Summer time in Chicago always seems to move quickly (time becomes less noticeable when every second outside doesn’t hurt your face.) This year is no exception. Friends, family, work, and prep for school have been pulling me in all sorts of directions lately, but I have no complaints; my life is about to dramatically change!
They say you don’t value what you have until it’s not there anymore. Time- precious, lovely, lazy, free time is what I am attempting to cherish as the clock rages forward to the beginning of first year. A year ago, binge-watching Netflix would have caused me some severe guilt and a violent need to re-evaluate my life, but for now, I just stretch and happily click forward to the next episode. I will most definitely miss this kind of care-free luxury once school starts, but I would not trade anything in this world for the opportunity that lies ahead.
When I’m not being shamelessly lazy, you can usually find me working. I have been at LensCrafters for the past several years. Through this experience, I’ve gotten to meet a wide range of ICO alumni. I am so happy to say that I have never met a doctor, young or old, who did not like ICO. When asking for advice on how to navigate through my studies, the nature of the responses vary. “Make sure to watch your diet and make time to exercise! It’s easy to eat unhealthy when you’re stressed” is probably the one that stuck with me the most (future friends-PLEASE tell me if I get fat, I really need to know.) Some of my other favorites include, “Get help right away if you get behind,” and “Buy pepper spray.” Throughout all of my conversations with these lovely ODs, the take-home message always stays consistent: the next four years are bound to be some of the most influential and transformative of my life.
A lot of my friends have been asking me how I feel about starting school. They know that eye care is my passion, and that I have been wanting to pursue optometry for a while. It’s hard to put my emotions into words, so forgive me for using this cliche analogy. Sitting on the cusp of an adventure of a lifetime feels a lot like standing in line for a giant roller coaster. I am excited, yet slightly terrified. Still, it is usually when this feeling creeps up that I know that I am moving in the right direction. A little healthy fear can do a lot to propel you forward. I, for one, am ready.
For now, I find myself day dreaming about what life in the RC will be like, and just how awesome it will feel to be able to call myself an official ICO student come August 17th. In the meantime, as I keep checking my watch, I plan on cherishing these moments that I have by hanging out with loved ones, watching House of Cards, reading some books, and enjoying all that the warm summer months have to offer… along with waiting in line for an actual roller coaster or two!
