This is my senior year and wow am I tired. I am a Biology Pre-Medicine major in a constant battle of trying to have a social life while also trying to maintain grades, volunteer and boost my resume. This might seem relatable to some, it might seem horrible to others, but either way I'm really just being a cry baby. It's really not that bad....most of the time. No matter what your major is, I'm sure you can all relate to my blog name, collegeutopia. This was my ~clever~ way of saying that online classes are the ideal college class for most busy students.
I haven't had much experience in blogging so try to hang in there while you choke down the words from my future class posts. When I told my roommate I had to finish my blog post before we could go to dinner she replied "YOU have a blog....you're kidding" really reassured me that I'd be good at this thing.
Anyways, one of the things I really love to do is to travel, whether its a short drive to Dallas or long flight out of the country. My favorite places to go always involved the beach, but my most memorable trip was when I traveled to Bolivia for a medical mission trip. Bolivia really stuck with me because I was able to interact with so many different people and learn about a new culture. One of my favorite parts about traveling is capturing the experience in photographs. Below are some of my favorite photos taken while I was in Bolivia. While I like capturing photos of nature, my favorite is photos of people. Looking at photos of nature and places never fully reminds me of the experience quite like seeing the emotions of the people. I love the photo of the three girls on the bottom because it reminds me off all the teenagers coming to the clinic, trying to talk to me through google translate and making fun of my poorly spoken Spanish.
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| A photo I took of the streets outside of our hotel in Vallegrande, Bolivia |
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| A photo of a mural at the hospital. |
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| A girl and her love for stickers. |
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| A grumpy little girl waiting for her turn with the physicians. |
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| A young boy running around the hospital. |
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| Three girls just happy to be out of class for the day. |
Hi Kaylee! I am right there with you on the blog thing, I have never blogged before either so this is all very new to me as well. But I could not agree with you more on the idea that online classes are the best for busy college students, I love online classes. Your trip to Bolivia looks amazing, you obviously have a talent for photography because those photos are beautiful. I bet your experiences there were great and the fact that you were able to go there for what you want to do in life makes that even more special.
ReplyDeleteHey Kaylee! Oh do I understand your struggle with being Pre-Med! I am as well and on top of it I work part-time too....crazy right! I love your blog name of collegeutopia. I definitely fits cause that was my same reasoning for taking this class was the flexibility of doing the work around my busy schedule. As far as blogging goes, you aren't the only one! Haha This is my first time as well and I must say so far it isn't too bad. Also, I can relate to your love of traveling. It's amazing to go see another part of this big world we live in and experience the different cultures! Just based off of your pictures, which are awesome, I would love to make Bolivia my next destination. If you don't mind me asking what program did you go through for that medical trip?
ReplyDeleteI went with Friends of Bolivia through St. Eugene in Okc!
DeleteI like the idea of college utopia, Kaylee: utopias are one of the great themes in the Myth-Folklore tradition after all! And blogs really are great for traveling; it's a way to record and share your thoughts, plus pictures too. Those are beautiful pictures from Bolivia: I like the idea that kids and their love for stickers is a global phenomenon, ha ha. If you want to do some research into traditional tales and legends from Bolivia, that would make such a great project for this class! I found a Bolivian legend online at this Folklore site: Armadillo's Song: A Bolivian Legend ... and I am sure there are other wonderful stories you could find online. :-)
ReplyDeleteI think the tired college student is a universal thing. I love your blog title & I agree that online courses are excellent for students. It's the only way I can get a degree from OU because I don't live anywhere near the campus but want a degree from there. But I do feel like I'm missing out on a large part of the university experience by not being on campus. I love to travel as well and the beach is also my favorite place to go. I've never been to Bolivia, but your photos are amazing. Don't worry, your blog post is just fine and blogging isn't too hard. I've done it for business in the past & it's easy once you get the hang of it.
ReplyDeleteHey Kaylee,
ReplyDeleteI definitely feel the same way about senior year and trying to find a balance between social life and boosting your resume. With this either being our final semester or next to last semester, The thought about the real world begins to make us realize that we have to cherish these final moments of undergrad. The constant feeling of Senioritis always making its way into our lives makes the temptation of giving into Senioritis even harder. I like how you captured the pictures of your trip to Bolivia it makes me want to visit one day when i have money to go. I wonder if you have visited anymore place besides Bolivia that have also had a significant impact on you? I can also relate to those short trips to Dallas especially when going back home, Traveling is awesome.
Hello Kaylee, My name is Devin and I'm a chemical Engineer here at the University of Oklahoma so i also feel your pain on always being so busy with school. Your trip to Bolivia looked really awesome and the pictures capture it so well! I would love to travel around the world and see as many things as I can in the future and I'll have to make sure Bolivia is one of my destinations.
ReplyDeleteHi Kaylee, I like the title you decided to use for this introduction, I am sure most if not all of us can relate. I think it is pretty cool that you have traveled to Bolivia, and I liked that you posted multiple pictures from your trip to give us an idea of what you experienced. I understand the struggle of trying to communicate through google translate, however, as I studied abroad in France this past summer for one month and that was one of the ways of survival for my friends and me!
ReplyDeleteHi Kaylee!
ReplyDeleteMy fiance is a bio pre-med major, so I have seen all the struggles that come with that. Especially now that we are in our finally year and that brings along medical school applications. I feel like I am going through it too just from seeing him go through it.
I love to travel too! I think it is cool you got to travel and do something you are clearly passionate about.
Good luck this year!
Hey Kaylee! I understand the blogging—I have never blogged before and I usually don’t read them because I find them to be very subjective in nature, which is not what I’m always looking for. My parents never wanted me to take any online classes, but as a pre-PA student, I understand the lack of time I have for my non-major classes. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi kaylee,
ReplyDeleteI am a math major with business minor at the university and I am also a senior as well. I can understand the feeling of being overwhelmed while keeping a social life. It is hard but at the same time I do think we all complain a little too much about it. But we must all let our bitchiness out at some point. I also find it cool that you have been to Bolivia. You seem to be a cool person. It was nice to read you introduction.
Hi Kaylee, online classes are your ideal college class? Damn, you must have a lot of self control, I constantly have to remind myself to do the work, haha. Anyway, I loved how personal your writing is, I felt like we could actually have been having a conversation! Looking forward to reading some more of your writing this semester!
ReplyDelete- Anna Margret
Hi Kaylee,
ReplyDeleteIt’s amazing that you’re working hard to become a doctor. I took an introductory biology class last semester, and it was a killer (It dropped by GPA a lot). I admire you so much: Biology is hard, but you’re getting it through. I agree with you: college can be tough, but I think it’s an overall good experience. I love travelling, too! Bolivia pictures look really cool. I wish to go there sometime. Thank you for a great post!
Hey Kaylee! I love the name of your blog. Even though online classes are almost the same amount of work as classes on campus at times, I will do however much extra reading or blogging that you want me to do if it means that I get the flexibility of choosing when I want to do my work and not having to wake up and go to campus when I don't want to! I also really appreciate what online courses can do for students that may be struggling with their mental or physical health. Something doesn't sit right with me when there are in-person classes that have an attendance policy that can negatively impact your grade if you don't have a doctor's note excusing your absences. I think that this is something you would have insight on as a pre-med student, because some students may be struggling with things that can't be diagnosed by a walk-in visit, they may have long, reoccurring health issues that they have no choice but to live with, and some people can not afford to see a doctor.
ReplyDeleteHi Kaylee!
DeleteI definitely identify with you on the tired college student front. This will be the beginning of my sixth year, due to a degree change 2 and a half years in. It has been a long journey but hopefully it will be over this Fall.
Wow! That's awesome that you were able to travel and help people in the process. I've been fortunate enough to be able to travel quite a bit but never with a purpose other than sight-seeing. I hope I get the chance one day to do something like a medical mission trip. I'm majoring in health and exercise science and have worked at a physical therapy clinic for the last 2-3 years, so if I get the chance to go I hope I'll be able to bring something to the table. Good luck this semester!
Hi Kaylee! I really appreciated your introduction. It was honest about not having blogging experience, and made me feel a bit better about being in the same boat. I also love your photographs from your Bolivia trip! They're beautiful and make really good use of color and light. Plus, the idea of traveling to provide medical care on a missions trip is really neat. It's encouraging to see other people my age doing things to actively make the world a better place. I'm excited to read more of your posts!
ReplyDeleteHi Kaylee! I totally understand being a senior and your struggle between a social life and keeping your grades up. I always have to remind myself of an image I have seen online somewhere, maybe Facebook or Pinterest, of a triangle that says choose two between sleep, social life, and good grades. it is a never ending struggle though, but it is soon coming to an end! I liked how to shared your visit to Bolivia and the teenage girls and you trying to communicate with each other through google translate. I have actually had to use that a time or two at work, comes in handy. hope that your semester is going well!
ReplyDeleteHey Kaylee! I wish I could say that I could completely relate to your struggle with social life and schoolwork but I moved out here from California for school and I return to there every summer and winter break so my social life here in Oklahoma is pretty nonexistent. When I have people in town visiting is when I struggle the most because I want to spend all my time with them but it becomes very easy to neglect my schoolwork that way. I hope your semester goes great!
ReplyDeleteHi Kaylee. I can definitely relate to your tiredness. Senior year is a lot to handle. Your trip to Bolivia sounds wonderful. Being able to experience new cultures and different types of people is really powerful experience. I’m glad you were able to enjoy it! Do you know what kind of doctor you want to be? Big question, I know haha. I wish you the best of luck with the rest of your senior year and I hope that more manageable!
ReplyDeleteHi Kaylee, nice to “meet” you! As a fellow pre-med, I completely understand your struggles! They are definitely real, but I guess it is the life we chose. A few years ago I traveled to Nicaragua on a medical mission trip. It was one of the most influential experiences I have had. It was so humbling to go and help those in need.
ReplyDeleteHi Kaylee! Your introduction really resonated with me. I used to be a pre-med major. However, now I am just general science. It has always been a battle trying to keep on top of my classes, work, go to the gym, and keep my minute social life alive. But, that's just me getting on a soap box. I got to go to Honduras on a medical mission trip and loved the experience. Hope you get to travel more and best of luck with the rest of the semester!
ReplyDeleteHi Kaylee! I find it funny you like online classes. They tend to be more overwhelming to me, and I am just one of those strange creatures that enjoys going to class. I relate on the blogging level. My major requires me to blog pretty frequently, and I loathe it. I hope you get through the rest of the semester and end on a good note!
ReplyDeleteHi, Kaylee! I really enjoyed learning more about you! I am also in my senior year and I am definitely tired as well. I have never been the best at school, so graduation cannot come fast enough. I am also like you in that I like and prefer online classes to physical classes. I like being able to do school on my own time. I hope you get to travel more in your future!
ReplyDeleteHi, Kaylee! Wow we have too much in common. I am exhausted, SO not a blogger and I fully agree that online classes are the greatest thing since sliced bread. I love your pictures from Bolivia! I went on a mission trip to Peru when I was in high school, so the colors of your pictures remind me of the villages I visited on my trip. Good luck finishing out this year!
ReplyDeleteHi Kaylee,
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of us in this class have gotten similar responses when we tell people that we have to write blog posts for a class. It's cool to see that you like to travel, and hopefully you won't be too busy to continue being able to travel. I hope the end of your semester goes well!
Hi Kaylee! I definitely can relate to trying to find a balance of school, social life, volunteering, and everything else. And I definitely think online classes help with having a busy schedule. Taking this class online means I only have to go to class on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and am able to go to my internship during the day Mondays and Wednesdays. I love your pictures that you took from Bolivia! I haven't bee there yet, but would love to go!
ReplyDeleteHey Kaylee,
ReplyDeleteI can not stress this enough: I FEEL YOU FRIEND. I feel like I constantly have no energy at all every single day and I am not only tired, I am tired of being tired. The light at the end of the tunnel is almost here though for us. Just a little bit longer and we'll be DONE. I'm not sure how I'll handle not being a student anymore, but good luck to you!
Hi Kaylee, I completely stand with you. I'm a senior studying biology as well and I am ready for a break. I am also looking at more school following undergraduate studies and I am sort of dreading it. Hopefully your final semester is an easy (ish) one. Good luck with finals and I wish you th very best with medical school and your career in medicine!
ReplyDelete