May Recap 2016

   Oh boy, May has definitely thrown me for a loop because it picked up speed like no other. The month started out strong, but as the beginning of SPP got closer, the month flew by. I spent most of the month enjoying my last moments of infinite free time and preparing to take on my classes. So, let's get into what I've been up to!

Week One

   

  The first week of May was pretty relaxed for me. The only major thing that I happened to do was  taking a Thursday hiking trip down to Matthiessen State Park. If you are familiar with the Starved Rock area, these trails are just down the street from Starved Rock. I have been to both, and I think Matthiessen might be my favorite. The main feature of the park is the "trail" in the park's central canyon. It's not fully a trail because most of getting through the canyon involves hopping over rocks and trying not to fall into the creek. The adrenaline of trying to figure out how to make it from one rock to another without getting wet was invigorating and just being able to "get lost in the woods" was such a great change from my everyday routine. If you haven't been able to tell, I really love being in nature, and I was so happy that I could spend the day taking all the natural beauty in. The rest of the weekend I just spent at home. I knew the next couple of weekends would be busy ones for me, so I wanted to spend some time enjoying being at home before heading off to the city. I went out to dinner with my family to celebrate an early mother's day. We had sushi at one of our favorite places, checked out this new dessert place that I've been dying to try, and also a new brewery. My parents are on the younger side, so it's actually not that weird to go out with them for drinks. Craft beer is kind of our thing and we are always testing new places in the Chicagoland area. 

The park map

The stairs down to the trail. These were a pain on the hike back

One of my favorite pics of the trip. These were the stairs to get into the canyon trail.

I had to hop over many rocks to get this pic. It was definitely worth it.

Adding our mark to the rock pile in the canyon.

The path on the upper portion of the trails. They were also breathtaking.

Dessert at Snow Dragon Shavery! I had milk tea shaved ice.

Celebrating Mother's Day with my gorgeous Mama.

Week Two

     Week two was my last week of work before starting my summer program, and it was very bittersweet. Of course, I was thrilled to be moving on to the next chapter in my life, but I was sad that I had to leave the wonderful group of people that have made work feel like home for the past year. We spent the weekend celebrating together. Friday, they threw me a "good-bye" dinner. It was so sweet and I was so happy to have so much support in pursuing my medical school dreams from this amazing group of people. They kept telling me how proud they were of me, and you better believe it was hard not to get teary-eyed. The next morning, I joined Crystal and our other friend/co-worker Shay for a hike at one of our favorite spots. Then later in the day, I went over to Crystal's for a party because she was celebrating her birthday. We all had a blast dancing and just being silly. Aside from work, I took an impromptu trip to Indianapolis at the beginning of the week with my Cousin. He's moving there and I went along to help him look for an apartment. I had never been to Indy, so it was nice to see what it was like.

Saw this and had to take a picture. "Do it for the blog" has become my motto.

We gave a shout out to the B-day girl at dinner.

With Shay and Crystal!

My home squad<3

We were dying. Our manager, Nora, is the one in front and she's a riot.

Week Three

     Week three was prep week. I spent most of the week relaxing at home and getting myself ready to move into my dorm on Saturday. I also spent my last couple days at home packing and spending time with my family. I had a sleepover on Thursday with Elida, so that we could watch the Grey's season finale (Who's excited about next season?!?) and also spend some quality time. Once I moved in Saturday, I spent the rest of the weekend hanging out with my roommate so that we could get to know one another. Saturday, we checked out the area around the school and were so glad that we found the best place to get milkshakes. Sunday, we walked around the touristy parts of Chicago. We grabbed brunch, checked out the Chicago Riverwalk (I hadn't had the chance to check it out, so I was happy to do that), and just enjoyed the beautiful weather. So far, we've been getting along wonderfully and I am so glad that I lucked out in the roomie department. Sadly, she's going to one of our other campuses, so I won't be able to room with her past the summer, but I can already tell we will be having a great time (or as much of a great time as we can have).

Loved this adorable mug from Elida's kitchen.

Elida's mom makes the best Mexican breakfast.

Brunch at Yolk in Chicago.

The view of the Chicago River from the riverwalk.

Week Four

     I think of week four as reality week, because it had me thinking, "What did I get myself into?". Coming into this program was definitely a drastic change compared to what I had been up to the previous year. Our days are pretty packed with classes and when we aren't in class, we try to get studying in at home. It's taking some getting used to, but reminding myself that this is what I wanted is what helps me get through it. It's crazy because I've been dreaming of becoming a doctor for a while and now it's here in my grasp. We keep hearing "When you're an M1"and I still can't believe that'll be me this fall. Our week was very school oriented, but we tried to have fun on the weekend. Friday, Emily and I went out for dinner before heading to study for a couple hours. Then Saturday, we met her sister for drinks, before I went off to attend the Beyonce concert with Megan. Beyonce was absolutely incredible and I had such a great time dancing and singing with my bestie. Sunday, I grabbed brunch with my family before coming home to grab a couple things that I was missing at the dorm as well as spend some time with them before things get very hectic. 

Emily and me looking less than enthused about our 7- hour orientation.

Our delicious BBQ dinner on Friday.

Before Beyonce, we grabbed dinner at this adorable nautical-themed restaurant. I was loving the decor. 

Before Beyonce!

So thankful I got to share this experience with this gorgeous human being. #girlswhowillruntheworld

Queen B. The show was incredible.

Honestly, one of the best brunch places I've tried. I had lemon poppyseed waffles topped with a blueberry compote. 

Looking Forward

     I know the month ahead is going to be a challenging one, but I am going to do my best to kick butt. We have an exam every Monday starting June 6th. I am so excited that I am getting a taste of medical school because it has only reaffirmed that I am doing what I should be doing, but it has also shown me that I'm going to work my butt off for this. Thankfully, I am up for the challenge. Also, each month I keep getting closer to officially becoming an M1 (two more months!!)! I am excited to share all the things I'll be doing during this program and I hope that I can keep up with it all. Also, If I happen to miss a post, I greatly apologize in advance. I will be trying to do my best to keep that from happening, but I am merely human:)

I hope you guys had a great month and I can't wait to share what I've been up to next month!

~Genesis<3

SPP Update: Getting Settled

     This week has definitely been a busy one as I've been getting myself accustomed to what will be my new schedule for the next couple weeks. My focus for my blog over the next couple weeks will be to keep you guys updated on what I am doing, what I am learning, and how I am feeling over the course of the program. From what we have been told, this program is like M1 year on steroids and after the past couple days, I believe they aren't exactly kidding. So, let me break down the past couple days.

Move In

     I have to say that move in went pretty well. I believe I was actually one of the first ones (if not the first) to check in and that allowed me to get myself settled without a hitch. I am also pretty content with my living situation. My room is quite spacious and is pretty much the size of the one I had my sophomore year of college, but this time, I get it all to myself. I'm sure if you read my previous post, you could see that I have plenty of storage (which leaves for a pretty empty closet) and the size of the apartment (it's an apartment style dorm) is a great size for me and my roomie.

View of my room from the entrance

View of my room from the window

     Speaking of my roomie, we have been getting along really well! I was quite hesitant about having a roommate, but she's honestly really great. We spent the first three days getting to know one another and exploring the area and I think that has made us pretty close. We share quite a few commonalities and I think being in the same field only adds to that. I think the latter has given me insight as to why your friend bonds in medical school are so different than those in undergrad. We're all here for the same thing and many of our reasons overlap, so it's pretty easy to relate to one another.

Classes and Studying

     The past couple days have been interesting as I feel that they've been transitional days. 

     Monday was our orientation day for the program, so it pretty much focused on explaining the history and details of the program. We were sitting in a conference room from 8:30-3:30, so you better believe it was quite boring. Thankfully, we had not yet started class, so when we got out, my roomie and I had time to just relax and enjoy the gorgeous weather that we've been having in Chicago.

Me and my roomie looking super thrilled to be at orientation

     Tuesday was our first day of class and I'm not going to lie, it felt a tad overwhelming. We had class all day (8:45-4:00) with the exception of a one-hour lunch break. In college, I rarely had more than two classes scheduled back to back, so this is definitely going to take some getting used to. Aside from that, we are learning quite a bit of material. After going to the gym and having dinner, I spent a good 3 hours reviewing my notes from the day and by the end of the night, I was pretty drained. I was a bit nervous about what I had gotten myself into, but after settling down for the night and reminding myself that I can do this, I was in a better frame of mind. 

Wednesday(today), I woke up in a better frame of mind. I previewed the powerpoints for what I would be learning in my classes and then got myself ready for class. Today, we also got out of class a bit earlier, and we got to go home for lunch (yesterday we had to go to a group meeting luncheon), and I also had more coffee, so I think that was a game changer. I feel that what I am learning is connecting with what I've previously learned and that is helping me gain my footing to find my groove. Hopefully, by next week that will be the case. 

Outfits

     Monday's outfit: Sadly, I didn't get an outfit pic, but I wore a polka dot button up blouse from The Limited (you can get a peek up the blouse in the pic above) with a black high-waisted pencil skirt and black flats. 

     Tuesday's outfit: A coral scalloped bottom shift tank, navy chinos, a navy cardigan, and camel colored sandals. 

         Wednesday's outfit: My ripped light-wash Gap jeans, A white top with a blue embroidered neckline, my camel sandals, and I also brought along my olive linen Gap jacket.

     I hope you guys enjoyed this little peek into my life. I'm going to try to keep up with them and the blog as best as I can over the next couple weeks. I hope you guys had a fantastic week. I will talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

Packing For SPP

     I don't know about everyone else, but personally, I hate packing. I would say that this mostly has to do with the fact that I always want to feel prepared, so I usually end up packing way more than necessary. For this program, I will only be here for about six weeks, so the amount of stuff that I would most likely need isn't substantial(we have a laundry room, so I have the option to wash clothes), but I did want to make sure that I had packed enough stuff. My original intention for packing was to pack capsule wardrobe-style but Chicago weather can be rather mercurial and I didn't want to catch myself with only items for a particular season when the weather can easily drift in either direction. So, I focused on bringing a little bit of everything.

How I Broke It Down 

• Gym Wear- 8 outfits. This gives me a full week of gym clothes plus a day in case I'm doing laundry and want to have the option to work out.
• Sleepwear- 5 outfits. I typically always shower before bed, so I tend to use my PJs more than once. I'm also not doing anything crazy in them, so just having a few seemed completely fine to me.
• Bottoms- 14 bottoms. I brought 3 pairs of chino pants (in navy, white, and coral), 3 pairs of jeans (a lighter wash ripped pair, a darker wash pair, and black jeans), 2 pairs of leggings ( A nicer pair with zipper detailing at the ankles and also a regular pair), 1 pair of black pants (not exactly dress pants, but a step up from leggings), 1 pair of patterned shorts (they have anchors on them), 2 pencil skirts (navy and black), and 1 pair of patterned Old Navy Pixie pants (They have a daisy/polka dot pattern).
• Tops- 41 tops...I know this seems a bit excessive, but they are all completely different styles. I brought 6 casual but nice summer weather camis/tanks, 4 "going out" tops (Idk if I'll use them, but I wanted to have the option), 2 short sleeve tops for class, 2 nicer tanks, 1 casual button down, 4 blousy longer sleeve tops (could work for daywear, tucked into a pencil skirt, or with a pair of jeans for a night out), 2 nicer short sleeve tops (to be worn with a pencil skirt), 2 chambray shirts, 5 nicer t-shirts I can wear to class, 3 tees for lounging around, 6 casual tanks, and 4 camis for layering. As you can tell, I wanted to have many options.
• Sweaters-3 pieces. I packed two cardigans (navy and ivory) and then a black wrap.
• Dresses- 2 dresses. I brought one casual shirt dress and then an asymmetrical LBD that I can use either for nicer occasions (perhaps a special dinner) or a night out.
• Loungewear-4 Pieces. I brought 1 hoodie, 1 crewneck sweatshirt, a fluffy robe (as seen in the picture above), and a pair of sweatpants.
• Outerwear- 4 Options. I brought a trench coat that I have previously been wearing for chillier days, a jean jacket, a leather jacket, and my olive green linen Gap jacket. 
• Shoes-12 pairs. I packed 4 pairs of flats (a black lace-up pair, a coral pair, a black pair, and a two-tone nude/black pair), 2 pairs of Keds (a white pair and my black Kate Spade pair), 1 pair of navy Sperrys, 1 pair of nude heels, 1 pair of casual sandals, 1 pair of flip flops, and my Nike running shoes.

     Honestly, I don't think I did too bad. I think I might've gone a bit overboard with my tops, but I just wanted to make sure that I had outfit choices and for me, that meant bringing a whole selection of tops. As the program goes on, I'll probably share what I've been wearing (I'm testing out my med school style), so you'll see what I actually wear and if I overpacked. Currently, the weather is much warmer than what we had last week (this week we'll be mostly in the 70's or 80's, but last week it was in the mid 50's to high 60's), so I am quite happy that my packed wardrobe is summer-centric. I also might go home on occasion, so we'll see how if I bring back anything else as we get into actual consistent summer weather. I hope you guys had a fantastic weekend (I hope your weather was as gorgeous as ours!) and I will be talking to you soon!

~Genesis<3

Medical School Haul

     With the beginning of my Pre-Mat Program coming up, I've been picking up some things to take to school with me. I filmed a video showing a couple of the school things I will be bringing along. The video will be linked below, but I also wanted to list/link the items mentioned for you (or if I can't find them, I will link something similar:)).

Items Mentioned

 Macbook Pro 13'' 

   

 Insten Sky Blue Rubberized Hard Case for Macbook Pro 13"

Kate Spade New York Renny Drive 13'' Laptop Sleeve

 (The one I have seems to be unavailable online, but I shall link another one! It has super cute seahorses!)

Kate Spade Seahorses Laptop Sleeve

Vera Bradley Travel Mug in Nomadic Floral

Kate Spade Renny Drive Phone Case

This one I can't find online either, but I found this one that matches the seahorse laptop sleeve!

Recollections Personal Size Planner in Gold Stripe

I believe they only sell these in store, but the Heidi Swapp one is available online and looks pretty similar to the one that I purchased.

Expo Dry Erase 2-in-1 Markers

Sharpie Accent Pocket Style Highlighters

Ombre Spiral Notebook

I couldn't find anything similar, but Poppin has some really cute, simple ones.

Vera Bradley Click Pens in Nomadic Floral

Tommy Hilfiger Canvas Striped Tote

I couldn't find anything like what I had, but this one might work if you just want a lightweight canvas tote. It doesn't have a zipper section, though. Proceed with caution!

I hope you guys enjoy the video. Have a great weekend and I will talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

The End Of The Gap Year

     If you've been following me, you know that I wrote about being half-way through my gap year back in December (You can find the post here). Now, that I will be starting my summer program with my medical school next week, I thought it would be the perfect time to summarize how the remainder of my gap year was and what else is coming for me.

     The past couple months have definitely been filled with a lot of growth and excitement (I'm sure you've been able to witness some of this in my monthly recap posts) and as the year has progressed, I've realized how good this year has been for me. When I made the decision to take a gap year, I didn't know what to expect. I had some tentative plans and I just hoped for the best. Honestly, I was a bit scared how I was going to justify this past year if I didn't make it a spectacular experience, but then I heard a really great piece of advice from a 4th-year medical student on Second Look Day. The topic didn't have to do with gap years, but with your summer between M1 and M2 year. You have the option to do a multitude of things during that summer, but if you decided to do nothing, that's okay. She said that if you are asked about why you spent your summer that way, you simply respond that you used the summer to take care of yourself and to regroup after your first year of medical school. When she said that, it really clicked with me because when I look back on it, that is exactly what I did this past year. 

     During undergrad, life had thrown me a couple curveballs and honestly, I never had the chance to regroup because I was constantly moving on to the next thing. I floated from school year to school year, graduation, a medical assistant program, and then finally, life slowed down to a steady pace. I was so glad I could finally catch my breath, but then I felt a bit guilty about it. When medical assisting didn't pan out for me, I felt like my year wasn't being put to good use. I had taken this gap year in order to put me in a good position for medical school and here I was wasting it. But, I was wrong. These past months might not have been filled with building my medical student resume, but they've been filled with building myself as a person. I have had the chance to catch up with old friends, make new friends, and prepare myself for everything that comes next for me.  I am so thankful that I've had the liberty to live life more freely and to not have had a hectic schedule for once. The next four years will be filled with plenty of that. I found out new things that I really enjoy and I was also able to start this blog which is something that I had put on hold for years. In my mind, I have built a solid foundation that I can now use as I go on to the nitty gritty of my journey.

     Next on my journey, I will be spending the next six weeks doing a summer pre-matriculation program (SPP). The program will give us an overview of the classes that we will be taking our first year of medical school (Biochemistry, Gross Anatomy, Histology, and Physiology) and will also allow us to build connections with some of our classmates. The really cool part is that I will be living on campus, so I'll have the opportunity to get to know the campus before I actually start medical school. Also, It'll be really nice to be able to see how classes will be structured, so that come August, I can hit the ground running. Was this program originally a part of my plan? No, but I am excited to see what comes of it. I'm also super excited to be getting a taste of being a medical student. The past couple years I've been dreaming of having the chance to study medicine, and now my chance is here. It feels surreal. For the blog, I'm hoping that now that I will be doing more medical related things, I will have more to post, but I am also not sure what my schedule will be like. I intend to try my hardest to keep my Tuesday/Thursday post days, but if not, I'll at least try to do one day a week. I also want to get into vlogging for my YouTube channel. I want to be able to share my journey as a medical student and I think vlogs will allow me to show you a bit more into my life as a student.

     To summarize my experience, I want to explain why I chose the picture above. This past year, I've really come to enjoy hiking and my most recent trip with Elida was definitely one of my favorites. We spent part of our trip navigating through a canyon and a majority of the "trail" involved hopping over rocks to get to across. There were many times that I didn't know if I was going to make it over to the next rock without falling into the creek and the adrenaline made it super exciting. If I had fallen, the worst that could happen was that I would get soaked, as the water wasn't that deep, but preventing that from happening just made it all the more fun and challenging. At some points in the trail, we were forced to think of ways to get across because we had just struggled to get to where we were standing and going back was not an option. It was a bit funny because I pointed out to Elida that this trip was a metaphor for life and in particular my journey as a medical student. I've done a lot to get myself to this point in my life. Turning back isn't an option and although the path ahead might not exactly be clear,  I just need to take a moment and it'll come to me. Likewise, you might not know what to expect from life, but don't let the fear of uncertainty ever stop you.

     I hope you are having a great start to your week and I will be talking to you soon!

~Genesis<3

     

Wardrobe Goals

     The past couple weeks, I've been thinking a lot about my style and what I am aiming to wear now that I will be beginning my program and later beginning medical school. During undergrad, the dress code was very lax. You pretty much dressed however you wanted and that could range from yoga pants and a hoodie to a pretty dress. For medical school, each school seems to have their own expectations, but I do think a more put-together look is expected and personally, that is what I am aiming for. Today's post is dedicated to sharing some of the items I've found online that I think would look great in my hypothetical closet. 

The Change

     I really haven't been the type of girl to show up to class dressed bummy (the exception might be freshman year, but freshman year doesn't count) and as I went through college, my style definitely evolved. I never walked into class in a pencil skirt, but I tried to look as put-together as possible. As I was heading into senior year, I also had a better sense of my personal style and I think much of that has remained intact today. So, what am I changing? Going forward, I want to add more professional pieces to my wardrobe. I am for sure looking for more pencil skirts and dress pants. Also, I need more dressy work tops. these changes are due to the fact that you do have to dress up to "see patients" and you want to look professional. 

Bottoms

     I didn't really pick out any pants because those are pretty standard, but I did find some cute skirts to share! In addition to the picks below, I would like to pick up some other neutral bottom options (i.e. gray and navy).

Skirt One

     This asymmetrical mint pencil skirt is from the limited (The links for everything will be the titles). I am a huge turquoise (and every similar shade) fan. So, to me, this would be a perfect addition to my wardrobe. Mint looks beautiful with navy (which makes up a majority of my closet) and I love that the style would be a bit fun.

Skirt Two

     A classic black pencil skirt is always a must have and this one from the limited is a great classic pick. I believe this style is high waisted, so that'll help it be a bit more flattering.

Skirt Three

     I was perusing through H&M's website and I came across this beauty. I love the pattern and I think it is just muted enough to be work/professional friendly. To me, this skirt says, "I like to look polished, but I still like to have fun when I'm not here."

Tops

     For tops, I think as a medical student you have some leeway as you are going to most likely have a white coat thrown over your outfit. So, sleeveless options are doable.

Top One

     I saw this top online at The Limited and I really loved the cut of it. I don't know if the neckline might be a bit too much, but I like the look of it, especially for the summertime. This would also look super great paired with the patterned skirt above!

Top Two

     This blouse from The Limited is very similar to a couple of the Express Portofino tops that I currently have in my closet. I tend to like this style because they are very versatile and can look cute with a pencil skirt or also with some jeans for a night out. I also really love this shade of blue!

Top Three

     I am a total Kate Spade fan. So, this gold dotty blouse is totally up my alley. I love how simple yet elegant it seems and I think it would make a fun yet put-together look.

Random Items

     In addition to business wear, there are a couple other items that I would like to add to my closet. I could use a few more outerwear options, a couple more shoes, and another school bag wouldn't hurt.

Utility Jacket

     How fun is this jacket?!? Sadly, even if I was going to buy it, the only size they have left on the gap website is a size small and I need a medium. I love the color, though. Traditionally, you find utility jackets in army green, but this fuchsia one has girly flair. I would love it for my more casual outfits and since a lot of my stuff is navy it would make for a great pop of color.

Mint Bag

     I've been debating what I want to carry to school, but I'm currently thinking I want it to be a tote bag. I bought an adorable one to use for my upcoming program, so I'll be testing it out to see whether I would like that instead of a backpack. I saw this one online and fell in love. I think it would be perfect to carry a few items to class. I am thinking that all I'd really want to carry would be my laptop and maybe a binder, so this one might cut it. I also really like that it folds over at the top, so my stuff won't get wet.

Nude Flats

     You can never really go wrong with a classic nude flat, and this pair by lucky brand is a style I really like. They might be a tad too casual to wear in a more professional setting, but I do think they'd be perfect to wear to class with a more casual outfit.

     So, other than what I have found above, I would like to build upon my current closet. I have some items in mind that I would like to add, but I'll save that for a later post. I hope you are having a lovely week and I will be talking to you soon!

~ Genesis<3

A Note On The Personal Statement

     As I've been trying to plan out what I want to write about for those of you preparing to apply to medical school, I came to the realization that I had not yet touched on one of the most important parts, the personal statement. I'll be honest, I've been avoiding this topic for a bit because it was honestly something that I personally struggled with, but as it is important I wanted to discuss it a bit.

The Struggle of The Personal Statement

     

     I'm sure I wasn't the only one that struggled with writing their personal statement because, like me, many pre-meds don't have a single defining moment that influenced their decision to pursue a career in medicine. For many of us, the decision was a culmination various interests, personal experience, and curiosity. So, how can one capture that in one essay? It's rather difficult. Apart from that, the personal statement creates quite a bit of pressure because it is one of the first things that your potential medical school will read and may use to decide whether you have what it takes to become a doctor. But, with all of that involved, writing a good personal statement is still possible. 

Telling Your Story

     The best thing that I can advise you to do is not to think about what medical schools would want to hear, but rather to tell the story of what made you want to pursue this career and what keeps you motivated to continue with it. Your story certainly doesn't have to be extraordinary (i.e. You didn't have to have an epiphany while serving at a mission in India.), but I recommend that you try to make it as unique to you as possible. For me, it took quite a bit of thinking, but when I finally pieced together my story I was very proud of it.

Writing Tips

     During the process of writing my own personal statement, I came upon a few tips that helped me. So, I wanted to share the ones that I remember.

  1. Make It Engaging

      You have to remember that the admissions person that is reading your essay has read hundreds of others. If it is boring, you won't be memorable and your essay might get overlooked. Focus on keeping your reader engaged throughout the essay (with an emphasis on a strong beginning and end) by telling your story in an engaging way. I wrote mine as if I was telling an actual story and I think that is what helped mine stand out (or at least I assume so).

2. Keep It Short

     Going along with the first tip, essay readers have read several personal statements before picking up yours. If you happen to make yours as verbose as possible, I'm sure they'll get annoyed. Try to say what you have to say with as few words as possible. You'll be forced to ensure that you are utilizing quality over quantity and essay readers will be thankful you opted out of using every word in the dictionary.

3. Read Samples

     Taking the time to read what other people have written for their personal statements can be incredibly beneficial. For one, you'll be familiar with the general format of a personal statement and through reading several of them you'll be able to learn what makes them engaging. I read quite a few before attempting to write my own. Of course, this tip doesn't mean to go out and copy what someone else has written, but instead utilize them to get in the mindset to write your own unique statement.

4. Try To Avoid Pre-med Cliches

 
       A subject people will gravitate to when writing a personal statement for medical school is talking about a sick person they have encountered in their life that made them decide to pursue medicine. Another topic is talking about how you want to save people. Truth is, we all might've had that influential "patient" and we all want to save people. That's why we are pursuing medicine. I am not saying these aren't valid reasons, but that they tend to be overused. Try to write your statement with less of a direct focus on these topics and on instead focused on you. Also, be specific to medicine. There are many jobs that would allow you to help people, so why are you choosing medicine in particular.

     With all of that in mind, I advise writing from the heart. If you are pursuing this career, you are definitely passionate about it. If you approach your writing with this in mind, it'll definitely show through. 

     I hope you are having a great start to your week and I'll talk to you soon!

~Genesis<3

     

Current Beauty Faves: May 2016

     As a beauty lover, I enjoy trying new products to see if I can find new favorites. For this post, I wanted to share some of the repeat offenders that I've been loving as well as some new things that I've picked up and have been enjoying!

Hair

AG Hair Simply Dry Dry Shampoo

      Part of maintaining long and color-treated hair involves washing your hair less frequently. In order to fight off an oily scalp between washes, I enlist the help of a dry shampoo. Now, I've tried quite a few dry shampoos on the market and they can be hit or miss.  But, this one has to be one of my favorites. It smells lovely and it doesn't leave any residue which is always a concern for me because I have dark roots. Another really cool thing is that I don't have to re-apply every day. If I apply it one day, the next day my hair doesn't really get oily. So, I don't have to keep piling up product in my hair. The brand also offers tinted options within their dry shampoo range, which is also really nice.

Schwarzkopf Color Save Silver Shampoo

     In order to prevent my blonde hair from turning brassy, I've been using a purple shampoo. My sister recommended this one and It's been working really well. It's actually pretty fun to use because it comes out a really deep purple and the suds it creates have a lilac tinge. It smells great and It cleans my hair without stripping my color.

Blondme Keratin Restore Mask

     I've been using this product in place of conditioner as I want something a bit thicker since having blonde hair can be drying on your ends. When I have this in my hair, my hair feels super silky. About every other wash, I'll use it as an actual mask. So, I'll apply it, tie my hair up, leave it in for about 20 minutes and then wash it out. This leaves my hair feeling super soft and conditioned. I know that it is marketed towards blondes, but I'm pretty sure anyone who just needs a deep repair mask can use it as it's not tinted.

Traceless Hair Ring

     One of the perks of having a hairstylist for a sister is being able to find great, inexpensive hair products. One of the most recent hair trends has been the Invisibobble traceless hair ring. When we were picking up some hair supplies, we stumbled upon a knock-off version and it has become my new fave. Having long hair can get hot sometimes and tying up my hair was always a struggle because I didn't always want to commit to the annoying ponytail indent in my hair. Now, that's not an issue. I can put up and take down my hair and it still looks great. I got mine for around 99 cents and the original retails for around $8. If you can find a cheaper version, I say totally go for it. Is the $8 justifiable? I'd say kind of. You'll only need one and if you don't lose it, you will have it for a pretty long time. I love mine because I can use it in the shower and all I have to do is rinse and dry it after, which is something I couldn't do with a traditional ponytail holder.

Skin

Boots Botanics Shine Away Mattifying Day Cream

     I'll be honest, when it comes to skincare, I am not always up on my game. I am pretty lax about moisturizing, but I do know it's really important. So, I made it a goal of mine to try to incorporate it into my routine. I picked up this little guy at Target and it has made it on the repeat offender list ( I am currently on my third jar!). I like it because it's pretty light weight and I've noticed that my skin hasn't gotten as oily. I will say that if you use this with makeup, you do want to give it a second to settle in. But otherwise, it works really well. The price isn't that bad either ($13), when you can easily spend $40+ on a good moisturizer.

Simple Cleansing Face Wipes

   One of my staples for my beauty routine is a good set of face wipes. I like to use them to remove my makeup before washing my face and on the very rare occasion, in place of face washing. I like these because they do a really good job at removing makeup (even waterproof) and they don't sting my eyes, which I have experienced with some other face wipes. They are also available at pretty much any drugstore so they are easy to get ahold of. They've been my go-to face wipes for a couple months now and I believe I'm on my at least 5th or 6th pack.

Makeup

CoverGirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation

     I picked up this little guy about a month ago while I was perusing through the beauty aisle at Target. I was rather annoyed with the last foundation I tried (The Ever-Matte Shine Proof Foundation by BECCA) because it didn't work for me at all and it was rather expensive. As I hadn't tried a drugstore one in a while, I figured I'd give this one a go. I'll say, that I am rather impressed. It has been working much better than the BECCA foundation and the price point is really great. I picked mine up for around $7 which is on the lower end of the foundation spectrum (drugstore foundations usually run around the $10-$15 dollar range). I've been currently using this one as my everyday foundation and It lasts pretty well on my skin. The color doesn't oxidize and the color I chose matches my skin rather well. Is it the most amazing foundation I've ever tried? Not exactly. But, for the price, I am pretty content until I find something else higher end I'd like to try. SN: It currently holds up well, but I am interested to see how it performs during warmer weather.

Absolute New York Nano Liner and Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer

     I picked up the Anastasia brow definer the day after getting my hair dyed. I was looking for something that would help soften the look of my brows as they are naturally rather dark and I didn't want them to be too overwhelming with my blonde hair. My brows are naturally pretty full, so filling them in can make them look pretty intense sometimes. With this brow product, I don't really have that issue. The color is really great for my hair color (I use the shade soft brown). If you've been looking to try a brow product, this one is pretty great. Also, I went with the brow definer rather than the popular brow wiz because you get twice as much product in the brow definer for the same price.

     I got the Absolute New York Nano Liner in an ipsy bag a couple months ago and I am pretty impressed. I am a huge classic makeup fan, so naturally winged liner is a must-have for me. I tend to struggle with liners, though, because my eyes get watery from time-to-time and it causes my liner to run. Surprisingly, with this liner, I don't have that issue. The formula is pretty great and the tip of the liner is super fine, so it's really easy to use. If you are trying to get into winged liner or an easier application, I'd suggest finding something that has a fine tip like this one.

     So, that was a little glimpse into what I've currently been using. I have a couple other products that I just picked up and after I test them a bit, I'll most likely let you know what I think. I'm trying to streamline my makeup collection, so I'll hopefully be doing a bit of beauty clean up as well. I hope you guys are having a great week and that you enjoy your weekend. I'll talk to you soon!

~ Genesis<3