Late reflection post is late, but here we go!

In 2011, I:

• graduated from the best university in the country (us Longhorns have immense school pride),
• was accepted to medical school, only to feel way over my head when I actually started,
• made lots of amazing new friends, and
• traveled to Taiwan for the first time.

For me, 2011 was a year of realizations. I think I’m finally becoming aware of what kind of sacrifices are exactly made when you commit to the decision of wanting to become a physician. I’ve had the luxury of entering medical school straight from undergrad (the “traditional” student), so I can’t even begin to fathom what it’s like for my much older classmates…but in my case, just even reaching the epiphany that most of my 20s will be spent in a library or in a hospital, trying to fill my brain with thousands upon thousands of minuscule (but important) factoids was a bit dampening. Most of my friends are either working or about to work, and by the time I graduate from medical school (earning -$40,000/year), they will probably be working their way towards buying their first houses or settling down. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN SO FAST.

But despite how much it seems like I hate medical school, I know this was the right decision for me. It’s a contradiction, really — I hate how much time I need (and do) put in to my studying, but I love learning so many things about the human body. Time feels like it’s moving by so slowly, and yet I’m inching closer and closer to the end of my first year. Yesterday was the day Texas applicants matched to their medical schools — it feels like it was just literally yesterday when it happened for me. I know more things that I ever thought I could know, and there’s so much more to learn. I’m turning yet another year older…where has the time gone?

I think 2012 will be a very exciting year for me. I get to travel to Nicaragua for Spring Break on my first medical mission trip, and I have research lined up for the summer that I’m actually interested in. I want to make this year a memorable one, while bettering myself in the process. (How cheesy is that? I feel so old.)

I’ve been back from Thailand for a several days now, but I haven’t gotten around to updating due to my hectic schedule — jet lag doesn’t help either. I managed to upload all my presentable Thailand pictures onto Flickr only to find out that my Pro account expires this Friday (sadface!), went to Dallas for an elementary school friend’s wedding, saw a significant amount of snow for the first time in many years, and now I’m back and situated in Austin for my final semester at the University of Texas, dead tired and $107 poorer thanks to my recent trip to H.E.B. Maybe I should stop eating so much food.

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