Class of 2016....how ya doing?

[kanderson615]

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So I FINALLY got my health insurance figured out and I'm signing up for the SCAVMA insurance plan. I had been putting it off for a month because I didn't want to deal with it and it turns out it was actually pretty easy 😳

Also, Squirrels, I can see where you're coming from. But I'm used to being burned in group projects. Anytime I've been in a class where you can't pick your group, I always get stuck with the people about whom I think "Pleeeaasee don't put me in a group with them!" right before groups are assigned. And then I end up doing most of the work 😡 That being said, vet students should be a little more reliable than the average undergrad, so you probably have less to worry about than you think you do. More communication and better organization is good though, glad you all discussed it 👍 What is the project about, anyway? Are you going to be doing many more with this same group?

 

[squirrelsrule]

Our last project was on study types and designing our own experiment, and yes we'll have more group projects (I think 4 more).

Just discovered I was a huge part of the misunderstanding. I was not ignored over the weekend, my email I sent Friday afternoon, JUST actually sent at 2 this afternoon 🙁, so no one had any of my data to add and it didn't come to light till we started incorporating everything last night. Hoping our plan works for the future.

So I FINALLY got my health insurance figured out and I'm signing up for the SCAVMA insurance plan. I had been putting it off for a month because I didn't want to deal with it and it turns out it was actually pretty easy 😳

Also, Squirrels, I can see where you're coming from. But I'm used to being burned in group projects. Anytime I've been in a class where you can't pick your group, I always get stuck with the people about whom I think "Pleeeaasee don't put me in a group with them!" right before groups are assigned. And then I end up doing most of the work 😡 That being said, vet students should be a little more reliable than the average undergrad, so you probably have less to worry about than you think you do. More communication and better organization is good though, glad you all discussed it 👍 What is the project about, anyway? Are you going to be doing many more with this same group?

 

[Emiloo4]

Sitting here debating whether I want to just pass vet school or excel at it
I HATE disappointing myself so I guess it's excel, but I really just want to put less effort in. :tired:

 

[cowgirla]

Sitting here debating whether I want to just pass vet school or excel at it
I HATE disappointing myself so I guess it's excel, but I really just want to put less effort in. :tired:

C = DVM
If you have a few grades above that, great. If not, you have the same degree as the valedictorian

 

[DVMDream]

Sitting here debating whether I want to just pass vet school or excel at it
I HATE disappointing myself so I guess it's excel, but I really just want to put less effort in. :tired:

I have been thinking about this too, but since I have still be thinking of the idea of possibly trying to transfer back to the states, I really need to do well. They tend to expect you to have amazing grades to be considered for a transfer. My brain is tired though.

 

[Trilt]

C = DVM
If you have a few grades above that, great. If not, you have the same degree as the valedictorian

Doesn't help those of us who want to specialize. :C

 

[squirrelsrule]

I'm sorry you all are in meltdown mode 🙁 but keep your eyes on the prize! You've worked your asses off too hard to get to this point! Just be like the Little Engine That Could and make your mantra "I think I can!" Take a step back, and look at it all like just one more step toward your long-term goals. In the meantime, make short-term goals, like just getting to the weekend, or the next break, or the next time you go to the bar. Put a countdown in your planner if you want to, it'll help you get through it all! You can do this!! 👍

By the way, here's a link to Derek's program (finally!) 🙂 I hope this helps someone! I know it helped me through several tests in my undergrad, so I imagine it'll be helpful in lab classes like anatomy. Just go here and click the "Downloads" tab up top: http://code.google.com/p/study-time/

Thank you so much for sending this, I think it will be really helpful for me since I get distracted by my computer and find myself online a lot. Now I can force myself to do some anatomy review if I wind up on the computer 👍

 

[sunnex3]

I have been thinking about this too, but since I have still be thinking of the idea of possibly trying to transfer back to the states, I really need to do well. They tend to expect you to have amazing grades to be considered for a transfer. My brain is tired though.

yeah my brain is tired because in 2 weeks we have.....
- learned (supposedly) all the muscles in the pelvic and thoracic limb
- gone through 15!!!!!!! biochem lectures
- had 3 dev bio lectures by professors i can't understand at all (due to their accent meh)
- have histo labs where my eyes hurt and head hurts to the point where i have to take a break
- have histo lectures by either a professor who speaks too fast or has a crazy french accent.......

i love it and hate it at the same time. intense love/hate relationship. one day i feel like i'm in control the next day i'm freaking out with my friends....

oy.

 

[orca2011]

yeah my brain is tired because in 2 weeks we have.....
- learned (supposedly) all the muscles in the pelvic and thoracic limb
- gone through 15!!!!!!! biochem lectures
- had 3 dev bio lectures by professors i can't understand at all (due to their accent meh)
- have histo labs where my eyes hurt and head hurts to the point where i have to take a break
- have histo lectures by either a professor who speaks too fast or has a crazy french accent.......

i love it and hate it at the same time. intense love/hate relationship. one day i feel like i'm in control the next day i'm freaking out with my friends....

oy.

Ugh...biochem. That's all I have to say on that one. Although, I have taken a few notes the past couple of lectures.


My anatomy group's progress might be halted a bit now though... Are you in lower or upper lab?? If you walk by my group's table, you'll be able to find out why.

 

[bbeventer]

I think you mean wind down 😉

Yeah.... Every time I check this thread I want to post but at the same time I don't because everyone is freaking out and I'm just like "I BLED A FISH! I BLED A FISH!"

I'm definitely not doing as much as I could to prepare and this thread is usually the push I need to get my $h*t together for at least a little bit.

Oops, I did. But I think whine fits just as well, is there a way you can summarize the total whines of the day?

 

[sunnex3]

Ugh...biochem. That's all I have to say on that one. Although, I have taken a few notes the past couple of lectures.


My anatomy group's progress might be halted a bit now though... Are you in lower or upper lab?? If you walk by my group's table, you'll be able to find out why.

i'm in lower lab! what happened?!?!?!?!?!

 

[orca2011]

i'm in lower lab! what happened?!?!?!?!?!

Haha. Well, they think our dog might have had a clot somewhere (which would explain this rather large red spot we found in the neck area earlier on) and wasn't embalmed properly. She was redipped last night and we're waiting to see what she's like when we cut into her. Not thinking it's going to be pretty. She'll probably have to be dipped again and salted.

Kinda smells like off cheese...all the groups around our table love us right now. So since she was retreated, she smelled very chemically today and we had to take frequent breaks and walked out of anatomy with killer headaches. The moldy smell isn't pleasant either. We ended up calling it quits kind of early because we couldn't deal with it anymore today.

 

[sunnex3]

Haha. Well, they think our dog might have had a clot somewhere (which would explain this rather large red spot we found in the neck area earlier on) and wasn't embalmed properly. She was redipped last night and we're waiting to see what she's like when we cut into her. Not thinking it's going to be pretty. She'll probably have to be dipped again and salted.

Kinda smells like off cheese...all the groups around our table love us right now. So since she was retreated, she smelled very chemically today and we had to take frequent breaks and walked out of anatomy with killer headaches. The moldy smell isn't pleasant either. We ended up calling it quits kind of early because we couldn't deal with it anymore today.

that is just.........gross

 

[marino0213]

I hate studying. That is all.

 

[kaydubs]

Best of luck on your exam, Emi! Rawk it

🙁 I'm sorry. Now you know what to expect and you can kick the next exam's arse!

🙁 Sorry it didn't go well for you, now you know how to be better prepared next time. You'll get it, just don't give up.

Thanks! I'm trying not to get *too* down about it. Just hoping I didn't end up with an F... (pretty sure I got a solid D but ya never know....)

Hugs to everyone adjusting! Esp. you, ky!!

In other news, got my first rabies vaccine. My arm isn't hurting too bad so I s'pose I should go back to work🙄

 

[Jamr0ckin]

1. I'm starting to freak out a little bit. The reality of the magnitude of information is hitting me. I would copy all of my notes in undergrad, at least twice. No way I can do that now.

2. First test of the semester is Friday in physiology. Over things like membranes, neuromuscular junction, action potentials, and skeletal muscle contraction. Stuff I've had several times, but feel that because its vet school it will automatically be harder.

3. Immediately after said test I have to leave to go to airport for a wedding, won't get back until Sunday. Then have test on Monday. Yay.



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[zanydogz]

Em: ROCK THAT TEST! Show em' who's boss!

My vet school rant of the day:

I had a physio test on Monday and WTF! The prof decides to focus on really big concepts in lecture, which is great cuz they're usually clinically relevant. Great right? WRONG! He tests us on the really minute details in his powerpoint slides, like the pathway for arachidonic acid (which we only needed to know one thing on, not the whole pathway). SERIOUSLY? The major concepts were only tested in like 2 questions. AND to make matters worse, here is a breakdown of about 80% of the questions:

Which of the following is true:

A.
B.
C:
D: A and B are right, C is wrong
E: A and C are right, B is wrong

I seriously almost started crying after that exam. And I got my grade back...I barely passed...barely. I think I made the average, which was barely passing. The worst part about all this is that I don't even know how to study different or how to improve. I just don't...and I have another test this week (immuno) and really want it to go well.

 

[Emiloo4]

Doesn't help those of us who want to specialize. :C

My thoughts as well. Since I'm not sure what I want to do, I would rather not hate myself later if I decide to specialize. Otherwise, I wouldn't care about grades. I'm also applying for the HPSP and need damn good grades for that. Bleh.

 

[Emiloo4]

Em: ROCK THAT TEST! Show em' who's boss!

My vet school rant of the day:

I had a physio test on Monday and WTF! The prof decides to focus on really big concepts in lecture, which is great cuz they're usually clinically relevant. Great right? WRONG! He tests us on the really minute details in his powerpoint slides, like the pathway for arachidonic acid (which we only needed to know one thing on, not the whole pathway). SERIOUSLY? The major concepts were only tested in like 2 questions. AND to make matters worse, here is a breakdown of about 80% of the questions:

Which of the following is true:

A.
B.
C:
D: A and B are right, C is wrong
E: A and C are right, B is wrong

I seriously almost started crying after that exam. And I got my grade back...I barely passed...barely. I think I made the average, which was barely passing. The worst part about all this is that I don't even know how to study different or how to improve. I just don't...and I have another test this week (immuno) and really want it to go well.

Molecular bio exams
View attachment ImageUploadedBySDN Mobile1347424463.387210.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedBySDN Mobile1347424478.231151.jpg

 

[Trilt]

Molecular bio exams
View attachment 21275View attachment 21276

I had a high school bio teacher that would have:

Question?
A) Answer
B) Answer
C) Answer
D) Answer
E) None of the above

Bubble ALL THAT APPLY. So you'd do like B, C and E. Or only A, or B and D, etc. No partial credit.

Really haven't seen anything worse than that since then haha...

 

[Emiloo4]

I had a high school bio teacher that would have:

Question?
A) Answer
B) Answer
C) Answer
D) Answer
E) None of the above

Bubble ALL THAT APPLY. So you'd do like B, C and E. Or only A, or B and D, etc. No partial credit.

Really haven't seen anything worse than that since then haha...

That's what my biochem was like... biochem

 

[kaydubs]

Which of the following is true:

A.
B.
C:
D: A and B are right, C is wrong
E: A and C are right, B is wrong

I seriously almost started crying after that exam. And I got my grade back...I barely passed...barely. I think I made the average, which was barely passing. The worst part about all this is that I don't even know how to study different or how to improve. I just don't...and I have another test this week (immuno) and really want it to go well.

:hug: Yeah, my exam was a bit like this. Hang in there!! I'm that I passed my first exam when I get the grade back....

 

[DVMDream]

I had a high school bio teacher that would have:

Question?
A) Answer
B) Answer
C) Answer
D) Answer
E) None of the above

Bubble ALL THAT APPLY. So you'd do like B, C and E. Or only A, or B and D, etc. No partial credit.

Really haven't seen anything worse than that since then haha...

I had this same thing in a few classes in undergrad... When I first saw that I did this.... 😱 Along with every other person in the class, I think we all cried a little after that first exam. There were also exams like what Emiloo had posted... So annoying. I think I would spend more time reading over each answer to be sure that the answer was indeed correct than reading the question itself.

 

[squirrelsrule]

I have a feeling that our tests will be like this as well. Makes it almost as bad as true and false questions (I HATE true and false I can always talk myself into false). I would much prefer short answer or essay. I feel with those types you can explain yourself and do better if you're an overthinker like myself. Of course with 164 people in my class, I highly doubt we will have that type question like ever. Even cells which said there would be that gave us an outline of the test and it's mostly true and false with a couple essay questions 🙁. At least it's not mostly true and false 🙂.

 

[DVMDream]

I have a feeling that our tests will be like this as well. Makes it almost as bad as true and false questions (I HATE true and false I can always talk myself into false). I would much prefer short answer or essay. I feel with those types you can explain yourself and do better if you're an overthinker like myself. Of course with 164 people in my class, I highly doubt we will have that type question like ever. Even cells which said there would be that gave us an outline of the test and it's mostly true and false with a couple essay questions 🙁. At least it's not mostly true and false 🙂.

I would rather do the T/F and Multiple Choice. I just don't write well so I think short answer and essay questions don't work well for me.. I have been reading over some of the past exam short answer questions and some of them aren't too bad, but some of them...

 

[devyn]

I would rather do the T/F and Multiple Choice. I just don't write well so I think short answer and essay questions don't work well for me.. I have been reading over some of the past exam short answer questions and some of them aren't too bad, but some of them...

Our midterms tend to be multiple choice or true false although they can be quite tricky, but our finals are all essay questions and they are brutal..... and usually 70-80% of the class grade is based off of the final paper, so it is no fun really. It has taken a lot to get used to the way we are examined over here and I still really suck at the essay finals.... 🙁

 

[Jamr0ckin]

I had a high school bio teacher that would have:

Question?
A) Answer
B) Answer
C) Answer
D) Answer
E) None of the above

Bubble ALL THAT APPLY. So you'd do like B, C and E. Or only A, or B and D, etc. No partial credit.

Really haven't seen anything worse than that since then haha...

My freshman biology class in undergrad was like that, but we had to justify why each answer was wrong or right with a singular sentence. 😱

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[dyachei]

My freshman biology class in undergrad was like that, but we had to justify why each answer was wrong or right with a singular sentence. 😱

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the multiple multiple choice is a specialty of Reed's - or it used to be

 

[Minnerbelle]

I had a high school bio teacher that would have:

Question?
A) Answer
B) Answer
C) Answer
D) Answer
E) None of the above

Bubble ALL THAT APPLY. So you'd do like B, C and E. Or only A, or B and D, etc. No partial credit.

Really haven't seen anything worse than that since then haha...

Our immuno exams were like that. So if there were 5 choices, and 2 correct/3 incorrect... Then you got 0.5 points for bubbling in the correct choices and a -0.33 for bubbling in each incorrect choice. So for each problem, you could get between -1 and 1 point. That's right, you could theoretically get -100% even though a +70% was what you needed to pass. Talk about mean!!!

 

[Jamr0ckin]

the multiple multiple choice is a specialty of Reed's - or it used to be

Oh joy.

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[Emiloo4]

Our immuno exams were like that. So if there were 5 choices, and 2 correct/3 incorrect... Then you got 0.5 points for bubbling in the correct choices and a -0.33 for bubbling in each incorrect choice. So for each problem, you could get between -1 and 1 point. That's right, you could theoretically get -100% even though a +70% was what you needed to pass. Talk about mean!!!

*gulp*


Anatomy exam in t-minus 3 hours
I'm actually ready to just get it over with and take it already. And kick it's arse again!

 

[Abnerrs]

Do work Em!!!!!!! You can do it!!!!!

 

[DVMDream]

I can not fit anything else into my brain. I still have quite a bit of information to cover and I really wanted to have gone over everything by tomorrow but I don't see how that is going to happen....

 

[Abnerrs]

I can not fit anything else into my brain. I still have quite a bit of information to cover and I really wanted to have gone over everything by tomorrow but I don't see how that is going to happen....

You can! You have a big brain!

 

[bbeventer]

 

[zanydogz]

Well on the bright side, I got my anatomy exam back and yay for a B! Definitely improvable and I know what I did wrong so yay!

Now for immuno this week...antigens and antibodies...joy. 🙄

 

[NStarz]

Just took an anatomy quiz and feel like I bombed it. She was asking questions on a whole different level than what I was understanding 🙁

 

[squirrelsrule]

Just took an anatomy quiz and feel like I bombed it. She was asking questions on a whole different level than what I was understanding 🙁

That quiz was a shocker to me as well! I was hoping anatomy would be that class where you could just memorize everything and be OK, apparently not. I feel I did good on it, but it was so much harder than I was expecting. I am severely directionally challenged and there was a lot of directionality stuff on there. I can handle 10 questions like that, but a whole test like that my brain might explode. I think I'm gonna need to do some major work on learning the relationship between things instead of just pointing and saying it's there a little to the left of whatever lol. Really wishing my group had dissected out the radial nerve on the lateral side and I would have gotten that one, but we thought we were good just knowing it dove and wrapped around to the extensors. Apparently not! I'm really glad we had this quiz because walking into an exam and finding out it was all like that would have been horrible, at least now we know what it'll be like. It was only 10 points, it'll be OK 👍

 

[DVMDream]

I am seriously having doubts about whether I can do this... As soon as it feels like I have something down and I know it really well, I move on to the next section and get that down and then I have forgotten everything from the first part that I studied...

I really want to do well, but I am really having doubts about my studying and my study methods and how well I am going to do.

 

[zanydogz]

Just took an anatomy quiz and feel like I bombed it. She was asking questions on a whole different level than what I was understanding 🙁

That quiz was a shocker to me as well! I was hoping anatomy would be that class where you could just memorize everything and be OK, apparently not. I feel I did good on it, but it was so much harder than I was expecting. I am severely directionally challenged and there was a lot of directionality stuff on there. I can handle 10 questions like that, but a whole test like that my brain might explode. I think I'm gonna need to do some major work on learning the relationship between things instead of just pointing and saying it's there a little to the left of whatever lol. Really wishing my group had dissected out the radial nerve on the lateral side and I would have gotten that one, but we thought we were good just knowing it dove and wrapped around to the extensors. Apparently not! I'm really glad we had this quiz because walking into an exam and finding out it was all like that would have been horrible, at least now we know what it'll be like. It was only 10 points, it'll be OK 👍

Yea, some of my quiz questions and exam questions are at a whole different level than the lecture. But now you know what the exam questions will be like (in terms of difficulty) and so you know what you need to do to prepare. Hang in there!

 

[NStarz]

That quiz was a shocker to me as well! I was hoping anatomy would be that class where you could just memorize everything and be OK, apparently not. I feel I did good on it, but it was so much harder than I was expecting. I am severely directionally challenged and there was a lot of directionality stuff on there. I can handle 10 questions like that, but a whole test like that my brain might explode. I think I'm gonna need to do some major work on learning the relationship between things instead of just pointing and saying it's there a little to the left of whatever lol. Really wishing my group had dissected out the radial nerve on the lateral side and I would have gotten that one, but we thought we were good just knowing it dove and wrapped around to the extensors. Apparently not! I'm really glad we had this quiz because walking into an exam and finding out it was all like that would have been horrible, at least now we know what it'll be like. It was only 10 points, it'll be OK 👍

I feel the EXACT same way. I memorized EVERYTHING. But she tested you on another level. I have such bad mental imaging skills so figuring out what muscle was medial/lateral of whatever structure really threw me. I'm so upset right now, and I don't even know how to study to fix this. My brain just doesn't work like that. Though I really liked her clinically oriented questions--they were hard but I totally appreciated that she asked them.

 

[squirrelsrule]

I feel the EXACT same way. I memorized EVERYTHING. But she tested you on another level. I have such bad mental imaging skills so figuring out what muscle was medial/lateral of whatever structure really threw me. I'm so upset right now, and I don't even know how to study to fix this. My brain just doesn't work like that. Though I really liked her clinically oriented questions--they were hard but I totally appreciated that she asked them.

I agree and I have the same issue. For the antebrachium, I remember that the ulna starts medial and ends laterally and then someone in my lab group said to remember UP RT. Ulna to the pinkie and radius to the thumb (or dewie as I call it on the dog 😀). Has been a life saver for me. Then have to remember that the radius is medial at the distal end and you know it's going towards the thumb, so the thumb side is medial. Works for me, has confused some, but I don't think I could have figured out the lower leg without that trick, so I use it often 🙂.

 

[Emiloo4]

Well there's another 3 hour exam arse whoopin! Onto study for Histology 🙄

Y'all can do this! DON'T let yourself feel overwhelmed for too long. Feel it, fight it, and overcome it. Find something that puts a spark back in you. My new source of encouragement is walking through the hospital seeing all the students in their white coats with patients 😳

 

[DVMDream]

Well there's another 3 hour exam arse whoopin! Onto study for Histology 🙄

Y'all can do this! DON'T let yourself feel overwhelmed for too long. Feel it, fight it, and overcome it. Find something that puts a spark back in you. My new source of encouragement is walking through the hospital seeing all the students in their white coats with patients 😳

Good job, Emiloo!

 

[bunnity]

Don't despair first years. I think your brain has to re-wire itself when you start vet school. In a few months you will be amazed at how much more efficient you are - you learn how to study, your brain learns how to memorize better, and it becomes less painful. Think of it like the first time you rode a bike or drove a stickshift or hit a baseball. It's a new skill for your brain and it takes time and it is awkward and confusing at first and you feel like you can never do it, but you can. Just give it time, work hard, and be nice to yourself. And don't be afraid to ask for help from friends, classmates, and counselors. Lots of people are rooting for you and want to help you succeed.

 

[skittles12]

Don't despair first years. I think your brain has to re-wire itself when you start vet school. In a few months you will be amazed at how much more efficient you are - you learn how to study, your brain learns how to memorize better, and it becomes less painful.

👍

I agree. A few weeks into my first year, I had some serious doubts about whether I could do it or not. The amount of information was just overwhelming, and it was all presented back to back (10 min break between classes). I went and talked to one of the counselors at school and she gave me some tips to help reduce stress and take care of myself. I still felt like I fumbled through a lot of first semester, but by second semester I could tell that I had learned how to study smarter instead of harder.

If you are really struggling, don't be afraid to talk to someone about help! Professors, counselors, anyone! And be sure to take a little time to do something not vet-school related--watch your favorite TV show, make an actual dinner for yourself, take a walk, whatever. The breaks from studying and stressing are what will keep you sane!

 

[kaydubs]

Thanks for the words of support 🙂

 

[ky261682]

Went to make an appointment with a counselor today. They are only taking walk-ins right now and the counselor's lunch break coincides with mine 🙁 The secretary told me to come back later and maybe she could fit me in so I explained that I had class until 4:30 and that my classes go from 8:30-4:30 everyday except Friday. Her response? "Well I guess you won't get to see a counselor then. Too bad". I asked if they ever had evening hours and she said "No, we don't give special treatment for vet students". I wasn't asking for special treatment, just if they had evening hours 😕

Thanks to everyone here for being supportive. I probably would have already walked away if not for you guys.

 

[DVMDream]

Went to make an appointment with a counselor today. They are only taking walk-ins right now and the counselor's lunch break coincides with mine 🙁 The secretary told me to come back later and maybe she could fit me in so I explained that I had class until 4:30 and that my classes go from 8:30-4:30 everyday except Friday. Her response? "Well I guess you won't get to see a counselor then. Too bad". I asked if they ever had evening hours and she said "No, we don't give special treatment for vet students". I wasn't asking for special treatment, just if they had evening hours 😕

Thanks to everyone here for being supportive. I probably would have already walked away if not for you guys.

That is horrible. Could you maybe try e-mailing the counselor and explaining your situation to see if she could set you up with a different time. Maybe she would be more accomadating than the secretary.

 

[psilovethomas]

Went to make an appointment with a counselor today. They are only taking walk-ins right now and the counselor's lunch break coincides with mine 🙁 The secretary told me to come back later and maybe she could fit me in so I explained that I had class until 4:30 and that my classes go from 8:30-4:30 everyday except Friday. Her response? "Well I guess you won't get to see a counselor then. Too bad". I asked if they ever had evening hours and she said "No, we don't give special treatment for vet students". I wasn't asking for special treatment, just if they had evening hours 😕

Thanks to everyone here for being supportive. I probably would have already walked away if not for you guys.

Wow, that is horrible. Do you know the counselor's email? Try that to set up a time. Counselors can be wonderful if you find one that jives with you!