I haven’t blogged forever.. Actually I think I had an unsaved blog entry back in summer about moving to NYC but I never managed to finish that and now it’s lost. Anyhow, it’s been almost 3 months since I moved. I have really been enjoying my time here in NYC, and am so glad that I made this decision in the end because I would have been miserable anywhere else. However, living on a stipend on the Upper East Side really makes me start thinking about how am I going to manage my money to maintain a healthy financial and lifestyle. Back in college, I used to spend money pretty carelessly. I was fortunate enough to receive a bunch of generous scholarships and my job in the library just gave me all those extra money that I could throw on Starbucks or Anthropologie. I don’t have any significant savings from college as a result, but at the same time I didn’t accumulate any debt and I am thankful for that.

Although the stipend and subsidized housing (still accounts for 50% of my income nevertheless o_O) are pretty generous and are enough to live, I feel responsible to actually start saving up for whatever uncertainties in life that I might face one day. So.. this means no more random shopping with credit card without knowing what exactly is the balance. This also means that I am cooking all my meals except maybe once or twice a week on the weekend to eat out with friends. I am glad that at least the kitchen in my NYC apartment is pretty spacious and functional, and I actually enjoy the time I spend in there. Cooking and planning meals for the week are definitely not as hard as imagined and I have to say it does feel kind of nice to try cooking something new. Being in med school and now learning about all these obesity epidemics and metabolism stuff, I think I got better at planning what to eat everyday (of course eating at home helps a lot too because I have no idea what restaurants throw into my dishes sometimes). However, I have to say I can’t wait to go home for Thanksgiving and get pampered by unlimited free food at home. 

Oh well I get to go back to study =( we have a test every week now which is not cool. SIGH

I think it’s kind of ridiculous to make a blog entry about a new toothbrush, but seriously my new Phillips sonicare toothbrush is THAT GOOD! Omg.. I used to think that the OralB one I had was keeping my teeth quite clean and white, but the sonicare toothbrush is the real bomb. My teeth feel like they just got cleaned in the dentist’s office. =D.. plus it comes with a UV lamp sanitizer that cleans the head after each wash. 

Aw after this year long application cycle, finally I know where my fate lays for the next 8 years of my life =) It was the same time of the year when I took my MCAT (on May 22nd which is 1 week after finals and the worst MCAT time ever!) and it is unbelievable that I have survived all these craziness! It has got to be the worst worst application that has ever exited in this world! I remember my thought when I was looking through the flow chart of how this application cycle works: was I running for the United States president or something? Why is it so complicated? 

Oh well I am glad things worked out and I am really excited for this next stage of my life! Thinking back, I have always been really fascinated with New York City. I remember that one week I spent in NYC with my family and how we all gasped whenever we saw a scene of the city in movies after we came back to Taiwan. And of course there are Edward Hopper’s paintings and all these books that surround places in NYC. It is going to be a really exciting 8 years and I couldn’t have ended up with any better choice than this. 

On July 4th, it will be the end of the 7th year that I have spent in the United States. It is funny to see how I have moved from my aunt’s house in North Hollywood on 7/4/2004 when we just got off the plane from LAX to the upcoming 7/4/2011, where I will spend in an apartment on 69th and York on the Upper East Side in NYC. The process has not necessary be the easiest, but I am really happy and satisfied with where I am heading toward. I hope this experience will again lead me to something even better and exciting =)..

My iGoogle is telling me that I have 23 days until graduation. Oh how scary, because this whole college thing has been like a dream. I have to admit when I first arrived in Berkeley, I really didn’t like this place. I just hated the Unit, the noise, and the uninspiring people I met in Freshmen year. On top of all that, the root of all the frustrations probably came from my uncertainty of what I wanted to do and where was I going after this stop in Berkeley. 4 years later, I can’t describe how sad I am to leave this place, for the wonderful and interesting people and vibrant communities. Perhaps the root of this satisfaction and nolstalgia came from again, my new perspectives on where I want to go and the aspiration a college experience has given me.

It sucks to be so busy running around for the smallest things like organic chemistry lab final and psychology homework assignment for my last few days in Berkeley, but I will try to make the most out of it. It really is the smallest things.. like getting a coffee from the familiar cafe and walk through those small and quiet paths on campus. However, although I will miss Berkeley and cherish the memories of college, I am excited about the upcoming summer and the start of MD/PhD program. =) Can’t think of a better way to spend my 20s!!! 

I just pulled out the revisit schedule for Columbia….isn’t it a little extravagant @_@.. kudos to the secretary though this is amazing

EVENING EVENTS: FRIDAY, APRIL 1 5

Dinner at 7pm 

Turkuaz 

2637 Broadway

New York, NY 10025

Live Jazz from 10pm – 3am 

Fat Cat Mariel Kozberg

75 Christopher Street (at 7th Ave)

New York, NY 10018

SATURDAY, APRIL 1 6

Milburn Hotel at 10:15am

Brunch at 11am Campo 

2888 Broadway 

New York, NY 10025

Matinee Show

“Wonderland” (BROADWAY)

Marquis Theatre Joe Stujenske

Coffee & Ice Cream Break End of Matinee - 6:30pm 

Dinner from 7-10pm

LATE NI GHT EVENTS: SATURDAY, APRIL 1 6

Bowling from 11pm-1am  

625 8th Ave, 2nd Floor, Port Authority Ryan Rampersaud 

New York, NY 10018