black Days.
Mad. And loud.
I howl.
I growl at every cloud.

Then comes a Mixed-Up Day.
And WHAM!
I don't know
who
or
what
I am!

But it all
turns out all right,
you see.
And I got back
to being.....
me.

Study break

A little bit of scrap-therapy during my study breaks today. Credits in DST gallery.

This week...
Monday - Anatomy lab quiz
Tuesday - Physiology quiz
Wednesday -Histology quiz
Thursday -Anatomy lab quiz, Cell Biology Exam 1
Friday - Anatomy lecture quiz, Rabies shot 2

Love you guys!

Next Week

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever
Mahatma Gandhi

Friday night I had some friends over for a movie night :) Saturday I scrapbooked and studied most of the day. Today I went to church. The lectures in church are going to be based on the book unChristian for the next couple of weeks. It's about how non-Christians perceive Christians to be hypocritical, boring, conservative, judgmental folks only concerned with world domination by "saving" others. It should be interesting. Based just on Christians around you, would you want to be a Christian? I also signed up for a Tuesday night women's bible study in order to stay grounded in the Word. Forging some relationships outside of my vet school bubble is probably a good idea too. If there's drama in my class, I'll have a place to escape.

This next week is going to be a bit hectic. I have 4 quizzes, 1 exam, and another rabies shot. I felt a bit achey last night, but now the pain has faded from the first shot. Everything moves so fast! We cover so much material so quickly, I'm having to adjust my study habits. Just because I have a quiz in one class doesn't mean I can only study that one class the night before. I have to study most classes every day just to keep up. But so far, so good. I feel ok about my first Cell Bio quiz and I made a 100% on my first anatomy quiz (it was really easy though. It had a word bank). This next week will be trying, but I'm not anxious about it - not worried about it anyway. I'll handle it the best I can, and that's all I can do.

One of my lab groupies said that we're learning so much so fast, something in my brain is going to have to go to make room for the new material. Apparently that true...after looking for 30 minutes for my pen to my wacom tablet, I finally found it in the dishwasher. The dishwasher!!! Thank goodness I look there! What if I had washed it? I must be losing my mind!

The Thoracic Limb

Do I really need to know every little bump (tuberosity)? It just seems like so much material. I'm not sure if I can fit it all in my brain! Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday! I can catch up over the weekend and focus on my courses under control. I'm starting to wonder if it is possible to keep up with classes in vet school. I think feeling behind is just a part of my new life as a vet student. I'm really not sure if I can study any more tonight. My brain has had it for the night! But this is what I have always wanted to do, so I'm enjoying it despite all of the studying. I think I'll like it better when I'm out of anatomy. One of my friends gave this explanation...As a pre-vet student you are thirsty for knowledge of veterinary science...vet school is like trying to take a drink out of a fire hose at full blast.


Unfortunately the first of my rabies shots is tomorrow. Anatomy quiz + shot....fabulous.

Terrifying...

Anatomy no longer scares me...it absolutely terrifies me. 200+ structures in one week just in the dog....plus many of those are muscles with origins, insertions, and innervations...we're doing the dog and the cat simulataneously. How am I going to learn all of this??

Vet School Week one

Observations:
1. There is more material than my brain can hold or that I could ever hope to study thoroughly in the time given.
2. The capacity of my brain must be stretched through daily study...make that constant study from sunrise to sunset with breaks to walk and feed Gary and feed myself.
3. Previously used study techniques applied in college are no longer applicable do to sheer volume of information and time constraints.
4. I thought the bones had too many names...Oh..the muscles....the muscles... I will be carrying my box of bones, text books, and notes home this weekend. I wonder...are dog bones allowed in carry-on luggage?

First day of vet school...my new best friend

Meet my new best friend...my handy, dandy box of dog bones. I'll spend hours staring at bones and naming every minute notch, bump, and groove on them. I should come up with a name for him (or her). How about...Christopher. Yup that will work. Christopher my skeleton dog.

My first day of vet school wasn't too bad. I only have anatomy to study tonight. Cell bio and physiology didn't worry me, but microanatomy (histology) and anatomy will both be difficult.

Planned Abandonment

Well, I'm officially moved into my new apartment. It was a family effort so we made quick work of it. Of course some time will be needed to really get settled in, but I'm off to a great start. Thanks family and Chase!

Dad helping with the dishes.

I'm assembling a toilet paper holder.

George is assembling a shelf.

Mom's helping with my computer desk.



So here I am...just me and Gary. My family departed my new place almost an hour ago. I guess this is what parents raise their children to do - leave home and set off on their own adventures and write thier own life stories. As they left me waving in the parking lot, I felt a little sad. But a las...this is what I've been working for most of my life. Besides, it's not really premeditated abandonment, because I know I can always depend on my family wherever life takes me. I think Gary is going to have a harder time than I will. He's been licking his paws, moving from room to room (movement is generally unusual for Gary), and not eating his full 6 cups of dog food per day. It'll take some time for us to adjust. I can't wait for Anna to move in too :)