Most of  today’s Biology was focused on the importance of Carbon and other organic elements (H N C etc), and Chemistry was primarily an intro lecture with a little on the wave/freq relationship. (C=vl). I’m feeling pretty intellectually stimulated and looking forward to whats to come.

Otherwise I’ve just been keeping up with a few movies, and generally maintaining somewhat of a persistent vegetative state. Naturally I’ve had a few second thoughts about the whole course as well as joining the Ambulance service (on a voluntary basis) but I’ve come to the conclusion that the course, and career are most definitely things I want to do. As for the ambulance work, I plan on at least attending the information session which is being held next Tuesday. I am also going to go to a kind of self-driven orientation on Thursday, with a friend – just to find the classes etc and generally get back into the feel of University life once again.

I project this blogs activity levels will increase exponentially as of Monday but things may be slow from time to time when I get busy.

In reflection I should note that these holidays have been long and somewhat fatiguing (it’s hard work doing nothing). In hindsight however I guess things did go rather quickly, it certainly doesn’t seem that long ago that I was weeks, and even months away from Sem’ start, now it’s down to days (6 to go). It’s been a ‘long winding road’ for me to get to the path I’ve reached now, and as I alluded to in the previous post it’s the road less traveled by. I have a lot of challenges to face the least of which being my own will but here’s hoping I make it. I guess the Ten Years From Now should soon read 9 Years and 11 months, but hey, who’s counting…

What all of this comes down to is the fact that I can’t wait for Uni to start again, but as the days decline in number they seem to increase exponentially in length. The relativity of time is generally accepted, even Psychologically so I don’t really have cause to wonder why things seem so slow, however knowing the cause will do little to prevent me from complaining of the effect. I think the feeling is worsened by the fatigue embued from my still-adjusting sleep schedule, or maybe I just can’t get there quick enough…

I’m quite certain the US (and possibly every other) health care system is far from flawless but some of the claims made on these videos seem beyond far-fetched, and some are quite extraordinary. My main concern however is not the negative light this sheds on the United States Mental Health Care industry, but rather, the effect the videos may have on viewers. I figure the majority of people looking for these videos are either students like myself, people in the industry, people who want to expand general knowledge or lastly, and most importantly, people searching for help.

People or friends and family suffering from mental illness, and/or a reduced quality of life due to a mental health issue may be using the internet to find resources to help them. Some of these people are no doubt looking for information before deciding whether to seek medical advice. Whilst it may seem common sense to a lot of people to see a Doctor (who can refer patients to a mental health specialist if necessary), I do fear a lot of people may choose not to seek help after watching these videos.

I’m sure it is not the intention of the videos to have people ignore medical help, but I can’t help feeling a little concerned about the effects the videos might have. Whilst free speech is a wonderful thing, sometimes one does wonder what these things lead to. I’m not suggesting the videos be revoked or necessarily censored but I am concerned they may do more harm than good.

Returning to First Year subjects has it’s own sort of (self-attached) stigma. I’ll be reasonably older than the other students but I don’t think I’m at the point of a generation gap just yet. Either way it really is of no consequence, I just hope for group work I get paired with people that aren’t completely incompetent. I realize this is arrogant, but I have my reasons for preferring not to waste time. I’ll hope for the best and deal with whatever happens as it comes. I’ve had to do entire groups work before, so it’s nothing new if that is the case.

I’ve been brushing up on the Science side of things via the online lectures available at Academic Earth. I think they are a fantastic resource, and my hat goes off to the service providers and associated persons whom facilitate and manage this and related websites. In short, I think it’s a fantastic idea. Free knowledge is ever so empowering.

Most of my revision has been, somewhat unintentionally, focused on Chemistry. Partially because the early Biology topics are Biochemistry anyway, but also because I don’t have a High School background in Chem. I’m not too concerned, I did 2nd year Neuroscience several years ago with no background in Chem or Bio and did reasonably well so I know I can handle it – I just want to equip myself as best I can before the Semester begins – and afterall, I do have all this free time to burn, so it may as well be burnt at least semi-constructively.

I’ve also been following some Psych lectures from Berkeley via the ever popular YouTube. Again, free knowledge is awesome. I’m upto around the 11th-12th lecture somewhere, of what is something like a 30-36 lecture series, I’m hoping I can get most of it (if not all) finished before March 1st.

I’ll probably post more tomorrow, once I find out about my friends campus transfer status, for now, I think I’m gonna read some more Chem and maybe watch some TV.