The question is when do I have time to date? So instead, I’ll talk about the dates I do have. We used to call our Friday nights in White Hall, the building that our medical school classes are held in, date night because that’s pretty much what it was. Most of us would go home and take a nap or exercise or something until 6, 7, or even 8 PM and then bring our dinners to find a cozy room alone and study. That sounds like a wonderful date now doesn’t it?
I guess I’m starting to find out that while third-year has its own stresses, it’s own hours, and it’s own expectations, I have some evenings free and I’m learning what it is to be human again. First year I dated I had fun during the time that I could manage to spare and second year I lost a lot of myself and my freedoms while buried in the books. Now in third year, that’s kind of the opposite of how I feel. I attempt to use my time during the day to study and actively learn while I am with patients. I ask questions about things I don’t understand and during downtime I’ll read the quick explanations necessary to help me to stay up with the team. Sometimes I find that the treatments are almost second nature because of the way I was taught last year.
So what to do with this new found free time? Maybe a real date outside of the medical school’s walls? Maybe a girls day with my friends that I haven’t seen in a while? Maybe a mommy-daughter date for dinner somewhere halfway between here and home? I’m not sure yet but I’m enjoying the balance that I found here in third year.
