Hanging in there

Hours: 3 hours for 3 letters, 2 hours for City of NOLA= 5 hours total

Getting ready to close the month of October with an update! 

   

   About 3 months into Tulane's Pharmacology Masters and I can honestly say that this program prepares you for graduate school. Exams are biweekly followed by weekly quizzes. The materials we are learning are both challenging and interesting. In the beginning, I struggled a bit with studying and balancing my time with each subject, so I decided to create a study plan that works best for me. After attending lectures, I and a group of friends would go into these group zoom meetings to go over learning objectives or any questions we have on the lectures. Being able to join these virtual group studies and teaching each other helps me understand the material better. Not only are virtual group studies helping my grades, but it also gives me a sense of normalcy when we were actually able to meet up in person without the fear of getting each other sick. Little things like this are what we take for granted. Also, my dog Kylo is still attending lectures and study zooms with me. 

  As for volunteering during the pandemic, I am still writing letters to patients in healthcare facilities and also volunteering to distribute sandbags during hurricane season. There is a drive-thru offered by the City of NOLA that distributes sandbags when hurricanes are projected to hit the gulf. I and a couple of friends volunteer in New Orleans East to pass out sandbags to residents and businesses in the East. There isn't much interaction with people mainly because we're only placing sandbags in the trunk of cars. 

   One new way I also have been helping the community is donating all my glass jars or bottles to a program called Glass Half Full NOLA. This organization collects glass to turn into sand, which can be used to create sandbags for disaster reliefs in New Orleans. With hurricanes still threatening Louisiana, organizations like Glass Half Full NOLA are vital to so many residents and businesses in New Orleans. It feels great to contribute something small for a bigger cause. This organization was introduced to me by one of our classmates in the program and many other students have taken part in donating as well. Hopefully more opportunities to help the community become available.