5/16/2017 1 Comment "Do not be anxious"This past semester definitely has had its ups and downs but I think the main theme of how I felt was struggling with the idea that the future is so close. Every friend that I've talked to would discuss the MCAT, a gap year, their grades, and everything that had to do with the future. I could sense their anxiety just by the look in their eyes as they rambled on about everything that worried them. From my friends who struggle with classes to my friends who have amazing grades, I have seen each one discuss their future with hope, but with slight fear of the future. I mean who can blame them? Nobody likes the fear of the unknown. It is something that I've definitely battled with too. Will I be able to raise my GPA high enough to be competitive for medical school? Will my MCAT score be high enough the first time I take it? What will I do during my gap year? What am I going to do after college? There have been so many questions lurking around my head to the point where it gets overwhelming. However, I have been trying to live with the idea that I told my freshman year self a long time ago-- take it one day at a time. It's easier said than done especially since I'm a planner. I plan way too far into the future and I stress out over things that I can't control. So what's the point in ruining my youthful face by worrying so much? In all reality though, I don't blame anyone for having so much anxiety about the future. Nobody wants to be a disappointment to not only their families, but also to themselves. At the end of our four years here, we want to walk out and be proud of what we did here and what we accomplished. We obviously work hard and we're surrounded by people who are jut as intense-- I mean, we go to the University of Texas-- where students are 24/7 stu(dying) and building their resumes, volunteering, shadowing, involved in research, extracurriculars, etc. We're surrounded by this atmosphere that everyone has their lives together, when in reality, everyone is fighting their own battle. I couldn't help but be anxious at times comparing myself to those around me. That's when this verse comes into my head from Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." I read that verse and it made me feel all happy and warm inside, but I'm not going to lie that sometimes I forget. I forget to present my requests to God and I forget to talk to Him. However, I am so thankful that His grace is so good and He still loves me regardless. I know that at the end of the day, my future is in God's hands. I'm just going to do my best in school and give it my all and hope for the best because I am tired of worrying. Also I decided that I will be blogging more often instead of my regular end of the semester updates on my life. So stay tuned with that! This semester, I didn't really go out that much and try different places like I usually do, but I'm going to make up for it this summer when I'm studying for my MCAT and of course, my senior year. My family came to visit me and I finally had the chance to take them to Mt. Bonnell and we gazed in awe at the beautiful houses and the sunset. I also took them to Pho Please for the first time and I can definitely see why people go all the way to Riverside to try some. 10/10 would recommend especially on a cold day. One coffeeshop that I did check off my list was Cherrywood Coffeehouse! I really liked the lighting there, but it didn't really have the coffee shop vibe that I wanted since you can order food as well. My friend Sandra and I ended up getting queso because everything smelled so good and we ended up hungry! One of my favorite parts of the semester was definitely trying out the famous Voodoo Doughnuts!! Fair warning, it's cash only so I had a chance to sadly use an ATM for the first time. :( ATM fees are rough, but at least the donuts were cute! They were super sweet and super filling so you definitely have to be in the mood to eat it. My friends and I took a quick road trip to Six Flags and ended up eating at this all-you-can-eat sushi place called Kobe in San Marcos. I NEVER ate that much sushi in my life. They make you pay for each piece that you don't finish so my friends and I ended up eating about 30 pieces each. We were still hungry after the first round of sushi, but it took them like an hour to bring us the second round and they gave us ones we didn't order. Regardless, the ones we did eat were really good though and I definitely want to come back again mostly because I'm the only one in my family that eats sushi. Austin finally opened up a Sprinkles ATM and I finally got to try one as well! It was really sweet and kind of heavy, but I like the idea of getting a cupcake from a machine. I still prefer Hey Cupcake over Sprinkles ATM though. The photo on the left is like their Irish cupcake and the other one is their red velvet cupcake! My small group and I went and had brunch at True Food Kitchen and 10/10 would recommend! I got their turkey wrap with a side of sweet potatoes and kale salad and it was delicious. The atmosphere was really nice as well because their kitchen was open and you can see the chefs preparing your meals with fresh fruits and vegetables. They also had a lot of vegan and gluten free options as well. Oh I also got elected as Director of Social Events for Texas Public Health so I'm pretty excited for that as well! I had a chance to participate in my second Longhorn Run with my mentees. Somehow they all agreed to do with it me?? We did the 5k and it was definitely a great team bonding moment since nobody really trained for it and we kind of ran/jogged/walked. Haha. For spring break, my family and I took a spontaneous trip to NOLA!! Guess who ate a lot of seafood and beignets? ME. But seriously, all I ate there was seafood and it was sooo good. We were only there for a couple of days but we took a boat ride and explored the Insectarium and Aquarium. My sister and I even ate a chocolate chip cookie that had a cricket on it, yum! As many of you know, I go to at least one concert per school year (I really need to go to more, but concert tickets aren't cheap). However, I had the chance to see Young the Giant with my musical soulmate/freshman year roomie Amanda and her brothers! By far one of the best concerts I've been to. They had so much energy and they just sounded amazing live. Their new album was so good and their throwbacks put me in the feels. I would be lying if I said that I didn't listen to them nonstop after that. It was really cool when I found out that the lead singer Sameer used to go to Standford and was pre-med, but dropped out to pursue his music career. It just shows that it definitely is worth trying to pursue your passion whether it's being a rockstar or being a health professional (aka me and like all my friends). Also shoutout to my XA family (especially my resource group and small group) for always being my second family and for always loving me (and providing food). Thanks for being my go-to peeps when I need prayers for exams and everything in between. Junior year was definitely one for the books. I'm grateful for my friends and my wonderful boyfriend who were always there to listen and were always down to get wings with me! Last but not least, I'm super grateful for my amazing parents and sister who are my number one fans and continue to pray for and support me throughout my journey as a pre-med student. Without their sacrifice, I would not be able to attend UT or pursue my dreams!! Love you all.
Hello senior year!! P.S. I intend on blogging more as a study break from my MCAT studying this summer so stay tuned for that. I'm going to be trying more coffee shops, restaurants and food trucks with my friends! xoxoxo Nicole
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