First Week of Class?

No tests or quizzes except those listed in our original schedules. Ever. I think our student handbook even guarantees this. (we did have "self-pop quizzes" in one class that were given out only for us to measure our own progress and were not handed in or used in any grading process)

The first day of med school for me (every school is different) went like so:
~Arrive and wait in line...get intro packet with mailbox key.
~Go find mailbox...pure chaos in the hallway. retrieve huge stacks of course materials, CDs, etc. Wonder if backpack can handle load.
~Go to lecture hall. Find it thanks to signs and foolowing other confused-looking med1s. Meet and greet people, try to look thru stack of materials found in mailbox, then 'orientation' starts and they introduce a parade of people we need to know (deans, advisers, etc., etc.). Can't remember any of them within 15 min. due to the excitement and newness of everything. Basically, your mind is in overload trying to process everything going on. Become very relieved to discover EVERYONE feels overwhelmed with info and you're not the only one. Overall, this initial orientation is painful to sit thru, but necessary.
~Dean announces tuition is $1500 higher than the financial aid office anticipated due to state budget cuts. Class groans. (Note: at end of year, such an announcement would have resulted in angry mob and maimed Dean).
~Watch a orientation *spoof* video made by the Med2s. Funny and enjoyable.
~Get sorted into groups and go out to lunch with a few Med2s leading each group. Time for chit chat, etc. Also notice diversity of personalities: the overblown egos, delinquents, obnoxiously perky, anal retentive/OCD individuals and everything in between. Really interesting--every stereotype of med students you can think of is represented (for example, the person who asks if anything in the spoof orientation video will be on an exam)!
~Our class had an afternoon 'class bonding' activity as well.
~Go home and continue unpacking and go thru all the stuff from my mailbox.

Day two: Intro to our classes, meet our cadavers (no dissection today, just go into lab and get the low-down on anatomy lab). Some random orientation activities as well, forms to fill out, etc. Find out about med2 sales of lab coats, dissection kits, books, etc. Make mental note to bring checkbook everyday next week so can purchase aforementioned materials from med students and not overpriced bookstore. Attend orientation picnic that evening with med1s, med2s, administrators and everyone's S.O.'s. (more meet and greet).

Day three: lectures begin, anatomy lab begins--start of 'routine'. Watch checkbook balance decline at alarming rate (our loans didn't get distributed until our second or third week of classes). Start to slowly get into the swing of things.

Basically, things get going rather quickly but they try to ease you in over a couple days first.

;-) smurfette