One Down . . .

It's official.  I have completed my first Semester of Dental School!!  My first Semester consisted of 13 classes of which 4 will continue into next Semester.  That means that I had 9 classes that I have completed and been graded.  I can honestly say that it wasn't as bad as I had thought it would be but it was very, VERY, busy and time consuming.  I realized a few things about myself and my capabilities.  First - It is amazing at how much information you can take in and remember!  You would honestly be amazed at what you are capable of handling.  Each class roughly lasts 2 hours and you cover what you would normally cover in 1 Semester of undergraduate classes.  At first it is intimidating and then you just submerge yourself in the process and eat that elephant one bite at a time!  Second - I really, really, really enjoy working with my hands and doing the Dentistry aspect of this experience.  It can be frustrating and over-whelming at times but if you just keep trying . . . it will finally come to you!  Thirdly - It is amazing at how close you become with the other 79 individuals who are in this fight with you.  This is different from anything that I have ever done.  Usually everyone is only concerned with their performance and if they have information that you don't then that is just the way it goes.  Here it is different.  Information is freely shared and if you try a technique that works better, then you tell everyone so that it will help them as well.  My next Semester will start in January and I will start a new slate of courses that will provide their own new challenges.  They say that the hardest thing we will do next will be Head and Neck Anatomy.  They say it isn't that you are dissecting a dead body but all of the new terminology that accompanies it!  We will see.  That leads me to the last thing that I have realized.  I have been told by so many that this first Semester would be Hell and now that I have been through it I think that my Hell is different from theirs.  I think my Hell would kill them!

Done!!