My Third Year in Review:
Looking back at my third year at the University of Cincinnati, I can confidently say this past year has been filled with more new experiences than my first two years combined. This past year started off with an internship in Thailand, turned into a semester exchange in the United Kingdom, and ended in a packed spring semester back at UC filled with difficult classes and a large load of extracurricular activities. Each of these experiences challenged me in different ways and forced me to grow immensely over this past year. However, even though all these experiences have contributed to my growth, in this Year in Review, I really just want to focus on my experience in the United Kingdom which has had an immeasurable amount influence on who I am and who I want to be. Because of my study abroad experiences, I was out of the country between July and January; this meant a few things for me. First, I got to experience fully what the world was like outside of San Diego –where I grew up— and Cincinnati –where I am currently studying. I had many awesome, awesome experiences while being aboard, seeing different places and meeting people from all over the world. However, even though I had an overall fantastic experience, there were a lot of challenges associated with my experience; being in a new country was fun and exciting, yet difficult as some of the most basic aspects of culture that I had known were different in England. The way people viewed the world was different and it was hard at times to examine what I believed and compare it to what I was seeng in Europe. It was also challenging coming back to an old way of life and having a rigorous class schedule, working, and having extracurricular activities on top of everything else. This was especially difficult after a semester where the only things I had to focus on were class and traveling. It was definitely difficult getting back into the groove of things. On top of that, I had to start studying for the MCAT so that made everything coming back to UC even more difficult. However, despite the difficulties, being abroad gave me a few really valuable things, the most important few including a new perspective, connections all over the world, and an appreciation for spontaneity. I have close friends from England, Germany, France and have met people from all over the world during my travels. It’s a great thing being able to talk to people on your travels and learning about the world though somebody else’s perspective. I really enjoyed being able hearing the different issues, events, and adventures that go on in different parts of the world, as well as seeing how things we typically take for granted in the US are viewed in other counties. I have learned that traveling is a truly great way to talk about life and is a way to gain a new perspective. After my travels I have definitely gained a better sense of what it means to be a global citizen and I now have a greater sense of compassion for others because I realize how different my reality might be from somebody else's. In regards to the idea of spontaneity, being in a place where I could just take a weekend trip to London or Paris was truly amazing. I was able to fill my time with experiences that I would never have been able to experience without being abroad. All this travel also made me realize that the US is packed with amazing places to see, yet I have seen so little of it. When I was in England, I would not hesitate to take a bus to a different region and explore a city. That excitement and spontaneity is something that I want to continue to develop now. Many of these trips were very influential on who I am as a person, the most notable of which was from my time in Paris. I was in Paris the weekend of the November terrorist attacks. This was definitely the scariest moments of being abroad, but it was definitely one of the most impactful because of the way the Parisians reacted. The pinnacle of this happened the Sunday after the attacks. My friends and I decided to go to Notre Dame for a memorial service. At about six o'clock there were twelve bells tolled in memory of those who lost their life the Friday before. The time between the first and last hit was one of the most spectacular moments of my life. During that time, I could feel that the whole city was one. They could feel what those who had lost loved ones could feel and I am immeasurably grateful I was able to share in that experience. It was the most impactful moment of my study abroad experience. Last year was full of experiences that were completely new to me and not a day goes by where I don't think about my friends in Europe or my experiences there - I would never trade these experiences for anything; however, I am excited to get back to the things that I used to be involved with and the things I love but do not want to lose touch with the lifestyle I lived in England, a lifestyle of spontaneity, fun, and constructive growth. I still want to keep putting myself in new experiences, meeting new people, and going new places. I want challenge myself to not fall into a life that is too routine. I want to continue to put myself in situations which are new where I can continue to challenge myself and grow. One of my goals this coming yet is to seize every opportunity and new experiences I can. Studying abroad, I was presented with an opportunity where everything was new. As I go into my last year in Undergrad and am taking some of my most difficult course loads of college thus far, I want to be sure to stay spontaneous as I head into medical school and begin my lifetime of work. |