It is hard to believe I have just finished my first year of medical school. It was so grueling but I am sure when I look back, I will not recall the long days and nights at the Dana Biomedical Library, but the wonderful times with friends as we had potlucks, watched movies, roasted marshmellows, played games, hung out in cabins, toppled over during yoga, and bonded over bonfires. I am grateful for this fact. I am so grateful I did not simply lock myself up in an academic bubble to have nothing to look back on but a flawless transcript. There are more important things to me.

Yesterday, after the last final, I played tennis with Reid before packing and cleaning. I had some people over for dinner and it was wonderful. I made a coconut curry corn soup with Chris's tofu, Menaka's nutella that we made into a soupy nutella peanut butter brownie ("UCLA had brownie goop - you guys didn't have this at your dining halls?" - I still think they were just serving you underbaked brownies, love), Christine's salad, Lily's baguette, Jyothi's asparagus, Kai's cous cous dish and Wes's red wine. Then I finished cleaning and packing to prepare my room for my subletter. At 10, Menaka and I went to Ken and David's for their end of the year party. So wonderful to see everyone one last time. I ended my night on top of Gilman at the greenhouse while watching stars and engaged in philosophical conversation. What a lovely way to remember my year in Hanover.

This morning, David picked me up and with Cindy, we went to New York. AH. Leaving was the right decision, I was frustrated at the traffic and crazy pedestrians and detours and lack of public spaces to just sit so I could read. But all in all, the memories and people here will forever have my heart.

I want to finish House of God by the end of the weekend while on the beach the ENTIRE time and then Poisonwood Bible by the end of my lengthy flight to Tanzania. Wow. It is all happening so fast.