Being a student isn’t just about how you perform, it’s also about how you recover. Exam weeks are very trying times as a student and having multiple exams back to back is no joke!

This week has been busy for me! I’ve started preparing for the upcoming cumulative exams, and all weekend I’ve been attending this continuing education class to keep my EMT license active. As a visual learner I am always looking for a way to enhance my understanding, and for one of my classes I had to think outside the box.

Due to the pandemic and appropriate restrictions to minimize interactions and unnecessary exposure, the lecture courses are to remain online for the remainder of the trimester. I think this is the right decision, especially with a resurgence of COVID-19 cases.

It’s the ninth week of the summer term, and the second round of exams is next week. I can’t believe this trimester is almost over??!!! I was reflecting the other day, and the core of what I’ve learned so far in the TCM program is about maintaining or regaining balance.

By far the most interesting things I have learned so far is pulse diagnosis. Did you know that there are more than 25 standard pulse types in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)? Ultimately the pulse reveals how well the patient’s blood and Qi are flowing through their meridians. It is said that it takes decades to reach the level of a master pulse diagnostician.

It’s been a challenging few weeks, to say the least. The media coverage on Covid-19 is non-stop, and the ultimate sins of American history are responsible for the volatile state of affairs. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the seven emotions are joy, anger, grief, worry, pensiveness, fear and fright, and each emotion is associated with a particular organ. Under normal conditions, these normal human reactions do not cause disease; however, excessive emotional activity can lead to severe energy imbalances, blockages, and even impaired organ function.

During these new global circumstances, being a student has become more complicated, no more study groups in the library and no more late-night runs to Starbucks (at least for now). Like many others around the world, I’ve had to transition my living space into a classroom, study hall and testing center in a short amount of time.

Namaste means that whatever is precious and beautiful in me, honors whatever is precious and beautiful in you. I never liked goodbyes, that’s why I never say them. Bye (pronounced “bai”) in my language actually means "rice". As you know me by now, I am a goof. I make jokes about everything or always add some humor, but there is a reason for all my quirks. I am always known as "that woman with a smile".

March 20, 2020 was the date quarantine started. I remember not many people were aware of how serious this situation was; and I am one of the guilty. I have been exposed to so many things working in the health care field for more than a decade, all the handwashing was normal hygiene that we had to do. What caught my attention was how it affected the elderly; namely, my mom.

“Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.” - Mark Twain