Education2- There is an earthworm in my latte

I realized my blogging hiatus has gone too far when Adrien called me out at a night club for changing my URL and not letting everyone know. I'm honestly still surprised that people actually read this thing 😅

I have this one day of solace between my summer course and my DEATH studying begins so lets GET TO TYPIN'

Oh did I say "DEATH" ? I meant MCAT....oops?

YALL SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED SINCE JANUARY

I'm totally kidding. I live in a tiny city with even tiny-er amounts of free time to enjoy it.

I don't really have a plan to attack this post or even a clue of what to discuss but I think i'll just do word-vomit onto this forum and see if that works. TBH, that's what i always do and y'all aint complaining so BUCKLE UP Y'ALL - another random-as-all-get-out-brooke-blog-post is on its wayyyyy.

Let's just talk about school yeah? Because that's pretty much the only thing i know of right now and it's my comfort zone. There's always something to say about school. School= Life. Actually, I miss how we said it back in Sydney, 'Uni = Life'.

I wonder if they'd still call it 'uni' if you're in a graduate program? Hey Aussie mates, let me know. Maybe they'd call it "G-Uni"? But then again, that's too close to G-Unit and, once again- I digress.

**takes blogging break to dance to the classic throwback 'Stunt 101'. Sorry for any awful middle school/high school memories that might've triggered in any of you.**

Let's go back to school chat. This past semester I took a course called "Medical Physiology 1" with Dr. Baldwin and also a smaller course on "Biology of Cancer". While I found the Biology of Cancer course interesting, I learned SEAUX much in my MP1 course. Granted, while I was in the course, I thought I was 80% deceased the whole time. Looking back though, what an amazing experience. I am so proud of all that I accomplished and even more excited and in awe about the human body. It is truly intriguing what all goes on inside of us just to keep us alive.

This is our entire MP1 class in a photo taken by Dr. Baldwin

It is truly, truly, truly, awe-inspiring. Thank God I made some cool science-friends here that I can gush over it with b/c i got the sense my family and friends back home were like "God please make her stop talking about blood and urine in every conversation". I swear, in the month of February, I could spin any conversation into the many mechanisms of the Kidney. No joke, I was on the float for IRIS in NOLA and remember telling my Aunt about how the kidney filters your blood 60x a day (y'all thats like 45 gallons going through those tiny beans in your body every day. I'm still freaked out about how cool that is). Of course, I had to tell her in secret b/c I "wasn't allowed to talk about school" or even bring my binder with me on the float (my Uncle forbid it). ** i'm such a dork. how do i have friends?

I remember that parade being such a mix of emotions for me b/c it was both my golden birthday AND the weekend before a huge exam in that MP1 class. I was worried that I wasn't prepped enough for my exam but also wanting to live in the moment and enjoy the amazing-ness that is Mardi Gras in New Orleans with my family. But if you only have 6 hours to enjoy your golden, I'd definitely suggest spending it doing exactly this. I drove in the middle of the night, listening to recordings of Baldwin lectures (of course) to get there. I even got pulled over, about 250 feet from my aunt and uncle's house that night. Oops, hey mom and dad! I never told you about that.

It was totally innocent though, it was really late and i was coming from the direction of a bar so he was just checking to make sure I wasn't drunk. I kind of giggled and said "i wish" bc i was in my matching pajama set listening to lectures on the kidney. I mean how far off from a drunken saturday could I have been in that moment? Not much further, I assure you.

We rode the parade route.

• I accidentally hit many babies with beads.

• My aunt yelled at groups of boys that "this girl is single and is going to be a Dr. " as i ducked faster than a one-legged man in a butt kicking competition

• I drank room temp espresso in a water bottle while others had various alcoholic substances.

• I ended up hiding behind the wall for a bit bc i was "tired of people yelling at me"

It was a mess you guys. 🙈

I ended up doing okay on the exam. I don't remember exactly what I got on that specific exam but I got an "A" in the course and that's all that really matters.

this 3904382% accurate insta doodle by @planetprudence

These exams were the kind that made you forget english and the name of anyone you've ever loved since birth, including your own. There really should've been a time clock that started after your test and, only after two hours, would it let you get behind the wheel of any machinery. If that were a thing, however, you'd probably have a ton of 20'somethings sleeping on a hallway floor and then violently spazzing when the alarm went off saying "what time is it what day is it WHO AM I" and that may freak out the touring freshmen. I did this voluntarily during finals week though and had no repercussions - besides that of my pride, of course.

Oh yeah, and i cried by a dumpster once. That was also a shot to the pride. Other than those small...almost un-memorable and not at all life-scarring events, i handled the semester LIKE A BOSS. [?]

When It's your birthday but the kidney is life.

boring but important information:

Throughout the semester, I spent many a days/nights in the lobby and the library basement.

Pros for lobby: cozy chairs, big tables, and open 24 hours

Cons for lobby: there is constantly this ONE LIGHT BULB that buzzes on and off and it can drive any human mad without earbuds. people are more inclined to chat in your presence there. it is a bit chilly.

Pros for basement: little to no phone service, bad wifi, and silence. Oh its also super toasty in there.

Cons for basement: chairs not padded so booty falls asleep all the time.

The library was my usual go-to as i was most efficient there. When i say it is the best type of isolation, I'm not kidding. I was in there a couple weeks ago for my summer term course and the building was struck by lightning. while i was there. lightning hit us. (haha I say "us" like there were other people in the library this summer). I had zero clue. I didn't even know it was raining. Some lady, very nonchalantly walked over and was like hey ITS NOT A BIG DEAL BUT we just got struck by lightning so the library is closing early. --i just moved to the lobby.

y'all wanna know what else is great about the library? it's one block from the coffee shop, CUPS --aka Heaven aka the blessed building aka life source 101 aka my pride and joy.

Pro Tip: if you order a "student cup" its 10 cents cheaper than the small and 30% bigger (guesstimating on percentage obvi). the baristas and I are already family, not a surprise for any of you i know. ALTHOUGH, i went in today. Not that I needed coffee for anything today but I guess it was more out of habit? Anyways, an old barista, turned new manager, was there and he....WAIT FOR IT...asked if I needed any room for creamer? I was so hurt. I know you know me bro, when have i EVER put anything in my coffee EVER. #offended

I usually just get the drip coffee of the day BUT sometimes the options are no bueno. I've compiled a list of either "order the drip coffee" or "just get the americano to be safe"

One time I ordered a soy latte and Harrison took

advantage by forming an earthworm in latte art.

I laughed so hard y'all. #blessed

Order the drip coffee:

• sumatra mandheling

• Captain Gabriels (Capt Gabe's as the cool kids call it)

• espresso blend

• blueberry cinnamon

• southern pecan

• hazelnut

• ethiopia yergacheffe

Just get the americano to be safe:

• fazenda da lagoa brazil

• after hours blend

• french roast

• creme brûlée

• white russian

• turkish blend

• coconut creme (solely bc i don't like coconut my b)

guatemala oraflama is in-between categories as i don't think it tastes great BUT it's just so much fun to order. go ahead, say guatemala oraflama and don't break out a fancy pose when you do.

Note, sometimes i go rogue and get a tea. charlie chan cha and ahh dang can't think of the name for the other one yet.

Note II, you can order "espresso ice cubes" as an addition to any cranky-drank you like

Note III, you can even order a single slice of bread for super cheap. Don't ask me how i found that out. I did this once and am not proud of it.

Oh my gosh, y'all have to meet Bertha.

Big Bertha in all her glory

She is 6 inches and 2934038290 pounds of pure knowledge. Can we just flash back to my previous post on the pre-packaged notes being not even 1.5 inches and me being like "oh boy this is going to be an insane class". lol at my own naivety.

Also, shoutout to my friends who still walked/sat by me even when i would carry this OBNOXIOUS binder around like my first born child. love y'all.

organizational skills on fleek

Shoutout to my TA's for helping me survive. In all honestly, it probably verifies them for saint hood. They were so understanding and helpful and provided so many mnemonics/charts that made this stuff almost do-able. I talked to my prof and REALLY hope I get to be that person for the next semester students (you have to be chosen). I was so grateful for their help. I would love nothing more than to spend my time doing that for people, if given the chance. Always searching for that do-good feeling inside, ya know? Also, can you imagine me walking into our first review session and slamming Bertha down on the table? they'd probably crap their pants. I know I would've - 112%.

#brookeforTA2017 is the hashtag we are going with.

trying to determine which is longer between our MP notes or our under eye bags, when the answer was two of the above all along.

7/1/17

#Education #Mississippi