Universities: Not giving a shit about your flash cards since 1636

So. I saw a pre-health advisor and said "What do I need to do to get into an epidemiology program?" and she was like "Uh go back in time and do a pre-med track?" so I guess that's out.

I've spent the last week gradually coming to terms with the idea that, no, I am not going to be a scientist. I will probably never be a scientist. And while that SUCKS, I guess it makes sense. My advisor pointed out that when I talk about public health I talk about it like a social science, not a lab. Despite my interest in the biological sciences, my performance in the social sciences has always been substantially better. She thinks I might find it difficult to deal with public health in terms of empricism rather than personal interaction, which is partly true. So she showed me what I would have to do to get into a program for global epidemiology and a program for global health and said I should do whichever I felt was better suited, but an epi program means 1) another year of school and 2) that much more loans, which may max me out before I've finished grad school.

She also made it clear that it's very common for people to do a non-science MPH track and then later on their careers get additional education in the sciences. So basically, I can also go back and do it, but I can't undo the time/money spent on doing it now. So I went from global health to global epi and back to global health again, which I guess is okay.

The problem I'm really having is that I had been thinking my whole life that I wanted to be a SCIENTIST. I want to do science! When I was little I was always saying I wanted to do genetic research, or be a doctor, or a biologist, etc. So I am a little disappointed that I finally have to admit that I suck at it.

Who put the goat in there?

Okay I mentioned India to Layne and he reminded me of this video, which I felt I had to share. I have no idea what's actually going on but the dancing is hysterical. At the same time I feel like I can't laugh because it also looks pretty difficult. Anyway, it has subtitles that say what it sounds like they would be singing if they were singing in English. Hilarity ensues.



I actually really want to know what this is from and what they're saying, it looks fascinating. And a little bizarre.

Fashion victim

Reason #3 why I would love to get to intern with the Comprehensive Rural Health Project in Jamkhed, India, is that they recommend women to have local garments made for them in town. That means I will actually be encouraged to wear salwar kameez which is something I have always wanted to do. When I was little I remember often seeing women at the grocery store wearing them in rich colors with embroidery and I always thought they looked so cool! I can't really get away with wearing that anywhere else, though, because 1) I will stand out like a sore thumb and 2) other white people will tell me I'm racist because I am appropriating a culture that is not mine for its aesthetic value. So yeah. But see, if I actually go to India, it would be totally fine! Sweeet.

So, reasons why I want to intern with CHRP:
1) Do hands-on work making a very real, tangible difference on the population I would be working in.
2) Learn about public health from creators of a program that have effectively eliminated malnutrition and other common but preventable causes of death and illness from its area.
3) Get to wear awesome clothes that were actually tailored for me.

Okay now to be fair, I didn't know about the clothing thing until well after I'd decided I wanted to try to work with CHRP. But imagine the pleasant surprise! I'm just looking at their site, doo dee hoo, let's see what kinds of things they advise about this sweet internship. What's that? We can/should have awesome clothes made for us? Oh hells yes. I don't even care that it's in the interest of modesty, that's how much I like this idea. So not only could I potentially get to work with and learn from an immensely successful public health program in rural India, I could wear sweet digs while I do it. What a score.