Community college blows

Well, a lot of stuff has changed since my last post in late 2006. I suppose I just forgot about having this blog. Maybe I didn't have the interest or the desire to post more, but after going over my dive log today and realizing that documentation of my life is the only way I'm going to keep all these memories in order since my memory isn't that great, I realize the importance of having this blog after all.

When I last posted, I was just a college student going to a community college in Northern California. Well, I'm still going to a community college (albeit a different one), but thankfully this is my last semester there. I took the plunge in 2007 and became an Emergency Medical Technician; I've worked for an ambulance company on a BLS rig for close to a year now. I became a PADI Open Water SCUBA diver last November.

It occurred to me a long time ago that there's always going to be some doubt in what I choose for my future...the same obviously holds true of planning to apply to medical school after I graduate. I've contemplated a career in economics, dentistry, SCUBA diving, as well as marine science as alternatives since the future of medicine isn't doing so well these days. One thing working as an EMT has taught me, however, is that nothing will be as dynamic, interesting and rewarding as a career in medicine. I truly wish that if they cut the salaries of physicians, then they also cut the time and cost of education appropriately, so it's still a viable career to go into.

Hell, it's not like I'm not living life to the fullest in the meantime...I'm currently doing my PADI Advanced Open Water course so I can do night diving, deep diving (right now I can dive down to 60 feet..deep will increase that limit to 130 feet), and receive more advanced training in SCUBA diving. I already have 9 logged dives as it is, and if I get my way, after spring break I'll have 19 logged dives and 25 logged dives after my AOW class. I'm planning to do the PADI Rescue Diver course afterwards and I'm contemplating doing the PADI Divemaster course afterwards so I can learn the theory behind diving and increase my knowledge base. Hey, who knows, I might even find work as a DM on the side. After I move to Santa Barbara this summer, I'm going to try to get on with a 911 provider (I do transport right now) so I can expand my experience as an EMT and have more fun at my job. For that matter, this summer I'm transferring to UCSB and finally escaping the shackles of community college and going to a four-year university. Life couldn't be better.

That being said, I still have a lot to do as far as the entire pre-med thing goes. I could probably use some leadership experience, but if I do the PADI Divemaster thing, that'll take care of that. I think once I move down there I'm going to join a diving club. Nothing is going to be better about going to UCSB than going diving in the Channel Islands on the weekend. I might dabble in research while I'm there, but I'm not sure, since I don't know if I would be interested in it at all. Maybe I'll even finally find a doctor willing to let me shadow him/her and not use HIPAA as an excuse to say no. I'm going to try to avoid pre-meds like the plague though, since they're usually the most ignorant and stupid species of college students I encounter, so I highly doubt I'll be joining any science or pre-med clubs at UCSB since that's obviously where those bastards will be. I think I'll just join the Excursion Club and leave it at that...snowboarding, paintball, sky diving, etc. gets my vote.

I'm actually rather curious how the transition will be to a UC from a CC. I helped a friend study for her chemistry midterm today, and she goes to UC Berkeley...I dunno. I could answer most of the questions on her practice exam, some went over my head but it's not like I had the lectures to go off of anyway, so I suppose I'm not too concerned since Cal is probably more rigorous than UCSB, but meh, people will always be wary of the unknown. I definitely welcome the change, however, because you couldn't fucking pay me enough to stay in community college.