City Boys Up
Update: Articles will now be posted on Saturday's instead of Wednesday's, to accommodate my new schedule. Thank you so much for reading.
So what can I say, I have been here for a week now and these last couple of days have been a blast. There has been so much going on, I have met so many new people, and school hasn't even started yet.
So last Friday I flew into Philadelphia, the city where I will be in for the next 4 years. Philadelphia is the largest city in the state of Pennsylvania and the sixth most populous city in the United States. It played a critical role in the American Revolution and served as the nation's capital during the early years of its existence. The city is known for its historic landmarks, such as Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, as well as its famous cheesesteaks and soft pretzels. It is also home to several prominent universities, including the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University. The city has a thriving arts and culture scene, with numerous museums, theaters, and performance venues. Additionally, Philadelphia is a major economic center, with a diverse range of industries including healthcare, education, and finance. Thank you notion AI. Also hella dangerous, North Philadelphia has a crazy high homicide rate, and we already had two different talks about gun violence and safety in the city during orientation. But don't worry where I live is safe (Center City), North Philly and Kensington are the places to worry about. But every big US city is the same, just don't be stupid.
So on Saturday I got the keys to my apartment which is hella nice. I have a 1 bedroom apartment and I am living alone, which I am super excited for. This means I won't have to worry about other people bothering me and can treat the entire space as my own. So far I have a mattress and a dining table and need to order more things as the days comes along. Sunday was the same thing, just moving stuff in and getting the place ready for the months to come.
Monday was the first day of orientation and I finally got to meet the other 139 people in my class. This definitely feels like high school again, accept everyone wants to be a dentist now. Our orientation was mainly just us sitting on the tables listening to presentation after presentation from 9-5 each day. Luckily our orientation was only Monday through Wednesday, and we got Thursday and Friday off before we sell our souls to the profession of Dentistry on Monday.
Basically I have class every single day from essentially from 9-5 and all 140 of us are taking the same classes, which is nice because now I have so many people I can reach out to and ask questions if I need it. Everyone in my class is super nice and super chill and honestly I love our generation, we're so lit. It finally hit me, when I got my dental lab seat and opened a box with over 100 different dental items, that this is real now. The journey that has lasted 23 years so far is entering a new era in which the protagonist will be challenged like never before, but he is still excited. I have spent a lot of time hanging out with different people from my class and I know my relationships will only strengthen as the years go by.
I am just really proud of my growth so far. The Dharm that entered college 5 years ago is not even close to the Dharm that will enter dental school on Monday. This just shows that we can really change if we are intentional about it and that our growth has no limits. I am finally becoming satisfied with the person I am becoming and am finally becoming proud of who I am and what I represent. Everyday life becomes more fun and I become more confident, as I know I will achieve great things.
There are certain goals that I want to achieve during my time here, the number one being becoming a goated dentist, and having the best clinical skills possible. I want to comeback to California and destroy my competition and provide the best service so patients know who to come to if they want superior treatments. Excited for this journey, and grateful to have y'all beside me.
Thank you for reading, let's grow together :)