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These moments were much less momentous than I had envisioned, but the one constant in all of this was that I was surrounded by those who truly mean the most to me. Medical school is nonstop. I think for myself and many of my peers, “the grind” is a lifestyle, and it becomes hard to stop. The pandemic forced so many of us to reevaluate that mindset. We had to stop. For the first time in years, I had time. I did research I was passionate about. I helped create a workgroup to bolster medical student access to professional mental health resources. I had more frequent date nights with my partner and together we got pretty good at cooking. I learned how to play an absurd number of board games and spent more time than ever with my “pod” of medical school friends.
I took care of myself.
Medicine is filled with highs and lows, and this year was no exception. As hope fills the air in the wake of vaccination roll out and waning COVID numbers, I keep reminding myself to pause, to not immediately return to the grind. I am so grateful for all of the memories and friendships Ann Arbor has offered me. In a way, overcoming the challenges of the pandemic alongside my friends has bonded us to one another so uniquely, and the network of people that has been built around me over the past four years is a gift not even a year in quarantine could take away. •
Volume 73 • Number 2 Washtenaw County Medical Society BULLETIN 15