Pre-Med jitters . . .

I have wanted to become an optometrist my entire life. Those first pair of pink, saucer-sized glasses with Minnie Mouse on the side of the frames were the window to my dream. The glasses fulfilled their duty by making me look like a nerd and also aspire to be one. Little did I know that those glasses were about to direct the rest of my life . . . along with a University of Michigan cheerleading outfit that I pranced around in from when I could walk until I couldn't fit in it any longer (I'll have to post pictures of that one . . . I used to run around, pom-pom-ing it up yelling, "Go Michigan, beat (insert Duke or State here)!!!"

Ballerina shoes were the only thing that clouded my mind with nonsense while growing up . . . otherwise, it was straight up glasses and phoroptors that occupied my little, growing brain.

Now I am in college and I know more than ever that I want to be an ophthalmologist. I attended a fantastic Pre Med Club meeting (officially labeling me as a nerd) and they had residents there who discussed the everyday tasks of training surgeons. It just clicked in my head . . . this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.

Now, here I am at the University of Michigan, one of the best universities of the world (ahem, yes. We are cocky . . . and I am a part of the "we" now . . .) and I am working my nonexistent (but firm) butt off to make it with the big dogs. It's stressful as heck, lemme tell you. I haven't even begun my sophomore year officially, but just looking at my rigorous final exam schedule as well as the lovely classes I am obligated to take next semester (BOO ORGO!!!), I am really beginning to freak out.

This is all I have wanted to do for my entire life, well, my entire thinking life . . . my entire comprehendible and recallable life (aka: after I could tie my shoes and say the alphabet backwards and forwards). I don't have a backup . . . I mean I would love to go into fashion but I am not leaving the U to drop everything I have made for myself to go to Cali and join surfers and kids who are too rich for their own good.

I am not saying that I can't make it . . . 'cause I am positive I can. I just wish I could do it quicker, twelve years is a dannnng long time. I also wish I could just fast forward some parts of it, such as the MCAT and the entire admissions to med school process.

Speaking of that . . .

I have decided to get an internship next summer. The problem is their requirements.

A lot of this is extremely jumbled . . . partly because this is the third time, nope, fourth, explaining this and each time it gets more muffled and actually, less stressful.

I reassure myself each and every time I try to explain it.

I've gotten this far haven't I? I came from a ho-dunk high school where getting an A simply meant showing up to class with books and marking your test with what your neighbor had (excuse me, I was typically the neighbor). I came from a town where technology is a few years behind and we are still using cars that date before my parents were born. I made it into a fantastic university where I am exposed to things I never would have dreamed of. I have worked my way up to a place where anything is achievable, as long as I continue stomping on through.

I said it tonight, and it's one of the greatest phrases I have ever heard in my life . . .

"If it were easy, everyone would do it."