It’s the last day of term!! and I’ve only got a couple of hours of dissection to do before I can kick back and relax/go out and get drunk. My bro will be here in a few hours and I’m taking him to another vet Xmas dinner before a very big Xmas Wedge, should be awesome.

This week has been chaos! It began with nothing on but, excluding last night, there’s been something every night:

Monday was the clinical Pantom in Langford, very funny! and I actually got most of the jokes. Though I think the first years will have struggled as they don’t know many of the lecturers to whom the jokes were directed towards. Afterwards we went out to Poo Raa Raa for Fi’s (2nd Yr BVSc) 20th birthday. Not my favourite club but still had a good night. John, Lexy and Me managed to polish off a bottle of Barcardi in 10mins before hand (drinks arn’t cheap in Raa Raa), and after that the night went swimmingly.

Tuesday we had the whole day off!! As the one lecture we had on statistics was moved. I spent four hours of the morning practising with Levator Ani. We’ve now got five songs sorted and are working on another few. Hopefully next term we may get a slot somewhere (perhaps the medic bar, they’ll accept anyone… for their course). Then Tuesday evening I had a Xmas dinner with my flat mates. Was very tasty except for the occasional strange taste. My Bangladeshi house mate seems to use either garlic or soya sauce in everything!

Wednesday I had Histology all morning on the female reproductive system. This means I had to spend three hours looking at various slides of the ovaries and endometrium (uterus wall) and filling in a table on them. I promise you it’s not the best way to kill three hours!!!
In the afternoon I played badly for Nice Fridge FC (vet footy team). We lost 4-1! I think we need some training sessions...badly!
In the evening I went out for Tamsin’s birthday (2nd Yr BVSc) meal and then on to the Lizard Lounge. Reminds me of a small, raa version of the Wedge.

Yesterday work was shocking. I cannot keep awake through embryology (developmental biology). It sort of puts you in a perpetual day-dream that you need either slapping out of or less painfully the lecturer asking you a question.
In the evening I had an early night and read vet news which was published yesterday. My 2nd Yr top trumps made it in and went down pretty well (by that I mean I don’t think I offended too many people).

Well that’s it for now. I’ve got to finish off posting some Parasitology DSE stuff with my group and get some lunch.

Just finished a morning on Reproductive Physiology and Parasitology. Two lectures on female reproduction was no problem but Parasitology wasn’t the best. Tapeworms really don’t hold my interest very well! If I do decide to intercalate there’s not the greatest chance that it’ll be in Parasitology.

The weekend was fun, but probably didn’t make the best use of my time (unless watching films is productive).
Friday night six of us tried to go bowling but when we got there we couldn’t get a lane. So there was only one thing for it, to Sainsburys for some mulled wine then on to the Wedge. Was a bit dubious carrying six of us in Tamsin’s little three door, but Steve drew the short straw and went in the boot! Five bottles of Inti £2.74 Sainsburys mega wine and a bottle of brandy later we were all in the appropriate state to attend the Xmas Eve Wedge (Wedge before the Xmas Wedge).
Saturday I watched some films with my good friend Hayley and then in the evening we went to a house party. The party was for a 1st year’s 21st birthday so there was lots of free booze. Tom (2nd Yr BVSc) got pretty steamed and unfortunately managed to upset a few house mates!.. He walked in on/charged in on an unlucky couple with some party poppers, bangers and hooters. Don’t think that particularly impressed the quite naked couple. Then after he tried to climb the house and took a swan dive into a privet hedge… what a legend!!
Sunday I played Hockey for the vets. The score was 0-0 but I don’t think I played too bad. Then in the evening I cleaned out Lemmywinks my rat and had an early night (Films watched over the weekend = A Fish Called Wonda, The Crow, The Two Towers and four episodes of Red Dwarf… well it is the last week of term!)

Tonight it’s off to the clinical pantomime in Langford and then quickly back to Bristol and out for my vet sister’s 20th birthday in Poo Raa Raa (my favourite night club??!).
Tomorrow I’ve the full day off! Got to love the last week of term! To kill the time Levator Ani are having another much needed practice (Our lead singer has learnt Slade so should be fun).

Better mention that my little bro is coming down on Friday for the last day of term or he won’t be impressed. I just hope that he’s going to be able to keep up the vet drinking pace. But then I know him and his mates are no light weights (perhaps except for Crofer that is…unlucky mate).

Am feeling very good today!
I had a great time last night at John’s Xmas dinner. Him and Claire cooked Xmas dinner for eleven of us with all the trimmings inc. mulled wine to start and those awesome sausages wrapped in bacon (got to be the best thing about Christmas, unless your vegetarian I suppose).
I’ve had the whole morning off today as well, useful to get over the wine abuse from last night. Then this afternoon it’s Anatomy, almost finished the head and neck course now though. Unfortunately however it’ll soon be time to learn the head and neck course for proper and not just attend the lectures, as we’ve got mid-sessional exams at the start of the 2nd term. These exams weren’t too bad last year as they only counted for 10%. That doesn’t mean that they were easy though! I managed to fail two out of the four exams last year. Though at that point I hadn’t a clue of the level of detail needed or how much work one has to do to pass Veterinary exams.
This time round there’s only three exams but they count for 25% each of Anatomy, Physiology and Parasitology. Physiology shouldn’t be too bad, but I’ve got a lot to sieve through for Parasitology and Anatomy. Hopefully the four weeks holiday should be enough to revise/learn the material. Plus I’m not going to get a job this Xmas, unlike last when I worked in a pub.

This week has been eventful! Monday night I went to support Ian (Vet mate) doing Singing for Sex (raising money for charity) and then went on to evolution afterwards with the flat mates and some Vets.
Tuesday night I got my head down and finished off my Epidemiology DSE. Then Wednesday I finished off what I needed to do for my Parasitology DSE. This was just thinking up some possible projects/essays for our work on T.Gondii.
In the evening I had an excellent night at the Vet Xmas party. Seven of us dressed up as our good friend Steve (a guy with an afro and a goatee). This costume did have a Xmas twist (believe it or not) as we all had unique decorations in our afros. These included my red flashing snowmen, Matt’s Xmas nest, Paul’s ceramic snowman and Pitchforks ridiculous amount of little red baubles. The effect was topped off by gold highlighting spray to get the full Steve crazy hair effect… The pictures are hilarious!

Now that I’ve got no outstanding work, just ongoing Anatomy troubles, this weekend will no doubt be a continuation of a very fun week! Tonight a few of us are out bowling then on to the Wedge! And on Sunday it’s Vet Hockey (oh yeah forgot to mention that last Wednesday I played for the Vet Football team, “NICE FRIDGE FC”, and had a crucial assist to my name for a great goal, looks like a might be playing more regularly!).

Better get off now, the Vet Christian Union is giving out free mince pies in the common room, and as I’ve got a distinct lack of food in the flat I better cash in!

It’s Monday lunch and I’ve just finished a frustrating morning on Endocrinology and Parasitology. Our lecturer for Endocrinology goes too fast for me, or maybe it’s just that my interest doesn’t hold well for Thyroid Hormones. Parasitology wasn’t so bad though. The lecture was on Liver Flukes today.

The weekend was good. No big nights except for a brief outing to the Academy on Friday with my house mates.
Levator Ani’s first practice went really well!! We managed to polish off a few tracks including some Oasis, Beetles and Busted?! (Ian decided we should learn Yr3000, frighteningly it’s our best “track”). Presently we’re practising Avril Lavigne and Puddle of Mudd for next weeks practice. How I’m meant to learn the drumming for them without a kit I don’t know though, could be interesting (have to get the pots and pans out).
Leavotr Ani’s first groupie contacted me today (my Grandmother). She sent me an E-mail to let me know what she thought of this great diary and that she knows what the Levator Ani muscle is. The rest of the band is very impressed!
Yesterday I attended the vet hockey training before our match (bit of a crazy way round I thought). We lost the match, but got the points as they didn’t have enough girls. However the match was great fun, two players got carded. One of them for a shocking challenge against me and the other our captain for dissent (don’t think the ref was best impressed with Andy’s stick flying across the pitch).
In the evening I finished off my article for the vet news (second year top trumps) then got some of my Epidemiology DSE work done.

Tonight I’m off out for a run with Matt then it’s nose to the grind stone?! to get my Epidemiology DSE finished.

As for the rest of this week there’s a big Vet night out on Wednesday; the traditional Vet Xmas party with compulsory fancy dress. Think my group of mates are going as Xmas variations on our good friend Steve (he’s got a highlighted fro, a goatee and wear’s glasses). Should be funny! Think I’m gonna bagsy the Rudolf variation. Will report back on Friday on the success of the evening.

It’s Friday lunch and I’m in the vet school museum (only place I can get on the internet). I’ve just attended half a lecture on intercalation at the medical school. I thought as I’m thinking about intercalating that it might be fairly useful. However the guy talked a lot about medical orientated stuff so me and my friend left early. Least now I’ve got info on all the courses I can intercapate in. Though if I do it won’t be till after the third year.

Lectures today have been frustrating for all. Our endocrinology lecturer was getting a little mixed up with her words and as we turned up five minutes late the pace of the lecture was pretty mentally knackering.
This afternoon, as all of yesterday was, is Anatomy. We’ve finished the head and neck course for dogs and now it’s comparative Anatomy till the end of term. I think today we’ll all have a nice new large animal heads to dissect. Should be well useful, it’s always easier to see the muscles, vessels and nerves on larger heads.

Tuesday and Wednesday were good as far as the timetable is concerned. Tuesday was a piece of cake as the two hours of lectures on nutrition were been moved to next Tuesday (that day will now be a killer though). Wednesday was only a half day as it always is, plus we had 9-10am off as histology was only two hours instead of the usual three. This week we mastered the endocrine glands!

Unfortunately this week we’ve had a bit of out of timetable work set. I’ve now got hanging over my head:
- An exercise for our group DSE epidemiology work.
- Some titles/exercises to think up for parisitology.
- A data interpretation question to do (set in our physiology tutorial this morning).
- Ongoing Anatomy troubles.
Not to worry though, I’ve not got this weekend too booked up, so should be able to polish off a few of these little tasks.

Other than work this week has been all about health and fitness (apart from Monday night, Tuesday night and no doubt tonight). Me and Matt have been on three 50minute runs (round the downs, over the suspension bridge and through Clifton). I feel very good about myself! and I’ve had quality amounts of sleep. So I’m well up for a big night out to Wedge later with my flat mates (think we’re off round to a house party first, should be fun).

Social stuff this week has been pretty cool. I went out Monday night with loads of vets (we’ve scrapped watching lord of the rings until next week now). Was one of the best nights out this term. We played some great fun drinking games in Wetherspoons and then saw Dirty Sanchez in evolution.
Tuesday night I went to my tutor’s house for a meal was very an interesting evening. Professor Silver and his Wife have so many good stories of all their travelling, they went to Chilli this year.

This weekend I’ve only got two things on:
The vet band (name yet unsure of, the lads think “Levator Ani” but I say tooooo geeky!!) is having our first practice this Saturday for three hours. I assure you we need lots of time. I’m playing either drums, rhythm or lead. Pitchfork is on vocals, lead or rhythm and Ian is vocals or lead. Could be quite amusing us all swapping instruments between songs.
Sunday I’m playing for the vet hockey side. It’s training first then an intramural match. Always a good run round.

Just had a funny parisitology lecture. The lecturer told us a story about these scientists who infected themselves with Ascaridoidea worms. These crazy people then defecated on a strawberry patch and for the next seven years ate strawberries and cream once a year to see if they got re-infected (it was to see how long the eggs are prevalent).
That’s dedication for you!

Monday morning and I’m not feeling too bad. Got plenty of well needed sleep last night so I’m refreshed from the sleep deprivation of Friday and Saturday night.

The footy training Friday night was a good laugh. Unfortunately I had to be initiated, but the three strawpeedos didn’t come back up so all was good. Funny thing was there was two other guys being initiated and one (Aniket) didn’t know what a stawpeedo was. On the word go he proceeded to drink his larger through the straw… Aniket you’re a muppet.
After the curry and drinking games it was off to the Wedge for a football/rugby Wedge (I couldn’t speak Saturday morning).
Unfortunately I slept through my rugby alarm on Saturday morning (wasn’t best impressed). Though I managed to make extra-time and the highlights.

Saturday night was Matt’s house party. As per usual the vets drank the most and had the most fun… It was drinking Jenga (Jenga with fore-fits and drinking tasks written on the blocks) for most of the night then lots of dancing in the kitchen.

Sunday I had to rush home from Matt’s as my parents came over to visit with my sister Hannah. Unfortunately I was a bit late though as I decided to hide my shoes in Matt’s house when I was drunk… damn idiot Scales.
We all rent round to meet some friends of the family for lunch. It was my parent’s goddaughter’s birthday, Charlotte. I ended up playing chess with her, who is surprisingly good at chess for an eight year old, and also enjoyed the great movie chicken run with James, Charlotte’s four year old brother.

Last night I managed to get some physiology work done on exercise. I missed a couple of lectures last week and needed to make some notes on the control of cardiac output during exercise to catch up.

Today is looking sweet. Only four lectures (physiology exercise and endocrinology followed by ascarids and nermatode life cycle diversity in parisitology) then a tutorial on our parisitology DSE. Our topic is on T.gondii and its importance in sheep. Thrilling I assure you.
Tonight me and few vet mates are off round to John’s to watch the new Two Towers dvd on his 32” tv (what on earth a student is doing with one I’m not sure. If the police are reading this then I’m sure John got it legit). Should be damn cool. Plus it’s almost four hours long so it looks like little work is going to get done tonight. Maybe I’ll squeeze in some Anatomy before I go round.

As for the rest of this week things are fairly steady. Timetable is getting smaller as the final week approaches….yeah!! But then its exams after xmas….noo!!

Tuesday I’ve got a meal to attend at my personal tutors flat. Don’t think all tutors are this cool. Professor Silver is an anatomical/pathological legend… and his wife is a great cook! We (my tutor group of five 2nd years) went round for two meals last year which were really good, and now that I have to cook for myself a free meal is greatly appreciated.

Friday I would imagine it’ll be off to Wedge. Will let you know then.

Firstly I feel I should apologise for the shocking spelling/vocab mistakes in my last two blogs. I may be able to remember ridiculously long anatomical terms but (as my little brother Richard so nicely pointed out) I don’t the difference between week and weak… Oh well, thankfully I’m not doing an English degree.

This WEEK has been pretty good. Work has even been relatively interesting! We did faecal egg counts on Monday in parasitology, continued genetics in animal health and husbandry and finished a three week practical rotation in neurology.
I’ve preferred the physiology practicals this year more than last (so far). Maybe that’s just because my memory of practicals last year involves both physiology and biochemistry, and I’m not the biggest fan of biochemistry (though some how I got my highest mark in it, merit).
While I’m talking about last year I’ll just mention what I thought of the other courses. Anatomy was probably what I found the most difficult. It took me a while to find my own ways of memorising and learning the new vocab.
Last year in Anatomy we studied basic anatomy and the thorax in the first term. Then we covered the abdomen in the second term. This includes comparative anatomy as well (pigs, ruminants and horses).
Physiology I found the most interesting. Three hour practicals every other week and good lectures. Topics covered included cardiovascular, respiratory and renal systems. We started of the year learning about the cell and its environment.
The only down side to physiology is histology. Staring down microscopes for three hours every week is about as mind numbing as it gets (especially if you go out to vodka nation with you hall mates every week on the night before!).
The last subject we covered was animal management. The lectures in this are really good and the practicals are the only hands on animal experience you get (unless you include dissection). The only draw back is that we had to go out to Langford (30minutes away) for this subject every Thursday and Wednesday was Wedgies at evolution… sometimes the consequences weren’t pretty!

Right then that’s enough about work let me tell you about the social fun of this week.
On Tuesday night me and Matt cooked a meal for eight other vets at his house. Every one was meant to bring one bottle of wine, which the majority managed fine. However John obviously thought that one wasn’t enough and he turned up with two bottles and a 3litre box! The muppet couldn’t get a taxi as he was to ill and my mate Pitchfork took an hour to walk him the 30minute walk home.

Wednesday was relatively quiet except for my debut for Nice Fridge FC (the vet football team). We one 2-1, bit of grind-out to be honest.

Last night was a crazy house party at Hayley’s! There were many vets there and loads of folks from Churchill Hall last year.
Funniest story is that Hayley’s house mates told a guy that it was fancy dress. He turned up in a hired chicken costume to be confronted by a party of normally dressed people...hilarious!!
End of the party turned into a bit of a disaster though! Welsh Mark the chicken guy through a chair through a window (by accident, it meant to hit Welsh Andrew I think).
Also one guy decided to drive to get a pizza drunk! He ended up writing off two cars and ended up at the police station. Thankfully no-one was hurt! But what kind of fool drinks and drives. No doubt he won’t do it again though (as he won’t have a licence).
Apart from the incidents Hayley was fairly pleased with her party. We bought her a 12pint keg as a late birthday present, so she was happy!

Tonight I’m football training at the Scotsmans’ Pac Pub (curry, beers and free pool). Then it’s off to the Wedge to complete a grand vet football social.

Tomorrow obviously it’s up early for the match! Hopefully I’ll make it to the Roo bar to watch (Australian themed bar), should be a fun atmosphere in there.
Then in the evening it’s Matt’s house party.

Sunday I’m taking a well needed rest and going out for a meal with my family. Hopefully I’ll get some work done to.

Had a great weakend!

Soiree was wicked fun. I think our costumes went down well?! and I’ve got some good pics. One looks like it could be the cover of a village people album…shocking!
The DJ played YMCA twice for us, of course after the “one” free glass of wine on entrance we all got up on the stage for a dance. Kieran joined us for a while I remember, think he even pinched my aweful police hat (village wannabe!).
Oh well it’s all in the name of fun. Just have to cross fingers that the pics don’t make it into vet news this term, something I’m not looking forward to reading. I know the editor has got hold of some shocking pictures of a group of us playing drinking/naked board games from two weaks ago.

Got up 3ish on Saturday, no hangover (must of slept right through it…best way!). Managed to make it to my vet mates John’s house party in the evening which was a great idea. His flat mates had spent couple of hundred quid on alcohol. We got created with vodka/ribena shots and spent the majority of the night playing jenga (not just normal jenga, I’m not that boring… Me and a mate (Matt) wrote drinking forefits and dares on the blocks (went down a treat at the party!).
I think John and his friend (whose 21st it was) had a good night, they both seemed pretty incorherant by the end of it. Poor John’s bed broke during the night though. Hugo (2nd yr vet) was dancing on it and went through, quite amusing really.

Starting to lag a little by Sunday. Managed to play Hockey though, vets lost 1-0, a lot my fault as a missed two sitters. But then 2 weak ago vets won a big tournament. We all got free beer and T-shirts.
Made it to the concert last night at Bristol Academy. Cooper Temple Clause were excellent, better than at Glastonbury, as was loads closer.

Today is ok so far, woke up 15mins late, but still made the lecture for 9. I hate rushing round in the mornings! Now good news though, the timetabled physiology essay prepartion time is free, as there’s no essay to prepare for…love it!
Got to get some work done tonight though after the gym, if I don’t get on top my Anatomy soon Christmas ain’t gonna be fun.

As for the rest of this weak the timetable’s not too bad. Got parisitology all day today (continuing learning of round worms. Finished ticks, fleas, mites and flies 3weaks ago).
Tomorrow and Wednesday are Animal Health and Husbandry and Physiology days. Then Thursday and Friday are all about Anatomy.
Will report back on Friday about the academic fun for this weak.

More importantly the social stuff for this weak. Got a meal at Matt’s tommorrow for 8 vets then his house party on Thursday, a house party at Hayley’s on Saturday and this Sunday I’m definitely taking a well needed rest.

This term has definitely been the best at Uni so far!!

Hi, my name’s Pete and I’m a 2nd year studying at Bristol vet school (far the best vet school!).
I’m 20 years old and have not had a gap year. I plan to get the travelling in in the awesomely long summer hols that we get. This summer just gone I went round India with some mates from halls and next summer I’m planning some kind of hol with my vet mates.
I live in a student house with seven lads from halls (none are vets), however my social life seems to get dominated by vet stuff (so many vet house parties and outings to the Wedge…Bristol’s number one student night club!). I’m loving living in my own house this year (I now get an extra half hour in bed and my heating works). Though halls is definitely the only way forward for freshers. You meet so many people it’s a wicked year!!

This year so far has not been as bad as expected (except for dam anatomy). We have a great lecturer for physiology and very little deadlines. Perhaps this means we’re still meant to be doing the work but not getting it marked…oh well, looks like xmas hol is going to be crammed with revision. Last year we had essays every two weeks, and many DSE tasks (directed self education or drinking starts early…as you will?!), I think they just wanted to keep tabs on us better last year.

Social stuff this year has been cool. Fresher’s week managed to extend to almost three weeks of drunken merriment, defies the description really, but when you’ve got a student loan burning a hole in your pocket, and many new people to meet who can blame me.

As far as purely vet activities are concerned we’ve had a vet pub crawl, freshers party, BEWAS pub crawl, AVS and the soiree tonight!! All of these involved stupid fancy dress costumes and liver rotting quantities of alcohol (except for the BEWAS pub crawl, which was utter s**t).
Costumes this year were dress up as anything beginning with the first letter of your name for the pub crawl. I went as a Pervert. Funniest costumes got to go to either Dave the Door or Katy the Knob. AVS (annual veterinary sports/social) was pirates this year. This is an excellent weekend, where all the vet schools come together and get drunk. This year was in London and next is in Scotland. Funniest story this year is my poor mate who pulled a London vet and went back to her house after, only to find her other house mates had taken in around 50 lost dubliners all dressed in orange boiler suits spread out over the house asleep like sardines…so not action for James.

Anyway, as for this week. All is well. Monday to Wednesday went swimmingly, few lectures and practicals. However yesterday was heavy! Dominated by 9-5 of lectures and dissection was mind-numbing.
I always find it essential to get a good nights sleep for Thursdays. So the red wine at the house party probably wasn’t such a great idea.
Our Anatomy lecturer is a Prof. Wakley. Ultra keen on his anatomy and hence racing through the head and neck course at light speed, expecting us to learn crazy amounts of new vocabulary every Thursday and half of Friday. Though its not so terrible if you keep on top of it.

I’ve got a great break from work this weekend though. The Vetinary Soiree is tonight. A massive ball for all pre-clinical and clinical vets. The dress code this year being black tie with a hat. My group of friends are going as village people, so should be quite amusin! Saturday is a vet house party and then Sunday I’m playing vet hockey and then going to see the Copper Temple Clause at Bristol Academy. Expect a much more subdued/completely hung over Pete on Monday.

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