Memoirs






Every day, physicians answer the call to heal. We spend countless hours in the emergency room, operating rooms, and patient wards, carrying the responsibility of caring for others through their most vulnerable moments.

Today was different.

Today, we stepped away from our usual: charts, and duty schedules. We traded the familiar sounds of monitors for laughter, conversations, and moments of quiet reflection. It was a day dedicated to healing the healers—a chance to pause, reconnect, and remember that behind every physician is a person who also needs rest, support, and renewal.

The demands of medicine often require us to give so much of ourselves. Yet to continue caring for others with compassion and excellence, we must also care for our own well-being. This day allowed us to unwind, recharge, and strengthen the bonds that unite us not only as colleagues, but as friends and fellow travelers in this challenging profession.




As we return to our patients and responsibilities, we do so with renewed energy, clearer minds, and grateful hearts. Because healing is not only for those we serve—it is also for those who serve.

Today was a reminder that taking time to rest is not stepping away from our mission; it is preparing ourselves to fulfill it even better.

November is no doubt the busiest month of the year for me. This month, I turned a year older and I'm happy with how I spent my day with friends and family. I felt loved by the people who matter to me, and that's all I need. I spent the day with Marigold, one of my closest friends since freshman year of college. We had late lunch in a newly-opened cafe near my house. I wrote a separate post about it in this page. 
Lately, I've been building a habit of making collages about my days. I don't have much to say in this blog post; life's been mundane lately, so I'll let the photos speak for themselves, but I did add in short captions. Enjoy.

Mamang turned a year older too. She celebrates her day every 24th of November. This year, I made a bouquet of red roses from ribbons- a little DIY I learned on TikTok. I was able to buy her a small cake in berry creme flavor from a local cakeshoppe in CDO. We celebrated her birthday a little late because we had to attend other events but we were able to suprise her and shoot photos.

One event we went to was my aunt's grandson's birthday. It was a kid's party but I enjoyed it very much. There were clowns who did a bubble show and a famous nurse who works partime as a magician. It was not my first time watching his magic show. We hired him in one of our graduation parties year ago. There were also special guests, Optimus Prime and Bumblebee. My favorite part about the event was the fact that it was a group of people with different beliefs and that we got along pretty well. I like that about family. 

We celebrated my mom's birthday at Fat Chef, SM Northwing. It was a simple celebration. I ordered their famous streetfood served in a small ferris wheel. We had to finish early though, my little brother had to travel back home for classes the next day. 

Today, I went out for a study session. I had coffee at Fukuro, a Japanese-themed coffee shop near my place. It was a very productive afternoon while Hanie had her routine dialysis in the hospital. I was able to finish lectures on Microbiology and Parasitology. 

I haven't updated this blog for a while now. I had big hurls to jump over at the beginning of this year and time went by so fast I didn't notice it was midyear already. It's a bummer how much time had slipped but I owe myself the time to take pause and reflect on who I am now and how much I've grown compared to who I was a few months ago hence the hiatus from social media.

Post-internship times, I spent most of my days with my family. We had to get together before the summer ended because then my brother would be preoccupied with school. The family is doing well. little brother and I are currently living in ILG for his studies while Mamang and kaka are in CDO, setting the KT (kidney transplant) plan in motion. We are very hopeful on this and quite excited on her new chance at life. They recently visited us to get documents required by the hospital. It feel so nice to have the family back at home.

For the status quo, I am currently staying in ILG for my independent study time in preparation for the licensure exam on April 2024. I live with my brother who is a junior in high school.

PS. I've missed this. Just typing whatever that pops to my head (correct grammar or not) as if I were talking to an actual human being. Looking forward to making more updates on this blog.
This one's a bit overdue but I am extremely grateful for this milestone in my life. Two months ago, I finished my post-graduate internship. At first, it would seem like I was ungrateful for it. Finishing internship is a glorious moment for us interns who worked hard to deliver service to those in need of medical assistance. However, I was not up for celebrating it knowing I would still have 30 extension duties to face in order to rectify my lengthy absence (which was due to medical reasons). The situation was completely incomprehensible for me at that time. Numerous memorandums and announcements were sent out that rocked me to-and-fro on whether or not I should serve 30 extension duties. I was out of duty for medical reasons and yet I know a few who got away with unexcused absences. Judgement came and the final verdict was to serve. It felt unfair knowing I would be giving up a lot of my review time for extension duty acquired from absences due to valid medical reasons. It made me decide: I am not going to take the Physician Licensure Exam (PLE) this year. It would be unwise for me to take the exam after being hospitalized twice within a year (and still recovering) with extension duties waiting to be served. I lost a lot of time this year and I'm planning to allot adequate time for recovery and preparation for the board exam. 

In spite of my journey during internship, I am grateful that I finished. I feel so blessed to have my family's love and support through the ups and downs. I am grateful that despite of getting sick twice this year, I was able to finish the internship. I am proud of myself for deterring the timeline I had planned and giving myself time to recover and prepare for another milestone.




I had never experienced severe illness until December of 2022. We were nearing the end of our rotation in the Pediatric ER when I had onset of fever that wouldn't resolve after intake of medications. I had endured this state and did water therapy. I still managed to go to my PM shift however, 2 hours in, my body was on the verge of passing out. I called my mom and she and our driver raced to the hospital were I was training. My aunts and uncles came too and they accompanied me to another private hospital for workup. Workup was done and I was managed as a case of anemia and electrolyte imbalance, and was discharged from the ER. However, the following day, I had worsening shortness of breath and so they had me admitted. 


My chest x-ray and 2D echocardiogram showed an enlarged heart with a large volume of fluid around it. I was referred to a cardiologist and he had me monitored in case I go into tamponade, a state wherein the heart can no longer pump due to massive volume of fluid around it. They had me tested for COVID-19 through RT-PCR and it came out positive and my mom and I were isolated for 9 days. 


Nine days of isolation really altered our brain chemistry. Days seem routine and they went by pretty fast. Althroughout isolation, my mom took really good care of me despite the exhaustion and I can feel how stressed she was from constantly worrying. I have so much love and appreciation for her. 

During my hospital stay, my condition worsened despite medications so they tested me for connective tissue diseases and so I was referref to a rheumatologist. My ANA and anti-dsDNA which are markers for systemic lupus erythematousus came out positive as well and my doctor called it.


My medications grew in number as they discovered several diseases i.e. pericardial effusion, congestion, COVID-19, SLE, and anemia. I had bruises from blood extractions and IV insertions. I was growing tired of being the patient— I wanted to go home. 


Series of 2D echocardiogram was done, and they saw that the volume of fluid around my heart was getting bigger despite medications. The following day, I was rushed to the operating room and the cardiologist attempted to do pericardiocentesis, a procedure wherein a needle is inserted into the chest and fluid around the heart is aspirated. However, he was only able to aspirate blood and the procedure was aborted. I had five puncture wounds from when he tried inserting and repositioning the needle while being guided by ultrasound.


I was recently discharged yet family still makes effort to take care of me. They randomly call to check if I'm okay. They're interested in how I'm recovering and they make sure I eat and drink my take home medications. Manong bob drives me to the hospital and my mom just does everything to make sure I recovery from this experience. 

 
I was so excited to go back to work. Although immunocompromised from the steroids, I'm hoping my body stays healthy for the remaining duration of internship. I am grateful to my doctors for taking good care of me, to my family and friends who made this experience a whole lot easier, to my mom who would move mountains to see me get better.
I started my internship last August at Northern Mindanao Medical Center, the same hospital where I had my clerkship. 

The first two months, I rotated in my chosen electives: pathology, otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, anesthesiology, and family medicine. Above photo: (C) me intubating a patient under Anesthesia

Probably one of the highlights in my pathology rotation is that we got to crash an event by MOMS (Misamis Oriental Medical Society) as ushers. We got to dress up fancy and eat at Luxe.
Above: (L) with the pathology residents on our last day in patho, (C) selfie with ENT clerks at the ER in front of our cute cubicle, (R) photo with the ENT residents, my co-PGIs, and clerks

After electives, I rotated in obstetrics and gynecology. It's a daunting department with a different level of exhaustion and yet I've learned to enjoy and love it. Although residents terrify me, I try to learn as much from them — and I did. Thank you, doctors. 

Also, we got matching pink scrubs the we wear almost every duty.
One of the pink residents got engaged and married last month and we got to join in and throw her a bridal shower. (R) Also another core memory, my groupmates and I went to Bluetail, a cafe within Ultra Winds Mountain Resort. Still during our previous status. The view was super nice and the place was really relaxing. I ordered a strawberry-flavored frappe, my new go-to flavor.
We also had a ton of help from our clerks from XU and Liceo. I hope they learned from us. (R) DQ break after OPD; (L) selfie at the ward, my least liked post
We had a breather before diving into our next rotation, pediatrics. My groupmates booked an airbnb within the city; they had alcohol, I had Mountain Dew; and we had a good time. 

I really appreciate my team for all the fun times, the brunches and dinners, the coffee breaks, the whispers and chismis. Hehe I wouldn't be able to cope up to the stress and exhaustion if it weren't for them sharing the journey with me.

And that's it! We're finally done with OB. Pink babies out!

This week, I got assigned to the pediatrics department and I had several opportunities to practice building rapport with pediatric patients as well as hone skills i.e. blood sampling, hemo-glucose test, and other essential tests and procedures for their medical care.

The most painful thing I had experienced while rotating in the pediatrics department is seeing parents worry for their child. It makes me cry thinking that most of my patients won't be able to live a normal life. Most of them will probably live most of their lives inside the hospital with a shortened lifespan and be subjected to multiple tests.

I had a patient who was struggling with Tuberous Sclerosis and was admitted due to changes in sensorium. He also had global developmental delay hence he was unable to comprehend and speak which made assessments very difficult. 

Seeing him for the first time, I was very anxious because I didn't expect to handle a patient who was unable to verbalize his feelings. The resident on duty told me to monitor the patient's sensorium hourly. I approached him to take his vital signs and I had planned to assess his sensorium using the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) . He was drowsy and quite unresponsive to his mother's voice. We had a hard time waking him up for assessment. His mother's voice was shaking, clearly about to break down in tears, as she called his name and tried to wake him up. It broke my heart hearing her voice quiver with fear of losing her child and it broke my heart seeing my patient struggle.





I revamped my study area (again). I spend most hours of my day in my study area and sometimes my mind gets a block from being in the same place for days. So, I switch it up a bit from time to time and here's my current setup which I really like a lot.

I transferred the desk to face my window for good lighting during Zoom meetings. I also placed my bedside lamp for warm light source. This'll prevent my eyes from getting strained easily during late night study sessions. I have all things liquid (i.e. alcohol handrub, water, milktea) on my lefthand side and electronics, accessories, and extension plug adapter on the right. In case they spill, liquids will be far away from my electric source. Hanged on the wall to my right is my cork board with important documents and a few things that inspire me, instax prints of me and my family and movies tickets of films I loved and watched in the cinema.

At the center of my desk is my laptop for online classes and research. At the back of it is my PLDT Home router and in front, my iPad pro and Apple pencil which I use to take down notes, watch videos, and play games with.

It's not as aesthetic as what people commonly see on Instagram but it's functional. I have my essentials within reach and good space for movement.


Yesterday, I went to Bowerbird Coffee PH, a very quaint and charming newly-opened local cafĂ© near CDO Center Point. The place is nicely quiet and adorned plants, dried flowers, and beautiful artworks. The wooden accents from the tables and chairs and the concrete walls complete the industrial style of the place. A few other things I like about this place aside from their coffee and ambiance, are (1) their playlist and  (2) the support they give to small local businesses. 

The place has an industrial style to it. The walls are concrete and heavily adorned with artworks, plants, and flowers. 

As I mentioned, the coffeeshop supports small local businesses and they allow these businesses to display and sell their products. During my visit, they were selling Lawod PH bracelets and a few clothing pieces. 

I ordered one of their best-sellers, the Spanish latte. As you can see, the place is really small and can only accommodate probably only less than 10 people for dine-ins. I also had the pleasure of meeting the owner who was really pleasant. My overall experience in this establishment is really good.

Note: Safety protocols (temperature check, social distancing, wearing of face mask and face shield, etc.) were followed. 


(Photo not mine. I had this is my drafts since last year.)

This morning, around 3AM, I finished watching The Two Popes, a Netflix movie about historical events concerning the lives of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio (late Pope Francis) and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) and how they came into papacy. The Two Popes is a movie that gives insight and simplifies the pressure of modern-day changes on the church. It talks about the differences in opinions between Bergoglio and Ratzinger on whether the church should adapt to the worldly changes or revert to more conservative ways.

Warning: If you don't want spoilers then stop reading.

One of my favorite parts in the movie is when Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) had a realization when he put out a candle, the smoke didn't rise as it normally does. He interpreted it as God's disapproval on his ways as pope. He then renounced his papacy and humbly asked the popular Cardinal Bergoglio whom he had contradicting principles with to accept the role of pope when appointed by the College of Cardinals. In the end, the two popes managed to look beyond their differences. The movie ended with a clip of smoke rising up from a newly put out candle which represented God's gratification.

Among the many things shown in movie, one thing that really imprinted on me is the idea that even popes and cardinals sin and make penance. With everything that goes on with our lives, it's good to have something to remind us to never stop asking for forgiveness for our wrongdoings. We might get intimidated by those who seem to have higher "state" of religious awareness that's why I think that the movie gives us a reminder that even popes make mistakes and the important thing is we acknowledge and account for our mistakes. We should always ask for God's mercy and forgiveness and should always try to make penance. :-)

Last February 22, 2020, I went trekking with my friend, Karyl, in Impasugong, Bukidnon. At 12AM, we rode the bus from Agora bus terminal, Cagayan de Oro City. It was a two-hour trip and around 2AM we reached Malaybalay, Bukidnon. We got off at the Stock Farm entrance. From there, we met our contact person and we rode a motorcycle to Sitio Kibuwa and paid respect to the Datu who owns the ridge. Unfortunately, he was still asleep when we got there. We were advised to head on trekking and stop by the Datu’s house after the trip.

We started walking before dawn, around 3AM. It was really dark and we only had our headlight to light our way. After two hours, just as the sun was rising, we reached the peak. Karyl and I had breakfast and took a lot of photos and videos.


The place was surreal. I’ve never seen such a view in my entire life. It was picture perfect. The clouds complemented the sunrise with tangy colors. There was a smokey haze rising from the trees and mountain ridges. The wind was really cold. My mind was filled with awe. I felt the stress and exhaustion leave my body. The view was definitely worth it. 


We continued to walk onwards to Tugisan Falls, where we met our schoolmates who were trekking on the same ridge that day. After taking pictures of the waterfalls, we back-trailed back to the Datu’s house and gave our payment.


We rode another motorcycle and went to Cedar Falls, which was another famous tourist spot in Impasugong, Bukidnon. We weren’t able to take good photos because we had to walk on waist-level waters to get to the falls.


I never imagined myself reaching this point in my med school life, where I'd share my experiences, my thoughts, and pieces of advice to our lower-years.

I thought I'd share them with all of you too.


 Photo with Sneki Ibon, my SGD group, with our mentor, Dr. Pilones

Freshman year in med school is basically adaption and survival. 

Adaptation relies on the student's willingness to survive. I learned to accept the life of a med student, with the heavy weight of sleeplessness, stress, and responsibility that comes along with it. I changed my schedule and cut some of my leisure time and shifted more of my day to studying.

During our freshman orientation, a speaker talked about three words that have become relevant and significant in my med school life. God. Group. Grit. These three words enables a med student to survive med school. We need to have faith in God to help us understand and accept our failures so that we can get back on our feet, rise up, and try again. We need a group of friends who are helpful and understanding to share the journey with. Lastly, we need a whole lot of grit to survive. Grit is what keeps us going despite a whole lot of difficulties.

It’s been a few days since I got home for the holidays. I am currently at home, lying on the floor near the telly, my usual spot in the living room, and I am typing down my thoughts with a clear and well-rested mind. So here’s an update:

For the past few months, I’ve endured the first semester of med school. It was really hard and the training was very rigorous. I’ve hit loneliness, confusion, feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, and depression during the first two bimonthlies however, along the course, it has become more and more easier for me to hide how I truly feel from family and friends, whom I wouldn’t want to worry for me. I kept reassuring them with confidence and hid my tears.

I’ve thought and dreamed about where this would lead me. I’ve changed a lot since I started studying medicine and I am starting to lose myself in the process and though many people would think it’s sad, I’m actually up for it. I am convinced that this (losing myself) is what I need to do in order to become a competent doctor. I need to spend less time on my hobbies and socials and dedicate more of my time to studying. Who knows? Maybe when med school is over, I’ll have the time to reengage in my hobbies and find myself again.



Credits to our photographer for the batch photo.

Ad majorem Dei gloriam!


Please read. This will only take a minute of your time.
I hope you guys understand why our President had to declare Martial Law in Mindanao for 60 days. We desperately need it for the safety of the people especially those who are in Marawi City.
Here’s what I know (details from our relatives who live there):
  1. The Maute group pledged allegiance to the ISIS. Some say they only use the name ISIS to strike terror. (They are not officially affiliated so please refer to them as Maute Group.)
  2. They took over Amai Pakpak hospital, killed guards and two ambulance drivers, and held other people hostage.
  3. They burned the city jail and some buildings of Dansalan College.
  4. Entrance and exit roads from the city are blocked by the Maute group.
  5. Evacuation is underway.
News that are not mentioned above (beheaded teachers, burned children, etc.) are not yet verified as of 10AM of May 24, 2017. Please do not spread unverified news, they won’t do any good. Friends, let’s pray for Marawi City and for Mindanao.



Hi guys! This month of May is Mental Health Month and postitforward is encouraging bloggers to share their experiences and struggles to other people, inspire and let them know that they’re not alone on whatever problem they’re going through. Postitforward gives bloggers a chance to reach out to others and make this platform into a more friendly community. If you like, you can also participate! Just click here.

Self-care and Personal Well-being

My story (losing my dad):
Before anything else, I just want to share that I was depressed for quite some time. It started when my dad got diagnosed with liver cirrhosis back in 2012. It was very stressful for me because I was away from home and my parents tried everything but nothing seemed to work. My dad wanted me out of it because he didn’t want me to get distracted from school. I was a dormer in high school at that time so access to the phone was very limited. I was far apart from my family. Every time we talked on the phone, I tried so much to sound normal despite the lump on my throat and the tears in my eyes. His time came and I cried almost every night. I couldn’t sleep well but somehow, with the right mix of family and friends, I was able to draw out the sadness in me and channel it into something positive. I took care of myself and became inspired and more determined in everything I do. I did better. Sometimes, I’d still cry about losing my dad but it’s a different kind of feeling than before. I don’t feel lost anymore because I know that there are people who are willing to wipe the tears off my eyes. Nowadays, I like to think that me being able to go through it all meant something bigger and that leaving us was my dad’s last mission on Earth because it was definitely the push I needed to be whom he wanted me to be. // I miss you so much, papa. I’m trying to do better and each day, I’m striving hard to be a better version of myself. I hope you are proud of me. Thank you for everything! 
If you’re going through the same things I did, please feel free to message me if you have any questions especially about coping. I would definitely love to hear from you and try to help you go through it.

Acts of Self Care

  1. Bond with friends and family
  2. Cry if needed
  3. Dance
  4. Eat healthy food
  5. Have a peer-support group and get supportive friendships
  6. Ice cream!
  7. Keep an art journal and make art
  8. Listen to music and sing your heart out
  9. Pamper thy self
  10. Take a lot of pictures & be a photo-hobbyist (look at the world a little deeper)
  11. Sleep
  12. Take a long walk on the beach
  13. Write down your thoughts
In short, do everything that makes you happy, relieves you of stress, and gives you a positive outlook on life. That’s it!

I guess it's never too late to have (and post) a list of the things I want to achieve and become this 2017. Here are my resolutions: 
  1. Notice and appreciate the little things. 
  2. Make a lot of memories and take a lot of pictures. 
  3. Keep a journal. Stop eating take out food. 
  4. Be honest with self and others. 
  5. Wake up early. Say yes to adventures. 
  6. Think positively. Go out more often. 
  7. Unplug once a week. Walk more often. 
  8. Save more money.
  9. Express gratitude. 
  10. Set intentions. 
  11. Do little acts of kindness. 
  12. Break a bad habit. 
  13. Drink a lot of water. 
  14. Stop drinking soft-drinks. 
  15. Increase standards. 
  16. Focus on academics yet still enjoy life. Haha! 
  17. Be kind to others. 
  18. Be worthy of being looked up to.
  19. Spend more time with family.
  20. Keep organized and be more independent.

From sling bags to backpacks. Summer is officially over. It's the start of another school year and the reign of heavy backpacks begin. As students, we are expected to come to class prepared. "Going to school without the essentials is like going to war without weapons" some would say; and they're right. As responsible college students, we have to adapt to the type of environment we are in because college is way different from high school and elementary school. We meet different requirements and thus we have different bag essentials. P.S. Some things in my bag may not be necessary to others. I just like to bring things that help me get through the day.

For school, I use my 100% polyester, maroon Lacoste backcroc backpack with contrasting zips. It has two compartments: one big compartment with three interior pockets including a laptop compartment and a small compartment in the front. I like using this backpack because it's sturdy. The polyester material is strong and durable. Straps are adjustable and very comfortable. This bag is perfect for carrying around heavy laboratory manuals and just about anything to help survive labs and lectures.

 In the large compartment, I have a yellow pad paper, light blue green plastic mini ziplock envelope with receipts in it, my POLSCI 2 book (it's borrowed, actually), my year-old lucky Sterling binder and my blue Sterling 2016 planner. I like using planners it keeps me on top of my game. Planners are an essential. I keep mine with me like all the time. I don't like writing down tasks and homework reminders on my notebook. I always write them on my planner under their specific date due.

In the small compartment, I have my butterfly, navy blue Montague pencil case, a medium-sized fan and a compact mirror from the Macabalang family. The blue one is my sister's.

P E N C I L  C A S E 

 What's inside my pencil case? I love taking down notes. It's one way of studying so I stock up on different types of pens because I write a lot. My pencil case is butterfly styled. It has a zip that goes almost all around the pouch and it opens like a butterfly. Currently, I have two Pilot G-Tec-C3 gel pens (one black and one blue), two Grip X3 Faber-Castell ballpens (one black and one blue), two Pilot Frixion erasable pens (one black and one blue), a red Avanti LT 832 mechanical pencil, a red-inked Amspec 6350 pen, orange Stabilo swing cool highlighter, a dual-tipped Amspec highlighter, a 0.3 uni pin fine line black pen, a Orions ruler and a Staedler rasoplast pencil eraser.

Other things:
  • Calculator
  • Cleene cleasing spray
  • Charger for my phone
  • Clear and mini plastic envelope
  • Correction tape
  • Handkerchief
  • Hijab pins
  • Pre-cut yellow paper (1/4 and 1/2); yes, I pre-cut my paper to save time
  • Wallet
  • Water bottle
That's about it for this post. I hope you guys are also prepped up for this school year! :)

A new school year is just around the corner and it’s the perfect time to consider acquiring mental health to face the upcoming challenges with grace. There is no reason to dismiss going for improvement because there is always room for it. In my opinion, a lot of reflecting should be done in order to assess where you are now, where you want to be and how you are going to get there. 

 I did a lot of thinking myself and I’ve managed to round up a list of tips* which can ideally boost you GPA and help you with your college life. *some of which I have already been practicing for the past years but some I still plan on doing starting today. DISCLAIMER: I do not have perfect grades but I do strive for improvement. 

1.   Exhibit poise. All work and no play is definitely a NO in college. College life offers not just a terrible number of exams and requirements but also a multi fold number of chances to socialize. A certain balance should be kept between academics and social life. Mingle and relax if given the chance. Study wisely and unwind after stressful tests.
2.  Know yourself. A person simply cannot achieve his or her goals if not mentally and physically fit to attain them. Have some alone time to reflect on current standing or location. Know more about strengths, weaknesses and capabilities and choose goals wisely with a brave heart. Seek yourself and know what you really want.
3.  Stay healthy. Health is one of the many things that get compromised by a strict and busy schedule. 7AM classes cause a tendency for students to skip breakfast and late night classes and a tired body suggests going home and sleeping without proper supper. Go to sleep early and wake up early. Never skip meals and eat healthy. Jog every morning or go to the gym if you can.
4.  Get involved on campus. Respective colleges and societies offer activities to students. Join, meet new people, interact and have fun. Do not spend most of the time worrying about exams. Be serious and worry when you are studying and be happy and silly if not. Do not jeopardize your social life by talking and ranting about your professors and academics. Be active in societies and learn to manage time well.
5.  Do not procrastinate. Procrastination may be the most common problem college students  have because it’s what they learned in high school. High school lets us have kind teachers who would gladly extend the deadline if so majority of the students suggest it. In college, it’s a bit different: huge class and a professor who seemed to have not smiled in a very long time. Professors of universities do not tend to make their students their friends and if a deadline is set, it remains as is. The will to succeed is the ultimate challenger of procrastination. Have inspiration, stay inspired and learn to use it as a sword. Procrastination will scurry away by itself.
6.  Be Organized. College is an army of tests and you have to beat them in order to graduate. Organization plays a significant key to surviving. Professors give mountains of homework and long exams, some due on the same day as others. It is wise to have a planner to write on deadlines and exam dates as to not get confused with which homework to pass or exam to take on which day. Organization also helps in figuring out when to have fun and when it is wise to start studying. Lecture notes should also be organized. Use specific ink color to write terms, definitions, dates, names of people, places and etc. It also works for highlighters. It makes looking for words and remembering them far easier than just one color used.
7.   Study smart. Don’t fool yourself. Time may be spent reading pages of textbooks but too often, the words we read are not fully understood or retained. This could be caused by undesirable surroundings. Study in a place of preference and productivity. Whether in bed or in the living room, at home or in a cafĂ©, study in places where you can be truly productive. Study smart. Minimize distractions. Turn off your phone if you must.
8.   Strive for good grades. We've all had at least one "terror" prof in our college life. Some of you may have cursed at them behind their backs but in my opinion, it's the attitude we have when faced with problems makes a difference. Do not backbite a professor because he has high standards. Rise up to the challenge because you can. A wise teacher once said: There are no difficult exams, only unprepared students. This actually helped me see exams and "terror" professors in a whole new perspective.
9.   Be responsible. It's better to fail with dignity than to be praised unworthy. No matter what your excuse is for not being able to study well, take responsibility for it. Do NOT cheat no matter how tempting it gets. No matter how okay it seems with your classmates. Cheaters never really amount to anything. They cheat because they want to run away from failure. They can't handle it but to be honest, every one has to fail at something and it's a student's pride to be able to ace the exam without the help of others. Be responsible with your college life. Party or enjoy only at your leisure time.
10.  Develop and grow. The whole point of the tips aforementioned above is that you should always develop and grow into a better version of yourself. Make new connections with other people. Try out new things. Discover your potential hobbies and talents. 

 Live and enjoy your college life without risking your grades. 

Most days of my summer was spent watching a lot of series. I enjoy them a lot especially during school days when I have nothing to do or when I get the need to relax a bit from academics.

Here's a roundup of my favorite series. Some of them are inspirational to those who dream of becoming medical doctors. Some of them are just mind boggling and have really good actors and plot. They're awesome. No lie. Go check them out!

1. DESCENDANTS OF THE SUN

This is one of the favorite series. Descendants of the Sun (DOTS) definitely has everything: drama, romance, action and medicine. It's a love story of a doctor and the captain of the South Korean Special Forces Unit.

I really like the series. I like the fact that the series gives importance to oaths, services and promises. It also gave me a whole new perspective on what it takes to be a doctor and a soldier; the danger and the protocols of them all. Cinematography is really good especially on the scene where the main characters were riding at the back of a truck. Music is really good as well. "You are my everything" became part of a lot of people's playlist. The filming sites were mostly in Greece: Zakynthos Island, Lemnos island, Arahova, and Taebaek. At first, I didn't realize they had filmed it in Greece until I Googled a photo of the old rusted boat on the shore. They filmed in not-so-typical places of Greece and I think is good tourism. Not mainstreaming at all. Thumbs way up for DOTS!


2. DOCTORS

Doctors is also a new televisions series this 2016. Doctors is about a prickly high school girl who falls for her professor who is a surgeon. The girl ends up being a surgeon too and they reunite and indulge in a relationship.

It's good though I prefer Descendants of the Sun (DOTS) more than Doctors because the romance of this series over weighs the medicine theme to a point that it toppled over it. What I like about this series though is that they emphasize on the fact that: people shouldn't be judged by where they came from but from what they bring to the table and that: anyone can be anything as long as the mind can dream it. Drama is greatly depicted by the actors. It's more inspirational because it shows the journey (especially the misfortunes) of the girl before becoming a doctor.

3. GAME OF THRONES

Game of Thrones is a series about an iron throne and the people who would kill thousands just to sit on it. It is concerned with politics as well as romance. I really like the plot and all its twists and turns though I think some characters died a bit too early than expected.

Awesome series! The best on this list! I finished all six season in a week. Every episode ended in a way that made me want to continue to the next episode right away. Casting is really nice. I really like the girl who played Arya Stark. There are a lot of famous actors in GoT and they play their parts tremendously well. Cinematography is good. Music is good too. I really like the intro music. It builds a certain feel every episode. Acting is also great especially fighting and death scenes. Some really made me cringe. I really love this series and I can't wait for the next season. I should warn young audiences that there are a lot of disturbing scenes about violence and sex. Viewer discretion is advised.

4. HOUSE MD

House MD is about Dr. Gregory House who is a medical genius and head of diagnostics. He often encounters arguments with his team and other doctors in the hospital because his diagnosis seems less likely but ends up being right.

House is another inspirational series. It is inspired by Sherlock only, it involves medicine. There are no ordinary cases in House MD. The disease or the ailment is somehow masked by confusing symptoms. Dr. House works like a detective and figures out what disease or ailment the patients actually have. The series is really good. It actually inspired me a lot and I hope I can be better than most doctors. I know that, in the real world, most of the patients aren't cured because erroneous diagnosis and treatments. Music used in the series is superb. Tbh, I usually go check them out on YouTube.com. Cinematography is okay. I guess long series aren't that keen on cinematography. Overall, the series is great! I loved it!


5. SHERLOCK

Sherlock is a crime drama tv series based on detective stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. It's about a consultant detective, Sherlock Holmes, his flatmate, Dr. John Watson and the crimes they solve together. Sherlock is a high functioning sociopath who claim he has no friends and fails to realize that there are people who actually care for him.

The series is quite stunning and mind-blowing. It puts the mind into a lot of work. Subtitles are recommended because Sherlock talks absolutely fast. Cinematography is great. I like the filming sites and how they decorated the scenes. Music is good too; very iconic. Casting was perfect. No one can act Sherlock better than Benedict Cumberbatch. I can't wait for Season 4 this 2017!
Let's celebrate today with utmost gratitude for the special person in every child's life, every girl's shopping financier and every boy's fishing buddy!

H A P P Y  F A T H E R ' S  D A Y

A father is truly a remarkable factor in a person's life no doubt. This year, let us not fail in showing the world how much we love our dads. Do what you think can make your dad smile for the rest of the day. Make your parents feel special everyday because life can be unpredictable. It can create the most heartbreaking scenarios and you won't be able to do anything about it. Cherish the time you have with your parents because you don't have forever.

Happy Father's Day Papang! Thank you for constantly inspiring me to be the best "me" I can be and to do good in my studies. You taught me many things but mostly on how to deal with the challenges of life and how to rise up and stand after falling down. I will always treasure the times I spent with you especially your last years. You are the best. I hope you are proud of me. I love you!
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ABOUT ME

Hi, I'm Goldie —an OBGYN resident, art enthusiast, and photographer. This is my little corner to document life in medicine, creativity, and everything in between.

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