Great Expectations
V.I.IV
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
It was full steam ahead. Interview, check. January exams, check. Only one semester to go and I’d be a fully-fledged doctor. Sure, there’d be some bumps on the road, but if everything went according to plan, it would be smooth sailing or something close to it.
Becoming a surgeon had been my goal all along. I knew it would take time, patience and a hell of a lot of dedication. And I was prepared for it. I’d accept the hardships and the sacrifices with open arms if it meant getting to do what I wanted. But in the meantime, I was still a student who contributed minimally to society with some free time on his hands. So I wanted to make the most out of the few months of freedom I had left.
I thought I’d go on a relaxing weekend trip somewhere close, perhaps Austria or Belgium, and somehow ended up booking a ticket to Norway for a two-week survival trip in the Arctic. I mean, come on, by now you know I’m a person of extremes. Man, was I excited. Another adventure. And this would be nothing like anything I’d ever experienced before. Being out in the open, frozen Norwegian wilderness… mountains, forests, rivers, beaches. Kayaking in the fjords, trekking over icy mountains, fishing over frozen lakes – all kinds of adventures. And then there’d be the survival part. From making my own fires to catching my own fish, from setting up my own tent to navigating on the frozen tundra, I’d be doing it all.
My sense of wanderlust wouldn’t be assuaged just yet though. I also had trips to Italy, Turkey and Spain lined up. And in case you’re wondering – no, I hadn’t squandered all my inheritance yet.
The trips were spaced out, allowing me to study and keep up with my commitments – both social and academic. I’d have these mini-adventures in between and everything would be perfect. Plus, I had everything down to a routine now. From my skincare regimen to my meal plan, from my workout programme to my study plan, I needed that consistency to be as efficient as possible and manage to do everything. Admittedly, it took a lot of discipline to stick to it, but I managed – impulsive and undisciplined though I might have been. It would just be for a few months and then I could ease off a bit.
For the first time in my life, I could see results from all the hard work and effort I’d been putting into my daily routine. My skin was glowing like a pregnant woman’s, I could finally see the edge of my abs if I jumped up and down repeatedly, and I was actually keeping up with my studies for the first time in five years. We’d have our usual rotations and lectures and, out of our own volition, we’d go around the hospital examining patients and practising stuff.
I set myself one goal: to take a photo of myself with abs on a beach in Spain during our post-grad trip. Simple, right? Maybe a bit shallow, but hey, every single thing in that phrase required as much energy and effort as I had ever put into anything. This was me proving to my old self that I could indeed do whatever I set my mind to. The old Marius who doubted himself, who second-guessed every single thing he’d ever set off to do? That guy had long been gone, and now I was just consolidating my newfound approach to life.
I don’t know if you still remember the whole love, adventure and wisdom thing. Hell, I don’t even know if there’s a you – let alone whether you remember a concept I discussed back in the first part.
By that point, I seemed to have wisdom and adventure covered. But love? I barely had time to chill on my own, let alone Netflix n’ chill with anyone else. Or so I thought. What was meant to be just a casual date with some random guy turned into yet another love story in my… well, blog. Way to break the fourth wall, huh?
Enter Marco, an Italian dude who, for once, happened to be around my age. Very different from what I’d usually have gone for in the past. Marco’s this reserved, quiet, shy guy who shared my love for animals, my thirst for travelling, and my taste in music. I know these criteria sound cliché, kinda like saying you’re into people with two knees, but I’m referring to intensity more than anything. And usually, people who are as intense and passionate are not as reserved and quiet – a quality which I found refreshing.
For the first time in my life, everything was under control. Everything was perfectly balanced. I was happy and healthy. I was in love with myself and I was starting to fall in love with Marco too. And if that weren’t enough, I’d be travelling to my heart’s content right before achieving my one true goal of becoming a doctor. Everything was falling right into place…