LOCKER.

I go back to school on the 27th. Whether it's a good or bad thing, I can't really decide. I like that I have so much time to rest and to do things that I actually like, but I really hate that I feel that my brain cells are starting to shrivel up, almost to the point that I actually feel myself getting stupider and stupider (ad infinitum) as the days go by. I like to think that I find fulfilment in many other things aside from clinical work, but I guess I can't escape the truth that it's seeing blood and digging up deposits that give that extra kick. I haven't even been feeling like putting on make-up (!!!).

I claim to despise school, and maybe I actually do. I hate having to wake up early in the morning, I hate having to put on an unflattering uniform, I hate having to attend a crowded* university (oh by the way, my definition of crowded has dramatically changed), but you know what-- I love Oral Surgery, I love Periodontology, I like Restorative Dentistry. The positive greatly outweighs the double negative.

For about three months now, I've been intermittently obsessing over where one of my hand pieces went. I don't mean to brag, but I have three-- one NSK standard, one NSK mini-head (which I lent to one of my seniors after hers broke down), and one Kaso Medical standard push-type. The last time I used my push-type was around August, and it just "disappeared" since. I've always known that it was just inside my locker, but it was just excruciatingly excellent at hiding from me. --but as my intermittent obsession kept bothering me at more frequent intervals, I decided that this would be the day that I'd actively look for it.

Yes, today was the day that I'd actually fix my locker.



My primary intention was to take a big bag of convention freebies and supplies to school. Once July comes around, it wouldn't be very easy for me to bring so much things to school anymore, so I figured I'd do so now while it's a little bit more convenient.

I also thought that now would be the best time to do my locker-fixin' while the college was pretty much empty and I wouldn't have little Pre-Dental and Pre-Clinical kiddies coming up to me asking how much I've spent on all my equipment and supplies-- Okay, don't get me wrong, I'm not some cold-hearted senior who discourages younger students from asking questions, but it gets tiring after having to hear that question over and over again.. and you know, sometimes, I'm just not up for conversations. I'm also very iffy about answering questions and talking about money in general, as it sometimes feels like an invasion of privacy.. Unless I'm talking to a Chinese person, then it's fine.

You know what, I realized something--
Dammit, I have so much pink.



I think you could understand why it was so easy for me to "misplace" my "missing" handpiece-- the case is black, and it pretty much just blends in to the whole locker black hole.

I'm really really not a good example of locker organization, so if I were to be completely honest, right after I've located my "missing" handpiece, I just gathered all my stuff, shoved everything inside my locker, and prayed to God that an avalanche of dental instruments wouldn't fall on me the second I open my locker on the 27th.



"Fixing" my locker did me some good-- I found a few things that mysteriously went "missing". Okay, now I don't need to buy myself another matrix band retainer, I don't need to buy myself another spool of silk suture thread, I don't need to buy myself another this, another that. I've also found that I have a few extras and a few reserves of consumables that would probably last me another semester. Seriously, I'm thinking of coming up with an actual locker inventory system, just so I don't have to erroneously buy multiples of this and that. I'm a senior now. Whether I like it or not, I need to get my s*** together.

While I had my mess scattered on the college hallway, the Dean passed by. He started talking to me about how my friend from UP came by earlier today (I actually knew about that), and well.. Let's just say that I learn more and more about dental education as a philosophy and student management the more I talk to the Dean. Oh well. We go to school to learn, I didn't think I'd learn even before the actual start of the semester.

Sooo.. That's it?


Corine Magenta

PS. MORAL OF THE STORY: Don't be like me!