It's official...

They gave me an ID badge... I can swipe it and enter into the dorms, the med school and anywhere med students are allowed. In 8 hours I'll get to show it to the security guard as I head to the start of the summer program. It's official.

This is roughly my 43rd hour in Boston, and already I've been to a 4th of July BBQ in Allston, a roof-top firework-watching party in Back Bay, a 2:30am run to Chinatown for some grub, and a drive up to a great beach in Manchester by the Sea where I picked up the start of my summer tan (bringing me closer to what I believe to be my natural skin color... something Seattle had a difficult time assisting me with). If my memory serves me right, it was also my first time swimming in the Atlantic. None of this would have been possible without already having one connection, a friend who moves back to Seattle this summer to start med school at our alma mater, UW. I am very appreciative of his time, bringing me into his circles and showing me around the city. He has already introduced me to many of his friends, some of which I expect will become my friends after he leaves. With that I feel comfortable saying that the first couple days has treated me well.

Right now, in my air conditioned dorm room (which I'm excited to move out of... I just need to find a place to move into), I'm slightly frustrated by not at all feeling sleepy (thanks to the 3 hour time difference with Seattle) and realizing that I'm going to be relying on a quick shot of adrenaline in the morning from the excitement of the program kicking off, but after that I'll simply have to push through the sleepiness and remember that the next 4 years of my life will involve much less sleep than I am used to... something I will just have to take in stride.

In the mean time I think I'll put on the Departed or Good Will Hunting, solely for the sake of practicing my Boston accent, which I only plan on using when visiting family back in Seattle... because I am obnoxious.

Cheers