and I’ve already learned that good coffee is life.
It’s been over one month since I’ve moved to Baltimore, and it’s been…a lot. I’ve tried writing about this for a while, but it’s hard to describe so many new experiences. To be honest, I don’t feel the urge to write about it now, but I know I will regret it in the future if I don’t document at least a few snippets down.
The weather has cooled down a bit. It’s still sunny and humid, but it wasn’t as terrible as it was a month ago, when a 10 minute walk outside left me with nasty sweat stains. Downtown Baltimore is much more…hilly, than I expected. I get a lot of exercise just trying to walk around.
The first few days were an adjustment. So many new places to see, errands to run, furniture to buy. I used a ZipCar for the first time and went to Ikea. I walked to local markets. I spent a few days trying to work out and get into a healthy lifestyle, then gave up and started doing Blogilates at home because I enjoyed it more. I spent a lot of time decorating my place, and did a lot of online shopping.
But when the family came to visit…they did not like Baltimore at all HAHAHA. I expected it, though it doesn’t make the week any bit less tense. Having gotten used to living in manicured suburbia, urban living was a shock to them. Baltimore was a shock to them, its racial and socioeconomic demographic especially so. It shocked (and frankly, infuriated) my parents when they found out I knew this about Baltimore and still chose to attend.
And that’s where we differ.
My dad spent his entire life dragging himself from poverty. His experiences are his own and perfectly valid, but they aren’t everyone’s. Having lived in downtown LA, I don’t feel as uncomfortable in Baltimore. In fact, I feel quite comfortable now, although there’s always common sense. Moreover, a good portion of my decision to apply and attend Hopkins is ultimately because of Baltimore. Although my initial impression of the area aren’t favorable (I’ve documented them in my interview reflection, and even listed it as a “con” of Hopkins), I’ve come to learn and absolutely appreciate it as a community.
As someone who is interested in learning more about public health and health care disparities, especially over the past year, I’ve realized that there are few places that would teach me as much as Hopkins and Baltimore. The communities are dynamic, and the public is learning to take action in its own hands.
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While my folks and brother were here, we spent the week doing massive grocery (read: Costco and HMart) hauls and did some touristy things. We toured Washington DC (which my dad hated the minute he realized it meant walking outside in east coast humidity for hours) and visited Atlantic City. We talked along the Inner Harbor, and spent some time with an extended relative. It was a fun, if not stressful, week.
Orientation was…exhausting. They definitely tried to cram too many events in two days, and everyone was too tired to truly socialize. (Actually, I take that back; those who live right by campus definitely socialized.)
We spent the next three days learning about health care disparities, and although long, I felt that Hopkins nailed it in turns of application. We had to do a community service project in one of East Baltimore’s communities, and I honestly learned so much about myself and my privilege, what public health means to these community members, and how clinicians in Baltimore should be cognizant of the community dynamics.
And then anatomy hit. I have never been so grateful for weekends and strong coffee.
The pacing is overwhelming a lot of the times, and I’ve begun to understand what the upperclassmen were saying when they advised us to go through the material multiple times. I don’t get it the first pass; I barely understand 50% of it the second time around. I think I’ve run through last week’s material a total of 4 times:
- once the day before
- once during lecture and lab
- once after class
- during the weekends.
I try cycling through different mediums to prevent myself from being passive:
- skimming presentations before
- reading the lab dissector
- typing notes in lecture
- summarizing/writing notes by hand post-lecture
- coloring structure and reviewing material in Netter’s Anatomy Coloring Book (a God-send)
- creating weekly study guides that compile all the data
It’s so much repetitive work, but until I take my first exam, I won’t know how much to study.
My classmates have been amazing though. Everyone is still very close, though with a class size of 120, there are still many faces I have not met. There’s no doubt that those who live “on campus” are a clique of their own though. Everyone is super bonded, and there are definitely times when I questioned my decision to live downtown, despite the amenities and conveniences regarding food and groceries. I try to integrate myself by attending events, but it’s not the same as a true “dorm” experience.
Overall, it’s been an exciting month. We’ll see how September goes!
