Sitting in the classroom and contemplating about the beginning of my medical school career has left me in a somewhat exhilarated yet drained state. I remember waking up on the first day of orientation on an air mattress in a very empty apartment room and thinking to myself, “I’m actually here…and that I really need to get some furniture.” Besides that, I couldn’t believe I was officially starting medical school. What was is it going to be like? What are my fellow students like? I was in a state of intense anxiety, compounded by the dire need to use the restroom.
Apprehension set in as I walked through the doors of Forscheimer. All around me were people I didn’t know but would soon be my colleagues for the next four years and beyond. The whole first day of orientation was a blur of activity, greetings, and new faces. Like a never-ending torrent, massive amounts of information racked my brain on top of the names and faces I kept hoping to remember so as to avoid the awkward second meetings. Reflecting back on the events of that day, the enormity of my journey as a medical student really sinks in. I can finally say that I’m starting, but where will the journey lead and how will I handle the path to get to the finish line. Needless to say, more anxiety ensued.
