I say “the last stretch is always the hardest”, because that’s what my own experience tells me. In a night of cramming information worth twenty-one lectures, for example, I seem to finish the first twenty in the first hour, and the twenty-first in the last three. (And so with that habit I sleep at dawn).

Procrastination, a skewed concept of delayed gratification, and mismanagement time are my three greatest enemies. Then again, even when the going gets tough, life gives me the power-ups I need to become even tougher: a nice cup of milk tea (I’ve become a recent fan), a healthy dose of K-Pop videos, a good massage, and a love for the craft.

This May –affectionately dubbed as #MAYhem by all second-year students passing through ASMPH– I pray for the will to be even tougher. We’ll need all the help we can get.

My blogging. I haven’t been active on social media as of late (except on my stan Twitter account), and that’s in preparation for even greater social hibernation ahead. A pity, I think, since there are still two episodes left to Lazy Kitchen Season 1, and I’ve recently watched some movies I feel like I should really write about (specifically: the entire MCU).

The reason for my absence is made obvious by the concept of #MAYhem. The last month of second-year medical school comes with day after day of comprehensive lecture exams, laboratory finals, year-end requirements, and practicals. Next week is the last “normal” lecture week; by the 15th, it will be an unending stretch of late nights and stress.

In truth, I can barely function at the thought of it. My only comfort is the knowledge that literally all doctors have gone through the same struggle, and they’ve all become better for it. We can only hope to survive with as much finesse.

(The last stretch is always the hardest, but we’ll make it to the end.) 

This is a very long and unnecessary update post. I’ll queue up some other creative things for the month in the meanwhile.

Keep me posted about your life, too! I’ll read messages here and on my Instagram (@jari_1995) and Twitter (@gudejari) on the odd breaks.

Wish us all luck!