When I sat down to begin writing this post, I was almost at a loss for words. It seemed impossible for me to even try to explain the life-changing impact this first week at Cambridge has had on me. It sounds like a crazy concept, that one week can truly change a person, but if that's so I must be crazy. When I first arrived in one of the most beautiful cities I've ever seen, I was awestruck. I would love to tell you that this place immediately felt like home, but arriving in a foreign country with no friends and no familiarity felt like the farthest thing from anything I've ever known.
After climbing up the three flights of twisty, creaky, old, wooden stairs to get to my room (trust me, this is the only description that does these stairs justice), I opened my door and my gaze immediately rested upon my little window with a view. When I looked at what was actually before my eyes, it suddenly hit me that I was going to wake up every morning to the view of the Pembroke Library Clock Tower. It felt like I was living in a dream. Despite the beauty around me, it was hard not to question every decision I had made to travel halfway across the world when I had not met a single friend. I was still trying to get my bearings by walking around Cambridge and I am so lucky to have had my family with me. I had been looking forward to the PKP welcome reception all day, but when it finally came around, I was irrationally nervous. Let me paint the picture for you. Imagine 350 students from all over the world, confined to one room, trying to navigate through crowds of people just to hopefully find one person they connect with. I have an incredibly big personality, and this sight scared me of all people. In spite of my fears, I immediately met so many individuals who would soon become family. All of my doubts about joining this program faded away, and I knew I was going to have the summer of a lifetime. Fast forward to just a week later, and I can confidently say that Cambridge has very quickly become like home to me. I have absolutely fallen in love with this city, this university, and this experience. The feeling I get when I walk the streets of Cambridge seems unexplainable. There is an overwhelming, intangible sense of learning and growth that course through the veins of this city. I have wrestled with how to express this feeling in words, and honestly debated whether or not to attempt to write about it. In the simplest way possible, there is a precedent set at the University of Cambridge that curiosity and acquiring knowledge can make tidal waves in the oceans of uncertainty around us. When I think about the fact that I am attending the same university as some of the world's greatest minds, I get the chills. The feeling I get by simply walking down the street here is one that inspires me to wonder. Just by looking at the intricate, gothic architecture of the buildings at Cambridge, I begin to grasp the history and tradition this place emulates. Whether it's watching the sunset at The Mill by the River Cam, or going on a morning jog at King's College, every single view has truly taken my breath away. Many of my nerves about attending PKP came from the fear of not finding true friends. With my talkative personality and willingness to use it, I figured I would at the very least meet a friend or two, but wow I never expected to have found what I did. To my girl gang, here is your much deserved shoutout (and an entire paragraph dedicated to how much I love you guys). If I've learned anything these past 20 years, it's that true friends are hard to come by, and they're rare (as they should be). Within a week, I was lucky enough to find a group of girls that I connected with immediately, and we have been inseparable ever since. What we quickly realized was that we all came here with the same hesitations and fears, but also with the goal of seeking out real relationships. One of the many misconceptions I've battled throughout my life was that people had to know each other for years in order to be "real" friends. I could not have been any more wrong. Taking this leap of faith has already given me a life filled with people who will impact me for years to come. Every person I have developed a relationship with has differed from me in many ways, whether it be where we're from or what our major is, but the most important thing we have in common is our willingness to connect with one another. Being around 350 other academically-centered students has felt like my own little oasis of rare people who actually enjoy studying (like myself). I have found my kind of people, you know the ones who are annoyingly obsessed with Harry Potter, and want to play trivia for fun on a Friday night. In fact, our results come back soon from our Sorting Hat Quiz, so we are all waiting with bated breath to hear which HP House we will be in for the rest of the program. In traditional Cambridge style, of course there will be a program-long competition amongst the four houses, which has been the topic of much discussion and already brewing rivalries. As if the architecture, grandeur, and formal hall dinner at Cambridge didn't make me feel like I was at real-life Hogwarts already, this has definitely upped the ante. As expected, I am one of the few students from Texas (every other girl in my friend group happens to be from California), so I have loved being surrounded by so many differing outlooks and walks of life. We like to joke that we traveled all the way to the UK to meet a group of friends from the US, but honestly, these friendships wouldn't have been as meaningful (and probably would have never happened) without the environment PKP has provided us. As if I haven't stressed it enough, the people that I have surrounded myself with have promoted a change in me that I didn't even know I needed. Right off the bat, I was having incredibly real conversations with people about the inner workings of who we are, and from that I have been challenged to face the things that scare me most. By opening up to those around me, I have had to confront my struggles with the importance I place on how others see me. Constantly wanting to impress others has been one of my toughest battles and one of my steepest hills. However, being surrounded by people who lift me up, not tear me down, has allowed me to begin the process of letting go of these insecurities. Facing your struggles head on is frightening, but ultimately liberating. Without the help of some of the most genuine, loving, and honest people I have ever met, I would still be chained to the things that hold me back. Finding people that have inspired me in every way has made this experience so rewarding. Besides the friendships I have already made, the classes I am taking have been expectedly incredible. Cambridge is known worldwide for its academic prestige, and I am experiencing it firsthand. I am currently taking Reading Jane Austen, Sex and Death, and I will start Literary London: from Shakespeare to Sherlock after next week. As many of you already know, I am a cellular and molecular biology major studying to go to dental school. If you're wondering if I closed my eyes and selected my courses randomly, (it sure does sound like it), I actually deliberately chose not to take courses in hard sciences. Back at OCU, I excel in my science courses and I am very open about my passion for biology (which is a good thing because it is my major), but what I don't share don't too willingly is my love for literature. I would have done well in science courses here if I had taken them, but I wanted to explore a different side of my academic interests. For as long as I can remember, I was reading love stories and writing my own versions of these narratives. I am still an avid reader and I have the utmost appreciation for the humanities. I firmly believe that being an excellent student requires study in all areas of academia, not just major-specific courses. Not only do I want to be a skilled science student, but I also want to be a well-rounded student. Literature has been a hobby of mine and I haven't had the chance to develop this hobby in the classroom. When selecting my classes, I couldn't think of a better place than Cambridge to train myself as a student of literature. This was not an easy decision to make, and this has pushed me out of my comfort zone in every way. However, progress is never made by being static in our own safety nets. Every day during class, I am so enthralled by each lecture and seminar, but it is hard to ignore the feeling of insecurity that comes with my limited background in literature courses. Coming into this experience, I knew I wanted to grow as a student, and I can already feel myself making strides in the way I approach topics and discussions. One of the many reasons I chose Cambridge was to challenge myself, but also to learn from my peers and professors by not being the smartest person in the room. I truly believe in this philosophy and I know that I am bettering myself by being surrounded by others who think differently. Classes at Cambridge have been everything I ever dreamed them to be, and I know that learning at a place like this will develop me into a well-versed student, and more importantly a better person. I've titled this post 'The Cambridge Effect' and I cannot think of a better way to describe the imprint this university has made on my heart. Whether it be the way I see the world around me, the techniques I use for close reading of Jane Austen, or the desire to look deeper into the unknown parts of myself, Cambridge has made a lasting impression on who I am. I take comfort in knowing that I still have plenty of time left to let this place make it's mark on me. Cheers to many more memories to come! XOXO, Loren
1 Comment
GMA
7/19/2019 07:40:27 am
Wow. Beautifully written. What an experience. Love every minute. Love you
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AuthorHello! My name is Loren, and yes that's Loren with an 'o' not 'au'. It's nice to virtually meet you all...welcome to my blog! Archives
August 2019
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