Rub some dirt in it :)

Commissioned May 17, 2013

My battle buddies at LDAC, Fort Lewis, WA June-July 2012

Good evening! Was just reminiscing tonight on how much can change in a year. I know a lot of students are busy studying for the DAT, preparing their application, and balancing insanely busy lives. I remember how last year I finished up my junior year of college (very tough balancing O-chem, a bunch of other science courses, band for stress relief, and ROTC..), then jumped right into 6 weeks of solid DAT studying... I can't say I enjoyed it too much ;) The week after I took the DAT, I shipped out for Fort Lewis, WA to complete a month long military training course (LDAC, the leadership development and assessment course) that I had to successfully negotiate before commissioning, as a requirement for my ROTC program. Long story short, I spent a month playing soldier in the Ewok infested woods of Lewis (and by the way I THINK the area I was in was where the original Star Wars movies were filmed....PRETTY COOL RIGHT?!). I was beyond stressed because a shot at dental school was very slim, as I had to compete for an educational delay. The army allows cadets to have a wish list of branches (career areas within in the army) where you can choose to be placed...may not get what you want, depending on performance over your 4 years in ROTC and at LDAC. An ed delay would delay my service for 4 years while I finish school, then come into the Army as a dentist...which is highly competitive to even receive. I can say it was by far the toughest month of my life, but I have a wonderful experience to look back on and I experienced firsthand how a team of people can help each other succeed. Now, I look back on the tough times and glad I went through them, because it'll help deal with the tougher things in life that may come.

Anyway, to those applying to school now, it was a super stressful time for me, and I understand it's hard! VERY hard!!! Heck, I had been rejected by the majority of the schools I applied to (to the point where my friends would joke and compare how kind or mean rejection letters could be...I applied to 13 schools,  2 interviews, 1 acceptance- all ya need!). I was fully prepared to go on active duty with the military in an area completely unrelated to health or dentistry (had to fulfill my obligation), which was discouraging because I couldn't reapply. It was JUNE when I got the call I was accepted...just about died of relief! I was worried what I would do, where was my life going...worry worry worry!

But, what helped me was to try to keep a positive attitude, smile and be happy as much as possible, and try to focus on the big picture of life. You can do it- keep on truckin'! Find something small to enjoy today :)