The hyperventilation method was effective for a little while as a coping mechanism (you can't be stressed if you're unconscious from irregular breathing), but in order to protect my brain cells from hypoxia, I'm searching for new ways to deal with the pressure.
There have been many prayers and more scripture reading than normal, and those things help to keep life in perspective (this morning I read some chapters from Philippians and was reminded that there are things equally or slightly more stressful than dental school--like being chained to the wall in a Roman prison because of your religious beliefs).
Even so, I've still been pretty stressed, so the next form of stress relief comes in the form of backward or upward thinking. Upward thinking is just about escape. I call it upward because the escape place I always think of is climbing a mountain.
*Little known fact about me: I've climbed 5 mountains in Colorado on Wilderness Trek.
There's just something about the idea of leaving all these deadlines and stresses and escaping to the mountains that sounds so appealing. The way I would smell after a week without showering while climbing a mountain would be so appalling, of course, but the trip would be lovely. The longing for that quiet hiking experience has been so strong lately that I'm considering planning a trip in the summer. If you've never climbed a mountain before--you should come with me!
The backward thinking is fun, too. Jeffrey actually started this stress-reliever. He'll often ask, "Think of us X years ago...what were we doing? What were we thinking about? What were we worried about?"
The answers are often hilarious.
What were we doing 6 years ago? Making jack-o-lanterns at Jeffrey's parents' house, of course. What were we worried about? Getting into dental/medical school. We brought all our books and computers and notes on this "vacation" to Jeffrey's house so that we could study the entire time. The pumpkin carving was only a little break we took.
Clearly this isn't the best picture of me. (Was I on some kind of make-up strike?) Even so, I look so young, and so skinny! Nothing makes you feel skinnier than a picture of your face next to a big round pumpkin.
What were we doing 5 years ago? Marching in the Homecoming parade. What were we worried about? Worried about getting into club and finishing our pledge duties.
The smiles you see are just a cover--this picture was taken at the ACU Homecoming parade and neither one of us was very happy to be there. Jeffrey had stayed up all night working on their float, and I was wearing 4 pair of panty hose under that hideous yellow skirt as a punishment for someone being late to our pledge meeting. (This is probably where my propensity for hyperventilation began--4 pair of panty hose puts quite a strain on your diaphragm.)
Looking back makes me realize that "this too shall pass." And so will I. I will pass 3rd year. I will pass 3rd year. I will pass 3rd year.
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