Getting smarter-er every day

First night of EMT-I class was last night, it was supposed to start Monday but with all the flooding, they cancelled. I spent the whole time feeling exactly like I did in my basic class - entirely out of place, too old and too young/inexperienced at the same time, and how in the heck am I ever going to sit through this many weeks of class with these people? Until I moved down here, I never realized how male-dominated EMS really was. Most of my co-workers are men, and there are only 4 women in my class of 28. I feel a little awkward about the whole thing because the mere presence of women usually makes men look over their shoulders before talking, especially since EMS has more than it's fair share of locker-room humor. I guess in the end that is more their problem than mine though.

Also going on last night was an open bar at a local establishment, hosted by our medical director as part of EMS appreciation week. Free alcohol was from 5:30 - 8:30, so I definitely missed that as my shift doesn't end until 6 and class is from 6-10, but earlier in the day I was considering going over after class to enjoy the scene. Several of the folks known to make fools of themselves when free liquor is involved were going, so it was probably entertaining, but by the time I worked from home in the morning, busted my butt on the ambulance all day, then sat in class for several hours, I was too wiped out to care. Last night was the first in several that I actually slept clean through the night and woke up feeling reasonably rested, so I think I made the right decision. I am looking forward to the stories of drunken bacchanalia today though.