lab latte

back again, but this time, it'll be harder ;')) revalida exams? honestly i don't know what to expect or how to even juggle 2nd sem subjects with my old subjects that are in our revalida exams. But I WANT it. I BADLY want to stand on that stage, and be a Topnotcher, reclaim myself again because why not? It is definitely much harder and yet i still want it :)) genuinelyyyy want it. I want my parents to stand next to me during our pinning and capping ceremony, and tell them that "i did it!" once again — that God guided me again and again (as always) ;)

SO! back to this journey again, for my day 1, i finished planning for my week up until next week, i need to review my previous subjects, specifically CC1 and correlate it more with AUBF and Hematology because after all, they are all connected. But for today, it's me focusing on 2 lessons: carbohydrates and then lipids.

+ will also be reading a book afterwards! The Knight and the Moth.

So that's all ;)

Hi ka-medtech! 💉🩸

first of all—thank you for even asking that 😭 I’m honestly still in disbelief that I made it through and even placed fifth! truth is, i was so far from being focused all the time. i had burnout moments, mini meltdowns, and nights where i’d cry into my daily joe coffee and still keep studying bc the pressure was so real 😭 BUT i think what helped me stay consistent was:

reminding myself why i started, i wanted to prove to myself that i was capable. i wanted to walk out of the exam room with no regrets. (NGL, every time I walked out, I STILL had some regrets, but I think that feeling never fully goes away!)

🧎‍♀️ praying... a lot. like, whispering “Lord, help me” while highlighting lipid metabolism and lighting a candle every 1-2x week does help!

studying SMART. Use ChatGPT, Gemini AI, Quizlet, Remnote or LM Notebook (anything that could help you understand a lesson better is WORTH your money) I usually learn better with active recall, organized planning, summarized notes, detailed yet easy explanations, tables in parasitology and of course, with MCQ's so ChatGPT really helped a lot (so if you have a big exam coming up, I totally recommend ChatGPT Plus)

and lastly, MAKE IT FUN. I let ChatGPT make stories about biochem metabolism or some pick-up lines, since the more enjoyable it gets, the more it sticks to my mind. And I’d info-dump everything I learned back to ChatGPT, so it helped me find the gaps.

idk if i was responsibly focused since there were days that I only function well if I drank 2-3 cups of coffee💀, but i was in love with the dream. and i just didn’t want to let her down — the version of me who started it all.

So yeah! you got this katusok!!🫶✨ Rooting for you always, future RMT 💪🩸

"Be smart, be focused, and be brutally honest with yourself about your understanding."

🌱Study log: Day 6

As an overwhelmed infj, I needed that.

☀️ Morning Flow:

- No classes today = a slow, calm start

- Began reading my biochem textbook around 8:30 AM (post-breakfast grind)

- Picked up where I left off last night:

- Electron Transport Chain

- Oxidative Phosphorylation

- ATP Production

Afternoon Flow:

- Time to face Carbohydrate Metabolism (with coffee in hand)

- Tackled:

- Glycolysis

- Gluconeogenesis

- Pathways, steps, terminologies, the whole metabolic mess

- Started with my textbook… but it wasn’t clicking. Like, at all.

↪️ I wasn’t retaining the info, so I changed my strategy.

New Strategy:

- Decided to use RemNote Pro!

- Uploaded YouTube links

- Watched topic-specific videos

- Answered their flashcards and quizzes

Realizations That Hit HARD:

- Asked some advices from Gemini AI since deep down, I feel like I'm missing something important.

- Saw my study plan for what it really was: ambitious but reckless

- Turns out, I was forcing productivity with external pressure and toxic motivation

- But what I really need is growth-based, peaceful focus

- Motivation should feel nourishing, not draining

Mini Reflection:

🧠 Study Log: Day 5 A bit defeated, kind of drained, but also trying to be kind to myself. Not every day will be ultra-productive and today’s one of those days.

Morning → Afternoon

Had morning classes as usual 😵‍💫

Spent the afternoon working on my project

Received my MT Laws exam results… and I passed! 🎉 (But damn, those unanswered enumerations still haunt me… never again.)

Honestly, I didn’t give my 100% this midterms, and that’s on me ↪️ But it’s also my sign to go all in for finals & the battery exam

5:30 PM — Study Time (or so I thought...)

Started tackling the Citric Acid Cycle (the return of the bad boys)

Took a walk to reset my brain

Came back ready to study but…

📉 Life Happened:

Got pulled into an important 1.5 HOUR meeting

Was so tempted to multitask during it, but chose to be present

After that? My energy was GONE.

Tried reading the Electron Transport Chain… but nothing was sticking 😓

Drank tons of water thinking maybe it’s dehydration—but nah, I was just tired

Eyes felt strained, brain felt fried, and even though I changed my study spot for better productivity, I still couldn’t push through the way I wanted

That moment when you feel like you’re doing something, but it still feels like you didn’t do enough… yeah, that’s today.And maybe I am being too hard on myself again.

Small Wins:

Passed MT Laws (only a few did so that's a win!)

Showed up and tried anyway (was able to learn krebs cycle!)

My Histology book finally arrived!!! 📘✨ Just waiting for my new Biochem book to get here!

Tomorrow’s Plan:

A FULL FREE DAY!!

Wake up early, eat well, study where I left off

Go through carbohydrate metabolism & lipids (and hopefully finish all!)

Might sneak in some Histology + Parasitology reads too!

🌙Study log: Day 4

A not so productive morning, but definitely needed that rest! (a lunch with my fav. person)

🕰️ Start Time:

Night grind kicked in at 9:30 PM 🌙

(Sometimes, that’s just when the mind finally cooperates :'))

Topics Covered:

Biochemical Energy Production (started but paused halfway lol)

Carbohydrates (summary + practice questions)

Total: 6 topics in energy production, 1.5 hours spent on carbs grind

How It Went:

The morning was more of a rest day, and honestly, I loved it. Spent some quality time with my favorite person—it’s the kind of energy that doesn’t come from caffeine or flashcards :))

By nighttime, I cracked open my biochem book and started reviewing biochemical energy production. Made it through 6 foundational topics… until I saw it: the Citric Acid Cycle. And my brain? Immediately said “not tonight 😵‍💫”

I’ve memorized it before, so I know I’ll get there again, just… not right now. So I pivoted! I went back to carbs and spent 1.5 hours making summaries and answering more questions. This topic is finally starting to click—especially the structures! I’m recognizing monosaccharides, disaccharides, and getting a real grip on those reducing vs. non-reducing sugars.

Study Tools Used:

LM notebook 📓 for note reinforcement

Gizmo flashcards 🔁

Practice Qs

Little Life Moment:

Learning to shift gears when your brain isn’t cooperating is such a life skill. No guilt, just redirection. (orrrr am I just gaslighting myself? hahaha)

Looking Ahead:

Gonna tackle that Citric Acid Cycle like it owes me money tomorrow 😤 (with the full brain power it deserves). Will tackle the rest 6 topics of biochemical energy production tomorrow and will go straight ahead to Carbohydrate metabolism!

Mini Reflection:

🌤️ Study Log: Day 3

⏰ Start Time: Morning: 3 hours of studying Evening: Started at 9PM (progress!)

Topics Covered:

Carbohydrates (continued): Final topics + practice questions

Practice Questions: Tackled 168 Qs (with a little help from AI 😅)

Review session from Day 2 (make-up mode engaged!)

How It Went: Today was full—some wins, some distractions. I was exhausted from swimming for PE, but somehow managed to sit down and grind through the last of the carbohydrate topics. The structures are still kind of floating around my brain (fitting, since I was floating in water earlier), so I’ll probably need one more day to really absorb everything. The morning was actually solid: 3 full hours of focused study to make up for Day 2. Then 2 more hours at night—even with a tired brain, I got through the motions. Definitely distracted at times though. I know I need to improve my discipline. I want to feel present when I study.

Study Tools Used:

📖 Biochem textbook

💻 AI buddy (ChatGPT) for questions + clarity

Little Life Moment: Talked with my dad today and he hit me with a reminder I needed: “Don’t stress so much about the future.” He asked me why I’ve been so low on confidence lately, and it really made me pause. I didn’t have a solid answer, but I realized I need to start believing in myself more. I can’t keep doubting what I know I’m capable of. That convo meant a lot.

Looking Ahead: Tomorrow’s focus is Biochemical Energy Production + reviewing carbohydrates (yes, again!). No classes tomorrow but I’ll be out of town, so I’ll have to stay disciplined and make the most of what time I get. Biochem’s only got two weeks in this plan—no time to slack!

🌙 Study Log: Day 2

⏰ Start Time: Technically? 10:30 PM 😅 But the real grind started after that accidental nap… and a 6:00 AM comeback!

Topics Covered:

Carbohydrate (still ongoing!)

Total: 53 pages read

10 more pages to go before carbs are finally done haunting me

How It Went: Started the day a little off track. Night classes + dinner + just life things got in the way, so I didn’t get to study until 10:30 PM. Tried to push through a few pages, but my eyes were like, “nope,” and the nap turned into a full-on sleep session 😭

But I didn’t want to fall too behind, so I pulled myself together and woke up at 6:00 AM. That early start helped me cover 53 pages—while also running a few errands. Not bad, honestly.

I still haven’t wrapped up carbohydrates yet (10 pages left!), but today gave me this cool realization: biochem’s not as scary when I start connecting the concepts to real life. The food I eat, how my body works—it’s actually kind of amazing. It’s like unlocking a hidden part of everyday life.

Study Tools Used:

Biochem textbook 📖

Mental pep talks + real-life analogies 🧠🍞🍚

Little Life Moment: Sometimes a “nap” becomes a reset. And that’s okay. It reminded me that discipline is important, but so is being kind to myself.

Looking Ahead: Gonna finish the remaining 10 pages of carbohydrates and finally, finally wrap up that topic. Then it’s all in for biochemical energy production. Let’s gooo 🔥

Mini Reflection: Slow days don’t mean wasted days. I’m learning, I’m adjusting, and I’m staying accountable. One page at a time.

Starting is actually the hardest part. I stared at my Biochem textbook for what felt like forever because I didn’t know where to start. And everyone was right—day one is rough. But I opened it anyway, and once I began flipping the pages, it slowly started to feel less intimidating.

Today, I focused on the basics of carbohydrates. I read and practiced the first five topics—not perfect, not smooth, but progress. I think my brain’s still adjusting to study mode again, and my body too (yikes), but hey… I’m getting there. ╰⁠(⁠⁠´⁠︶⁠`⁠⁠)⁠╯

Also ordered a new Biochem book online, so fingers crossed it arrives soon. I could use all the help I can get. 💻📚

Okay, so I’m starting this blog because... why not? I’m about to turn 20, and I figured it’s time to step up and do something big every year. Gotta keep pushing myself, right?

So here’s the challenge I’ve set for myself: The Battery Exam. But not just any goal... I’m aiming for the Top 10. Why settle for less when you can aim high?

It actually reminds me of something I saw in an anime last week when Hunter Cha said, “I want to stand next to him. Be as strong as him.” And that’s exactly what I’m doing. I’ve got someone I look up to, who believes I can do it, so why not follow his path? Why not trust in what he says and push through my doubts?

So, I’m not just aiming to pass—I’m going for the top spot (just like him). To show I can be just as good as the people I admire, to stand next to them.

So yeah, here it is: Top 10 in the Battery Exam. Let’s see if I can actually make this happen. 💪