This is the rhythm of the night...

I'm sitting here listening to the rhythmic sounds of the dishwasher and I can't help but relate to its mundane task. Dirty dishes go in, detergent is placed, cycle is set. Wash. Rinse. Dry.

I feel like an old dish washer that has just a handful of cycles left. For the past 3.5 13 years I've been basically living my own mundane cycle of studying, testing, applying. Wash. Rinse. Dry. This worn out dishwasher needs to be replaced.

At age 13, in 8th grade, I could not foresee I'd be doing the same routine at 27, in essentially what is my 21st grade. In 8th grade I had to take an entrance exam to get accepted into my high school. Then, the SATs came along for college acceptance. Then, the horrific MCATs. You're told as a budding medical student that, "The hardest part is getting in!" You are aware of the amount of studying and reading that comes with the med school package. And you are aware of the multitude of exams and "Boards" that have to be taken. But what seems to get lost in all that information is the task of APPLYING again.

At this point of the med school cycle I am absolutely drained. Med school and all its glory has sucked the life and energy out of me. I just have to make it through one more cycle. One more cycle of studying, testing, applying. Wash. Rinse. Dry. And then maybe I can somehow reclaim some of my life and energy back, even for a few weeks, to last me through the next 7 or so years.