It's all over now
OK, I'm decided. I now know where I am going. This may upset some people (or at least tell me that, so I feel loved) but I am going to UCSF in the fall. I just got back from their revisit weekend, and I loved it. Faculty, students, San Francisco are all wonderful. What really struck me most is how willing everyone is to work with you...which is a huge change from UCLA where I was rejected from every form of research because I was not PhD bound.
Comparing the students I met in SF versus the ones I met in LA, the kids in san francsico tend to be a little older, more experienced, and a lot more interesting. Therein lies the dilemma: how does someone as boring as myself make an in with these people? I haven't made a new friend in a long long time and I'm really afraid of the transition period all by myself. Kids are pretty social but I could already see myself a little cut off because I'm not a flaming extrovert. That really came across on the tour of San Francisco. I haven't really seen all the touristy/landmark parts of SF since I was a kid, so I was a little quiet while I took everything in...I mean especially the gravity of my moving 3000 miles from my family for four years to a place where I know no one. I was asked a couple times "you ok? you alright?" etc. I was thinking "geez can't I have a little quiet time without someone thinking I'm asocial?" I did go to a really fun party on Saturday, and once the alcohol kicked in, I was very social. I also met a really nice guy named Zach. Don't worry, he shares nothing with a certain UCLA idiot.
So, despite these social obstacles ahead...which I think are managable considering I managed to find some good people when I went to UCLA...I think I will have a great future ahead both professionally and personally. Not to mention I will have freedom to live without a car and not feel trapped. Yet, I still can't bring myself to turn in the withdrawl letter from UCLA...I think I will make a few phone calls first.
Comparing the students I met in SF versus the ones I met in LA, the kids in san francsico tend to be a little older, more experienced, and a lot more interesting. Therein lies the dilemma: how does someone as boring as myself make an in with these people? I haven't made a new friend in a long long time and I'm really afraid of the transition period all by myself. Kids are pretty social but I could already see myself a little cut off because I'm not a flaming extrovert. That really came across on the tour of San Francisco. I haven't really seen all the touristy/landmark parts of SF since I was a kid, so I was a little quiet while I took everything in...I mean especially the gravity of my moving 3000 miles from my family for four years to a place where I know no one. I was asked a couple times "you ok? you alright?" etc. I was thinking "geez can't I have a little quiet time without someone thinking I'm asocial?" I did go to a really fun party on Saturday, and once the alcohol kicked in, I was very social. I also met a really nice guy named Zach. Don't worry, he shares nothing with a certain UCLA idiot.
So, despite these social obstacles ahead...which I think are managable considering I managed to find some good people when I went to UCLA...I think I will have a great future ahead both professionally and personally. Not to mention I will have freedom to live without a car and not feel trapped. Yet, I still can't bring myself to turn in the withdrawl letter from UCLA...I think I will make a few phone calls first.