The final weeks before the written board exam has been brutal. I was getting so deprived of sleep that I had to switch from ‘timed’ to ‘untimed’ mode on OphthoQuestions to avoid getting penalized for dozing off while doing question sets. Meanwhile, a few final touches for my research manuscript necessitated some creative coordination for last-minute meetings with my mentors – including one that took place during commercial breaks for the Duke-Creighton game preceding our team’s entry into the Sweet Sixteen. Between my usual pre-exam insomnia and the NCAA finals tournament, I was left with only 3 hours of sleep which definitely compromised my math and reasoning skills, but luckily, spared my recall center for esoteric facts. The 5-hour test felt shorter than previous standardized exams I’ve taken. Afterwards, I returned to Pho Far East for a bowl of hot, steamy celebration, then shopped at nearby Belk for a new sports coat. Sadly, since none of my co-fellows were up for going out tonight, I’ve decided to kick back with another episode of Game of Thrones, as I addictively immersed myself in the tumultuous struggles between the Starks, Lanisters, and Targaryens.