finding my way

Studying pathology can definitely seem overwhelming at times (trust me, I'm still overwhelmed at times too!). I've written a few posts before about how to study for pathology, but unfortunately the hellsite is currently hiding them from me. However, the common thread in all my recommendations is this:

Everything in pathology is a process. Find the pattern, and it will all come together.

But Lizzie, you say, what the hell does that mean?

Any disease that you need to learn about will have common points that you need to know. Different people will teach these in different ways, so sometimes you can't see this thread, but it's always there. At vet school, I would go through the notes I had for each condition I needed to know about (usually grouped by organ system and species affected) and note down these key points:

1. Aetiology: what causes this problem? 2. Source: how and where does the animal get the problem (for infectious causes, what is the route of transmission? Is it genetic? If it's nutritional, what are they eating?) 3: Process: how do we get from aetiology and source to the lesions and clinical signs? This part can and should be a flow chart (e.g: canine parvovirus infects crypt epithelium > necrosis > loss of villus epithelial coverage > fluid loss, hemorrhage, secondary infections > diarrhoea, sepsis). Add as much detail as you can or as much as your professor provides. 4: Clinical signs: why is the animal presenting? What signs are pathognomonic or particularly specific (those make good clues in exam questions). Include whether this you'll see sporadic disease or outbreaks, key signalment points. 5: Gross lesions: what will you see on physical exam and at necropsy? Look for specific changes as above 6: Clinical pathology: bloodwork, urinalysis, FNA etc. 7: Histologic lesions: what will you see under the microscope or what will the pathologist's report say? You may or may not be required to know this at vet school, check what your professor wants. 8: Outcome: do animals survive this disease? Can they survive this disease?

Those 8 points should cover just about everything you need to know about any given condition. You can tweak the structure as suits you, but I found that when I structured my notes like that I had all the answers to my exam questions, and having a consistent flow through my notes helped it all stick in my brain because I wasn't searching for things while studying and I didn't have to jump around. There is, unfortunately, a lot of memorization in pathology, so I recommend making use of whatever memory aids help (flashcards etc.). Find this info, plug it into the system you like, and don't lose hope.

The “getting it done in an unconventional way” method.

The “it’s not cheating to do it the easy way” method.

The “fuck what you’re supposed to do” method.

The “get stuff done while you wait” method.

The “you don’t have to do everything at once” method.

The “it doesn’t have to be permanent to be helpful” method.

The “break the task into smaller steps” method.

The “treat yourself like a pet” method.

The “it doesn’t have to be all or nothing” method.

The “put on a persona” method.

The “act like you’re filming a tutorial” method.

The “you don’t have to do it perfectly” method.

The “wait for a trigger” method.

The “do it for your future self” method.

The “might as well” method.

The “when self discipline doesn’t cut it” method.

The “taking care of yourself to take care of your pet” method.

The “make it easy” method.

The “junebugging” method.

The “just show up” method.

The “accept when you need help” method.

The “make it into a game” method.

The “everything worth doing is worth doing poorly” method.

The “trick yourself” method.

The “break it into even smaller steps” method.

The “let go of should” method.

The “your body is an animal you have to take care of” method.

The “fork theory” method.

Are you hydrated? 

If not, have a glass of water. Dehydration can mimic or increase feelings associated with anxiety and a well hydrated brain functions optimally. Avoid excess caffeine. 

Have you eaten in the past three hours? 

Don’t be a victim of hanger! Get some food–something with protein, not just simple carbs or high-fat. Nuts, hummus, and veggies are great options to feed your studying brain. Keep healthy snacks within reach to avoid mindlessly chowing down on sweets. 

Have you stretched your legs in the past day? 

If not, do so right now. If you don’t have the energy or time for a run or a trip to the gym, just walk around the block or building. Even minimal exercise preps the mind for learning so that you can focus better and recall things easier, plus it’s good to get a change of scenery. 

Have you said something nice to someone in the past day? 

Do so, whether online or in person. Make it genuine! We bet your study partner would appreciate a compliment. 

Have you moved your body to music in the past day?

If not, jog for the length of a song at your favorite tempo, or just dance around your bedroom for the length of an upbeat song (singing along is a bonus) 

Have you cuddled a living being in the past two days?

If not, do so. Don’t be afraid to ask for hugs from friends of friends’ pets. Most of them will enjoy the cuddles too; you’re not imposing. 

Have you started or changed any medications in the past couple of weeks, including skipped doses or a change in generic prescription brand? 

That may be screwing with your head. Give things a few days, then talk to your doctor if it doesn’t settle down. 

If daytime: are you dressed? 

If no, put on clean clothes that aren’t PJs. Give yourself permission to wear something special, whether it’s a funny t-shirt or a pretty dress. 

If nighttime: are you sleepy and fatigued but resisting going to sleep? 

Put on PJs, make yourself cozy in bed with a teddy bear and the sound of falling rain, and close your eyes for fifteen minutes while focusing on breathing deeper with every breath- no electronic screens allowed! Adequate sleep is a necessity for stress management. 

Do you feel ineffective? 

Pause right now and get something small completed, whether it’s responding to an email, loading the dishwasher, or tidying up your room. Good job!

Do you feel unattractive? 

Take a darn selfie. Your friends will remind you how great you look. You are always insta-worthy. 

Do you feel paralyzed by indecision?

Give yourself ten minutes to sit back and figure out a game plan for the day. If a particular decision or problem is still being a roadblock, simply set it aside for now, and pick something else that seems doable. Right now, the important part is to break through that stasis, even if it means doing something trivial. 

Have you over-exerted yourself lately–physically, emotionally, socially, or intellectually? 

That can take a toll that lingers for days. Give yourself a break in that area, whether it’s physical rest, taking some time alone, or relaxing with some silly entertainment for a little. Time spent refreshing yourself is never time “wasted!” 

Have you waited a week? 

Sometimes or perception of life is skewed, and we can’t even tell that we’re not thinking clearly, and there’s no obvious external cause. It happens. Keep yourself going for a full week, whatever it takes, and see if you still feel the same way then. 

In Belgium we have this thing called ‘blok’. It’s the name for the two to three weeks of marathon studying between the end of classes and the start of exams, related to the verb ‘blokken’, which basically means ‘hardcore studying’. It’s obviously not a very pleasant time, so here are some tips to survive those study marathons!

1. Hydrate. Of course has been said again and again, but that’s because it’s so important! I usually get myself either a half-liter pint and a (reusable!) straw. Straws really help me to drink more, but they’re not very good for the environment, so if you can get your hands on a reusable one, go for it! You can also try adding fruit to your water for some extra flavour.

2. Breathe ouside air at least once a day. I don’t care how you do it. Take a walk at noon, go on a morning run, breathe really deep when you’re in line for the library, stick your head out of a window, I don’t care. Just do it. You need the oxygen and it’s not good to sit inside all day.

3. Don’t wear stuff you sleep in. Now, I’m not saying you can’t wear pjs. What I’m saying is, don’t wear the pjs you wore to bed. Not even if you study at home. Don’t do it. Make sure your brain knows that studying and sleeping are two very different things.

4. Get off your butt during breaks. Sometimes when I’m on a roll at the library, I can study a whole afternoon, with breaks only to go to the bathroom and to refill my waterbottle/make new tea. It works, because I walk around. Point being, have a dance break! Go for a walk! Move!

5. Sleep is useful. I get that if you have an exam the next day and you really need to finish this last chapter, you stay up until 3am. But otherwise, don’t do that to yourself. You can do that tomorrow morning. Your brain needs sleep, you’re not wasting time. Promise. Take care of yourself.

Remember it’s not just a matter of grades.

Maybe you’re studying so you can correctly diagnose those patients before they’re told it’s too late.

Maybe you’re memorizing the mistakes of history in the hope of never seeing them repeated.

Maybe you’re understanding how the law works so you can defend those who need it. 

Maybe you’re absorbing as much information as you can so you can pass on your love of learning to others.

First of all, a really common misconception about chameleons is that they change colour to blend into their surroundings. Actually, they change colour to regulate their temperature, or to communicate to other chameleons.

But how is much more interesting. Pigments, compounds that produce colour such as melanin, play a part. Chameleons have a number of different pigments trapped in tiny sacs in skin cells called ‘chromatophores’. The chameleon can make these cells expand or contract which then changes their colour, and different coloured pigments are kept in different layers of skin.

Just to give people a little visual representation of the human-equivalent to cat declawing. The red dotted lines are the lines of amputation. 

In order to remove the claw, the entirety of the distal phalanges must be amputated. Distal phalanges, for those of you not overly familiar with anatomical terms, is the fancy science way of saying YOUR GODDAMN FINGER TIPS. 

1. Older vets were taught this as a routine procedure and still think it’s ok

2. Some vets would rather be the ones to do it “right” rather than having the person above do it with poor pain management and outdated techniques

3. There are vets who do believe that declawing is ok as a last resort to avoid rehoming/euthanasia

The American Veterinary Medical Association opposes declawing as a first line option for managing inappropriate scratching and requires vets to educate owners before even considering declawing. Vets that choose not to do this are not practicing good medicine. The main reason the AVMA won’t support a flat declawing ban is because they claim it will impede with medical care and that the option should be left to the vet. Personally, I think that’s a load of bullshit. We all know that amputating a diseased toe and declawing as an elective procedure are not the same thing. However, this is ‘Merica and there’s a stupid cultural bias toward personal freedom regardless of whether or not it’s good for the majority. Fortunately, younger vets tend to oppose declawing. When New York banned declawing, a poll of 400 vets showed that 94% supported the legislation. We don’t want to do it. And most vets that do have to do it are doing it infrequently, so it’s really not a big money maker for a clinic anyway.

a really excellent way to reduce anxiety is to pick up a new hobby. find something you’re interested in, learn it, then use it as a healthy and productive way to cope.

learn to play guitar

learn how to make interactive stories with the free program Twine

learn how to make pixel art

learn another language

learn how to build a ship in a bottle

learn how to develop your own film

learn how to embroider

learn how to make chiptunes (8-bit music)

learn how to make origami (the art of paper folding)

learn how to make tumblr themes

learn how to make jewelry 

learn how to make candy

learn how to make terrariums

learn how to make your own perfume

learn how to make your own tea

learn how to build birdhouses

learn how to read tarot cards

learn how to make zines

learn how to code

learn how to whittle (wood carving)

learn how to make candles

learn how to make clay figurines

learn how to knit scarves

learn how to become an amateur astronomer

learn some yoyo tricks

learn how to start a collection

learn how to start body building

learn how to edit wikipedia articles

learn how to decorate iphone cases

learn how to do freelance writing

learn how to make your own cards and

learn how to make your own envelopes

learn how to play the ukulele 

learn how to make gifs

learn how to play chess

learn how to juggle

learn how to guerrilla garden

learn how to chart your family history

learn how to keep chickens

learn how to do yoga

learn how to do magic

learn how to raise and breed butterflies

learn how to play dungeons & dragons

learn how to skateboard

learn how to do parkour

learn how to surf

learn how to arrange flowers

okay, so here in california precautionary measures against COVID-19 have become increasingly intense. most schools have closed and are preparing to make the transition to “distance learning” aka online classes. this is a big change for many of us – but don’t panic!

welcome to surviving online classes 101!

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✐ self discipline

this is more of a warning than a tip. working from home means you will have to exercise a lot more self discipline. it can be a little bit boring or lonely at times. you cannot count on motivation from others (professors, classmates, friends, etc.), so you will have to learn some self discipline. 

✐ create your own classroom

a good way to make the transition is to try and mimic the classroom setting as closely as possible. something that might be helpful is to set up a space designated for work. try to avoid the temptation to work in your bed or on the couch. that trains your brain to be alert in those places and makes it harder to relax/fall asleep. at least during online lectures, try and eliminate distractions that wouldn’t be present in a regular classroom (like tv or netflix playing in the background, or having your phone out)

✐ dress for success!

dress in the way that makes you feel most productive. if you’re one of those people who usually rolls into class wearing sweats and still kills it, good for you! if you’re one of those people who needs to put on a full face of makeup to feel alive and ready for the day, do that! even at home!! i personally never wear makeup but if i try to be productive in pjs… disaster. i’ve also found that cute workout gear makes me feel badass while still being comfy.

✐ create a schedule

now more than ever you need to figure out how to manage your time. you can use a planner, bujo, google calendar, the forest app, whatever. just make sure you keep track of things like

due dates and TIMES

exam dates

lecture times

hours spent studying

meals (pls eat 3 if possible)

water intake

sleep schedule

✐ pack your bag like you usually would

i know this probably sounds so dumb, but when you’re done working clean up after yourself. pack everything up like you would at school, to sort of signal to your brain that academic time is over for now. and then unpack and set up when you’re ready to get to work again. this is just another way to trick your brain into that school mindset while you’re stuck at home.

✐ don’t overwork yourself

break up your studying into chunks. being cooped up all day can make us feel like we’re wasting time, but be sure to schedule breaks and reward yourself after a solid study session. i’m a big fan of the pomodoro method, and it can be customized really easily to allow for more or less study/rest time. 

✐ maintain a healthy sleep schedule

now is the time to develop that healthy sleep schedule we all dream about. staring at a computer all day is exhausting and hard on the eyes and brain, so make sure to give them enough rest and time to recover each night. also, consider investing in glasses that block blue light, even if you don’t usually use glasses. this will keep our eyes young lol. 

✐ communicate with your teachers and classmates

most of us are making this transition to online learning together. any time you have questions, email your professor. reach out to your classmates at the beginning and exchange emails/phone numbers/social media so you can build a support system. if something goes wrong, screenshot it immediately and reach out to your professor. technology isn’t perfect, and mistakes can happen, just communicate them.

✐ turn things in early

this is my biggest tip. when you are relying on online submissions for assignments and digital lectures, you always want to allow extra time to fix any errors you might encounter. your professor will also be much more willing to help you fix a problem two days before a deadline rather than two minutes before a deadline. eliminate that uncertainty by playing it safe with online submissions. 

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