Hey there

This past summer, while I was riding in the backseat of my dad's truck on the way home from a family reunion at Toledo Bend Reservoir, I had what can only be described as an epiphany.

For three years and more I've been floating, never really sure of what I wanted to do. I was (and am) an English major, but it always felt like a placeholder, just something there to tide me over and make sure that I graduated from college with something on my diploma. But there was something else. I chose English because I wanted to be able to explore all my options--it is one of the smallest college majors offered at Columbia. Perfect!

Well, I went down various paths, but always turned around disappointed. There just wasn't anything that I was ready to throw myself into heart and soul. Heart and soul has always been a prerequisite, you see.

That was until this crazy moment of mine this past summer. Suddenly, everything in my life made perfect sense and I knew exactly what I wanted (what I needed!) to do. Medicine. Surgery. Direct impact, high stakes, doable for people of real ability. Just like that, questions that had lingered with me for years like a stale odor dissipated, paired with perfect answers. Wow - how crazy! How exciting!

And since then, I've known. Now I'm nearly halfway through with cramming all of my med school requirements into one year's time. It's just the tip, but it's already taking some heart and soul. And I am glad as hell to give it over.

-Willio