Author Archives: thecharalife

Last Day

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Undergraduate years are (basically) officially over. This feels weird. No one really talks about how it feels to finish university after 16 years of the same schedule.

I can’t thank God, my family, and my friends enough for helping to get me through these past 4 years though. Rice is the only educational institution I’ve been to for 4 years (I switched high schools after sophomore year so that I could participate in the International Baccalaureate program – and it was a superb blessing to do so! I’m really thankful for that time in my life.), and it is as difficult as universities come. The professors and peers (rightly) expect a lot from the students here, and it is definitely grueling – mentally, physically, and emotionally. All in all, the hard work over these past years, no matter what the outcome of my classes have been, has been completely worth it. I’m so blessed to have had the opportunity to spend my college years at a place like Rice, where I’ve met lifelong friends and learned lifelong things that I can carry with me for… well, a lifetime. So thank you, Rice, because even when it was an excruciatingly difficult experience, I still came away from the situation having learned so very much.

Happy last day of classes to all my Rice friends! Hopefully there has been some light and joy in the midst of this week for everyone.

Joy

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This past weekend has been an absolute joy for me to experience in so many ways. On Saturday, two of my suitemates and I ran a 5K. It was our first official 5K (I don’t really think the Color Run 5K counts since it’s not competitive in the slightest), and something we were so glad we could do together as senior year comes to a close. It was difficult for me, no lie, since I run… never. I went out running the day before to prepare myself, which turned out to be a good idea, seeing as I didn’t feel like completely collapsing when I was done.

In fact, afterward, I. felt. amazing. We all did! The feeling of accomplishment, of pride, of unity, gotten from completing this simple event was palpable as we eventually made our way back to our room. I think I finally understand how running can give you that on-top-of-the-world feeling. I felt it all day long. (I’ve decided to embark on the Couch-to-5K plan to really begin my running regimen, too.)

In the evening, one of my suitemates and I went to Local Foods, this fantastic restaurant with fresh, organic, creatively-made food. The highlight of that meal? Not only did I enjoy conversation with my roomie, but when I went back up to the cash register to buy a cupcake after my dinner (the woman at the register was so happy that I was back to get dessert, that she yelled YAY really loudly), I handed my card over to pay and the guy looked at me and said, “It’s on the house.”

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Seasons Change

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This past weekend, my suite mates and I took senior pictures together on campus to commemorate our senior year at Rice. It was a lovely time – at first I thought it would be a bit stressful with so many things to look after, but our wonderful photographer, Alison Chang, of alison wanderland photography was so calm and kind, funny and creative, that she quickly banished any thoughts of “Oh my goodness! Must. Make. Sure. Hair is in place at. All. Times” from my head. Below I share my absolute favorites from the shoot. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did taking them.

 

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*The post title is a reference to a song I really enjoy called Seasons Change by Corinne Bailey Rae. And indeed, as we draw toward the last week of classes, I can slowly feel our seasons changing.

MCAT

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About four or so days ago, I took the MCAT. I can’t express how HUGE it is for me: it seems that a weight was directly lifted off of my mind. Taking the exam really gets the ball rolling with my applications to medical school coming up soon… it’s all so much more real! I haven’t been able to stop smiling since it’s been over (seriously though, I’ll be sitting at my computer working and a smile will randomly creep up on my face; It feels great to be done). And I realize that many people despair afterwards, or try to forget it, or think about the next available time to retake it, but for me? None of that. All I’ve experienced is an immense sense of peace and relaxation. It’s truly a beautiful and joyful blessing for me to have had such a wonderful experience after completing the MCAT.

I really think that the already-large amount of warm fuzzies in my heart were greatly compounded by my family and the many, many friends who came up to me afterwards, asked how the exam went, hugged me, prayed for me, wished me well, brought me celebratory meals and snacks, wrote me notes, and overall rejoiced with me as I closed that chapter of my life. One friend said, “You’ve just made a huge step in becoming a doctor by completing the MCAT!” I hadn’t thought of it that way before; sure, the MCAT is important, but I didn’t think of it as a major achievement to cross off my application to-do list.

But now, I see it for exactly what it was. A true accomplishment. And I’m just incredibly blessed to have shared that experience with the many wonderful, amazing people God has placed in my life.