Orientation, or, How I Learned to Sit Still and Make 100 Friends in One Week

Since the white coat ceremony on Sunday, my class and I have been subjected to a week's worth of orientation.  This has consisted of some interesting and useful information, but really seems to be more of an excuse for us to get used to sitting in a large classroom and introducing ourselves to 100 different people per day.  It also seems to be a good excuse to go out every night without feeling guilty.  Overall, it's been a generally fun week, and I've met a good few of my classmates, almost all of whom seem mostly pretty cool.  I've purchased my books, picked up my scrubs, and ordered my stethoscope, as well as laid claim to one of the very few remaining anatomy lab lockers.  I've gotten free food every day, and today I signed up for clubs.  Other than that, really, there is nothing whatsoever to report.  Getting used to getting up again has been relatively unpleasant, but I think I've adjusted relatively well.  

One thing I have noticed this week is that I've been surprised by just how many people in my class are married--I sort of had a feeling coming in that I would be just about the only one and I would probably be looked down upon for it, a la "Oh, you're *married*." (read: Why in God's name would you give up being able to study 100% of the time and do something crazy like get married?  You're not supposed to have a relationship in med school.  Hard core, hard core!!!)  In reality, on the other hand, most of the people I've met have been *extremely* accepting of it and almost 1/2 of the people I've met (some older, but many my age) are also married themselves.  I even signed D up for the spouse club so that he can get integrated into this new lifestyle of mine and not feel completely out of the loop all the time.  Hopefully good things will result.  

Orientation week ends up tonight and tomorrow with a barbecue tonight (followed by a late-night haircut for yours truly--thank God, because while it's starting to grow on me the cut I got last week is just not really all that fabulous), and then BLS training tomorrow morning and a house party that I may or may not go to tomorrow night.  Saturday, I'm hoping, I'll convince my mom to take me out shopping and snag a couple of new shirts for fall.  At this point, though, I'm really just ready to get down to things, even if I'll probably hate it by two weeks in.