For some reason (I’ve yet to figure it out) my doctor’s assistant is always reluctant to make appointments, unless you’re retired and need a monthly prescription. As a result I’m always told to just show up and they’ll ’squeeze me in’. Given this situation, it’s no wonder that I always end up waiting at least 3 hours and go in last.

Two days ago, upon seeing the packed waiting room, I nearly turned right back. Nevertheless, keeping in mind that 5 other doctors use the same waiting room, I stayed. And wonder of wonders…

Assistant: Who’s the first one waiting for doctor X?

Vera looks around expecting to see everyone jump up, yet no one does. Standing up, she uncertainly approaches the assistant.

Me: I’m here for an appointment with doctor X.
Assistant: Good, go on in.
Me: But there are lots of other people waiting… I wasn’t here first.

Assistant looks at Vera as if she were crazy and ushers her in.

I guess, no one else is weird enough to offer to wait for 20 other… hypothetical people…

Waiting for exams to start always gets me talking… and talking… and I’m unlikely to shut up any time before the exam starts; it’s the nerves, I tell you

So it’s not wonder that the following discussion perplexed me… and I in turn, perplexed my classmate.

Professor: (…) I really don’t want to appear sadistic.
Me: Sadistic in what way?
Classmate: In a Bill Gates sort of way, “I really don’t want to rule the World”…
Me: That’s more like irony… or sarcasm.
Classmate: Is it? I’m too tired to differentiate right now.
Me: er…sadism is about wanting to inflict pain; sarcasm refers to stating the opposite while we all know it’s not true… or something like that
Classmate:… if you say so…

I’m still not sure which it is… but it gives you an idea of what goes through my mind before exams: a load of… *cough* You get the point.

I’ve been told many times that my mental maturity exceeds my years, however, since nature has a tendency towards equilibrium, it counterballances things with my emotional maturity. Even on-line quizzes tell me that I act like a 16-year-old (FYI I’m 22). Not a particularly encouraging affirmation, but I tend to - metaphorically - sweep unpleasant things under the carpet, anyway.

My mother has decided that the former is a crime, so we’re paying a visit to our family doctor (one that I have managed to avoid for the last 4 or 5 years - too bad I’m not so lucky with my dentist). Aside from my pressing weight problem, we (i.e. mom) have decided to delight the poor lady with ALL my problems, bearing in mind that we’re about to impose the joy of our visit upon her.

One of these pressing problems seems to be my tendency to procrastinate things until the last minute. I’m in no way saying that it’s healthy or even practical, but I’m told 99% of my classmates (or even any person my age) do the exact same thing. I’m pretty sure that they don’t have appointments with their shrinks, for this.
To be truthful, I tend to get hysterical right before exams, and affirm things like “I’m quitting university” or “I’ll become a street cleaner“, which generally freak mom out. Of course, I firmly maintain that these are just drama queen manifestations, which I’ve forgotten to make use of, during high school.