KEVIN: Ice to See You

Since I last posted, we’ve finished our first year and had an epic three week vacation. The new M1s have started their classes, and their bright faces are a welcome sight compared to ours, which have grown haggard, worn, wrinkly and old. Personally, I’ve moved into my new place in downtown Decatur, and am gradually stocking the place with furniture. This is an insidious process, and when your furniture doesn’t arrive for FIVE WEEKS, you must adapt:

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Two weekends ago, I attended my friend’s wedding in San Jose, CA. It was a fantastic event. My brain can’t begin to comprehend the amount of time, energy, and money that went into the whole thing. Hundreds of guests, a twelve course dinner, enormous wedding cake, and about 3000 wine bottles are but wedding staples these days. Newer weddings are all about the ice sculptures, photobooths for your guests (and their girlfriends) to take pictures to paste into your sign-in book (this was actually brilliant), and live dance performances by America’s Best Dance Crews:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS19igjtXPg (skip to 1:55)!

The twist is that my friend was planning this event while completing his first year of medical school at the University of Wisconsin – similar to the four people in my class who also tied their knots during their summer breaks. The takeaway message is that your social life doesn’t disappear with medical school, as far as I can tell. It is certainly possible, and recommended, for students to modify their social lives to fit their education, spending their free time planning or attending weddings.

If anyone out there is reading this and still deciding where to apply, my advice to you is to find a school where students have at least some modicum of flexibility in their lives.

(Apply to Emory)