Wow...crazy storms! and crazy people

HUGE storms in Dallas! The biggest I've seen in since before i started med school! St. Maarten, for whatever meteorological reason, just doesn't really get any thunder or lightening. However, lightening blasted the hell out of Dallas last night, with the appropriate accompanying crazy loud thunder! Fortunately, despite the noise, there are few things that put me to sleep better than a storm. It was very difficult to get out of bed this morning though! It poured all day, but the sun appears to be out at the moment. It may start raining again later though, so we'll see what happens. I hope it holds off while I go to the gym, and then starts right back.

Unfortunately, immunology class today was not half as exciting as the weather. We have the same guy for immuno that we had for micro, which is not the usual situation. I really can't say that I enjoyed the immuno class, which is a shame, because it's an area I need a lot of work in. Sadly, I think I'll be listening to either Kaplan or PASS to learn the immuno stuff well. I'm over the micro guy. But, we only have him half day tomorrow. Then, we have a much needed day off, which I'll be spending on micro, and then DR. GOLJAN for path! The whole class as been looking forward to this guy for weeks. In fact, he's the reason many people choose Falcon. He's basically the superstar of med school review, but he does not come without a few changes in the rules.

Since he is so popular, people sometimes try to sneak into his lectures, and often try to record them. Because of this, they do not allow anything electronic in the room, whatsoever, during his lectures, including cell phones, MP3 players, computers, bags, or even pencil cases. All you can bring are your books and pens (in a ziplock bag, or in your hand). They also are very strict on checking IDs (every time you walk in the door) and they lock the room over lunch break. Personally, I find these rules very easy to live by, but many people, sadly, do not.

I just don't get it. Maybe it's because my time in St. Maarten taught me that things aren't always how you'd like, and sometimes you just have to deal with it. But seriously, some people here are just acting like children. You should have heard the complaints when they announced the no bags or cell phone policy. You would have thought that someone just told them that their children were being taken away. Seriously people, why do you need anything but your books and pens in class? The answer is YOU DON'T. If you want to be on your cell phone or computer, don't come to class.

When they were told that they'd have to bring a ziplock bag if they needed a bag for their pens, someone seriously suggested that Falcon should provide the ziplock bags! Yes, you read that right, people are that ridiculous! Can you not carry your pens? Do you need that many colors, shapes, and sizes of writing instrument? I may be going on about this, but it really just blew my mind. They simply asked us to only bring pens and books to class, and people went crazy. The common concern was that they're adults, and don't need to be treated like children; that if they're asked not to record, they won't record. Yeah, OK, in a perfect world, that may fly. But, in the real world, it doesn't always work that way. And, by making a big deal over the rules, you're just proving that you're not quite as adult as you think you are.

So here's a little advice. On Sunday, when Goljan starts, show up with a pen (or 50 pens, in a ziplock bag) and your books. If that's not good enough for you, don't come to class, or tell Dr. Goljan how you feel about his rules. See how that works out for you.

P.S. - thank you to St. Maarten, for teaching me to just accept that things aren't always as I would like. And, to our TA who announced the rules, I apologize on behalf of my classmates for attacking you when there was nothing you could have done. I know it's a non-issue, you know it's a non-issue, and hopefully they'll figure it out soon enough.