NGANTT said:
Does anyone have any idea when freshman orientation is?
Congrats to 2009 and Welcome to PCOM
There are plenty of things that you guys can do to prepare for August.
1. Apartment search
There are plenty of search sites for apt in the philly area. The complexes close to the school are pricey but they come with cool benes like utilities paid, w/d, security, fitness center, etc (Greenbriar, Iriquios, Beekman Place, Presidental, Lincoln Green, Duffield House, Fairmount Terrace). Roxborough and Manayunk are cool places to live, but when it snows - you may need x-ctry skis, snow shoes and a sled to get to school. East Falls is also cool there are some homes that are reasonable that you can rent with a roommate. And if you just prefer the suburban life there are always Bala Cynwyd, Wynnewood, Bryn Mawr, and Narbreth.
2. Rest, Rest, and More Rest!
Once your search for housing is done. Relax and enjoy your summer. For most of you this should be the most stress free summer of your life so enjoy. {NGANTT, you are the exception. I was married on June 19, 2004 and immediately after my wedding I left for a medical mission tour for 5 weeks. (I did not get to enjoy a real honeymoon
) But your wedding will be bliss, enjoy! I believe your orientation is 8/9 - 8/12. Just don't let the last minute stuff stress you out.} Travel, spend time with family, enjoy the sun, beach, and your friends. This is not to say that you will not to have fun during first year, but you will need the time to adjust to the schedule and the work load. This is the lesson of BALANCE. But you will achieve that zen mode and be able to resume some normalcy in your life.
3. Money, Money, Money!
After traveling the world this summer, remember to stash away some extra loot for the little things - equipment purchases, club dues, PCOM gear, books, etc. - that you will need to begin the school year off right. During orientation week all the clubs will be clamoring for your attention (for you are the new superstars of PCOM
). The average 4-yr membership is in the range of $40-$70/club. Textbooks are textbooks and we know that horror of purchasing expensive books from our undergrad experiences. Once you get the book list - price shop. There are plenty of sites out there that have books for cheap and some offer NEXT - DAY shipping @ NO CHARGE (B&N!!!!!). Finally, EQUIPMENT! You can't be a good doc without the necessary tools. Yes, you will get your complementary stethoscope and white coat, but the rest is on you to purchase. During orientation, you will receive an order form from Welch and Allyn for the purchase of your BP cuff, otoscope, and ophthalmoscope that will be due with the money by the following Monday when Anatomy begins. The average cost for this package is around $400-$600 depending on how high tech you are (there is this awesome spy gear type scope you can buy - but most likely if you are not a military scholarship person, you will be envying them).
So, I hope that this information was useful and not overwhelming. I just thought that it was my civic duty as a fellow PCOMer to help prepare you for the road ahead. You are now apart of a noble profession that is committed to life long learning and the pursuit of serving others. I look forward to meeting you soon.
If you need any info, feel free to email any time.
[email protected]
God Bless.
PCOM Class of 2008
