Week 8 Famous Last Words

This spring break has been a relaxing one. It was filled with parties, down-time, family time, work and of course The Office. To begin my break, I celebrated my friend's 21st birthday, which was a blast. He's so grown up now. I also spent time with my brothers for the first time in a long time. It was too bad that my older brother picked a day where I worked so I had to end our quality time early. It was still nice to see both of them. Honestly, the majority of my spring break was spent sleeping. I slept into the afternoon on most days. I'm not proud of my hibernation , but it was definitely needed.

In better news, I officially booked my flight to Scotland! I leave to Edinburgh on May 22nd and arrive on the 23rd where my good friend Katie Braudrick will be waiting. We spent hours on the phone today discussing our plans for Europe. So far we have 10 countries listed to fit into three weeks. I thought three weeks would be more than enough time, but it's hard to see everything that a country has to offer! I'm really excited to visit Morocco (the only non-European country we'll be visiting) and explore its culture. I've always wanted to visit Africa, and I guess Morocco will be my first stop! I'm also very excited to explore Athens and Rome. I know those are the cliche tourist European sites, but it has always been a dream of mine to visit Greece and Italy.

Moreover, I've been thinking about my position in life. It's incredible how much time has passed. We're already heading towards the second half of the semester. Four years have passed since the first day I've stepped onto OU's campus. I still remember my first day of class of my freshman year when I headed to Chemistry with Dr. Warhausen. I was nervous, excited, scared, worried, and ambitious. Now I'm about to graduate in a few weeks. Once again, I'm nervous, excited, scared, worried, yet ready for the challenges ahead of  me. If I were to travel back in time and meet my 18 year-old-self as a  freshman, I'd tell myself the following advice:

• You're scared right now, and that's okay. It means you're out of your comfort zone.
• You're heart will be broken in a year. You think he's your world right now, but he's not. Learn to fall in love with yourself first.
• You have the craziest and most diligent study habits right now. Good! Keep that up. It will pay off in the long run. Trust me.
• Some sorority girls in your dorm will make fun of you for studying on Friday nights and the weekends. Don't listen to them. You're dedicated.
• In your sophomore year, you're going to meet the coolest freshmen ever. They'll be your most trusted friends. You won't understand the meaning of true friendship until you meet them.
• Also, you'll reconnect with Isabella. This part of your life is crucial since it has been 2-3 years since you have talked to her. She'll be your best cousin, your best friend, and your supporter through everything. She will be there for you through your breakup, academic failures, insecurities, turning points, life changes, and definitely for all the good times. Warning: she'll move to Spain for a semester and you WILL cry when she tells you. Try not to embarrass yourself and cry before. Don't worry, you still manage to find a way to talk for hours when she's in Barcelona.
• More importantly, Erik will be the sunshine of your life. It may surprise you now since you fight with your younger brother a lot, but believe me. He's a very important person. In fact, he's the reason why you continue to push yourself harder. The relationship between Erik, Isabella, and you will become stronger, almost inseparable. They will always believe in you, even when you don't believe in yourself.
• The MCAT will be the most difficult test you will ever take. It will be the worst 7 hours of your life (maybe a bit exaggerated). However, you can do it. You'll be in Dallas to take it, but you'll have your crew with you supporting you every step of the way.
• Be open minded with new experiences, but take precautions. Too much tequila can turn into a bad night.
• There will be a time in your life when your fake friends and your real friends begin to show their true colors. Keep your head held high. Be classy. Be polite. Be forgiving. You've made mistakes too.
• Last but not least, you've worked really hard. You've made so many sacrifices. You've shown the utmost dedication, diligence, ambition, and perseverance. Give yourself some credit and allow yourself to take in some praise and recognition. You deserve it. Congratulations on everything that will be coming your way. You did it.

There would be so much more to tell myself, but those are the main points. It's funny though. I think it's the end just because college is almost over. However, it's just the beginning.

2016 Graduating Class. Personal Photo.