Once again, I thought that studying in a cafe would do wonders for me. It did.
However, what’s interesting today is my encounter with the usual people who hang out (tambay) in a cafe. I forgot all about them. I have encountered them countless times during the different stages of being a med student.
I have learned to examine the area first, identify these personalities, before I settle on a place where it will be beneficial for me. And I do this quickly. I guess I also do this without noticing that I do this.
These are the usual tambays with a mission:
(Note: Those who came in to unwind and those posers have been taken out of the list.)
1. The quasi-studious creature. These are those who think they have the biggest brains in the whole of the cafe. Some go to the extent of pretending to pass by the studious creatures’ table so they can peek at what said studious creature is reading. That, or the fact that they talk loudly at 90 decibels is enough to make anyone make patol. My friend, Daffy, even said that she once encountered some of them who even talk aloud about what they’re reading and how difficult their subject is. If she were immature enough to make patol, she would have told them, “Iho, you’re studying Biochemistry. That’s freshman medicine level. I’m reviewing for the boards.”
In my case, “Iha, you’re talking about Anatomy. That’s freshman level medicine. I’m a doctor and I’m reading just for fun.”
2. The really studious creature. Also known as “the other studious creature/nerd besides me”. These people I can tolerate – whether they are the humble types or they be the loud ones with “(School) College of Law” emblazoned on their jackets, “(School) College of Medicine on their shirts, or whatever telling sign they have that makes them brainier than the average cafe tambay. I respect these people simply because they are those who are as focused and as unaffected as me… until our attention wanes and we observe the other quasi-studious creatures in the cafe. When one studious/nerd meets eye-to-eye with a fellow nerd, we know we have met a friend despite the lack of verbal communication. And that’s already enough to make friends. (We nerds have our own language).
3. The ADHD creatures. These talk too much and at a volume where the whole of the cafe can hear, allowing the irritated bloggers to make a post about them. For today, I had a couple of college girls deliberate on whether or not they will have to continue on with medicine after graduating from college. Apparently, the two are so pessimistic about medicine that I can’t decide whether to smack them in the head for being so cynical or applaud them for bailing out early at a lifetime commitment. (Please understand that I was trying to study, hence, the low tolerance level).
(to be continued)
This post is tagged medical student mode
