The bus approached the stop, and I stood up ready to board. My Animal Reproduction and Physiology final exam was in about half an hour, and I had plenty of time to connect to the bus leading to the vet school’s campus. I sat down, nervous, while thinking about the outcome of this final. It was December 2005, and this was my last chance to prove I could become a veterinarian. The bus doors closed, and then SLAM!
A man in a passenger van crashed into the back of the stopped bus, lurking all passengers forward in their seats. I was stunned. …why now??? We were told to stay seated as we waited for the authorities to arrive. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins — I just wanted to give the exam my best! I had no way of contacting my professor since this was 2005, after all. I frantically waited for the next bus to arrive. The buses were 15 minutes apart, and I couldn’t afford to be late to my exam. I filled out the accident report, declined medical treatment, and dashed onto the next bus.
The exam was a blur at this point, but I realized I had no choice but to visit the emergency room once I finished my attempt to bring a dream to life. My neck screamed as I made a futile attempt at the childhood dream, and I headed off for an x-ray. Lo and behold, I had whiplash and was prescribed a neck brace, muscle relaxers, and pain medication. Little did I know that the crash was really just foreshadowing as it turned out I bombed my exam.
