Thursday, May 22, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Hello summer
Junior year is over. I don't think that's hit me quite yet. It was such a good year, academically and otherwise. It was a lot of work, and I was busy all the time, but I wouldn't be happy any other way. And the best part is, next year is going to be even better. I've been home for a day after a nine hour drive from Austin and have realized that I'm not going to be in Austin for an entire three months. And my family kind of hates me for hardly being home this summer at all so I'm trying to spend as much time with them right now as I can. Of course, it doesn't help that my mom works 11-12 hour days, so it's not like I can really hang out with her other than evenings and partly weekends when she's not cooped up in the office. Brother is still in school. So I end up watching good old Bill-O at night with dad (it's how we bond), which inevitably turns into huuuuge arguments as you can imagine (but it's all in good fun! have I mentioned how much he can't STAND what I'm doing this summer? ah well...my dad is still pretty great, even if he is Republican.).
Speaking of summer, it's going to be freakin AWESOME. (My schedule is posted on Facebook for reference). Atlanta in just 9 days or something ridiculous like that, with a few trips here and there while I'm in Georgia. East coast trip this weekend for my cousin's graduation from UPenn. I wish I could be in two places at once to see the seniors graduate in Austin though :(
I have yet to start my apps, after taking my last final on Tuesday afternoon, I've been sooo lazy. Hopefully I'll get on that soon. I have, however, started working on some things for next year which I am wayyy excited about, and better come through. I really hope I'll have time to do work on all this in Atlanta as well.
And I'm going to keep this blog going for the summer, especially during my internship. I anticipate that this is going to be one of those career-defining, introspective, "a-ha! moment" type experiences. I've had two of them so far during my college career. This will be the third.
Right now, I'm reading Beyond the White House: Waging Peace, Fighting Disease and Building Hope. (http://www.cartercenter.org/news/pr/beyondwhitehouse.html). It's Jimmy Carter's memoir on his post-presidency and philanthropy. holler.
This summer is going to fly.
Speaking of summer, it's going to be freakin AWESOME. (My schedule is posted on Facebook for reference). Atlanta in just 9 days or something ridiculous like that, with a few trips here and there while I'm in Georgia. East coast trip this weekend for my cousin's graduation from UPenn. I wish I could be in two places at once to see the seniors graduate in Austin though :(
I have yet to start my apps, after taking my last final on Tuesday afternoon, I've been sooo lazy. Hopefully I'll get on that soon. I have, however, started working on some things for next year which I am wayyy excited about, and better come through. I really hope I'll have time to do work on all this in Atlanta as well.
And I'm going to keep this blog going for the summer, especially during my internship. I anticipate that this is going to be one of those career-defining, introspective, "a-ha! moment" type experiences. I've had two of them so far during my college career. This will be the third.
Right now, I'm reading Beyond the White House: Waging Peace, Fighting Disease and Building Hope. (http://www.cartercenter.org/news/pr/beyondwhitehouse.html). It's Jimmy Carter's memoir on his post-presidency and philanthropy. holler.
This summer is going to fly.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
I've pretty much planned out the rest of 2008 in the month of April.
My week is officially over, sorta, after turning in a 15 page paper on Tuesday and taking a test today.
And among the bazillion million things going on and one full week of school left, I can't believe I've finally succeeded in planning out my entire summer and most of Senior year, and it's going to be absolutely fabulous.
Between now and summer workwise and otherwise, goes a little something like this:
This weekend...plans still up in the air....(I am so great at being last-minute), then a test next Thurs I don't need to worry too much about, and a 25 page paper, of which I have 20 pages written. thank. god. Plus lots of loose ends to tie up.
Then dead week and two finals to take, one on Friday, one on Tuesday, very nicely spaced.
Drive home to El Paso on Wednesday. I can't wait to see my family.
Start med school apps in the meantime (current target = the best five year MD/MPH program I can get).
Spend the weekend in Philly with my mom for my cousin's graduation from Penn.
Come back home for a week and then head to Atlanta, a city I pretty much know nothing about and nobody in. It's going to be great. I've secured a 1 bedroom apartment in a pretty nice neighborhood. I can't wait to meet all the other interns and get started at TCC. I also need a bike.
10 weeks in Atlanta, full-time interning, working on med school apps, and exploring as much of the city as I can (throwing in visits to Emory, the CDC, the Carters' hometown, FDR's warm springs, maybe Charleston or something? oh and the rents/brother are coming up for 4th of July weekend to go to Savannah, should be fun!).
Come home in early August, possible trip in the works, otherwise chill at home, and then head back to Austin mid-late August. Start Senior year.
And things for Senior year and looking absolutely fantastic as well, I have sooo much to look forward to. Everything is shaping up so nicely! It's hard to believe that just three weeks ago, I had no idea what the hell I'd be doing this summer or next semester. Today, it all looks SOLID.
Just gotta make it through these next few weeks!!
And among the bazillion million things going on and one full week of school left, I can't believe I've finally succeeded in planning out my entire summer and most of Senior year, and it's going to be absolutely fabulous.
Between now and summer workwise and otherwise, goes a little something like this:
This weekend...plans still up in the air....(I am so great at being last-minute), then a test next Thurs I don't need to worry too much about, and a 25 page paper, of which I have 20 pages written. thank. god. Plus lots of loose ends to tie up.
Then dead week and two finals to take, one on Friday, one on Tuesday, very nicely spaced.
Drive home to El Paso on Wednesday. I can't wait to see my family.
Start med school apps in the meantime (current target = the best five year MD/MPH program I can get).
Spend the weekend in Philly with my mom for my cousin's graduation from Penn.
Come back home for a week and then head to Atlanta, a city I pretty much know nothing about and nobody in. It's going to be great. I've secured a 1 bedroom apartment in a pretty nice neighborhood. I can't wait to meet all the other interns and get started at TCC. I also need a bike.
10 weeks in Atlanta, full-time interning, working on med school apps, and exploring as much of the city as I can (throwing in visits to Emory, the CDC, the Carters' hometown, FDR's warm springs, maybe Charleston or something? oh and the rents/brother are coming up for 4th of July weekend to go to Savannah, should be fun!).
Come home in early August, possible trip in the works, otherwise chill at home, and then head back to Austin mid-late August. Start Senior year.
And things for Senior year and looking absolutely fantastic as well, I have sooo much to look forward to. Everything is shaping up so nicely! It's hard to believe that just three weeks ago, I had no idea what the hell I'd be doing this summer or next semester. Today, it all looks SOLID.
Just gotta make it through these next few weeks!!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Had to post this because it meant a lot to me
Probably one of the few people who makes it a point to read other's blogs sent me the sweetest, most heartwarming message that it warranted a post, and I hope the writer of this doesn't mind that I posted it! I just felt so floored after getting it, it meant so much to me:
"I know email is incredibly informal, unpersonal, and implies that the writer lacks the time to tell you something in person, but believe me when I say this isn't the case.
I wanted to just tell you-- sometime, in the last couple of weeks or so, I don't know when it hit me, but I had this realization. I realized that I'm so incredibly glad I got to know you better this semester. You and I kind of run in the same circles, but kind of not the same circles [because we're different years, therefore we're in different classes, and we've never lived near each other either], and you've been one of those people that I tell myself "wow, I'd really like to get to know her" because you are awesome, and I'd like to hope that people look up to me like I look up to you.
It's been by slightly-serendipitous, a bit of plans-gone-awry, but all sorts of awesomeness that you and I have gotten the chance to hang out this semester, and I'm so thankful for it. I really feel like I can say "yeah, I know Richa Gupta, she's MY friend", and say it meaningfully [not that "acquaintance" type crap that you get with a lot of people you're just facebook friends with, if you get what I mean].
As things are for people like you and me, I'm sure the end of the semester will all of a sudden become jam packed with things to do in the next few days [despite the fact there are already a million things to do before the semester ends], and so I wanted to remember to write this to you and let you know that you are awesome, and I can't wait to get to see you even more next year.
You definitely inspire me Richa :)"
Can't even begin to say how much this made me feel like I must be doing something right. And how I am so lucky to have the best friends in the world.
"I know email is incredibly informal, unpersonal, and implies that the writer lacks the time to tell you something in person, but believe me when I say this isn't the case.
I wanted to just tell you-- sometime, in the last couple of weeks or so, I don't know when it hit me, but I had this realization. I realized that I'm so incredibly glad I got to know you better this semester. You and I kind of run in the same circles, but kind of not the same circles [because we're different years, therefore we're in different classes, and we've never lived near each other either], and you've been one of those people that I tell myself "wow, I'd really like to get to know her" because you are awesome, and I'd like to hope that people look up to me like I look up to you.
It's been by slightly-serendipitous, a bit of plans-gone-awry, but all sorts of awesomeness that you and I have gotten the chance to hang out this semester, and I'm so thankful for it. I really feel like I can say "yeah, I know Richa Gupta, she's MY friend", and say it meaningfully [not that "acquaintance" type crap that you get with a lot of people you're just facebook friends with, if you get what I mean].
As things are for people like you and me, I'm sure the end of the semester will all of a sudden become jam packed with things to do in the next few days [despite the fact there are already a million things to do before the semester ends], and so I wanted to remember to write this to you and let you know that you are awesome, and I can't wait to get to see you even more next year.
You definitely inspire me Richa :)"
Can't even begin to say how much this made me feel like I must be doing something right. And how I am so lucky to have the best friends in the world.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Can't wait til summer.
It's so funny how distressed my Republican dad is about the fact that I'll be at The Carter Center this summer, and how my mom thinks he's insane.
I also think it's interesting that practically the only friends I have that have any idea about what The Carter Center is and what working there would mean, are OJs.
I also think it's interesting that practically the only friends I have that have any idea about what The Carter Center is and what working there would mean, are OJs.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Life Update again
Two life updates in a row. Get excited.
I haven't had a full night's sleep (6 hours or more) all week. I slept 4 last night, like 4 the night before, and then something like 5 and 4 and 5 for the rest of the week. And I have a no-napping policy in place right now which I'm seriously reconsidering. I feel like so many things are happening that I'm having serious problems keeping track of everything and to the point where if I don't write things I need to do down immediately, it just slips out of my mind like I've got premature Alzheimer's or something. Not sleeping doesn't help any.
Madness all started on Wednesday at the Disease Detectives thing. Which was awesome. Not only did I spend like three hours dwelling on what exactly I want to do in life education-wise (Do I want an MD/PhD instead of an MPH?? Do I need a PhD instead of an MPH?? Am I really going to take a year off after I graduate?? etc. obsessing over stuff like I normally obsess over), but I also got the chance to talk to the keynote speakers after the event, Dr. Susan Fisher-Hoch and Dr. McCormick, about working in their lab on epidemiological border-health issues, obesity/diabetes/TB, and the like, in Brownsville. That's totally something I'd want to do.
Ok. Brownsville, right? Not exactly the place I want to be this summer. BUT, all my housing would be paid for, I'd still be semi-close to Austin for weekend visits if I wanted (or a trip home by air), and I'd get a stipend, AND I'd be working for two of the most famous/amazing global epidemiologists in the world, who just happen to be in a not so great city. When I asked them what brought them to Brownsville, Susan Fisher-Hoch told me it was because it was like "being in an underdeveloped country again "where resources weren't there and so there was a real calling." Noble, yes. No resources, yes duh I'm from El Paso, I know how that goes. Border towns unite, right? Go where the need is.
And then...on Thursday I took a biochem test, went on with class, etc., and in the afternoon, I found out that I was accepted to intern at The Carter Center. And now, I have to make a decision about what I want to choose by Monday. MONDAY. Freakin A, that's two days from today. I don't know how the hell I should choose something. I guess I shouldn't be complaining because I have choices, and I was so worried I wouldn't have any choices. The Carter Center is so appealing because it's an international organization, has a big name (obviously), would have the kind of intellectual atmosphere that I would love to experience, would be an awesome chance to network, and get to really know staff (some pretty big people), and meet the other 30 or so interns. I'd probably find a place to live at Emory or something. And woo, Emory. I can visit the med school/the Rollins school, the CDC, see everything.
So I stayed up all Thursday night emailing people about possible funding opps just to cover basic cost-of-living expenses (it's an unpaid internship, NGO/nonprofit work of course interns are unpaid...the Brownsville thing got CDC funding to pay its interns...), and Cline responded to my email in like 5 mins (I love Cline), and was like, yeah I'll talk to Laude about some college pot of money. So, I have no idea if this would work out and shouldn't get optimistic, but if I can't get something from UT, I'll have to try somewhere outside? In like the next month or so that I have? Oh man.
So I spent my Friday in lab since I skipped Wednesday. God I was tired. I ran back home, showered/changed, went to OJ/Blazer Formal (which was fun to see everyone, even though I was freakin tired), came back home, crashed, got up at 4:30 AM, papered, turned it in by 9 AM, answered emails....and then proceeded look for housing in Atlanta.
While I was writing my paper this morning (I'm writing it on the Gates Foundation, and global health philanthropy), I wrote a segment of my paper on this major public health guy, Dr. William Foege who is a senior health advisor to the Gates Foundation's global health team, influenced Gates to get involved with global health and now plays a major role in directing the Foundation's global health goals, used to be the director of the CDC, ran programs that virtually eliminated smallpox in India and river blindness in Africa, and....get ready for this....used to be director of The Carter Center's Global 2000 program (what, what). This TC paper I'm doing for Dr. Oshinsky is a SIGN. Can't pass this up, right.
I just got off the phone with Dr. Field, (I don't know how she manages to find time to talk to her students over weekends about stuff), and we talked about what I wanted to do. I still have no idea. Atlanta vs. Brownsville. Carter Center vs. CDC descendants. Lab/epi project vs. health/policy research and programming. World renowned epidemiologists vs. world renowned health officers and philanthropists. Meh this is hard.
I shouldn't complain. I a pretty lucky girl.
I haven't had a full night's sleep (6 hours or more) all week. I slept 4 last night, like 4 the night before, and then something like 5 and 4 and 5 for the rest of the week. And I have a no-napping policy in place right now which I'm seriously reconsidering. I feel like so many things are happening that I'm having serious problems keeping track of everything and to the point where if I don't write things I need to do down immediately, it just slips out of my mind like I've got premature Alzheimer's or something. Not sleeping doesn't help any.
Madness all started on Wednesday at the Disease Detectives thing. Which was awesome. Not only did I spend like three hours dwelling on what exactly I want to do in life education-wise (Do I want an MD/PhD instead of an MPH?? Do I need a PhD instead of an MPH?? Am I really going to take a year off after I graduate?? etc. obsessing over stuff like I normally obsess over), but I also got the chance to talk to the keynote speakers after the event, Dr. Susan Fisher-Hoch and Dr. McCormick, about working in their lab on epidemiological border-health issues, obesity/diabetes/TB, and the like, in Brownsville. That's totally something I'd want to do.
Ok. Brownsville, right? Not exactly the place I want to be this summer. BUT, all my housing would be paid for, I'd still be semi-close to Austin for weekend visits if I wanted (or a trip home by air), and I'd get a stipend, AND I'd be working for two of the most famous/amazing global epidemiologists in the world, who just happen to be in a not so great city. When I asked them what brought them to Brownsville, Susan Fisher-Hoch told me it was because it was like "being in an underdeveloped country again "where resources weren't there and so there was a real calling." Noble, yes. No resources, yes duh I'm from El Paso, I know how that goes. Border towns unite, right? Go where the need is.
And then...on Thursday I took a biochem test, went on with class, etc., and in the afternoon, I found out that I was accepted to intern at The Carter Center. And now, I have to make a decision about what I want to choose by Monday. MONDAY. Freakin A, that's two days from today. I don't know how the hell I should choose something. I guess I shouldn't be complaining because I have choices, and I was so worried I wouldn't have any choices. The Carter Center is so appealing because it's an international organization, has a big name (obviously), would have the kind of intellectual atmosphere that I would love to experience, would be an awesome chance to network, and get to really know staff (some pretty big people), and meet the other 30 or so interns. I'd probably find a place to live at Emory or something. And woo, Emory. I can visit the med school/the Rollins school, the CDC, see everything.
So I stayed up all Thursday night emailing people about possible funding opps just to cover basic cost-of-living expenses (it's an unpaid internship, NGO/nonprofit work of course interns are unpaid...the Brownsville thing got CDC funding to pay its interns...), and Cline responded to my email in like 5 mins (I love Cline), and was like, yeah I'll talk to Laude about some college pot of money. So, I have no idea if this would work out and shouldn't get optimistic, but if I can't get something from UT, I'll have to try somewhere outside? In like the next month or so that I have? Oh man.
So I spent my Friday in lab since I skipped Wednesday. God I was tired. I ran back home, showered/changed, went to OJ/Blazer Formal (which was fun to see everyone, even though I was freakin tired), came back home, crashed, got up at 4:30 AM, papered, turned it in by 9 AM, answered emails....and then proceeded look for housing in Atlanta.
While I was writing my paper this morning (I'm writing it on the Gates Foundation, and global health philanthropy), I wrote a segment of my paper on this major public health guy, Dr. William Foege who is a senior health advisor to the Gates Foundation's global health team, influenced Gates to get involved with global health and now plays a major role in directing the Foundation's global health goals, used to be the director of the CDC, ran programs that virtually eliminated smallpox in India and river blindness in Africa, and....get ready for this....used to be director of The Carter Center's Global 2000 program (what, what). This TC paper I'm doing for Dr. Oshinsky is a SIGN. Can't pass this up, right.
I just got off the phone with Dr. Field, (I don't know how she manages to find time to talk to her students over weekends about stuff), and we talked about what I wanted to do. I still have no idea. Atlanta vs. Brownsville. Carter Center vs. CDC descendants. Lab/epi project vs. health/policy research and programming. World renowned epidemiologists vs. world renowned health officers and philanthropists. Meh this is hard.
I shouldn't complain. I a pretty lucky girl.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)