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Last weekend, Ann Arbor was hit by over a foot of snow, prompting school-wide cancellation of Monday’s classes as roads were cleared and students frolicked (yes, there was actual frolicking) in the snow.

At first, this was actually the first time I’d ever been annoyed about having a snow day. Last Monday was when my Comprehensive Clinical Assessment (CCA) was supposed to occur. The CCA is an annual rite of passage where second-year medical students perform aspects of history taking and physical exam in different stations to demonstrate our readiness to advance into third year and onto the wards.

A few months ago, the CCA didn’t seem like that big of a deal. We are given plenty of time to complete each station, which consists of the same things we do during each CFM week. Of course, as the actual date came closer, perspectives began to change and we all started freaking out a bit more.

Last weekend, I spent much of the weekend reviewing our physical exam checklists and practicing with friends. I learned that classes were cancelled on Monday but the hospital would remain open. It didn’t occur to me that the CCA would also be cancelled, so I woke up bright and early and was halfway through my morning preparations before I checked my email and discovered that I could go back to sleep. Oops.

During the last week, I have not reviewed the checklists since. My anxiety has actually abated to the level it was months ago, and I feel confident that I will pass my CCA tomorrow.

I did have to laugh, however, when the forecast for this weekend initially predicted sleet followed by 6-8 inches of snow. Although this never came to fruition, it seemed ironic that we could potentially have another snow day tomorrow. Then I knocked on wood. Better safe than sorry.