Spring: Cumulative 24 hours; April 8.5 hrs at Second Harvest, 9.5 hrs at Crescent City Expo

I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Crescent City Classic 10k Sports Exposition this month. My role was to assign bib numbers and check in runners for the beloved 10 k race. While the volunteering role was very straightforward, I was reminded of the rare, community centered, lifestyle that many people in New Orleans live. When making small talk, most people expressed that participating in this race was a tradition for their family, and it was not rare to hear that this was their 9th or 10th year running it. While not directly related to my pursuit of medicine, I think it is important to be aware of the population surrounding you and it felt really nice to be able to help the prosperity of such an event. I am going to continue to volunteer for similar roles like this in the future because I like to be aware of what is happening around me and have a newfound understanding of the amount of joy that depends upon the help of volunteers, and will no longer be taking it for granted. The rest of my hours I was able to get at Second Harvest, which is a cause that directly benefits those in need. While hunger is more pertinent in my opinion, it can sometimes be hard for me to stay engaged at Second Harvest and it has been nice to brach out this semester. 

I am really going to miss this program. I am excited and hopeful about my future and this opportunity helped me grow professionally and as a student to a degree that I was not sure I was capable of achieving. I had a lot of self doubt prior to enrolling and was intimidated about pursuing my goals, but this masters program has given me the knowledge and confidence to know that I am going to be successful in the field of medicine, which is invaluable to me.