Tired... but I shall not be streesed

Stress comes from what we perceive, it's all in our mind.

Yet, I'll be lying if I tell you that I'm not stressed out. Perhaps not really stressed, but certainly quite tired. I've been having a few crazy weeks working non stop.

Firstly, Neuroscience is simply too interesting for be that I don't mind forgoing my sleep just to study it. Other medics will call that self inflicted trouble. It's just like solving math questions: Symptoms usually would tell you where the lesion is and what kind of consequences do you expect. But again, as in math, you'll have to learn the basic formula/theories first before proceeding on to problem solving. In this case, the basics include the anatomy (most important)and physiology of brain and spinal cord. I am really looking forward to the day I finally finish studying the whole brain and start solving problems - so excited!!!!!

I have to admit that I've been spending relative large amount of time on extra-curricular activities. On monday evening, I attend Judo lesson, I travel to Hope Hospital for Reache on Wednesday and attend Buddhism society talk on Thursday evening. I've also been really busy organizing the After School Club induction day (which went really well-loads of positive comments especially on organisation), making arrangement for volunteers' CRB check and liaisoning with volunteers, parents and Greenheys management. While these are certainly invaluable experiences for me and I enjoy every moment of them, they are quite demanding on my time and energy. At this very moment, I can feel my head spinning.

I went to the Manchester Museum today to discuss about yet another work I've volunteered for. The job involves cataloging collections of insects. I told Dr Dmitri that I'm afraid of living insects and don't really like them. Then he took a frame out from a cabinet and showed me these really really beautiful moths. They looked like butterflies and one was blue, another purplish and last one pink. They all glowed, and that's not because of pigmentation but it is a rendation formed by the thousands of scales on the wings which creates an optic illusionary effects. That was really fascinating, I immediately decided that I really want to see more of those and the dislike/pseudophobia towards insects vanished almost immediately.

I wanted to write about my PBL session today but decided that I better not because it's bound to be long-winded. All I have to say is that Prof Tomlinson was mean to me today to the point that I was at the verge of tears (while still pretending to laugh). But I still enjoyed the session very much.

The thing about PBL and these extra-curricular activities are that I enjoy them so much that I often get euphoria as an after effect. The after effect can sometimes last for days! Especially because of the fact that I work hard on PBL and for After School Club, people get really impressed from what I've done and that becomes a strong positive reinforcement for me = double/triple euphoria! When I'm in the state of euphoria, I cannot concentrate on doing proper stuff like studying. I'll have to find a solution for that soon, or else I'll lag behind in PBL...

So now I better get back to neuroscience right now. I'm doing something I really enjoy, and therefore I shouldn't be stressed. I'm not stressed, and shall not be stressed.