March Update

March Community Service Hours: 4

Spring Semester Community Service Hours: 16

Ohhh my goodness! Another month has gone by already?!? 

Well, my community engagement mission for this month was inspired by the tornados that ripped through Southeastern U.S. on March 24th. One area in particular near Rolling Fork, Mississippi caught my attention while watching the news, as it was reported that one of the tornados that passed through the area had winds up to 170 mph, traveled 60 miles and lasted for over an hour! Photos of the aftermath were heartbreaking, especially when it was reported that at least 26 people had been killed in the storms that rummaged through the Southeast. I decided that this was the time to take action and be of assistance! I began looking for local organizations in the New Orleans area that were accepting donations of items like water and other necessities, but was only able to find organizations accepting MONETARY donations. I wanted to do something more "hands-on" than just donating money, so I searched beyond the area of New Orleans to see where I could bring much needed items, and found that areas in southern Mississippi were accepting donation items. I did additional research to find out what items were of great need, went shopping for as many items as I could afford, and got on the road to Picayune, Mississippi! 

The drive was about an hour from school, which wasn't too bad and it felt really good to participate in this way. The location I originally headed out for was a Goodwill in Picayune that was reported to be accepting donation items to send off to Rolling Fork. However, when we got there around 3pm, they informed us that they stopped taking donations early! I was really disappointed, but the employee there informed us that there was a nearby fire station that was accepting donations. We were so relieved to see that the fire station was still accepting donation items, so that's where we ended up doing our donation drop off. It felt SO GOOD to do my part in helping the storm victims receive help that they really need! I especially wanted to make sure to donate feminine hygiene products such as tampons and menstrual pads, because those are items that seem to often go overlooked/under-donated when situations such as these come about. 

As for school... this past month, we covered the modules based on neurology and psychiatry. I enjoyed both modules because my own previous experiences/exposure (both professional and personal) made the material feel familiar, and thus less intimidating. As always, the material was presented in a mind-captivating and engaging way so that it didn't feel like a struggle to get through the material. This was especially useful when prepping my study tactics and making sure that I really learned the material instead of just memorizing it. Now we are down to our last Med Pharm exam which is the NBME, and I am nervous!!!! I am hoping that all my work in adjusting my study methods pays off so that I can do my best on this exam! I really want to prove myself and close out with a solid foundation of knowledge. I've been able to improve so much from my undergrad years, both academically and personally. I have to keep up the momentum and make sure to finish strong! There's only one month left for this Pharmacology journey, and I am NOT ready for it to end (LOL). I love it here!!!

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