In the few weeks between graduation and starting my internship, I knew that I was effectively going to lose my mind due to the fact that I was going to have a lot of free time without the constant stimulation of veterinary school. Rather than sit around my apartment and become consumed with overwhelming nostalgia of the past four years, I preemptively booked trips with what little money I had to both California and Colorado to spend time learning from board-certified radiologists in an effort to bolster my upcoming application to diagnostic imaging residencies. I spent a week in each of these two beautiful locales and gleaned some valuable tips and knowledge from radiology residents and diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Radiology alike.
Although I consider myself extroverted, traveling alone to a place I had never been before was daunting. I think that in those two weeks, not only did I grow as an aspiring radiologist but as a person. After a long day’s work, I would return to my living quarters by myself and have nothing but time to contemplate the day, study, and become a bit introspective. I had time to think about what my upcoming internship would be like, whether or not I would like living and working with my intern-mates (more on that to come), and how I was going to handle moving to yet another new location for what I suspected would be one of the hardest years of my life.
I enjoyed my two weeks of work/vacation, as staying busy in this way often re-energizes my spirit. When I returned home in the middle of June, I was brimming with confidence and ready (mentally, at least) for the next 12 months of my internship.
