You are viewing a read-only archive of the Blogs.Harvard network. Learn more.

Jeanie’s Blog

You are currently browsing the archive for the Jeanie’s Blog category.

A Midspring Night’s Dream

March 28, 2012 by Jeanie Nguyen | Permalink

This past week was phenomenal. I can say this fairly because bad events occurred as well, but ‘tis life – nay – ‘tis a great life because I’m perfectly ecstatic with how things unfolded.

As I’ve stated (desperately) before, my well being was basically dependent on whether I go abroad this summer. At this point, I truly can’t think of any better way to improve my Spanish proficiency other than forcing myself to think, breathe, speak, and eat Spanish. I’m more than happy to report I’ll be doing all of the above for 8+ weeks this summer!

I’ve been scrambling to research and apply to many summer opportunities (including research and interning abroad) ever since my return to campus after J-term (January break/winter break) – so much so that it felt like a fifth class! Being a research assistant at the Harvard Decision Science Laboratory, which is more of a social science lab, has really made me miss wet labs (pipettes, microscopes, etc.). This isn’t to say I don’t like my job there because I definitely do and intend on working there for many more semesters! Seeing the economics/psychology behind so many common, daily tasks (such as first impressions) has truly propelled my curiosity. Nonetheless, wet labs were my focal exploration point throughout high school and this is an area I feel like I’ve been failing to pursue during my precious and fleeting time as an undergraduate. Therefore, I applied to various REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) programs at universities and companies as a Plan C.

Plan A and B were quickly formed after further investigation of the DRCLAS (pronounced Dr. Class, David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies) Summer Internship Program (SIP) as well as Sustainable Development Programs. I applied to work in Latin America and Mexico, and with luck on my side, I got accepted into both programs. My first choice is definitely interning in Latin America so that I can join my friends and teammates on Refresh Bolivia (a student run organization here at Harvard College) after my internship ends. Fun Fact: Refresh Bolivia was founded by a current senior who will be heading to Harvard Medical School this fall!! He’s been my friend since my freshman fall, but now I’m just star struck by him!!!!

Returning from my tangent, the real kicker is that my funding request was accepted as well! One of the main factors that initially attracted me to Harvard College was its incredibly generous financial support – both in and out of the classroom. Many have heard of Harvard’s renowned financial aid in the classroom, but during my first tour of the undergraduate campus, I was in shock that Harvard also financially supports its students in endeavors that make/keep us happy such as partying (safely of course!!!!) and working abroad!! I’m so beyond eternally grateful that my summer adventures will be partially funded so that I can avoid being an actual adult for that much longer by putting off organizing my finances.

The plot twist (cue scary music here) is that my funding request was approved for the Mexico Sustainable Development program when I prefer Latin America. When I spoke to a few friends, they only worried me by emphasizing how inflexible the protocol for summer funding is. Thank goodness they set my expectations low because that only set me up for a higher rise after I spoke to the faculty in the DRCLAS and OIP (Office of International Programs) offices who are currently working so that my funding can be transferrable in between the two DRCLAS programs. Everyone affiliated with Harvard University has been so kind and helpful that I doubt I could ever be thankful or appreciative enough!

I’ll definitely update when my summer plans are set in stone. For now, I can happily enjoy the present. Spring was here last week with temperatures in the high 60s(?), but now Spring is just near as everyone busts out their puffy jackets with a pout once again.

Things I’m looking forward to: my best friend from home visiting me this weekend!, catching up on sleep and classes (I feel guilty when I’m so behind on lectures!), my sorority’s (Kappa Alpha Theta) Spring formal, YardFest, Relay for Life, PreFrosh weekend … DUDE I LOVE SPRING

Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our very own Jesse Sanchez!!!

Double also, best of luck to everyone waiting on decisions tomorrow. My judgement day was April 1st (April Fools Day – which is pretty cruel) so consider yourself lucky! Know that the Admissions staff is really in an unenviable position because there are SO many qualified applicants! Keep your heads up and whatever happens, happens for a reason!

Springing Forward

March 21, 2012 by Jeanie Nguyen | 2 comments

The first day of Spring was yesterday which clearly means I was thinking panicking about summer. I’m still waiting on a handful of decisions from summer opportunities – whether that’s interning in Cambridge, San Diego or abroad. Without peace of mind, I can’t help but stretch myself a little thin and continue applying to more jobs, but this task gets difficult every time I’m reminded that I’m also a student taking classes. I guess the majority of my anxiety stems from what happened last summer.

Here’s a reflection blog I wrote a few months ago that I never posted – think of it as vintage!

                Paid internship, international travel, and pinnacle life revelations – those are the three elements every Harvard student needs to incorporate into their summer plans. It can’t be that difficult to execute if you budget one per month, right?

                This is what it can start to feel like in the high-achieving Harvard environment. Yet, I’m not so sure if I achieved any of the above during my first summer as a Harvard student. Then why do I feel so accomplished, fulfilled, and refreshed? Probably because I spent the summer my way and since I’m a Harvard student, then it’s also the Harvard way. As infallible as my deductive reasoning skills can be, this connection originated after much internal struggle and I’m honestly still in the progress of genuinely accepting that my nontraditional summer was indeed a meaningful one, filled with memories and experiences I’m excited to catalyze my future with.

                I ended my freshman year the same way I began it – scrubbing stainless steel showers in the entryways of (the freshman dorm) Wigglesworth as the university’s Dorm Crew employee (take my continued involvement as a STRONG encouragement to look into pre-orientation programs!). After a long week of dust bunnies and a six hour flight to sunny San Diego, my body was reunited with my memory foam mattress just like how your favorite pair of jeans flatteringly curves along your muscular legs. But just like how your favorite jeans grow raggedy, my body grew tired of lying in bed all day.

                I booked a one way flight home without any jobs, internships or projects lined up. I dropped all my plans of researching in Cambridge and servicing rural communities in Bolivia when my grandmother’s leukemia dramatically worsened. All I had wanted at the beginning of summer was to spend time with her and although that was exactly what I was doing, I started to feel inadequate and embarrassed when my Facebook newsfeed flooded with updates regarding consulting job offers and international adventures. It came down to either: A) assisting my grandmother while sending out invitations for my self-pity party; or B) pursuing my interests in science and ultimately creating a productive summer which would direct me down a less hazy career path. As my jaw hung low and I mentally projected the most negative portrayal of what my future could be, I remembered I could have both. If I could ever impose any sense of wisdom on the world, it would be to take advantage of every opportunity when you don’t have to divide and conquer, simply because you can just conquer it all!

                I began to pioneer a more active role in my grandmother’s health. I researched everything from the molecular background of leukemia to folkloric rituals that reported mysterious health benefits. I attended her bi-daily doctor appointments which not only catapulted my Vietnamese fluency, but also my medical vocabulary – so much so that I felt comfortable enough to email oncologists at local hospitals and universities. These contacts led to shadowing opportunities as well as prominent roles in their clinical research work. I wasn’t receiving monetary compensation, but my exposure and experiences serve as invaluable resources in my arsenal of knowledge. I can’t imagine my previous summer plans igniting my passions of pursuing the medical career path as much as my unplanned summer did. I also never imagined enjoying Vietnamese soap operas or the craft of crochet as much as my grandma does, but that’s what an unplanned summer can do for you if you’re willing to embrace the unknown.

Going back and rereading my thoughts definitely comforted me! (Diaries are not only for elementary girls!) At the moment, my short term goals are stay focus & positive and enjoy the Spring! Cambridge is bringing in gorgeous weather – take that SoCal rain.

Linsane Celebrity Streak

March 15, 2012 by Jeanie Nguyen | 2 comments

During this week, the majority of Harvard students are on Spring Break; but I’m a rebel so I’m on Alternative Spring Break (ASB).

Making it big on the front cover

The Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA) sponsors a handful of trips during Spring Break that offer a harmonious combination of F U N and productivity. As a freshman last year, I participated in the New York City (NYC) trip and a week with upperclassmen premedical students visiting medical schools was enough to catalyze my decision to pursue the medical path. Last year’s Spring Break was so meaningful to me that I was quite determined to return as a director of the trip. I’ve spent a large portion of my sophomore year co-directing and organizing the trip which makes this Spring Break extremely rewarding.

Although the week is only half over, I feel like we’ve accomplished so much! Ten other premedical students and I have been conquering NYC by storm – volunteering with nonprofit organizations and visiting medical schools.

We’re working with God’s Love We Deliver (GLWD), an altruistic organization that preps and delivers love-infused, nutritious meals to the ill around the New York (and New Jersey!) area. Approximately 4,200 meals go out everyday which constantly shocks the whole group because the organization is able to accomplish their lofty goals with such limited volunteers! We’ve already volunteered with multiple aspects of their organization, whether that’s in the kitchen, delivering food, or handling paperwork. Their friendly and benevolent staff definitely foster a great atmosphere to work in!

Sanitation first!

The other volunteers are always interesting to interact with since GLWD has a relatively smaller reputation so most of their volunteers have a personal connection with the organization. Today was a special day at GLWD, however, that sparked our New York City celebrity streak! We got to meet the humble Jamar Rogers, a contestant on NBC’s hit show The Voice, who was so kind and happy to return to his GLWD community.

Star struck squared (#alliterationwin)

Speaking of celebrities, in the midst of one of our GLWD shifts, we received word that Jeremy Lin was eating lunch right down the street! In a frenzied teenage girl panic, I raced to the restaurant to stare at the back of his head as he ate lunch and managed to snap:

Everyone on this trip is so thankful that GLWD allowed us to help out, even if it’s just for the week! We’ve learned and realized so much through volunteering at this organization. Typically premedical students are focused on immersing themselves in a hospital environment to expose ourselves to the environment we strive to succeed in. Yet, working at GLWD proved to be a refreshing experience as it enlightened us with a refined definition of health – letting us perceive it from a unique perspective. Most of us crave medical school with the end goal that we’ll be able to provide a better lifestyle through personal interactions with our patients. GLWD is exactly this, but in the context of the kitchen rather than the resplendent luminance of a hospital. Concomitant to this realization comes a stirring sense of excitement for our academic future!

Our futures have become more tangible through connections with recent Harvard alumni who have generously offered to give us tours of their respective NYC medical schools.

Two Harvard College alumni met us on Madison Avenue for an informal tour and Q&A of Mt. Sinai Medical School. Although we were initially disappointed that Admission Officers respectfully declined our request for an official meeting, it was a great advantage, in retrospect, to have Harvard alumni show us around and speak in Harvard acronyms like “proctor” (resident adviser) and “section” (small group discussion sections outside of lecture) as well as tell us what they specifically did in their undergraduates years that they found most helpful/applicable in graduate school.

The Annenberg of Mt. Sinai (not limited to freshman nor a cafeteria!)

Both previous Harvard College students seemed genuinely happy in the midst of their second year of medical school – an attribute us undergraduates didn’t expect with negative misconceptions of the rigors of graduate school!

Two more generous Harvard College alumni and current Columbia Medical School first years met us to show us around the campus. It was a top-down tour as we started on the roof and they swept us away with a breathtaking skyline of New York City.

The roof of Columbia Medical School's Bard Building

The theme of the day was how great the Pass/Fail system is because the first 1.5 years of Columbia Med follow this more relaxed system. The students loved how this grading style developed a community between the ~160 students of a class to the point where wonderfully organized, color-coded study guides were freely emailed out to share! It also gave students time to frolic outside the library to enjoy the nearby Times Square, performing in theatre, or watching free symphony style shows on “Musical Mondays.” Needless to say, we’re all determined to bring this laid back grading style to Harvard College!

I personally believe that the gloomy hesitation looming around committing to medical school stems from the negative connotations of studying in a competitive, cut-throat environment. I’m confident enough to speak on behalf of the group, however, and say that we were deeply comforted in the fact that these medical students had happy and balanced lives; continued reassurance was also provided by the fact that all our tour guides so far were also Harvard College undergraduates because this made it easier for us to picture ourselves in their shoes and being happy in medical school.

 

Major themes: Harvard Alumni & Celebrities (not mutually exclusive)

Snaps to Academic clarity & Spring weather!!

Boston’s Pleasures

March 7, 2012 by Jeanie Nguyen | Permalink

Good thing Yale never engulfed Vassar because then I’d have to dislike (understatement) Vassar through association.

This past weekend, my two friends from Vassar kicked off their Spring Break with a Harvard visit! It was my first time hosting people sophomore year, but my itinerary hardly changed. As a freshman, I hosted a ton of prefrosh (prospective/accepted students) from random kids the Admissions Office introduced me to, all the way to close friends from science camp. In great efforts to sway them in the direction of Harvard, I showed them around campus, forced tourist pictures in front of the John Harvard Statue, and even broke out of the Harvard Bubble with a mini tour of Boston.

Busy, busy! Just let me be ubiquitous please!

Showing people around my favorite places in Cambridge is easy (Science Center, Annenberg, Berryline, etc.) but trying to appear as the master of Boston proved to be more difficult and included interviewing friends from the area as well as a ton of Googling! One of my favorite Harvard characteristics is how campus life feels like a harmonious mesh of urban and suburban culture. It’s a shame that most students’ hectic schedules prevent us from taking advantage of Boston, but I definitely use every hosting opportunity to exploit the city’s pleasures!

First stop: the waterfront. When I think of Boston, I never think of water. Yet, I’m surrounded by the beautiful harbor and Charles River constantly. The harbor is ~500 feet from the T (subway stop) and always calm and peaceful. My friends and I lucked out because the sky was gorgeous although it was still SO cold (California girl speaking here).

Boston Harbor at sunset

From the harbor, it’s just a short walking distance from Faneuil Hall – a great place to people-watch, shop, eat and even see local street performers!

Faneuil Hall

I like to end the tour with a big bang: Mike’s Pastries. This place is legen…wait for it…dary, LEGENDARY. They have the best cannolis I’ve ever eaten and their usual out-the-door line says enough. Even though I hype this place up so much in my head, it never disappoints!! The crispy and flaky texture of the shell which envelops a creamy, yet light ricotta cheese is unparalleled in this and any other dimension. Seriously.

Mike's Pastries in the North End of Boston

For centuries, people have been repeating one word three times: location, location, location! I’ve finally figured out the reasons behind their redundancy – the need for tremendous emphasis! Harvard and its unique and generous opportunities are beyond both phenomenal and amazing; I could type about this forever, but since I still have a pset and a midterm hanging over my head, I’ll just illuminate that one of the more admirable characteristics of Harvard University is its location. Wedged in Cambridge among other top universities as well as successful companies, Harvard fosters a delightfully diverse environment students can thrive on.

My current environment is all the Housing Day hype! Tomorrow is Housing Day!! Basically,

Pfoho's Polar Bear studiously taking notes

freshmen are getting sorted into various upperclassmen houses and as upperclassmen, it’s our duty to make it known that our respective house is the best. We strive to conquer this endeavor by wearing our house mascots everywhere – and yes, this includes lecture – as well as releasing housing day videos!

 

Check out Mather’s official video for Housing Day 2012, a spin off of the hit sensation taking over Harvard campus by storm: [kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/a-dt24CmjY0″ width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]

 

May all current and future freshmen win the Housing Day lottery with acceptance into Mather!

 

 

 

Realizing How Smart You Are Not

February 29, 2012 by Jeanie Nguyen | 2 comments

Last week, I had a depressing blog about my experiences with the (unavoidable?) demon popularly termed Sophomore Slump. BUT! I’m back a week later to uplift your spirits, happily reporting that this week has taken a turn back to happy norms – or as happy as possible in the gloomy presence of midterms and deadlines. Although the workload conditions haven’t altered much, the difference is that I’m not hating existence and my professors are once again able to heighten my intrigue with binary numbers and Aspartic catalysts, can I get a WOOT WOOT?

I pinpointed the root of my slumpish nature as my anxiety revolving around my summer plans and the big possibility of not being immersed in the love of the people I spent my first 18 years of life with; the alternative would be a cultural and/or scientific immersion. So the moral of the story is: I’m a brat. Clearly, I don’t have much to say on this topic because it happens so rarely ….… but having rough weeks is actually a great experience because I wouldn’t appreciate the good as much if it were good all the time.

There were two prominent things that helped me cope with my disaster week – one of them being my upperclassman house, Mather! (You can’t say it without an exclamation mark!) As I’ve said in previous posts, I’ve been feeling pretty stagnant with regards to my Spanish learning curve which has catalyzed my desire to study abroad. But since I’m a 20 year old brat who still gets homesick, I’d never be able to stick it out as a foreigner for a semester, so I’d ideally like to go somewhere this summer where I can think, speak, live, breathe and blink Spanish. My resident tutor (freshmen here call it proctor, but it’s more widely known as RA: Resident Adviser, basically someone older/wiser who lives in the dorm and repels chaos) and current Spanish 50 class TF (Teaching Fellow) holds a “Spanish Table” every Wednesday during dinner time and last Wednesday was my first (but definitely not last) partake. Spanish Table gives students a chance to have a meal over Spanish conversation. All levels are welcomed and encouraged. The atmosphere is really chill and not intimidating at all! Thinking and speaking Spanish outside of the classroom, in a casual setting, really refueled my excitement about the possibilities of going abroad! Southern California, I’ll thank you endlessly for literally being one of the most influential factors for shaping who I am – from the way I dress, think and speak – but I’ll be okay if we don’t see much of each other this summer.

Studying at a college so far away from home and with seemingly endless possibilities has really made me feel like a globalized person – or maybe just a country-ized person? I’ll earn the term “globalized” if I do indeed go abroad this summer (I’m typing with my fingers crossed here). Harvard offers a plethora of opportunities I never thought existed and recently, its international opportunities have really caught my eye. Everything from Harvard offered programs to non-Harvard programs (campus organizations like OCS: Office of Career Services will work with you to apply and even transfer credit!) to professors who offer to connect you with organizations such as WHO: World Health Organization (my Bioethics professor, Dr. Daniel Wikler, offered to do so!) is just so extraordinarily unbelievable that I can’t wrap half my mind around it. Living and thriving in an environment with massive opportunity, filled with driven people is truly a humbling experience, which brings me back to the second thing that helped me during my disaster week: talking with my best friend from home.

It’s strange how, for me at least, the beginning of college came concomitant with living in a split dimension: your high school life vs. your college life. It’s easy to get caught up in your busy college life, but during sophomore slump weeks, you just want to escape and I accomplished that by catching up with my besties from middle/high school.

I’m pretty confident when I claim that the Sophomore Slump has been a nationwide epidemic because a handful of both friends from home and Harvard have had rough weeks recently. (I partially blame pre-Spring Break Fever) So my best friend from high school, Emily, and I were retrospectively examining our lives (some pretty profound stuff if I dare say so myself) and she mentioned how college is an incredibly humbling experience in the realm of grades which help you realize how smart you are not. I wholeheartedly agreed as I thought about all my premed classes and how students legitimately earn A’s without the curve – snaps AND kudos to everyone because one form of encouragement wouldn’t be enough. This makes it really easy for the majority of students to feel stupid and unworthy, but I’d like to point out that these two things are mutually exclusive. I’m not sure if that makes things better, BUT at least it’s true! I’d like to remedy this situation by telling myself (and you!) that college isn’t all about the grades – it’s about the experiences too. When I look back at college, I won’t remember the 100% I got on my organic chemistry final (not based on a true story), but what will indeed stand out is that time my roommates and I watched scary movie trailers all night for no reason.

My take-home message would be to relax! I feel like 149% of the prospective students I come into contact with (their parents representing the extra 49%) expect that Harvard students are the definition of perfection and that our records/transcripts/etc. should have their own exhibition in the Smithsonian, BUT this is so wrong! Your imperfections shape you just as much as your more admirable qualities and admissions officers realize that you, buddy, are a package deal. Harvard students have their fair share of imperfections and rough weeks – and that’s perfectly fine.

 

Preemptively striking, Housing Day – the epic day that freshmen find out which upperclassmen house they’ll be residing in for their remaining years as an undergraduate – is in just one week! See for yourself why Mather! can’t be said, but only exclaimed!
[kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/klZ9yDPxH_k” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]

*props to Scott for helping me share Mather! Love

Sophomore Hump Slumps

February 22, 2012 by Jeanie Nguyen | Permalink

Last week, I had the worst week ever. Ever. Capital E.

I’m definitely being as dramatic as:

Probably true at every university...

 

And yes, I’ve jumped on the meme-bandwagon. In fact, many of my thoughts occur in a series of flashing Push it somewhere else Patrick and Keanu Reeves Conspiracy memes and I think I’m hilarious.

 

It all started Valentine’s Day when my intake of chocolate wasn’t nearly high enough, ultimately pushing my prolonged cold into a seemingly perpetual flu.(Direct cause and effect here people.) I know I’m premed, but this just means I’m perfectly fine being surrounded by sick people. However, I’m the worst sick person ever. Being physically ill never fails to catalyze a concomitant homesickness which manifested itself when my mom called me and the kindness and concern in her voice mobilized streamlining tears. Poor mother – she just wanted to know if I needed anything from Costco … I wonder if it’s too late to ask for a churro…

I’ll be 21 in 10 months (but who’s counting?!) and all I want (besides a crunchy Costco churro) is to sit around with my sister and tease my parents. I literally hadn’t been this congested, exhausted, and homesick since the December of my freshman year. As I was trying to analytically pinpoint the reasons behind my sophomore slumpin’ week, I thought about some of the summer applications I had recently submitted. These first few weeks of the spring semester are always hectically spent researching and applying for summer plans/jobs/internships, etc. Although it may be difficult at times to navigate resources, having too many resources is one of the best problems to have. Thank goodness for the Office of Career Services for centralizing summer resources! What I would LOVE and be SO LUCKY to do this summer is intern in a Spanish speaking country and pretend that I’m suave for 8 weeks. As I slowly conceptualized the thought of being in a foreign country on my own for two months, I realized this would be time spent not soaking up California sunshine and loving.

I think much of this week’s past emotional turmoil stems from the fact that I’m growing up and as time swiftly passes by, San Diego is becoming more of my past rather than my future. This freaks me out. There isn’t really a euphemism for that. Although I feel really lame for being homesick, I also feel like these feelings are a natural part of attending college so far from home. I want to discourage, however, having distance as a main factor in your college decision process! I wouldn’t trade anything for my East Coast experiences. Yet this concept of growing up genuinely excites me as much as it profoundly frightens me. I don’t know what will happen this summer and I may be internally panicking for absolutely no reason. It’s easy for me to say that I can’t wait for summer but it’s even easier for me to retract that statement after what I realized last Saturday.

As I was finalizing some last details of my Alternative Spring Break Trip to New York City (sponsored by Phillips Brooks House Association, PBHA), I realized that Spring Break is literally right around the corner which means that the spring semester is over! I know this sounds insane (rightfully so!) but once freshmen “block” (gather a group of up to 8 friends who they’ll live in the same upperclassman house with for their remaining time as undergraduates), Housing Day (the epic day freshman blocking groups receive their upperclassman house) happens, Spring Break happens, exams happen, and summer begins!! My astonishment with the realization that spring semester is over became an unhealthy obsession which soon stopped Monday night when my friend had to pull out his laptop during dinner to prove to me that the spring semester is definitely not over nor close to being over.

All in all, I’m really glad to be reporting that my sophomore year progression is slowly regaining its uphill momentum as my immunity system restores itself as well. In an attempt to respectfully avoid any more slumpin’, I strive to REM cycle more and pset (do problem sets/homework) earlier, but more importantly live in the present.

Today was a day of epic proportions – my first of three organic chemistry midterms is over! After going to TF (teaching fellow) and PSL (peer student leader) office hours and reviewing lectures over the long weekend, I actually felt prepared. I also spent the majority of tonight rewarding myself with cookies and the fabulous Mather House also had a movie night showing a classic: Mean Girls with Lindsay Lohan … your face smells like peppermint.

Scrabble Letters

February 15, 2012 by Jeanie Nguyen | Permalink

One of the first things a person learns is the alphabet. One of things people can cherish most is the letters that follow their name –whether those letters are MD, JD or PhD, etc.

In the past, men have had most of the ownership over these letters, but as time goes on, women are claiming their rightful ownership as well. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day (Singles Awareness Day or Stuff-your-face-with-chocolate Day), a New York Times article was circulating the emails of many Harvard women. This article was comforting, especially because I spent a week before my sophomore year discussing the hardships of harmoniously intertwining a successful career, a blissful marriage, and precious children.

Last August, I spent a week participating in the Harvard-Radcliffe Women’s Leadership Conference. During this week, I met 39 beautiful and driven undergraduate women and soaked in the wisdom of successful female panelists who work in various fields ranging from consulting to entertainment communications. One of the recurring questions from my peers during the panels inquired about the possibilities of being successful as well as being a mother. All panelists defended that being a “power mommy” is possible, but none of these defenses stemmed from personal experience which left us aspiring women skeptical.

Our doubts drove extremely profound dinner conversations about love, goals, and dreams. We articulated our observations about how sometimes it seems like boys don’t like to date girls they deem as their equals due to the intimidation factor. We sketched our life plans by trying to coordinate pregnancy with the chilliest time in graduate school. And most importantly, we prioritized ourselves and embraced the words of Sheryl Sandberg.

A large part of conversations here at Harvard include shallow facts such as origin, concentration, and dorm/upperclassmen house affiliation. Yet more often than not, a lot of conversations dig really deep into controversial and worrisome topics – this is one of my favorite things about Harvard. The environment and its supplementary programs are super conducive to open discussion. Therefore, my peers provoke my thoughts just as much as my professors! It’s always really refreshing to be learning from all those around you because an immense amount of learning is completed outside the constraints of a classroom. Perhaps the next epic lesson you’ll learn will come from a game of Scrabble! Get ready to rack those letters up 🙂

Snow White Lies

February 8, 2012 by Jeanie Nguyen | 2 comments

In sophisticated literature, the color white tends to symbolize kindness and purity – that’s why I’m so okay with telling myself white lies. Popular recent white lies to myself include (but are not limited to):

“Oh it’s just Shopping Week. I don’t have any work or books to even think about,”

“This is only the first actual week of school and Rush Week only comes once a year! There aren’t important psets (problem sets),”

and my personal favorite: “I promise this is my last dessert ever.”

                                                                     Going along with Scott’s dessert fantasies,

here are some homemade peanut butter cupcakes

crafty Thetas made in Mather’s (upperclassmen house) kitchen!

It’s pretty unfortunate that I forgot how easily the color white stains. These seemingly harmless white lies have darkened so much that they’ve almost cast a gloomy dark cloud following me everywhere…almost. Things have gotten real this week: my first 5 hour organic chemistry lab, my first frustrating physics pset, my first experiment at HDSL (Harvard Decision Science Lab). I really can’t solicit any sympathy because everyone else is at least just as busy. It’s during times like these (when I find myself doggy paddling just enough to stay afloat) that I think back to what a graduate student at the Harvard School of Public Health said to me: “There’s a difference between balancing and juggling.”

I think the main difference between these two activities is prioritization. When you’re physically balancing objects, you appear to be much calmer and poised. As impressive as juggling is, the image is definitely more hectic and things are much more easily dropped. I personally strive to achieve a balance where I’ll prioritize matters such as my interpersonal relationships with my family and friends, my academics, and my well-being over Facebook, Twitter, and scoring higher on Temple Run than all of my friends. Although the rankings of these priorities are flexible from hour to hour, the activities that have the most meaning in my life will never be dropped. Prioritization is also a great way to determine what is most important to you – in high school, I always did my chemistry homework first and that’s how I knew I liked moles more than beavers (#corny).

In my experiences at Harvard, I’ve heard many people declare that they’re too busy for X, Y & Z. To me, that’s just another way of indirectly saying X, Y & Z aren’t significant enough to prioritize for you. One thing that Harvard students definitely prioritize is breaks! The current hot topic on campus is activities during Spring Break and Summer Break. People are deciding where to go, what to do, and how to fund their interests/travels. There are TONS of options – i.e. study abroad and public interest internships. There’s also an amazing alumni networking tool called Crimson Compass if working in a specific location is of utmost importance to you. Navigating all the opportunities can most definitely be overwhelming so I must give a loud and proud shout out to the Office of Career Services (OCS) who holds frequent informational sessions and office-hour type drop-ins for students seeking guidance.

But for now, I’m prioritizing my organic chemistry pset. Cross your fingers for me and send some positive energy (in the form of protons??) my way! 😀

Finding Theta

February 1, 2012 by Jeanie Nguyen | 1 comment

Sorry I’m not going to provide mathematical evidence supporting String Theory; instead, I’m going to scandalously skim the social scene at Harvard College.

There’s an enormous misconception that Harvard is awkwardly social, if not antisocial. Personally, I strongly disagree, unless my own idiosyncrasies have blurred my perception of what is socially acceptable. I shamelessly admit, however, that before arriving at Harvard, I worried that students wouldn’t be able to distinguish the fun concomitant to studying/learning with the fun concomitant to all things non-academic. I feared that all my conversations would revolve around academia and that my needs for discussing the Kardashians would never be satisfied. But let it be known that my experiences at Harvard have not only exceeded my expectations academically, but also have satiated my celebrity gossiping desires. (Most of the time) we’re just normal people who love to dive into books as much as social events – and this even applies to those who live(d) in Massachusetts Hall where only a handful of hand-picked freshmen live, rumored to be the best of the best and the creamiest of the cream of the crop!

I’ll defend the claim that some of the best things are simply stumbled upon – that’s how I found Theta (Kappa Alpha Theta), the first Greek-letter fraternity for women (and at Harvard!). Some of my pre-college friends were surprised that I was rushing Greek life freshman spring semester, but it made perfect sense to me! During the later years of my high school career, I became actively involved with the scholarship program Distinguished Young Women of America (formerly known as America’s Junior Miss) and I quickly became obsessed with this community of beautiful, driven girls. A paralleling community was definitely lacking my first semester of college, especially after coxswaining for the men’s heavyweight crew team. I was definitely in need of a community where I could more closely relate (and boy bash) with, which drove me into rushing the Greek scene.

 

Finding Theta, Thinking Theta & Loving Theta

 

There are three sororities as Harvard (although Harvard doesn’t technically acknowledge single gender groups): Kappa Alpha Theta (Theta), Delta Gamma (DG), and Kappa Kappa Gamma (Kappa). After a hectic and crazy fun week of rush, I pledged loyalty to Theta and have never looked back!! I’m obsessed with these girls because I can rely on them for everything from wisdom and support to humor and dance choreography! Granted sisterhood is a part of every sorority, I chose Theta because I specifically felt that Thetas weren’t only involved all around campus and the Boston community, but they were leaders in the activities they were involved in – leading Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA) volunteer programs, Women’s Leadership Conferences, and so SO much more!! Joining Theta has made me feel more connected to both a new community of strong, young women and the Harvard community itself because by staying up to date with their lives, I’m more informed of Harvard’s plethora of opportunities. Theta is what catalyzed my interests in my secondary of Global Health and Health Policy as well as pushed me to race in my first (and definitely not last) half marathon!! My sorority sisters definitely have an extremely influential role in my major life decisions and I hope that it stays this way because with their guidance, I’m more comfortable with taking risks and challenging myself. Don’t take this post as an enormous shameless plug for Greek life at Harvard or any other university because it may not be your personal cup of tea – I guess what I’m trying to say is that your interests and activities in high school may translate into unexpected ones in college so don’t be too weary of giving a chance to things you were once opposed to.

Some girls who have Thought Theta

This week is Rush Week for the sororities so it’s my first time on the “other” side of rush. I’m having an absolute BLAST getting to know my sisters better and I’m so excited for our new members to become a part of this family as well!

Black Monday Shopping

January 25, 2012 by Jeanie Nguyen | 5 comments

Sometimes optimization correlates with maximization. This was the principle I used when booking my flight back to Cambridge at the beginning of this Spring semester. After spending the majority of my J-term (January term/Winter Break) in Vietnam, I still wanted to be able to come back to campus and rub it in EVERYONE’S face that my break consisted of soaking up glorious California sunshine. That’s why I arrived the Sunday night before the first day of class. How did I have time to catch up with my ultimate bestie, unpack, and determine the future of my semester all while maintaining a low stress level??

Every semester begins with an angelic (or hectic!) week of Shopping, creatively termed Shopping Week, where students have the ultimate freedom to sit in – or walk out – of classes in order to evaluate courses as they see fit. Professors can’t assign homework and there aren’t any (discussion) sections or five hour labs to consume your evenings. It’s literally the perfect way to ease back into academics due to the lack of pressure to commit. In fact, the majority of kids on campus don’t know what classes they’ll be enrolling in for the semester. I’ve extrapolated this fact from the nifty course shopping tool that connects with students’ Facebook.

It definitely felt like everyone was shopping into the wee hours of the night – organizing, scheduling, and mapping the most efficient routes in order to snatch that golden seat! The hype is well deserved because there’s a plethora of engaging and wonderfully taught classes (don’t get me wrong – you’ll also run into a handful of classes you’ll dread with professors you don’t want at your birthday party) and only a handful of semesters to finesse them into.

I only had some light shopping to do since sophomores are required to declare their concentration (major) during their fall semester as well as organize a list of intended classes that will fulfill your requirements. I also anticipated my laziness and tried to counter it before I left for Vietnam 🙂

These are the classes I’ll be (most likely) taking this semester:

Spanish 50 – Writing and Performance: An advanced language course designed to strengthen and develop competence in written expression. Close reading of texts in literary and non-literary genres will help students refine personal style. The performance of short excerpts of plays, combined with advanced work on oral expression and phonetics, will help students increase their fluency and ease of expression.

Hopefully this will prepare me even more for my summer abroad…knock on wood…keep your fingers crossed!

Ethical Reasoning 24 – Bioethics: Bioethics is the study of ethical issues arising in efforts to maintain and restore health, and, more broadly, with charting humankind’s future in an era of both technological advances and unmet need. We will try to reason our way through moral dilemmas that pit health against freedom, prevention against rescue, and the claims of those with competing needs when life itself hangs in the balance. The course will emphasize ethical issues involving health that arise at the global and population levels, particularly those involving peoples and regions with the greatest burden of disease.

Although Gen-Eds are typically not respected by most students, I’m really glad Harvard’s liberal arts educational system gives me a little push out of my comfort zone and encourages me to take classes that I wouldn’t normally enroll in. Most of the fun facts I drop in conversation stem from these Gen-Ed gems!

Chemistry 27 – Organic Chemistry of Life: Chemical principles that govern the processes driving living systems are illustrated with examples drawn from biochemistry, cell biology, and medicine. The course deals with organic chemical reactivity (reaction mechanisms, structure-reactivity relationships), with matters specifically relevant to the life sciences (chemistry of proteins, nucleic acids, drugs, natural products, cofactors, signal transduction), and with applications of chemical biology to medicine and biotechnology.

Pushing through my second semester of orgo…wish me luck because I’ll need TONS of it!

Physical Science 3 – Electromagnetism, Circuits, Waves, Optics: This course is an introduction to electromagnetism, digital information, waves, optics and sound. Topics covered include: electric and magnetic fields, electrical potential, circuits, simple digital circuits, wave propagation in various media, microscopy, sound and hearing. The course will draw upon a variety of applications to the biological sciences and will use real-world examples to illustrate many of the physical principles described. This course is part of an integrated introduction to the physical sciences intended for students who plan to pursue a concentration in the life sciences and/or satisfy pre-medical requirements in Physics.

I absolutely avoided all physics in high school, but I found myself really enjoying Physical Science 2 so I’m really looking forward to this class! It’s VERY well organized and I’m obsessed with the professor (Logan McCarty). Here’s a student review on the Q guide of Physical Science 2: There’s a lot of infrastructure to help out if you’re having trouble, Logan is great, Melissa is hilarious, and the problem sets and midterms are manageable. The final was tougher than the midterms though so watch out.

« Older entries § Newer entries »