Thanksgiving was fabulous yesterday. It was a much smaller affair compared to last year but that's okay. We were smarter this time around: we ate earlier so we'd have time to lounge about, gossip, and then make a go for round 2! I'd say it worked beautifully because I was able to get more of my uncle's famous turkey and light and airy mashed potatoes. I think my viral URI I've been dealing with for the past week has finally abated, which gave me some relief just in time for all the food!
I've been meaning to get an entry in but I just got bogged down with school. Holy smokes I can't believe I only have two weeks left! WHOOO. Semester 1 of grad school down! That flew by! Of course, I imagine it wouldn't be so hard to go by quickly when I only have class Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
After a couple of weeks of agonizing pain, I've decided to go through with my transfer to the Austin Regional Campus. I've registered for my courses and have secured housing, at least through July 2013. The August - December lease will be trickier, but hopefully manageable.
While I was in Austin a few weeks ago looking at housing, I will admit I felt completely out of place. There were so many undergrads running around and I felt like campus no longer belonged to me. While obviously accurate, I felt almost isolated from everything. It probably didn't help that nearly all of my friends are no longer in Austin. Long story short: things were no longer the same. I had a life in Austin prior to the MPH and coming back as a grad student has put me in a very interesting position.
That's why I've been back and forth, debating whether or not I should ultimately transfer. Finally, I arrived at the conclusion that even though things are different, it's not like I'd be in constant contact with the flagship institution or its students (my campus is not even on the main campus) and in the end, I'm making the move for school, not to recreate my social environment of two years ago. And really, all it takes is driving into the Medical Center and hopping on that Metro Rail to push me into moving back to Austin.
So I'll be packing again and moving early January. Again, I want to travel lightly since I only intend to be in Austin for ONE year. This time next year, I'll be packing again to move my back stuff back home while hopefully also getting ready for my thesis and practicum in Brazil.
As for my courses this semester, I'm not going to pretend - I'm so glad they're almost over! To think that I considered a career in policy analysis or going to public policy or law school. What a disaster that would've been! While I enjoyed the coursework and challenged to make sense of my personal politics with the realities of real-world legislation, politics, and economics, I never again want to take another policy course during my MPH. I have a book report and final left for epi; a paper and presentations left for policy analysis; and about five things left for law and advocacy. I can do this! I can push through and get things done! It'll be Christmas before I know it.
I'm excited to finally take some health promotion/ behavioral science coursework next spring. Hopefully they tickle my fancy more than this dry policy work.
Now I need to rant about career aspirations. I have to be honest, I slipped and considered medicine again. I know, it's terribly isn't it? I treat medicine like a really bad ex-boyfriend who you're constantly on-and-off with but the sex is just so ridiculously bombastic you can't help yourself! You flirt around with some other potential suitors, but you always end back up with him. So Ross & Rachel.
But really - I've gotten in quite a few tiffs with my mom about my direction with public health. Long story short, I think she wants me to do medicine simply for the job security. And obviously, being me, I have rebelled against that at every turn. I've been looking at DrPH and PhD programs and yes, I've eve re-visited the whole med school thing again. Rather than try and fight and definitively quash the possibility of any one career, I have to make an effort to just consider them.
I'm trying to make everything fit together seamlessly, logically, and without a hitch. But let's get real - when has everything ever gone according to plan in my life? After the whole Oakland fiasco, perfection went out the window me. Actually, after that first semester at UT, perfection committed suicide by jumping out the window.
Brazil. Health promotion. Physical activity. Sport culture. Global health. International development. Social and behavioral sciences. Sports medicine.
How the fuck do I make all these things go together?! The basic truth is: I just don't have a freaking clue. And I'm going to try and sit back and enjoy the process and go wherever life takes me. Unfortunately I'm just too damn anal and Type A. But I'm going to try and be patient.
And now... it's time for a nap. It's rainy and gloomy outside. =)
Until next time!
Dean
No comments:
Post a Comment