John Bednar

Crazy

So this is it! The end of the road. The napkin is folded. Shop is closed up.   Of course I am releived, but then again I did not want to take my last exam.  After this exam I knew I was done-zo.  Walking back its like one of those cheezy movie endings where you start looking at areas on campus and remember things happening right at that spot  at some point in the past four years.   I met some of the most incredible people here.  Sometimes alot of my anxiety comes from the thought that people like the friends I've made at John Carroll aren't made anywhere else.   Everyone is so care-free, friendly, welcoming, attentive to others, full of conversation, and comforting.  I think alot of it has to do with the fact everyone is at COLLEGE... and when you're at college, yes, you have alot of work to do.  Besides your work, not much else is really expected of you.  The time is yours to decide what you want to do with it.  Its really the only time I can think of... where you can sleep whenever you want, get coffee (whenever you want), meet random people, go out to have fun on Thursday nights, meet so many beautiful people, play sports on the quad, and get in a campus wide snowball fight... all without it interfering with your life, since its these things that make up your life as a college student.   I was in such a hurry to just get my finals over, but now I'm seriously trying to slow things down.  You know... spend the extra time to walk places with people instead of driving.

 

Nice Weather and ECSC

The Cleveland weather is finally starting to turn around!  Giving tours to families from south of Ohio thought it was  insane that students were wearing shorts and t-shirts in 55 degree weather.  I think differently, as soon as there's no snow, the flip flops become my only option.  Its sort of bitter sweet...  Its so nice out and its amazing to see students playing frisbee, lacross, football, or just laying out in the quad; however,  this is probably one of the last seasons I get to see this since I'm graduating in less than a month!  Either way, its great to see people out again.

I just got back from Niagara, New York.  I finally had the opportunity to present my research to neuroscientists and other professors from colleges associated with the Eastern Colleges Science Conference (ECSC).  It was a great opportunity and I met alot of awesome people from other schools.   I ended up making a pretty cool connection with a couple of guys who go to the Naval Academy.  They did research on a new medicine they developed to cure Malaria.  This kind of made me feel like my research on 'static magnetic's effect on melatonin and other physiological parameters' seem like nothing, but suprisingly, they were just as interested in my study as I was in theirs.  I guess when people put so much work into a study, you understand the effort and struggles of research, and so you are pumped to learn about what other people did.  Anyways, it was an incredible experience and John Carroll won five awards for with only 6 students attending where as most schools won only 2 awards with nearly 60 students attending...  my school rocks :o)

2 more months! oh wait... oh man.

So there is only about two more moths till I graduate.  Do you know exactly how fast two months goes by? I mean, Think about it this way, You've probably already been back from Christmas break for more than two months, and it seems like last week. 

I honestly dont want to leave this place.  The four years I've spent here have been the best.  Believe 'them' when they say, "those are the golden years."  Infact, I can see why people I know graduate and turn right around and go to grad school, work, or do something affiliated with Carroll.

Academically, I love how my semester had unfolded.  The classes I am taking are great (even human phys!).  My professors seem to be big on the whole 'take home test' thing this semester. I think it is because of the courses having so much subjectivity... the only way to answer a question on an exam is to just spill your thoughts out onto paper (my kind of test!).

I have alot of exciting things coming up besides graduation.  I have my Eastern Colleges Science Conference to attend and present my research on the effects of magnets on melatonin (a hormone in the brain). Sounds nerdy, I understand, but I'm pretty pumped about it. I've put alot of hard work into it and I'm going to have a good time taking questions from other researchers.

Relay is coming up again! This is my favorite campus wide activity... ITS HUGE.  I am not leading a team this semester due to time, but I'm excited about the team in which I'm a member.  If last year's relay at JCU set a national record for our size school... I can't wait to see how this year turns out!

So its been snowing alot... and what does snow mean in my head?... snowboarding.  I've been hittin the slopes at a nearby ski resort (Brandywine) by my house.  Every friday night they have a college ID special,  10:30pm-3am for only $15!  Thats almost unheard of.  John Carroll is hosting a trip to Holiday Valley in NY this weekend that I'm going on.  it was only $25 for transportation and a day pass... again thats an amazing deal.  I know I keep talking about money money money and deals deals deals alot... but trust me, when you're a student, you'll see what I mean!

Oh... and T-Pain is coming to JCU, pretty sweet huh? 

Global Warming just in time for spring break?

Spring Break is coming up!  I'm staying at school, but have intentions of venturing off to Pennsylvania for a ski trip or two.  Since I'm a Resident Assistant, I have to sit during the holidays for people who might not be able to catch a flight home can stay over break.  Its not so bad, it'll give me a chance to make a couple extra bucks.  This winter season is killing my wallet. I recently got into rock climbing and snowboarding (I've skiied my whole life till now).  Both of which I want to do on a weekly basis, both of which I dont have the $ for!  Good thing credit cards exist...   

My girlfriend and I got started on this whole rock climbing kick.  Its something that always sounds fun but you never know where to go or what you need.  So one Saturday afternoon, her and I called up this local place in Cleveland called Cleveland Rock Gym .  Apparently you need a belaying liscence which requires a class and a test.  A belayer is the person who has a hold of the rope at the bottom just incase the person at the top decides he/she cant hold on any longer and lets go (involuntarily).  Well we didnt really feel like taking a class, and we wanted to rock climb that day... so we looked up belaying tutorials on youtube... haha.  We went and took out test and    ---Wa-lah.

So this week I'm doing a little tutorial class of my own for the residents on my floor on how to belay, and then in a couple more days we are all going climbing. I think it might be my most exciting/involved floor event yet.  They are all great guys, it should be alot of fun.  I'll try and get pictures for the next post! 

future

So over break, which was nice, I did alot of traveling.  I spent alot of my time up here at John Carroll to both make some money for christmas expenses and also work on my research (which seems to be taking forever).  Other than that, I finally got the chance to shadow different careers in the medical field to decide what path is right for me.

My sister, who is a trauma RN in Richmond Virginia, set me up with a physician assistant to shadow for a few days.  A month ago I would've shadowed nothing but physicians because thats all that I had intentions of becoming.  I am glad my sister opened the possibility of becoming a PA (physicians assistant), because it truly seems to fit the family lifestyle I'm looking forward to in the future.

So I met up with a PA named Hamid.  He works in the trauma unit at a hospital which is in the top 5 most violent cities in the U.S, Richmond Virginia.  The nights I shadowed in the E.R. with him were intense.  Anywhere from more gunshot victims that I could count on my fingers, to burn patients, drug overdose, and drowings. I learned alot about what PAs do and how much responsibility they hold.  From the E.R., Hamid is also  Neurosurgeon PA, which means he assists with surgery. He invited me to come shadow a spinal cord surgery.  Of course, i took the opportunity and loved it.  The surgeon and Hamid, actually let me scrub in on the surgery so I could observe bedside.

After all the shadowing, I had alot of fun to catch up on.  I went to visit my girlfriend who lives between Baltimore and Washington D.C..  She took me around D.C. for my first time in daylight.  She also took me to Georgetown... which is a great place, but is REALLY expensive.  There were alot of fun and unique stores to look around, but most had normal t-shirts and polos for around $300.  A while back, my girlfriend got me tickets to Trans Siberian Orchestra that were for this past Sunday.  It was an incredible show!  The lighting and pyro effects were unbelievable.  If you ever get the chance to see them live, take the opportunity!

Thats all from me for now.

Later!