My Western Caribbean Cruise Experience

Going on a cruise wasn’t my first choice back in 2016, when my husband Ryan and I took a seven-night voyage around the Western Caribbean.  I had big ideas of a multi-country trip with a big price tag I was trying to sell him. After a little persuasion, my lifelong adventure and travel companion convinced me a cruise was the best way to relax and reconnect after a year and a half separation.  I had been stationed at a small military base in Korea while he was stateside at another base in Alabama.  And he was right, cruising was amazing.  Let me tell you why:

The Options

Cruises are like the pick-your-own-adventure novels – you create your own path and can make the experience as fun and exhilarating or as relaxing and refreshing as you like.  You choose the cruise company, port, length of travel and where you’re going. From there, add onto your trip with excursions or other purchasable items.  There are so many options. And yet it’s really not that hard because it’s all laid out in front of you.

Cruise Companies and Ports:  With just a quick Google search, you’ll see there are numerous options of cruise companies.  Most likely, your choice, like ours, will be influenced by price point.  But, you could also decide on a particular company based on their ports, travel locations and reputation, which were all factors in our decision as well.  We narrowed our search to three major cruise companies and household names: Caribbean Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Disney Cruises.  Royal Caribbean turned out to be perfect for us – it had the atmosphere we were looking for and didn’t have a massive price tag.  Once we knew what company we wanted to go through, we narrowed our search by looking at cruises departing out of Ft. Lauderdale and Miami.

Cruise Location and Length:  We were open to various travel locations but knew we wanted a longer cruise.  After reading through many blog posts and articles on the subject, we found that most travelers agreed a week was usually adequate.  Some people get antsy on longer cruises.  At some point, I would really like to test this statement out…possibly on a cross-continental cruise.  We looked at everything from short four-day journeys to cruises two-weeks in length. Seven nights and daytime stops in Haiti, Mexico and Jamaica on the largest cruise ship at the time, Oasis of the Seas, caught our eye.

Cost and Convenience:  This experience can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be. Obviously, this begins with the cruise line you choose to travel with.  We found that Caribbean Cruises tended to be the least expensive and Disney Cruises were the most expensive.  We went right in the middle with Royal Caribbean and were beyond satisfied with our choice.  Furthermore, picking a shorter cruise and inside cabin will alleviate a lot of expense. You can almost always find a sale for Royal Caribbean trips.  We purchased our ticket at the “buy one, get one 50% off” price with an added bonus of $200 to spend on board for an exceedingly reasonable price.  This extra savings allowed us to take a longer cruise and book a large room with a balcony.  I’ve seen similar sales advertised for other cruise lines but am not familiar with their specific process.  Something that was surprising and helped a lot with planning was interest free payment plan for our cruise.  When the room was booked, we made a small down payment and the rest was due 90 days prior to departure.  It was that easy.  You can’t do this with many trips.  All of our excursions, restaurant packages, drink packages, and other extras could also be purchased and paid for online before the cruise.  It was so convenient and made planning fun!

The Places

When in Haiti, Mexico and Jamaica we had a full day to adventure and experience the culture and beautiful sights each country offered. We developed a good taste for each location – it was like a dessert sampler with three unique tastes, inviting us back for more.  Travelling to so many places in a week was exhilarating and easy thanks to Royal Caribbean.  I felt like we were real globe trotters, when in reality we were skipping the airport lines and security for themed parties and hot tubs on the ship at the end of each day!

Within a week’s time, we had rented a private cabana and parasailed in Haiti, jumped into and explored the limestone cenotes in Mexico before swimming with the sea turtles, and jumped 30 feet into a blue hole in Jamaica before tubing a picturesque river and finishing the day with delicious jerked chicken.  The memories we made on that trip are some of my favorite.

There are many other locations you can go to; in fact, I’m pretty sure cruises go just about everywhere.  Name a location and I bet you can take a cruise there; excluding the remote island with natives that was in the news recently.  Did you know you can even take a cruise to the Antarctic and ride in a hot air balloon over the ice and water?!  This however, is not Royal Caribbean and will cost upwards of $5,000 a person.  Yes, I would someday like to journey to this remote location.

The Ship

Each cruise liner is unique in what it offers.  On our ship, we had several dining options including restaurants, fast food, free fine dining experience and a family friendly buffet area.  There was also a rock climbing wall, zip lining across the ship, numerous pools and hot tubs including an adults-only area, several performances and shows throughout the trip, shopping both on board and at each port, several bars, themed parties, a casino, fun classes – you get the point, there’s something for everyone.  The best part was that all of this was right outside our door.  We could stay in our room and watch television while snuggling or we could go and socialize.  Each day we chose our own adventure.  We personally enjoyed ordering free room service every morning and eating breakfast on the balcony while watching the sun rise over the water.  The morning breeze, the endless water…I was living in a dream.  The ship was large enough for us to find our own space when we ventured out – we particularly enjoyed large hot tubs to ourselves at night and unlimited blended mojitos and Cuban cigars on the top deck.  The blended mojitos were mostly me and the cigars were Ryan.  The on-board entertainment and themed prohibition party was also a favorite of ours.  However, as much as I like cats, I would not suggest the Broadway production.  That was a waste of our precious time on board.

Advice for Potential Cruisers

Go on a cruise! Try it out.  The experience is a dessert sampler of several places and as much or as little entertainment and relaxation as you want on the trip.  You choose your own adventure here on the daily.  You want to sleep in and then sunbathe until the sun goes down?  Do it. You want to schedule your day chock full of activities from sunrise until sunset?  You can do that too.  You can make a cruise all your own.  I do have a few recommendations to make your trip go a little smoother, however:

Research. Research. Research.  The information is out there; it just takes a little leg work on your part.  You can gain a lot of insight about companies, ports, and excursions based on personal experiences.  Before our cruise, we did lots of research.  So much research.  We toured our ship though many YouTube videos before ever setting foot on The Oasis of the Seas.  There are plenty of resources out there.  Don’t make uninformed decisions!  And when looking at reviews, take negative reviews with a grain of salt.  Is it one bad review among several good ones?  Is the complaint based something the cruise liner had control of or was?  These can tell you a lot of information, but don’t let a few bad reviews scare you away. There will always be unhappy customers.

Don’t over pack. Unless you’re rich and have the huge suite, you won’t have room for all your luggage.  Pack based on where you’re going and doing, as well as the length of your cruise. You can have laundry done while on board as well – keep that in mind.  You’ll be living in close quarters and will quickly regret bringing all the luggage when you’re climbing over it to look out the window.

Pack ahead for sickness. Make sure you have all your medications, of course, but also bring over the counter meds for other minor sickness you may encounter, such as Pepto-Bismol or aspirin.  Travel affects everyone differently and I’m betting you don’t want to spend your cruise in the bathroom or in bed the whole time.  Even if you don’t normally get sea sick, bring along sea sickness medication and ginger chews.  You could always end up feeling sick at some point or at least have it on hand for someone else.  I didn’t get sea sick on the cruise but did when I took a 45-minute ferry ride in Mexico. That was a horrendous feeling and I’m lucky I have a strong stomach.

Pay for the drink package. It may seem expensive at first but you’ll thank yourself later on when you’re sipping on the unlimited mojitos that are going for $13 a pop. We didn’t buy the drink package at first and ended up getting it on board.  When we go on a cruise again, this will be one of the first things we invest in.

Also, the restaurant packages are worth it, although totally unnecessary if you’re trying to save money (there’s lots of free food!). For what we paid, it was a great deal for what felt like a 5-Star restaurant date night each night.  The food and service was exquisite.

I can only speak for Royal Caribbean but – purchase the option to tip ahead. Tipping is required daily (a small amount that DOES add up) and by paying ahead, you save yourself money, time and hassle later on.  Don’t skip this!

In Conclusion

Going on a cruise turned out to be one of my best adventures.  In fact, Ryan and I have tossed around the idea of going on another one to celebrate my graduation.  Maybe that’s when we’ll try out a cross continental cruise.  I hope I’ve provided you with some insight into my personal experience and have inspired you to go on your own adventure.  If you have any additional advice for first time (or second time, third time, etc.) cruisers, please share below.  Let’s spread the knowledge.  Happy travels, my friends.

BEAUTY & THE BLOG

Every day that we’re alive and get to experience this beautiful, adventure-filled, world is a blessing.  And with all the glorious splendor of the world carefully pinned, we sometimes struggle with wanting to feel beautiful ourselves.  This doesn’t necessarily mean wearing makeup or having perfect hair; there are plenty of ways to feel confident and happy, but also there’s nothing wrong with wanting to have a nice winged eyeliner.  When I started this blog, my intention was to enlist the help of a friend who is talented in all things beauty, hair and makeup related.  But as life sometimes does, it got a little crazy for her and she won’t be able to take this on right now…I’m still hopeful for the future though!

So, what am I to do?  I’ve been brainstorming for a while now.  Giving you the very best has been my intention from the start and I felt like I had let you down.  Then I realized the solution to this predicament…me!  I’m going to bring you on my own beauty journey.  I’ll be trying various products, techniques, and treatments.

Sometimes I look around, whether I’m on campus or out, and it seems like everyone is either a supermodel or taking nighttime beauty school classes.  Seriously, how does everyone look so good?  As for me, I pretty much have two looks: no makeup and I look half dead (and everyone asks if I’m ok…YES, that’s just my face Martha!) or lots of effort and with one eye perfect and the other looking like a toddler took control of my eyeliner.  I can never get them even.  What’s up with that?

So no, I’m no professional.  Not even close.  So why would you want to watch me find my way around the Sephora store (literally and metaphorically)?  If you’re one of those pros I was talking about, come along and laugh WITH me…this is sure to be exciting and hilarious.  If you’re like me and are just now figuring it out because your mom wouldn’t let you wear makeup as a teenager, we need each other.  We need to stick together.  And definitely let me know if you have any requests, ideas or suggestions!

Photo Cred: Emily Olsen, Washington D.C.

Three Questions: A Thought on Time and Priorities

I’m going to be real vague here.  Recently, I was offered an opportunity I would have jumped on a few years ago.  And honestly, it’s exciting even now (but maybe not for the right reasons).  Without hesitation, I was willing to commit tons of time and effort towards this because how could I not?  Don’t let ANYTHING pass you up, as people say!  One problem: this goal was past Nikki’s…that woman from a few years ago, not the zealous pre-med one you see now.  And this thing?  It’s something I had committed to moving on from.  Recently, it’s been working against my goals instead of being one.  It takes time and energy away from my studies, which is the last thing any pre-med student wants.  And I’ve always believed that we should only focus on what’s most important to us because our time is precious.  Until this came up.  Seriously…It’s amazing!  And it’s what I wanted a few years ago…why couldn’t I just accomplish it now?

So I talked to my husband and said that maybe I’ll accept this and put energy into it until med school.  THEN I can move away from it and focus on medicine.  That sounds like someone dedicated to the cause, right?  He told me that I have his support no matter what I decide.  But then he asked me three simple questions:

• Does this still bring me joy (Even 1%)?
• Am I doing it to just prove something to myself or to others?
• Am I holding on to the past instead of focusing on the present and future?

You can guess what happened next…his questions hit me right in the gut.  It took me about a day to fully decide for myself that I need to pass this up and leave it for someone else to enjoy.  And I sincerely believe that by doing this, I will open myself up to opportunities relevant to my goals right now.  It’s important that I focus my energy and efforts into being accepted into medical school and eventually becoming a doctor.  That opportunity is great.  But it isn’t for me anymore.

In the future, I’ll ask myself three simple questions when situations like this arise.  Do I find joy in this?  Am I just trying to prove something (that I CAN do it, not necessarily that I want to)?  Is this relevant to what I’m doing right now or what I hope to do in the future?

Sometimes, we have to close the doors from our past to open the one to our future.  Or, in the case of this pathway on the coast of Ireland, maybe the doors been open the whole time.

Five Things Pre-Meds Should Know

Below is a list of five things I wish someone had told me right at the beginning of my pre-med career.  I’ve put them together in the hopes that you, my fellow pre-med classmate, will benefit from them and be able to make the right decisions early on.  Really, the list could be much longer, but these are the top five things that have stood out to me.

This is Much Bigger Than You

Stated differently, there’s a whole community of pre-health students, health care providers and other related individuals out there; it’s not just you anymore.  Hopefully one of the reasons you strive to be a doctor is to do something greater than yourself while positively impacting others through health care.  There’s many ways in which this is much bigger than you, but I am focusing on the pre-medical part, wherein you will discover (if you haven’t already) this whole new world of people all sharing their insight, knowledge, and stories with you.  I believe that the sooner you’re connected, the better off you will be.  It was during my time stationed in South Korea that I made plans to change my career path and go back to school.  There was a sense of disconnection present because I no longer shared the similar goals of those around me and many didn’t understand and questioned why I would leave.  Plenty of my co-workers, leaders and mentors were encouraging but they didn’t quite grasp the full significance of what this meant for me, and honestly, neither did I.  During that first meeting with my advisor, when she designated my file “pre-med” after inquiring about my career goals, I was really shocked.  There was a designation?  This was a thing?  More pleasant surprises happened as I learned about a pre-medical advisor and pre-medical clubs at my university.  I quickly became involved and found myself surrounded with people I was able to relate to and learn from.  I’m not saying you should surround yourself with only pre-med students, but I have found it beneficial to have them in my life.  And when you consider online forums, blogs and other social media, books, and podcasts, this community of people is on a global scale!  I found these additional resources myself through both word of mouth and personal research.  There are people out there who have no idea these resources exist, sometimes years into their pre-medical career.  No one should feel alone on this journey; go do some research and find your group of people!

Listen to Other People…But Don’t

This branches off number one and involves you becoming part of the pre-medical and medical community.  One minute you’re deciding to become a doctor and the next minute everyone is giving you advice regarding how you should go about this.  The vast majority of the time, I’ve found this advice to be enlightening, beneficial, and accurate.  I love hearing what others have to say because of their different knowledge base, range of experiences and unique perspective.  But once or twice over the last year, I’ve had some extremely wrong advice given to me.  A fellow pre-med student said I should wait to volunteer or shadow any doctors until my junior year of college…when I would be APPLYING to medical school if I go by the traditional timeline.  Clearly, she didn’t know what she was talking about and thankfully I knew better than to listen to her.  If I were to follow her advice, I would be rigorously studying for the MCAT and be hard pressed for time; adding in extra activities at this point would just be stressful.  Second, what would happen if I started volunteering in a hospital or shadowing a doctor and realized I actually didn’t think this was right for me?  That being a doctor isn’t exactly what’s portrayed on Grey’s Anatomy?  There’s many other reasons a student should start these activities sooner, but I’m just making a point here.  Listen to what others say, but with a caveat: do your own research.  If you’re told something new, look it up and/or ask your advisor about it.  Even if what they’re saying isn’t wrong, it may not apply to your own situation.  As the saying goes, take things with a grain of salt.

Your Advisor is Your Best Friend

If your university has an advisor, meet with them or at least contact them early on in the semester because they are the subject matter experts on getting to medical school.  They have already successfully advised many people who are now medical students or doctors.  If you’ve read my other posts, you know that last year I attended a university in Alabama and due to some unforeseen life circumstances, I’m now attending a school in Virginia.  I’ve now experienced two different advising styles and can comment on them.  My general advisor in Alabama suggested I meet with the university’s pre-med advisor, which I did right away.  I was subsequently put on the pre-med advising office’s email distribution list, and the advisor planned out my next four years with me, including pre-requisite classes and things like shadowing and preparing for the MCAT; I was given a hard copy of this plan to take home.  One-on-one meetings and personalized advice were some things offered by the advising office, which I appreciated.  My pre-med advisor even knew the students by name that came to see her regularly and offered many opportunities that I participated in, like meeting with the Director of Admissions for several nearby medical schools.  She helped to get me on track and better understand what was expected of me from medical schools.  Her office provided many other resources such as a committee letter, mock interviews, personal statement reviews, etc.  As you can see, just getting connected with her office had huge benefits and was an important first step in my college education and pre-medical path.  Because of the sheer number of pre-medical students at my new university in Virginia, group advising is offered at specific times throughout the semester.  When a student is closer to applying to medical school and interviewing, one-on-one sessions are then offered.  There are lots of opportunities available, which I find out about through emails from the pre-medical advising office.  During orientation, I made sure that I signed up for the listserv so I could stay connected in this much different environment.  Through both types of advising situations, I’ve found that getting involved early on is key to being successful and staying in the loop!

Don’t overload your schedule

If you’re anything like me, you want to get involved in anything and everything.  I honestly wish I could sleep less so I can do more; If I had a superpower, that would probably be it.  But since that isn’t going to happen anytime soon, I’ll stick to doing those things I’m most passionate about and cutting out the rest.  I’m a big fan of trying out new things to explore interests and be a little adventurous, but year one I made the rookie mistake of overloading my schedule with a heavy course load after being out of high school for a long time, serving in the National Guard and participating in a lot of three-day drills which made me miss Friday lectures, volunteering, and joining lots of clubs I may not have had the time for, on top of normal life stuff like taking care of my cats and watching Game of Thrones.  Simply put, life got real busy really quick.  None of these things were bad on their own but I initially didn’t find a balance with them or have great time management skills in order to make it all work.  The normal pre-med life is busy the way it is so do yourself a favor and find that balance early on.  Make sure to give yourself ‘you time’ so you can recharge and relax; you won’t be sorry for it.

Be true to yourself

Do what you love and love what you do.  If that means you aren’t a science major but instead study art, then good for you!  And yes, if you’re right at the beginning of your pre-med journey and don’t already know, you DO NOT have to be a science major to go to medical school.  That is a myth!  Many medical schools do have pre-requisite classes you’ll have to take in addition to your major and you’ll need a science foundation before taking the MCAT.  When you volunteer or join clubs, do things that you are passionate about and enjoy being a part of.  Be true to yourself and you will shine and have room for personal growth and development.  If you’ve listened to a pre-medical podcast or read any medical blogs, you’ll realize these people are diverse and each one has a unique story about how they got where they are right now.  Being true to yourself also means occasionally taking detours and having the courage to change your path.  Last year, a fellow student and friend of mine started the year wanting to become a doctor but realized after a class presentation by a physician assistant that they may be better suited for that career instead of being a doctor.  And you know what?  That’s awesome!  Twenty years down the road they might be glad they followed their gut instinct.

Planning for a Good Year

My calendar is quickly filling up and I’m just now entering my third week of the school year.  Gone are the warm days of summer with infinite possibilities and in are class schedules, weekly volunteer shifts, and extracurricular activities, just to start with.  We won’t talk about the massive amount of coffee stops between these events though!  I am and will continue to be busy and I’m welcoming it with open arms.  A busy schedule, however, such as that of a pre-med student, can quickly become disorganized and overwhelming if not managed early on in the process.  I’ve experienced my own time management struggles in the past and have learned some helpful lessons I’m going to share with you today.  As a reminder, find what works best for you personally and implement that in your own life.  I’m only sharing what’s best for me; you may be completely different.  So, here it is, my tips on managing a busy schedule this semester:

Use a Mix of Tools

To keep up with everything, I like using both a paper planner and my phone calendar together.  I found that this mix suits all my needs; the reminders on my phone about classes and events are sometimes necessary for remembering when and where I should be and the visual depiction a paper planner provides allows me to better visualize and plan my weeks out.  Using these tools together, I have better time management and control over my life, freeing me from the stress that chaos and disorganization ultimately brings.

If you already have a phone, why not use it?

I set recurring events in my phone calendar for classes, volunteer shifts and anything else that is predictable.  Adding in the location, such as the building and room numbers for lectures, and any other pertinent information is helpful if I’m running late and can’t remember where I need to go.  A quick glance at my phone and I’m all set!  Non-recurrent events are put into my phone calendar the moment I make plans to attend; if not, I run the risk of forgetting to add the event later on.  On busy days, I may look at this calendar several times.

Paper Planners aren’t old fashioned

My paper planner has the same recurrent events in the daily calendar section but with more details, such as assignments due or study goals, such as writing the introduction for an essay.  On the side, I may add notes about events I’m interested in but haven’t made plans to attend.  Workouts, errands, and anything that is more personal is also added here.  I use the big calendar at the beginning of each monthly section only for major events, such as big tests or birthdays.  I use my planner daily and rely on it as a source of information for all the small details I might otherwise forget.  Sunday nights are a good time to prepare for the week by sitting down and reviewing what events and obligations the next week holds.

Preparation is the foundation of good time management

At the beginning of this school year, I sat down with my phone, planner and syllabi.  I added all the regular events to my phone and added my husband to the calendar so he could get some sense of my schedule.  I then added each class with test dates, holidays and assignments due on paper.  A few hours of work and the foundation of my planner was done.  From there, it was easy to add any subsequent events.  I love that I’m able to look at my calendar and visualize my schedule.

 It’s all about you: Personalize

 When adding your life to a planner, make it fun and personalize!  I like writing in bright colors for each event and adding in cute stickers.  But personalization doesn’t stop there.  For example, something that I enjoy are lists, especially when it comes to homework.  Sitting down, looking at my list, and working my way down just resonates with me.  The planner I’m using this year has a blank note page at the beginning of each month which I used to write out the name of each class in ink with plenty of space after it.  As I’m going through my lectures and labs, I write down things I need to do in pencil next to the class it pertains to.  Later on, I’m able to focus my studying based on the list.  At the end of the week, I may still have items left there, which I try to check off during the weekend so I can erase them and start fresh Monday morning.  I do a similar thing with tracking my study hours at the bottom of the page so I can ensure each class is getting enough attention.  These changes were made based on my preferences, current needs, and weaknesses to help me be a more efficient student and therefore have better time management overall.

This is the planner you need to buy

So, what planner do you need?  The one that works for you.  We all have different needs and preferences, so shop around. Not all planners are created equal.  I’ve purchased some I never ended up using because they didn’t have enough room for detail, which I found through trial and error that I need.  They were undeniably cute, but they didn’t get used for anything more than a decoration.

As you find your perfect fit, consider the size of planner you want, how much detail you need to add in it, and how exactly you will be using it.  For me, a large planner that could cover every aspect of my life and more was what I wanted.  I purchased one from the company Plum Paper, who lets you personalize everything from the size, front cover, design, to every little detail inside the cover very easily on their website.  I even added pre-made budget, meal, fitness and blog sections to my planner.  I created one beast of a planner, which is perfect for me.  I think this company’s planners would work great for many pre-meds who enjoy the planning process like I do.  Ultimately, you should find what works best for you.  There are a lot of great companies out there with planners for each kind of person with their unique needs.  The key is just getting started so you can have better control of your time and life.

As Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”  I hope I’ve provided you with some useful tips.  I would love to hear yours!

Year One, Part Three: Married in College

There’s differing schools of thought about college students getting married while still in school.  As with all personal life choices, getting married is a big decision only you and your significant other can make for your own unique situation.  What’s right for one person may not be right for another.  Here, I’ll share my own story of married life in college and how it has furthered my pre-medical path.  I’ll also share the story of my friend Bailey Knop, a nursing student in Alabama finishing up her last semester.  I asked Bailey to share her own experience with you so you would have the perspectives of both a traditional and non-traditional pre-health student.  Having someone in our lives for support and encouragement has really allowed us to reach our full potential and grow as individuals.  Although the main purpose of this post is to share our personal stories about marriage, I want to encourage every pre-health student to find that person (or people) who can be there for you while you work toward your dreams.  Life won’t always be easy and you’ll want friends who can be there to celebrate the good and help you through the bad, whether that be a significant other, mentor, bff, coworker, or classmate.

Nicole & Ryan

We met four years ago in Texas while both serving in the Army.  His sense of adventure and love of learning immediately drew me in; he’s still my adventuring partner today!  I left active duty in 2016 in order to follow my dreams of becoming a doctor and attend school full time.  Over that Christmas break, Ryan proposed to me in his childhood church while we were in his hometown visiting family.  His grandmother, “Meme,” and Amelia, his sister, asked me for help moving some tables for an upcoming church event…it was a total setup that I never saw coming.  Ryan, dressed in old jeans and a flannel Christmas shirt, left earlier that morning to help his grandfather with something.  They took me to the church and suddenly disappeared as I walked through the front doors of that little white chapel.  At the front of the church stood Ryan, dressed in a suit.  He told me that very spot was where he had experienced countless memories in his life, some sad and some wonderful, from boyhood through manhood.  Ryan explained this journey was necessary and ultimately it led him to me.  He also told me that because I grew up in many different places across the country, and didn’t have a special place of my own, he wanted to share his with me.  On one knee he proposed to me with the most beautiful ring I could have ever wished for and, once I said yes…his nephew ran inside to tell him he had to pee!  Then Ryan told him, “guess what?” and that I would be his aunt.  He got really excited, hugged me, and I’ll never forget that moment for the rest of my life.  My sister-in-law was so embarrassed, but I thought it was adorable and wouldn’t change a single thing about that day.  We originally planned on a year and a half engagement with a summer wedding but eloped in the botanical gardens when he received short notice military orders to move.  Now we’re in a new place and I’m about to start year two of my pre-med path.

From realizing my own dreams and potential through my first year of college, Ryan has been my support and rock.  Despite intimate knowledge of the demands this professional choice entails, he encouraged me to take the first step and has never stopped cheering me on.  There are some days when all I do is study for hours on end and others when I’m out shadowing, volunteering, or participating in other extracurricular activities.  Despite his own busy schedule, he’s always there to support and love me.  Last semester, he helped me study for a laboratory final by quizzing me on dissection pictures late into the early morning.  Sometimes he tells me to put everything down because we’re going on an adventure so I can relax and recharge my brain.  He’s done far more than I can ever give him credit for and I feel fortunate to have him by my side.

Bailey & Drew

Drew and I met for the first time when I moved into my dorm Freshman year.  We didn’t realize he had moved me in until after about a year of dating when we found a picture of us on one of the university website pages.  Two years ago, we started talking again over the game Trivia Crack.  After about a week we met up and one thing led to the next until February 2015 when he asked me to become his girlfriend.  Drew and I instantly clicked from the beginning.  We had similar family backgrounds, enjoyed doing a lot of the same things, and we both got along really well with each other’s friends and family.  It was perfect.  After a little over a year of dating, Drew asked me to spend the rest of my life with him and without hesitation I said yes.  I’m sure some people thought “they’ve only been dating for a little over a year, that’s crazy” but I would say that after about three months of dating we both knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together and here we are…a month into our marriage and we couldn’t be happier.

Drew has always been so supportive of my dream to become a nurse and I’m not sure if I would have made it this far into the program without him telling me every single day that I could do it.  We’ve spent a lot of hours in the library together.  Even after he graduated, he would come by and just sit with me for a little while and always offer to help me study.  When I got tired of reading my notes he would ask to quiz me.  Half of the time he couldn’t pronounce the words right but that was okay because it was at least entertaining and hilarious!  Just his presence kept me calm and focused during these stressful semesters.

Final Thoughts

Nicole Whether you’re married, thinking about getting married, or married to medicine, remember that your path is yours alone.  There is no one right answer to life or whether getting married in college is something you should or shouldn’t do, and I’m not here to provide that answer for you.  I do want to remind you, however, to remember that no one can go down this path to medicine or through life alone, nor should they.  Everyone needs that person for emotional support, encouragement, and to keep their spirits high when the road seems long, whether that someone be a significant other or someone else.  Surround yourself with positive people who care about your success and support your decision to enter the healthcare field.

Bailey Don’t let anything stop you from pursuing your dreams.  If you want it badly enough you can do it!  And, if you ever question why you are where you are or doing what you’re doing just remember Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

The Summer Health Professions Education Program

Happy Friday!  This week, I’m pleased to introduce my guest blogger, Sarah Mowery, a pre-dentistry student who serves as president of the Medical Careers Club at her university.  In this article, Sarah shares her experience of participating in a summer program that includes tracks for several pre-health professions.  Enjoy!

Getting hands-on experience at the dental school!

This summer, I was given the privilege of attending the Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP), a free six-week summer program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).  This program is designed to strengthen and enrich the academic and career development of underrepresented students and is offered at 13 different universities around the United States.  I was accepted into the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) dentistry track, as I’m applying to dental school next summer.  The program at UAB offered four different tracks: dentistry, medicine, optometry and physician assistant.

The UAB School of Dentistry.

During my time there, I gained clinical exposure in both a health care setting and through many different simulation experiences.  For me, it was amazing to shadow current dental students and dentists within the UAB School of Dentistry.  I was exposed to various specialties that I had never shadowed before!  Also, it was great having the opportunity to talk with and ask current dental students advice on how they got into dental school, what they liked about the school and about their career choice.  It was extremely beneficial!  Those who were on the medicine and physician assistant tracks did their rotations at the UAB hospital, while the pre-optometry students went to the UAB School of Optometry.  I heard nothing but good things from students in those tracks as well.

Not only did we gain exposure in our desired health professions, but we also participated in various academic classes, seminars, and workshops.  We typically spent our mornings in the academic classes taught by professors at the medical school.  These included biochemistry, human anatomy, biopsychology, and biostatistics.  My favorite by far was human anatomy!  Not only was the teacher amazing, but we were also able to see and touch a human cadaver.  At the time, I couldn’t believe I was holding a human heart!  Being able to see first-hand the intricate design of the human body was a privilege.  After class is when we would attend the various seminars and workshops.  The topics covered included suturing, how to make fillings and impressions, study skills, the admission process, career development, professionalism, cultural competency, diversity, health policy, financial literacy and many more.

A few of us at the UAB School of Medicine after our patient encounter workshop.

All of these things I listed were wonderful opportunities, but if I had to pick my favorite part of this entire program, it wouldn’t be the classes or workshops.  It would be the people I had the privilege of spending those six-weeks with.  SHPEP promotes diversity, and our group could not have been more diverse.  There were students from all over, including California, Texas, New York, Chicago and even Puerto Rico and the Bahamas!  We learned a lot from one another, and as a result, grew in our understanding of different cultures and beliefs.  During our free time we went to baseball games, museums, restaurants, the park, the movies, etc.  SHPEP provided me with the opportunity to meet these amazing individuals and develop lasting friendships and memories.  For that as well as the knowledge I gained from this program, I am grateful and honored to be a scholar of SHPEP.

For more information about this program and how to apply, please click here.

Enjoying the SHPEP Formal!

A couple of friends and I at closing ceremony!

Year One, Part Two: I’m Still Alive!

This blog post is a continuation of part one, a reflection on my first year as a pre-medical student where I discuss my highs, lows, and lessons learned that I hope others will find helpful.  If you haven’t read it, please check it out!

Winter Break  By the time winter break arrived, I was relieved.  Sure, like any other student I was relieved that finals were over and I could relax and enjoy the holidays.  But, that first semester was challenging for me, in a way that I could only appreciate after the fact.  I spent so long in the Army that I almost forgot how to be a student.  Learning tough material, efficiently, is an art.  It didn’t come to me overnight, but after my first semester I felt confident that my internal operating switch was fully turned from Soldier mode to student mode.  It was a tough knob to turn, but I learned to embrace and enjoy this new lifestyle.  For many years, going back to school was this vague and distant aspiration; a dream.  It seemed surreal that I had just completed my first semester.

During my month off, I spent time shadowing a general surgeon and an emergency medicine doctor.  There were some eye-opening and life changing experiences as I witnessed these medical professionals interacting with and helping navigate patients through some of their worst and best moments in life.  These were my very first experiences with shadowing and I saw first-hand it’s importance in a pre-medical student’s experience.  I’ve heard of students realizing medicine wasn’t for them after seeing what a doctor does personally.  Shadowing only solidified my desire to enter the medical field and boosted my drive to one day become like these wonderfully intelligent and driven doctors.  Throughout that first semester, I worked hard and spent many nights and weekends with my nose in books.  Seeing those physicians at work rejuvenated and reoriented me while renewing an even greater passion for medicine than I believed was possible.  Not only were these experiences educational in the traditional sense; they were inspiring.  As the New Year approached, I made a personal resolution that if I was able to find any doctor willing to allow me to shadow them, I would dedicate every break to this.

During the remainder of my time off, my husband Ryan and I travelled to see his family and celebrated an unseasonably warm but wonderful Christmas with everyone.  It was nice to have this time to smile, relax and recharge.  I love everything about Christmas and fully embraced every cheesy song and tradition with pride.  Once I was back home, winter finally decided to pop in for a friendly visit.  I spent the remainder of my last week before spring semester activated through the National Guard and helping Alabama residents through an ice storm.  I didn’t see that one coming but it was still a good experience!

Ryan and I with his nephew, Tripp

Spring Semester  By this time, I felt a lot more confident in my transition.  I had a semester to learn some hard lessons as well as find out what worked for me when learning.  Studying effectively is a skill that can be lost and must be re-learned once you’ve been out of school for a few years.  Due to my newfound confidence, I decided to enroll in 18 credit hours in the spring.  I didn’t realize then just how much extra work two more credits can mean!  It was a lot.  My favorite during this semester was a health professions course worth one credit hour and taught by my pre-health advisor.  Each week the students would meet and listen to a presentation from a different health professional.  This included doctors, nurses, physician assistants, etc.  It forced all types of pre-health students (pre-vet, pre-dental, pre-med, etc.) to learn about the many health care professions that work together to take care of patients.  I even heard some of the students saying they realized they were more interested in one profession over their original choice.  During the course, a pediatrician made a presentation and afterwards, I contacted him and set up some shadowing for this summer.  Needless to say, I appreciated the deeper understanding of each field and looked forward to the weekly class.  Over the course of the semester, we conducted research and wrote a paper on the path to becoming whichever profession we chose.  This class was invaluable to me and should be a foundation course for pre-medical students at other universities.  I would suggest any pre-med student sign up for it immediately if its offered by their school.

During this semester, I also went from volunteering in the outpatient surgery department to the endoscopy department in the local hospital.  The volunteer coordinator recommended this as a place that I would love to work and could gain valuable experience from.  I’m glad that I was able to experience a different side of the hospital and be given more responsibility at the same time.

While this semester was great and actually flew by faster than my fall semester, it wasn’t without its own hiccups.  I wound up getting sick, eventually started coughing up blood, felt exhausted and struggled to function for about a month.  During this time, studying was difficult.  I even had to take a few sick days because I was contagious.  While not a great month, I learned something from it.  I planned for 18 credit hours in a perfect world where I was able to stay up late studying and dedicate the time to it.  Being sick wasn’t part of the plan and sometimes I was even too exhausted to study.  Ultimately, I learned that it’s important to give myself a little wiggle room when possible in case things like that happen.  Life is about choices and attitude.  Nevertheless, I ended the semester strong and was happy with how I finished it.  Plus, I had my Ireland study abroad to look forward to!  Nothing could dull my spirits.

Spring Break  In keeping with my New Year’s resolution, spring break basically revolved around shadowing a gastroenterologist.  This was the third physician I shadowed and I was quickly seeing differences.  Obviously there were differences due to their different specialties, but I began to develop a respectable baseline for how doctor’s interact with patients.  And just like that, I began to appreciate how doctors themselves affect doctor-patient relationships.  Each one I had shadowed up until this point was extremely professional, but all of their personalities were different.  It was a great experience and a perfect way to spend my first spring break.

 

Year One in Review, Part One: Fall Semester Almost Killed Me

Its summertime now and the air is filled with relief from all the college students who successfully made it through another semester.  I’m right there with them; the first two days after finals I’m pretty sure I just slept and watched Netflix all day.  This is a rare luxury for a pre-medical student.  Since the end of the spring semester, I’ve had a solid month to reflect on this past academic year and decide which experiences meant the most to me.  In hindsight, I recognize where I struggled and find myself reflecting on what I wish I had known.  As I reflect on this past academic year, I will bring it to you in sections.  Welcome to Part One!

A Little Background If you read my introductory post, you probably know I was active duty military for around eight years.  During that time, I studied business management and marketing at an online university.  However, when I transitioned from military life to being a full-time college student, I considered myself a first year student in biology and chemistry.  There was a colossal difference between late night studying for online courses in my apartment after working all day and being immersed in student life as a full-time undergraduate student.  In the former, work was my priority and school was something I squeezed into my little free time.  Now, it’s the complete opposite, with me trying to fit work into my busy academic calendar and being surrounded by other college students rather than work colleagues.  This was not a continuation of what I was doing before; therefore, these last two semesters were more like, year one of four.  This past academic year was the start of a new life in medicine and a new way for me to help others.  I think it’s an important takeaway for nontraditional pre-meds to realize they are not alone and for traditional pre-meds to see that there is nothing wrong with changing your direction later in life.  As an adult, I realize that as you grow, your plans change in varying degrees as your interests and circumstances change.  If this hasn’t happened to you yet, trust me when I say that it will someday.  Life is full of unexpected detours and fortuitous situations.

Summer Preparation for College Last summer, I was living in South Korea where I was stationed for nearly a year.  As summer waned, I quickly transitioned from Active Duty to being a college student.  Literally in the matter of a week, I went from wearing a uniform and being worried about North Korea’s nuclear weapons to wearing jean shorts and a t-shirt, thinking about class schedules.  I wasn’t able to return home from the Army until August, which meant that I missed the orientation and some welcome events at my university.  Of course, I was bummed.  But, when life gives you lemons you have a choice to make the best of every situation.  I chose to be dedicated to becoming involved, even if that meant having to make sacrifices in other areas of my life.  The same day I flew home after travelling for over 24 hours, Ryan (now my husband) drove me straight from the airport to the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) to speak with my advisor and the military liaisons concerning the education benefits that would pay for my tuition.  I had not taken a shower yet or brushed my teeth and I was jetlagged beyond comprehension.  Over the next week, I attended as many welcome events as I could with the hope of meeting new friends.  Thankfully, for these events I didn’t feel or look like a tired potato.  Less than seven days after stepping foot off the airplane I was stepping foot into the classroom, which is not an exaggeration.

Ryan and I…it felt good to be home

The Reality of My First Semester During my fall semester at UAH, I enrolled in 16 credit hours worth of courses.  It was a fair amount for me and considered full time by most universities.  The course load was challenging and kept me busy, but really wasn’t enough to be overwhelming most of the time.  I loved all of my classes, but struggled significantly with math.  On the first morning before my 8 am math class, the reality of my situation sunk in when I didn’t even know those first day ‘review’ concepts.  I would love to just go back and look at my face that day; a mixture of horror, self-doubt and anxiety.  Because it had been so long since I had taken a math class, even the simplest of concepts were foreign to me.  I was frustrated with myself for not knowing these things, but knew it was my responsibility to learn them.  Over the subsequent months, I spent endless hours of late nights and early mornings reading my math textbook and watched a plethora of Khan Academy videos.  (I cannot tell you enough how much those videos saved me).  There were occasions in which I watched one video five times in a row until a concept sank in.  I also worked on extra problems from the book and utilized the university tutor center, which was invaluable.  As the semester went on, my grades in math improved and I received an “A” in the class.  This experience was a valuable lesson early on.  Don’t quit when things get hard.  Independent motivation is the true key to success.  No one will force you to study, especially if you feel behind in a particular subject and need to study beyond the regular course material.  No one will hold your hand and walk you to the tutor’s office.  I know the road to becoming a doctor will have many of these speed bumps, but I feel more prepared now because I know that I have control over my own destiny, not math or any other subject.

Involvement During my first week at UAH, I joined every student organization I had any kind of interest in.  This included two pre-medical organizations.  I was so excited and passionate that I really just wanted to do everything.  About a month into the semester, I realized I couldn’t possibly make every meeting for every club, so then I focused on a few.  For my own journey, I found the pre-medical clubs to be invaluable.  The Alabama Student Rural Health Association (ASRHA) showed me aspects of rural healthcare I had never considered or known about, while the Medical Career Club (MCC) focused on all types of health professions and provided many opportunities throughout the year.  Through the MCC, I was fortunate enough to meet with Ms. Jennifer Kimble, the Director of Admissions at Vanderbilt Medical School in Nashville, TN.  She looked over my resume, identified my strengths and discussed at length areas that needed more attention to be considered as an applicant.  By participating in these great clubs, I met other pre-med students; which I love doing.  We were able to learn from each other’s experiences.  If I had not joined these clubs early on, I would have missed a lot of opportunities.  Other activities I was involved in included working for the University and participating in community service opportunities.  I volunteered weekly at a local hospital in the outpatient surgery department and even helped sign students up to become organ donors.

Support and Love When I was welcomed into Alpha Omicron Pi, or AOII, I met a strong group of women, including future engineers, scientists, artists, and doctors who are going to change the world one day.  Toss out any preconceived notions you have about joining a sorority.  When I joined I was greeted everywhere I went on campus by amazing sisters I didn’t even know yet.  The required study hours forced me to get out of my comfort zone, which mostly consisted of studying alone in my apartment, and into a group setting,  I joined an organization that brought a whole new meaning to my college experience.  Going from constant community and comradery in the Army to being a fresh college student in a new city could have been lonely, but it didn’t have to be and it wasn’t for me.  The transition was hard but my sisters made it so much easier.  I always knew that if I had a problem, I could drop a note in our group message and have twenty answers before you can say, “AOII is awesome.”

My ‘sister’ Emily and I

In Conclusion My first semester was fast paced, challenging and a rare fresh start.  I don’t think I slowed down at any point during the fall.  I had to learn how to be a student again and that was hard in more ways than I can describe.  I don’t think I really appreciated how difficult it would be until I actually experienced it for myself.  I was learning the best way to take and organize notes and the most efficient way to use a planner.  In hindsight, I should have budgeted more time for myself, even if it was for only thirty minutes a day.  I also should have made more time for friends.  Time passes so quickly and the days eventually become months.  Ensure you walk away from your undergraduate experience with no regrets, because some day every seemingly insignificant experience will matter more than you realize now.

If you’re an incoming freshman (or anyone) and would like to learn more about my personal experience or just ask questions, please comment below or email me!  I would love to hear from you and about your journey.  Best wishes!

One Week on the Emerald Isle: A Mini Study-Abroad Opportunity

Last month, I was one of five fortunate students from the University of Alabama in Huntsville who studied science and innovation in Ireland.  So, that means I spent a semester abroad, right?  Maybe even a month? Actually, no.  For a pre-medical student with little free time and a slim financial budget, my perfect match was a “maymester” course spanning about three weeks in May.  Two weeks consisted of class time at my university and one week was in Ireland.  Study abroad trips always seemed like this totally amazing but completely out of reach concept to me, especially when I saw the $10,000 and up price tag.  I never knew about ‘mini’ study-abroad trips, but these are more affordable and realistic for some students.  Saving and fundraising was so much easier, and, as a lover of adventure and learning (and affordability), I knew I had to go on this trip.  Not only would it broaden my perspective of the world and make the most of my undergraduate years, but…who doesn’t want to go to Ireland?

Our little group was the very first study abroad course offered through the Biology department at my university!  We were the prototype for future study abroad opportunities; which is exciting to think about.  Everyone loved the course so much our professor scheduled another, bigger, trip for next summer.  More opportunities were created for other biology students, due in part to our participation and feedback.  I knew some of my travel partners prior to our trip and gained other lifelong friends by journey’s end.  One of the other students there was pre-med with aspirations similar to mine.  We were able to talk about our experiences, various opportunities, and even different medical schools we were interested in.  Three weeks may not be a long time in the span of life, but it is enough to shape, change, and improve oneself.

We packed a ton of activities into our week abroad: sightseeing and so much wonderful food, going to see the Book of Kells, checking out the science gallery at Trinity College, touring St. Patrick’s Cathedral, participating in a design thinking workshop at University College Dublin, hiking along Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland and touring the start-up tech company, LogoGrab.

The Long Room at Trinity College was a book lovers fantasy!  It was surreal.  I felt like Belle when Beast showed her the library in his castle.  Adorning nearly every inch of the room were dark, wooden, shelves filled with beautifully ornate, leather-bound, books of all sizes and varieties.  A timeless spiral staircase led to the second floor of the library, where there was a small window in each bookshelf so the reader could travel between the cases.  This was truly one of those frustrating moments in which a picture can’t possibly capture the ambiance, atmosphere and emotion you feel when surrounded by such history and beauty.  If you are ever in Dublin, go see this masterpiece for yourself!

I really ‘liked’ touring the Silicon Docks in Dublin.  I learned that corporations such as Facebook and Google have offices there due to the tax breaks offered.  I was just happy to say that I’ve been there.  I never thought I would be at the building of a company that connects people all over the world and influences so many lives!

Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland was one of the most beautiful and picturesque places I’ve ever seen.  The coast seemingly spans on forever.  We hiked a good portion along the cliffs, both ocean-side and up above.  We were also able to put our biology knowledge to good use as we identified different organisms during the trip; just for fun, of course.

We found time in our schedule to go sightseeing every day.  We toured St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the National Gallery of Ireland, the Museum of Natural History (or, ‘Dead Zoo’), and even a historic crypt.  We laughed as we recorded each other rolling down grassy hills and gasped at the wonderful taste of even the smallest carrot.  Around every corner, I realized Ireland was at the epicenter of history, culture and innovation.

Sightseeing in Dublin

St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Throughout the week, it was also our responsibility to research a chosen topic.  Mine was on Hereditary Hemochromatosis, an autosomal recessive disorder that affects the Irish population and global community.  Those affected have a surplus of iron, which gets absorbed by the organs and can cause many health problems.  At its worst, it can even cause death.  Studies are being done regarding its link to other serious conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease.  As part of my project, I interviewed a post-doctorate researcher at the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute and attended the Real Bodies exhibit in Dublin.

I toured one of the many labs at the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute.  It felt surreal to be in a place where so much innovative research is being done.  This was certainly a highlight of my trip.

The Long Room at Trinity College

Enrolling in a mini-study abroad opportunity was absolutely worth it.  Ireland is well known for its natural beauty and amazing food, but I appreciate it so much more now for all of the things I didn’t know that made my trip such a wonderful experience.  I’m of the opinion that if any student wants to travel abroad, but you aren’t sure if you could do a full semester, then you should look into this alternative.  And if you can do a whole semester or longer, that’s great!  Combining learning and travel was a dream come true for me.  I was able to fulfill two of my passions and do something productive with the first month of my summer break.  Every country I visit somehow surprises me and changes my perspective of the world.  As a pre-medical student, it’s important to take advantage of these opportunities now in order to be a more well-rounded person, better student, and, ultimately, a better doctor someday.  Plan out your breaks from school so you can make the most of them.  Good luck to everyone on your future travels! And, to Ireland, I’ll be back to drive your countryside and sip your Guinness, but next time with my husband.