January 1, 2011: A New Year and a New Chapter

For the lat couple chapters of my life, I've felt like I could actually FEEL the last lines of my chapter being read and then the page slowly turning over to start the next segment of my life. I'm not sure if my words made any sense to those of you who are reading, but I'll try to describe it better in the following scene.

The day before I left for St. Maarten, I spent hours gathering all the things in my room--clothes, shoes, sheets, my blanket, pillow and even my alarm clock. My room was a disaster zone with my things thrown all over the place, waiting to be packed and the closer I came to finish packing, the cleaner my room looked, and the more I realized what was happening. Although I've spoken about leaving for med school in a Caribbean island for months now, I don't think it quite hit me until that moment when I zipped up my last bag. I stood in my room and looked around at the emptiness. The things still remaining were arranged and put away neatly. The rest of my life was packed away in four suitcases and a backpack. The chapter of my life post-college was finishing in those last seconds and an overwhelming sadness filled me. I looked around at my room and thought about the year I spent there, all that's happened to me and my family, and what it all meant to me.  I could feel all those things, that life I was living, slip away from me and there was nothing I could do about it. When I switched off the light and left my room, this chapter of my life lasting the last 1.5 years, officially ended.

Now that my new chapter has officially started with the New Year, I figure why not think of a good resolution.  I've never been one to make New Year's resolutions and in fact, I completely forgot to even think of making one last night before the ball dropped. It wasn't until 5 minutes ago that I realized it's probably a good thing to do, especially this year. So my New Year's resolution is this: to study hard, stay focused, and do well in all my classes. I know it's nothing creative or interesting, but it's what I have to do if I want to succeed in becoming a doctor. I think I spent too much of my time in BC being distracted and I'm not about to let that happen to me again.