Ayesha Saeed Malik
2nd year MBBS


I've been wanting to write a blog for a while now, but never been able to find the time... or maybe I had the time but not the mind to put my tales in black and white. In my defense, I've been extremely busy and when I am not, I am usually too tired to contract my muscles let alone use my brain.
But, who do we blame for such abominable consequences?

'What did you say?'
' MBBS?'
 That's the right answer! Bonus points for you.

One whole year has walked by, more like 'galloped away' if we're being meticulously precise. 
I remember that it'd been my first week in med school and I was already counting off the days when I'd be free of this place; be able to walk out in the wild world, welcomed by freedom....it seemed a very long journey back then, but now it seems not even to wait for its passengers to board elegantly. 
KEMU seemed like a cage in the initial days but it feels like a home now although it still takes all of my diligently saved up energy to wake up in the morning, get dressed and head for university. There are days which seem to be everyday lately, that even the prospect of getting out of bed and having to face all the lectures and the newly brewing summer heat (because in pakistan nature seems to skip spring altogether and jump off to summer, always so eagerly) tires me. 

Those of you zealots who want out of first year and into 2nd year quickly, hold your horses because unlike first year, 2nd year is all about walking in your old worn out shoes. It's the same old Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry but if you think that with changing times attitudes (of the esteemed teachers and staff) are bound to change for better, I herald a bad news, it seems only to get worse, dear innocent children. Many of you will disagree and you have every liberty to do so because well, we live in a free world. (thank thy lord)

Trust me when I say this, that doing limbs is a lot more easier than doing abdomen and pelvis which is all but, understandable. You would think that practice makes a man perfect and that humans are capable of adapting to changing environments because that is what Darwin taught us however, I am still trying to adapt to the tougher ways of medicine; trying to improve, learning from my previous mistakes, making an astounding study time table and exerting myself ever more devoutly to studies than I did last year, but that is where the theory of evolution loses me because I am not evolving, I am still suffering; still trying to make sense of my deplorable text books, still hanging by the cliff and relying more on last hour prayers than my efforts at vanquishing test syllabi, still failing to reduce my sleep hours and utilizing them in favour of BD Churassia....
Sometimes I think I ought to sit down and have a one on one talk with Darwin's ghost over a cup of tea because as much as I hate to reveal it publicly I seem to have proven his life's work erroneous. 

First Year is all lilies and daisies, everything is so shiny and adorable with cherries on top but by the end of the year you've lived through everything once, hence, its reiteration wears off the charm sooner than you'd like. 
I recall that once like you, we were little dancing bunnies too for whom a mere substage was the hardest hurdle to hop across in our perfectly constructed woodland. But as the wise men say: All things good, come to an end and all lives must sacrifice their blood and sweat to feed the greedy bellies of this world. So, we were met with the beast called PROFF to fight for our rightful position in the over populated kingdom of Medicine. Mind you, that the after math of this battle did not create glorious conquerors (as it does in the movies) but dark, twisted, disillusioned, damaged and permanently scarred men with compromised mental health. 





However, those of you untainted souls who can't bear the gruesome facts of life please by all means do not pay attention to what I just said. There are still gummy bears and jellies out there for you, there are still rainbows and unicorns and a beautiful eden full of fuzzy warm hugs and cuddling bears to wrap you up in its cozy embrace and shelter you from all known evil.



As for I, who might've scared you out of your wits, also bear glad tidings so do pay heed, little ones.
         
                                     THINGS TO CRAM:

1. As of this year attend all the events at KE because you need to decide for yourself what events are worth attending, next year and/or onwards.

2. Be part of the societies you deem worthy of your time because sometimes you'll have to give up your lectures. I know it wont be much trouble for you but since 'no proxy' scheme is high and running these days, you have to be wise.

3. Class functions and Welcomes are fun. Dress up and transform into someone very good looking. I know, I know you all are stunners but add up some extra sparkle for the night you don't know whose interest you may ignite? 



4. Even if you're dying make sure you die on the trip but DO NOT MISS IT FOR THE WORLD. OKAY? Even if you've been to murree a gazillion times before, even if you've been there a week before, hell, even if you were there a day before, I don't care. Get up, pack your bags and GO! Go with your pals and have the time of your life! Because if you don't, the regret will kill you. It will literally suck the joy out of you and you'll never be a happy person again. Ever!



5. The life as you knew it, is over and you have to visit your bookshelves, dust off your text books and be a good kid 'cause you gotta pass and you gotta pass in one year. No supplies. No easy way out. You have to study like it's the end of you. Bad times pass too, excruciatingly slow, but they do. So keep hanging there. You can do it.
6. When you'll pass, trust me, it'll be worth all the sleepless nights, anxiety and torment. It'll b the happiest feeling on earth. 
And then you should go party and party hard! Okay? 'cause you owe yourself this much!



7. Go ahead and live your lives, make memories, cry over them when you're 50 year old. Make your mum and dad proud. Go out in the world, save lives,save humanity. They need you. We need you. Let's make this world a happy place, a better place. Dwell in your little positively contagious delusional bubble, make your own report of life and rock this world because you all are superstars!  

So yup, that's it. 7 golden points of wisdom that you won't find anywhere else not even if you dig up the Himalayas or hitch hike across the Sahara. So be smart and grab onto them for your sake.

 Signing off in good will.
                       
                                          TOODLES!