Greetings incoming students of MBKU and congrats on such a major accomplishment!
As you enter a new and exciting phase of your life, there are a plethora of uncertainties that lie ahead of you. Your fellow upperclassmen have assembled an impressive collection of advice, anecdotes, and affirmation that will surely aid you in the coming months and beyond. Like them, I share the same belief that you will, no doubt, conquer your fears, overcome your obstacles, and reach your desired goals here at MBKU; therefore, it is an honor for me to add to the growing archive of advice presented to you in these blogs by sharing the diverse range of inequitable emotions I’ve accumulated in my first year—both the highs and lows.
Like many incoming students, August was a time of uncertainty because pharmacy school would be a completely new experience that I felt largely unprepared for. Moving from Rancho Cucamonga to Fullerton presented a small set of challenges, but the excitement of living in a new city and meeting new classmates did its best to override the nervousness about the four-year curriculum to some effect. My advice: to embrace it all. New classmates, new sleep schedule, and all the new knowledge that is thrown onto you will seem sudden and overwhelming, so just run with it however you can. As I embraced all the opportunities that present itself, my progression through pharmacy school was thrilling as I found myself in a happy place. MBKU had become my sanctuary because I was doing well in my courses, hanging out with my classmates, and having a sense of accomplishment as I trekked towards an inevitable PharmD degree. Emotions of nervousness and uncertainty at the start of pharmacy school had become ones of joy and excitement as I had success embracing it all.
The success of my happiness coalesced and continued to build upon itself—until it didn’t. As I was busy frollicking around MBKU, I was informed of an accident involving a close friend of mine. A person I’ve known for more than a decade has now passed and I wasn’t even given the chance to say goodbye. The unfairness of my friend’s sudden passing tipped my emotional balance, and life at MBKU wasn’t the sanctuary it once seemed. I began to find coursework harder, hangouts with friends harder to schedule, and regrets easier to harbor. Alas, one funeral was beseeched by another as I lost my best friend of nearly two decades in the Spring of 2024. If my emotional balance was tipped before, it was completely off its axis by this point. The T-Cell subcutaneous cancer was discovered and what was a diagnosis of 8-14 months abruptly took him in a matter of weeks. I would be lying if I told you that the creation of this blog post was devoid of tears. My advice: appreciate it all. Embrace life yes but remember to be grateful for it. Live in the moment to its fullest, and never take for granted those experiences for they may not be there again. The ones we know, the ones we meet, and the ones we lose should all be honored and appreciated. The challenges we face are an opportunity to better ourselves because there are those who don’t even have the chance to overcome their obstacles.
My apologies for making things seem so grim; it is not. Every day I am recovering, and the lessons I’ve acquired by going to MBKU have made me stronger than I thought possible. I embrace every chance I get to spend time with friends and family, and in those moments, I never fail to appreciate how special they are. Every challenge I faced during my rotations I am thankful to be given a chance. Embracing it all and appreciating it all, relentless, has given me solace to the swing of emotions I faced. I implore you all to plant your first step firmly as the path to graduation can be long and winding. Have no fear, as your advisors will be there alongside you. Lastly, for those who have passed, we will never forget you “for what is grief, if not love persevering” (Paul Bettany, 2021).
P.S. See you at the game!