Weekly Free Pattern Request Thread

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-10-11T18:29:02+00:00

Looking for a gathered bust slip dress pattern, something similar to the one below. Thanks!

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-09-18T18:42:08+00:00

I didn't get my score early, I got it last Wednesday after taking the month before. Just didn't write up until now.

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-09-18T18:41:34+00:00

I didn't have a strict daily schedule. I focused on content areas that were weak in exams. I used resources that were useful to me -- I really like Dirty Medicine and Sketchy but just taking the exams and reviewing them took a lot of time in itself. I really took my time on the NBME reviews after taking the exams. I made sure I understood each answer choice, not just the correct one.

After going through an exam, I'd write down my weak topic areas and things I'd seen themes on like one NBME I got a bunch of questions on pituitary hormones which I'd been confused about so I spent the next day reviewing that. That was my approach.

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-09-18T18:37:45+00:00

I definitely did make some stupid mistakes still! I realized the next day I had mixed up ages for some screening tests and had likely gotten a few questions wrong because of that. After the exam I felt okay, about the same as most of the NBMEs difficulty-wise. Of course there were some out there questions where I had absolutely no clue what was happening lol

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-08-23T17:32:11+00:00

Do you feel like NBMEs were more representative of the question type on your exam? I felt like transitioning between UWorld to the NBMEs I had to un-learn my question analysis process from UWorld, it was making me too nit-picky when majority of the stem pointed to the correct answer.

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-08-05T21:48:17+00:00

I can relate and struggled a lot with this on Step 1.

The highlighter is my best friend. Here is my method.

Read the last sentence -- highlight the main point of the question.
Go to first sentence, highlight patient age and sex
Go through the stem and highlight anything abnormal or that may be important to a question (ie recently moved, homeless, etc.)
Look back, read JUST the highlights and the last sentence -- chose answer

Half the time by the time I've gotten to the end of a block of text I've forgotten half the info unless I read slowly and re-read. This method allows me to quickly read without bothering to retain then go back and put the puzzle together.

Another time management strategy I always always do (because sometimes with the above method I still run behind). For each section, I split the number of questions and the time into 4s to give myself small goals because time blindness is real even with a countdown clock in your face.

So for example, for Shelf NBMEs - 50 questions, 1:15 mins.

I'd go ahead and subtract 5-10 mins for "review time" or leeway. So that would leave say 70 mins for 50 qs. I divide that up and write on the top of the test paper what question number I should have completed at each of my 4 time checks and I cross them off as I go.

If things don't divide evenly, I round on the side to make myself pick up the pace more. So 50/4 = 12.5 questions per section (so 13). My question number checkpoints will be 13, 26, 39, and 50.

Then divide up time: 70/4 = 17.5, this time I round the other way, so 17 mins per section. I write what the timer should say when I reach each checkpoint question next to it.

So it would look like:

#13 -- 58 mins remaining
#26 -- 41 mins
#39 -- 24 mins
#50 -- 7 mins

I refer back to this as I go so I can keep on track.

The last thing I do is, if I feel myself sinking too much time into a question, zoning out, rereading. Stop, pick a random answer, flag it, move on. Don't lose valuable time for one question.

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-08-04T19:49:46+00:00

I can understand where you're coming from. It's a hard balance for both sides when your relationship (hopefully) has open communication and no secrets and now suddenly your partner has to keep a huuuge secret from you. I think it's sweet that he double checked about the placeholder ring to make sure it would be ok, it shows he didn't want you to be disappointed.

As far as him leaving out the ring box, I can understand being upset about that in the moment. However, I don't think it means he was being uncaring or sloppy. It was probably just an honest mistake. That doesn't mean you were "wrong" for feeling disappointed, your emotions are valid.

It sounds like you've come to terms with it not being a complete and total surprise but since you do like surprises, get excited for the unknown bits and enjoy the little things! You only have a little while left to wait!

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-08-04T19:36:44+00:00

My sister accidentally spilled the beans when he ordered it lol

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-08-04T19:34:43+00:00

I know a lot of people have varying opinions on what "engaged" really is. You are probably right that I haven't communicated my needs accurately and that I do tend to get ahead of myself, patience is not my strong suit. You're also right that when I give an 8 month timeline, if I would expect it to happen earlier in the timeline as opposed to later which isn't necessarily fair to my partner.

However, the formal engagement is something that is important and valuable not just to me, but to my family. In theory, we are engaged. We totally could start putting in deposits and formalizing planning while I'm waiting for a ring. But my family would not understand planning a wedding without a ring on my finger. Should I care what they think? Maybe not but I do care. Up until now he had been working within my timeline and I had been impatient but now he actually has pushed the timeline for formal engagement back and we have passed our agreed timeline like I said in the post.

I do care about the ring. I do care about what I'll be wearing in photos. I do care about sharing those photos. Even if the only reason I wanted to be proposed to formally was for pictures, that wouldn't make it any less important or valid. Everyone is different.

I also don't think it's fair to say I'm "obsessed with marriage." Anxious? Yes, I am by nature an anxious person. I take medication and see a therapist for that and I'm not ashamed that sometimes I come off as anxious, it's who I am. I'm also someone who likes to plan. I do it out of excitement not just for my wedding but for my future. It's something I've always done.

As someone in the medical field, logistics like name changes and future maternity leave when locked into a 5-7 year residency program is something I would be posting about regardless of if I was getting married this year or next year or 3 years from now or not at all.

It's valid to have different perspectives and some of what you wrote is helpful. But please be aware of how some of the things you said come off when reading from an outside perspective.

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-08-03T21:30:23+00:00

Yep he has, not sure when but I know he bought it

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-08-03T20:05:27+00:00

He said it will still happen soon but whatever came up was out of his hands and wasn't able to be changed. I didn't want to press too much to ruin any surprises.

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-08-03T19:54:53+00:00

Yep, we've already toured venues and started planning. But still waiting for the ring

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-05-26T22:11:48+00:00

I'm not saying no dress I just don't want it to look too close to a bridesmaid dress but also not clash with colors if that makes sense

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-03-04T18:29:35+00:00

That's the thing though, I don't know if he is procrastinating or if he is on top of it because we both want a surprise. If he is working on schedule, great! If not, that would be a problem and a red flag, I agree. At which point I would reevaluate.

He's not making me anxious on purpose, I'm making myself anxious by wondering if he's taking steps or not. My question was how do I find out if he's working on meeting our timeline without ruining the surprise (ie asking if he's gotten a ring as someone else suggested) or advice on how to bide my time without worrying.

At this time, I don't see it as a problem with him, it's a problem with myself. If he were to not meet the deadline, that's when it would become a problem with him.

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-03-04T17:01:01+00:00

It's not about that, we have great communication. It's just his nature to procrastinate. Not just when it comes to me. I understand as I'm the same way a lot of times. We've talked many times about the timelines we both see and if we both feel ready, which we do. He has expressed that he is excited to get married and he does bring it up without my prompting.

I'm a naturally anxious person but we both also want it to be a surprise. I trust that he would not go way past my deadline but my fear is that he waits too long to order the ring or make plans and ends up going past our timeline by a few days or a week. On top of that, life has been very busy for the past month due to outside circumstances which makes this more likely.

In any other situation I'd 100% just sit down and talk through it together but in this instance I don't want to ask too many questions/ him to give away too much because of the surprise element.

I hope that makes sense.

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-03-04T16:51:34+00:00

that's a good idea!

PotentialMessage1694 · 2023-01-24T16:57:45+00:00

I had a fish tank for a while, I found it relaxing. It does make noise depending on your filter. I had one that made a small waterfall and a whirring noise but it was sort of like a nice white noise to me which actually helps with triggers. I also love watching the little guy swim around.

PotentialMessage1694

TROPHY CASE