Tulane University Admission Blog - AJ

My Moment of Truth

2008-10-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I was working at Tulane's School of Medicine, where I'm in my second year of research in the Urology Department.

For those of you interested, my project involves discovering mechanisms behind the spread of prostate cancer to the bones, at which point it is pretty much incurable. My work involves examining molecular mechanisms at play and the cross talk between various parts of the cell signaling pathways.

But anyways, I was waiting for Tulane's Uptown-Downtown Shuttle which they conveniently provide for student who take classes or work somewhere downtown- either at the med school or at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. It was around noon and I had just finished my experiments for the day and was headed back to Tulane's Uptown Campus just in time for my Morbidity and Mortality service learning seminar at 1 pm.

As I stood there waiting in my Tulane hoodie and sweatpants, I noticed that there was free food being set up in the lobby. And suddenly as if they had all smelled it all at once, medical students dressed either exactly the same as me or in scrubs POURED out of the lecture halls and ran towards the food. I moved quickly to get out of the rush and noticed quite a few people that I had gone to college with the previous year.

And then it just suddenly hit me . . . this is going to be ME next year. I have been applying for medical schools all over Texas and the US and somehow that revelation eluded me until I saw students at Tulane that I knew last year and students I didn't know dressed just like me. In just 9 short months I would be one of them, still wearing my Tulane hoodie, still standing in the atrium around noon. If not at Tulane, at some other school this scene was bound to repeat itself. Except this time I'd be just like them, rushing out of the lecture hall to grab some food before having to go back in instead of leisurely waiting for the shuttle to get to my service learning. Suddenly I was totally unsure if I was ready to be a medical student just like all the others.

But then something I had heard the previous week at that very class, my Morbidity and Mortality, stuck out to me. These guys, though seemingly all the same, rushing to get the food before all heading to the same class, were still Tulane students and about as diverse as it gets. One of the admissions directors at Tulane School of Medicine had told our M&M class that "We accept you for who you are and we want you to stay that person." No other sentiment bridges my experiences as an undergraduate and what I'm looking for in a medical school better.

Tulane is one of those unique schools that has a lot of graduate and doctorate programs associated with its undergraduate curriculum. Because of going to Tulane, I, unlike most of my college friends at state schools, get a glimpse into my future that not many students get. And while it is a scary thought, I can't thank Tulane and my undergraduate education enough for preparing me for what lies ahead. I know that while I'm going to take the same classes and study the same notes, I'll always find ways to do what interests with me, whether it's more research, working at a free clinic, learning about international opportunites, or exploring new interests.

So for you incoming freshmen, I'll tell you the same thing that I heard in my service learning class. Tulane accepts you for who you are and wants to you to be that person. You're going to get a myriad of opportunities as an undergraduate here to build who you are and more importantly who you want to be. And some day, you're going to find yourself waiting for a bus and have a moment of insight unlike so many of your peers who will only see what lies ahead after starting med school, law school, or grad school. As a prepared Tulanian, you're going to see your future staring you in the face and I promise, you won't back down.

Only at Tulane . . .

My moment made me engage in self-reflection, a theme loosely expressed in some of my favorite songs right now so I thought I'd add some Youtube videos instead of pictures this time around:

Let it Rock by Kevin Rudolf: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh3gGQfyVyw

New Soul by Yael Naim:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xey7ffMSqNs&feature=related

La Lettre by Renan Luce: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWooP8cFSA4

Barso Re from the Hindi movie Guru: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CAP5NipyH8

Gustav, Katrina, and all the other letters of the alphabet

2008-09-05T20:44:00.000-07:00

Hi Tulane community!

I write this blog to you from my hometown of Friendswood, Texas, where I evacuated for Hurricane Gustav literally three years and three days after evacuating for Hurricane Katrina. This time around, the seniors, first year graduate students, and others who had been down the Katrina road did things a LOT differently. But thankfully, this time around was NOT like Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans proved itself once again and survived through Gustav's mighty wrath. The biggest question on everyone's mind was if the levees would hold and to some peoples' surprise . . . they did. It takes a lot more to take down the Big Easy than Gustav's winds and rain, apparently.

It seems right now like New Orleans is a hotspot for hurricane activity. With Hurricane Gustav gone and Ike and Josephine churning away in the Atlantic, all eyes have turned to New Orleans and the still battered Gulf Coast to see what will happen. But I have news for all of you who have heard that hurricanes hit New Orleans . . . historically, it happens less than once every ten years and after Gustav, it looks like New Orleans can take a lot more than most people expect.

Here I am reading for my class African Literature

After Gustav hit, the rest of the week was returning power and MUCH needed A/C to our campus and getting operations running as usual. We are all returning this weekend and our classes are resuming on Monday. Most of our professors have emailed us to tell us what to do about a couple of days' missed material. To say that Tulane is prepared is an understatement.

That being said, I enjoyed my little vacation. I had returned from India to Russia to San Antonio to Houston to New Orleans all within about a week between August 6th and August 14th- 10,000 miles in less than 10 days! RA training this year was a lot tougher than last year with new bosses and new policies to maintain and enforce so I didn't get the break I was expecting. This week off was partially spent just catching up in sleep and finally sleeping a whole night through.

Other than that, my very good friend and co-RA Caroline came with me to Houston. She's from Connecticut and decided to come hang out in Houston for a week, starting with her 21st birthday on Sunday. Below are the pictures from our week, which was relaxing after we discovered the little damage Gustav had done.

Crawfest 2008

2008-04-24T08:52:00.001-07:00

Jonah Goldberg once said, "Cultures grow on the vine of tradition." His statements apply to the cultures of many different groups of people all over the world. Even college campuses have their own heritage, defined by their traditions. My twin sister goes to A&M and this is a campus that thrives on their school spirit laden with customs such as ring-dunking, making the gig-em sign, and hating Longhorns!

Here at Tulane, we also have great traditions and I am proud of the fact that I have seen many new traditions define this campus's culture post-Katrina. For example, one relatively new and now HUGE part of Tulane's spring semester is the planning and execution of Crawfest.

Crawfest is a day-long music festival that occurs on the University Center Quad. The various student governments, the residence hall associations, and alumni all contribute thousands of dollars to make this event happen. There are bands from all over New Orleans and students are given a chance to enjoy local music literally a minute's walk from their dorm rooms.

This year's Crawfest featured bands like Trumpet Shortie and Papa Grows Funk. The music ranged from jazz to funk but all of it had the same southern New Orleans feel. People from all over the city come to see all these artists play on two stages spanning the UC Quad at Tulane.

And of course, there's also the crawfish. I recently read that 98% of crawfish harvested nationwide comes from New Orleans. It's a sweet treat here and spring is just the time to enjoy it. It also does get expensive though due to its demand everywhere else and students at Crawfest get to enjoy 2 lbs of crawfish and free drinks all day long.

It all started with just one idea last year from one student . . . and now it is an $84,000 enterprise that draws visitors from all over the city. The message from this? Come to Tulane to start traditions of your own . . it's just that easy in the Big Easy!

This is Daniel Haber . . . the idea was his and he is now a key player in the tradition of Crawfest

Tibet Week 2008

2008-04-24T08:40:00.000-07:00

Last week I was going about my usual routine. I had just gotten out of Cell Biology 301 and I was walking to the University Center to grab a quick bite.

I got in line at Quizno's subs and waited for my turn to get my favorite sandwich (the chicken carbonara). And then I realized who was in line with me . . . two genuine Tibetan monks. When it became obvious I was staring, they just smiled pleasantly. I guess they were used to that by now.

These guys came from Tibet and they were living in the US to rally efforts to free their country. Tulane's newest organization, stemmed from the students of the School of Social Work, is in support of their cause and hence, Tibet Week was born.

There were monks there selling beautiful jewellry and religious instruments. They had incense holders, bells, and many other items you would see in a typical Buddhist temple. They even took Mastercard and Visa-- clearly these guys had learned to live as Americans!

Check out the pretty ring that Becky is wearing-- she visited the jewellry table with me.There was another table as well and there were some monks working on a very intricate sand mandala. For those of you that don't know what a mandala is, it's a detailed picture that is made of sand- Lisa Frank Sand Art on a grand scale, essentially. The sand is poured painstakingly into a design that has been etched into a stone tabletop. The instruments they use are long tubes with holes for suction to keep the sand in. They then use little sticks to uncover the tiny holes and ridges and let out exactly the right amount of sand. They were set up right in the middle of the smaller food court at the UC but their gorgeous mandala stopped many students in the hustle and bustle of their daily lives and they were drawn in by the delicate work. For many of us, this was one form of art we hadn't experienced before.

So here's another thing about Tulane. You never know when you'll be going about your regular day when suddenly a monk from Tibet will appear in line next to you!

Only at Tulane . . . .

Shadows of Diversity

2008-04-10T14:04:00.000-07:00

I have to take a moment to write about Shadows of Diversity.

Shadows of Diversity is my sorority's annual event. Our sorority, Delta Xi Nu Multicultural Sorority, Inc., has a tradition of doing all kinds of interested and unique events in its chapters and colonies across the country. Our event is Shadows, which is a cultural show and dinner. We use it to promote various customs and arts of different cultures.

This particular year, we had martial arts, juggling, two Indian dances, a dance by the Newcomb Dance Company to "Wild Horses," and our own step show. Now for those of you who might not realize what "step" is, I encourage you to check out this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWDEuNSYwIA

This isn't our chapter, but it is Delta Xi Nu and we actually do use a few of these steps. Our sorority girls are known for our step skills, which for me and many other girls on the team here, is a totally new way of expressing ourselves through our dancing.

This year Shadows was last week and we had food donated from almost every major multicultural restaurant in town. We had Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, and Middle Eastern food, all donated to us. Our sisters also made some very unique desserts, including German Chocolate Cake and Mojito Cake.

It was a very successful night and honestly something very particular to Tulane. Only our chapter of the sorority puts on a show quite like this and we are the only group on campus that puts together a multicultural show at all. It takes almost a year of planning to happen but when it does, its worth it to see our audience's reaction to the acts and their enthusiasm about the various kinds of foods we have and what cultures they represent. Shadows expands horizons about heritages that we as students might not otherwise get to experience.

One more reason to come to Tulane. If multiculturalism is a big part of your life (regardless of your own ethnicity), then come check out Delta Xi Nu's Beta Chapter and our annual Shadows of Diversity. You won't regret it!

Wall Dedication

2008-04-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

About two weeks ago I attended the dedication of Wall Residential College. It was a basic ribbon-cutting ceremony which explored the life of the woman whose generous endowment gave Tulane its newest (and some say nicest) residence hall. The only problem was . . . . I lived in Wall my freshman year which was two years ago so wasn't it a little late for a dedication ceremony?

But according Eric Couper, who was at that time my vice-president but today is the president and one of the most influential individuals in terms of Wall's progression from a residence hall into a the community it is today, "Better late than never." We all took a few moments aside from our busy schedules to commemorate the life of the woman who gave us this beautiful structure.

As Eric, Professor Dunn, and even Cynthia Cherrey, the Vice President of Student Affairs, give prolific speeches, many who were instrumental in the past of Wall as well as its future came out to see them. Housing and Residence Life staff as well as students came to celebrate Wall two years after its way of life began. But as Eric pointed out in his speech, this was as good a time as any to have this ceremony because Wall's future has barely begun. The students of this residence hall have really changed it from just the new hall everyone wanted to live in my freshman year to a place with traditions and customs of its own.

Personally, I was thrilled when I was recognized as Wall's first president by its current residents. It was great to see that I still had a place amongst Wall's leaders, even if I was the first and certainly the one who knew least what to expect.

The whole experience really taught me something about Tulane. The students here really know how to appreciate those who gave them the gifts they have now, whether it be endowments for residence halls, scholarships, or new equipment for the classrooms. And then when their turn comes, they give back to this amazing community.

So another reason to come to Tulane . . . . keep the cycle going. Be a part of a tradition you won't understand until it's a part of you.

Hail Motherland

2008-03-27T13:50:00.001-07:00

It's Thursday and I've officially been at Tulane for three days since Spring Break. I wasn't quite ready for the break to be over, like many other students, but I am glad to be back. It's nice to get back into the swing of things with my residents, my extracurriculars, and my friends.

That being said, I do miss the motherland. It was a lot of fun hanging out in Russia last week, and I'm so thankful that I get the opportunity to travel as I do. But honestly, I don't think I'm the only Tulane student with these kinds of opportunities.

For example, this semester the med school and some undergraduates are going to Kenya to volunteer. A friend of mine is going to Mexico through a grant from Tulane to volunteer in rural villages. The School of Social Work offered a summer course actually in Tibet. These kinds of chances are not ones every university student gets. And if you're like me and love traveling, you really appreciate a school that makes such an effort to expand the horizons of its students.

Travel is an adventure. And if you take the time to travel to Tulane, your adventure will only just be starting.

Saturday Night Out On the Town

2008-03-18T03:09:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

I know, ANOTHER new post in one day??? I happen to currently be in Moscow, Russia on Spring Break and I have finally gotten pictures from my camera and the cameras of others who attending all the events about which I'm writing. No one had time to do this until Spring Break-- its been a very busy semester!

But anyways, since I've now written about hanging out at Tulane and about doing community service, I thought I'd enlighten my readers about something else they all secretly want to know about-- the night life.

It's not the most respectable thing to ask about but for those of you who are wondering, New Orleans has the best nightlife. Women can get into most dance clubs at age 18 or 19, men at 21. This means that New Orleans is perfect for going out with the girls and you don't even have to go to Bourbon Street to do it. In fact, my girlfriends and I spent the night in the Warehouse District last Saturday.

We went to a club called the Republic, where we had gone to celebrate my 21st birthday a few weeks before. Well now it was my sister Mary's birthday and we were going to have a good time. The best thing about the Republic is that there is always good music with the two DJs that play all the time (DJs Damion Nancy and Chemistry), which means there is always dancing. Unlike my experiences with nightlife in Austin, you don't have to worry about if there are enough people to get a crowd out on the dance floor or not. People don't hug the bar side of the club and refuse to venture farther. The Republic, as well as other places in the Warehouse District, such as Tucker's, is known for its dance floor.

Here is our birthday girl- just turned 20!

The Warehouse District is a popular place to go out for celebratory grooving and I've seen brides party on a night with the girls, fraternity-hosted parties, and of course, birthday celebrations. It is relatively unknown to tourists, so you won't find too many in this area. But you will find some awesome places to bust a move and then some excellent lounges and bars in which you can relax afterwards. You can be assured of the fact that no high school students will be out there with you and you won't have to worry about tripping over inebriated Spring Breakers. These places have strict age limits and even stricter carding policies.

Here are Asha and our new friend Rob lounging in the VIP area with red couches and tables

So anyways, for all my readers, here are some of my pictures from Saturday night at the clubs. It was the day when all the clocks go "spring-forward" so we ended up being there later than we imagined and got breakfast at St. Charles Tavern afterwards--delicious pancakes, omelets, and eggs. It was an awesome night out and a testiment to the fact that sometimes you can have fun in places you might not always expect when you're here in New Orleans.

Me and the girls, from L to R we have Sophie, Mary, Asha, and me!

Senior Prom

2008-03-18T02:47:00.000-07:00

William Shakespeare once said, "An old man is twice a child." Though our modern interpretation of that might be the care the elderly need, not unlike a child, I'm sure he meant something different with his words.

Last weekend we had our first Senior Prom, created and promoted by the Residence Hall Government of Willow, Aron, and Modular upperclassmen residences. We went to Lambeth House and literally partied with the elderly. Lambeth House is a community for retired people which has three levels of living: independent, assisted, and nursing home. Residents from all three of those levels were at our Prom.

Here are Ahmed and Chris, the Residence Hall Government Advisor and President, respectively, giving each other a high-five for the success of the program.

Some of my residents were very involved in the planning of this event. They went early to set up, decorate, buy one-time use cameras to take silly snapshots, and put all the food in place. The rest of us headed over in five cars around 7:00 pm. Though we were mostly ladies, and so were the Lambeth House attendees of the event, we still socialized and talked while others were dancing.

Here I am with some of my favorite residents, from L to R we have Casey, Anat, me, and Travis

Of course, that meant that our five guys had to ask some of those older ladies to dance. I personally was very amused when some of these ladies turned some of guys down! Some of them had someone in particular in mind and refused to dance with anyone else!

Here is Travis dancing the night away (or really until 8:45, when the event ended)-- he was the first person to bow his head, extend his hand, and ask this lady to dance!

Overall, the event really gave meaning to Shakespeare's likening the elderly with children. Though they might need more care, they also are much more fun to be around. We all had such a good time socializing, dancing, drinking, and more. America's older generations certainly have amazing stories to tell and we Tulane students were mesmerized by them. I believe after the success of this event, we will be going to Lambeth House soon to hang out with our new buddies!

Here is Ahmed dancing with his new gal pal-- he was a little shy at first but he warmed up fast!

Here is Elizabeth dancing with one of the two old men that were there--she snagged him before the rest of us even had a chance. He was a singer and sang three songs for us during our Senior Prom.

Visiting Tulane

2008-03-18T02:31:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

So last week we had that big event we were anticipating--our first Honors Weekend. We catered Nacho Mama's food, we handed out t shirts, and we had big inflatable things on which people played. Overall it was a huge sucess.

One thing I was impressed with was how informed the students seemed about Tulane. Though many of them hadn't heard from other schools, they certainly had their facts right about Tulane. Anything they didn't know they weren't at all shy to ask. Though they did tell us they were waiting to hear from those other schools, they also mentioned how excited they were that Tulane had already accepted them.

So this goes out to all of the freshmen out there right now still trying to make up your minds. We have many other days during which you can come visit Tulane. Like your fellow future classmates, you should come get a sense of it yourself. I think most of the students at Honors Weekend were happy with what they saw. It was a gorgeous New Orleans spring day and absolutely perfect for touring the campus and getting the essence of Tulane.

As a freshman, the fact that I was already accepted by Tulane in October, a scholarschip recipient by December, and visiting by March really weighed heavily in my decision to come here. Tulane made it seem like they really wanted me, pursued me (even in high school when I received pamphlets and admissions brochures), and would go to the end of the world to get me as a student. The individual attention during my admissions process struck a chord in my heart when I realized how much the faculty, staff, administration, and students cared about getting another good student for their university. I assure you, no other university will treat you the same.

So come out and check it out-- here are some pics so you can see the fun we had!

Visit Tulane!

2008-02-26T13:19:00.000-08:00

Hey guys,

I'm writing to those of you freshmen who religiously follow my blog (yeah, right ;p) and are excited about coming to Tulane to visit in the coming months. This year, I will be directly involved that process.

As the President of the Science and Engineering Honor Society, I have a lot of responsibility over something entitled Honors Weekend. We help the Admissions Office sort out our incoming geniuses and throw a big party for you guys with nachos, snow cones, and inflatable fun. This year, we are giving out t shirts and possibly pins as well.

The Science and Engineering Honor Society has one major task in the coming years-- to help give the School of Science and Engineering a new identity. So basically everything we do, we're trying to do it BIG. For example, our t shirts (design shown above) are brightly colored and easily identified, we're planning on hosting a speaker next fall, and we work closely with the Dean's Office to make sure current and incoming students know what we (as representatives of the School of Science and Engineering administration) can do.

Whether or not you're an honors student, the coming months have tons of fun in store here at Tulane. The Admissions Office and plenty of other campus bodies, including student organizations, work really hard to make sure you guys have a good time. And for those of you that are emailing me with questions, keep those emails coming to me and the other bloggers. We truly are happy to welcome you guys.

So the purpose of this post is really to encourage my incoming freshmen readers to take advantage of any opportunities you have to visit Tulane. As a senior at Friendswood High School, I certainly remember the awe Tulane's ivy-covered Gibson Hall inspired when I first set foot on this campus. I was overwhelmed with the lush greenery, the friendly students, and how excited everyone seemed, even President Cowen, who was the only actual university president I met when visiting colleges. Four years later, I still remember that feeling.

In New Orleans, we have a saying, "Let the good times roll." If you visit Tulane this spring, you will certainly see how much we believe that!

Welcome, guys! We're excited to meet you!

-AJ

ajambhek@tulane.edu

Parade Fun

2008-02-10T14:43:00.000-08:00

So here are some pictures of my Mardi Gras-- these are of Endymion and Bacchus. The girl with me in most of them is Asha, my Office of Multicultural Affairs. The other girl is Rachel, a sister in my sorority and the current Membership Chair. Below are some pictures of our experiences-- how we wormed our way up to the front of the police barricades, how we fought people on the ladders for beads, and how we were triumphant in the end!

Here I am chastising Asha for picking up beads from the ground though I will admit she got some awesome ones in this effort!
Below are some pictures of us in between floats during Bacchus (L) and Endymion (R)

Mardi Gras

2008-02-10T14:15:00.000-08:00

So it is now the weekend after Mardi Gras and I am spending some time recovering from all the fun and digesting the fact that I'm about to turn 21, I can't party like I used to, and that I am about to legally be an adult in every way.

Last year during Mardi Gras I went down to Bourbon Street almost every night (except for the one night I was on Frenchman) and had a ridiculously good time. I partied hard, especially on my twentieth birthday, which fell on Mardi Gras day itself. It was a very exciting time of the year and it was the first and only Mardi Gras where I partied like that. It probably will be the only Mardi Gras I'll celebrate like that.

This year, I took it easy. I showed off the parades to my Office of Multicultural Affairs little sister Asha and shared all my beads with her. I picked up the cool beads and we actually cut two strands of them and made really neat bracelets out of them. My Mardi Gras this year was a lot more low key and a LOT more relaxing. I realized for the first time since coming to college that I am getting too old to want to spend every night fighting crowds in the French Quarter for a good time.

It makes me sad to think that I only have one Mardi Gras left. It's ten days shy of my 21st birthday and I also realize that though next year's birthday falls the Friday before Mardi Gras, its still not going to be as monumental as this birthday.

But even though I'm getting older, New Orleans has plenty to offer. I think this is a great place to continue having fun while I'm in college. When I saw all ages of people at the parades it made me feel like while I'm here, I still fit in just fine.

Sophia Lauren once said, "There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age."

This Mardi Gras, I have learned that the parade goers and the people who still have fun no matter what their age are the ones who have learned this secret.

T2 and Tulane

2008-01-29T20:46:00.000-08:00

So one thing that's certainly exciting about this time of year is the programs that are developing on campus. As an RA, I particularly pay attention to the ones near me, in the residence hall in which I live and nearby. One such program is called T2.

This program began this year as an effort to involve sophomore students with more leadership opportunities, such as the chance to find an internship, work for someone whose career interests them, or even simply find a job that both respects their education and pays well. The Career Services offices have been moved inside Mayer Residence Hall just so the sophomores have immediate access to career coaches, help with their resume, and constant advice on public service and internships and how to best access them.

The illustrious Mayer Residence Hall with its Career Services addition is pictured above!

At first, I'll admit I thought the program was not going to be successful. I thought that while the idea of specifically interactive freshmen halls was a good idea, the enthusiasm might wear off when the students became sophomores. And at first, the resident advisors, many of whom are good friends of mine, did not know what to expect.

But after a few months, this semester, things are really beginning to pick up. I'm the RA in a residence hall called Leadership Village, where juniors and seniors who are student leaders are encouraged to live in our loft-style rooms furnished with spiral staircases and balconies. One of our biggest groups of potential residents for next year is a result of the T2 program-- it is what they call the Leadership Class at T2. I was thoroughly impressed to see that not only had sophomores taken advantage of the opportunities presented by Career Services, but that they had embraced them and taken chances to excel.

According to Robert Hutchins, education is not to reform students or amuse them or to make them expert technicians. It is to unsettle their minds, widen their horizons, inflame their intellects, teach them to think straight, if possible.

It occured to me that at Tulane, these sophomores have gotten to put themselves out there-- in the risky job market, in the competitive world of exclusive internships, and in a group of students all trying to be leaders. This program has managed to take them out of their comfort zones and teach them to fly as high as they can without falling down.

I've never heard of another program like T2 . . . and though I was skeptical at first, I must say I'm now a believer. I think that our students have the capability to accept any challenge and succeed and I'm certainly hoping that these are the kinds of residents I'll have in Leadership Village next year!

Back To School Blunders

2008-01-17T11:49:00.000-08:00

So today it's January 17th which means I've been at Tulane exactly four days since Winter Break ended. But my life has already gotten busier than ever.

This week I find myself without a computer. Though my computer has been acting up since the summer, I decided I just couldn't live without it and refused to take it to Tech Services here at Tulane, where I have an impressive four year warranty. Finally, two days ago, during a momentary burst of inspiration, I hauled it to my farthest class and back just to make sure it got to the IT people here at Tulane . . . only to realize today that it contains my grant applications, my roster of residents, my resume, and many other documents I need to turn in, use to get recommendations, and require to start the medical school admissions process. Because of my lack of foresight, now I don't have all the forms for my advisors or my resume to submit. And while trying to solve this set of problems (rewriting my resume and getting more forms), I hardly had any time for the bulletin board, which is the only arts and crafts I really have to do as a junior and unfortunately the activity I look forward to LEAST at the end of my To-Do list.

Luckily for me, I'm not the only student trying to get it right in the busiest semester of her college career. I know that all my advisors have seen many other students who find themselves running around though the semester has just begun, that Tech Services makes allowances for students who don't plan ahead, and that my residents are too busy to notice their bulletin board isn't up just yet.

This is really the time of year to hit the ground running. The second semester junior year is so important for so many decisions, like where you're going to grad school, if you're adding a minor, where you're going to get this thing called "Experience" that almost every graduate program requires, and more. Tulane happens to have amazing advisors-- you get one for every major and I happen to have three, pre-professional and academic advisors who meet with you one-on-one whenever you need it and send you the forms you need even if you lose the first set, and an entire office dedicated to resumes, internships, and getting students the experiences they need for their future careers.

So for those of you still thinking about your college options, do what I didn't do with my laptop issue-- plan for the future. Your life is going to get very busy at the time when you realize that college is only four years long and you have a whole lifetime ahead of that. When you get there, you will want a supportive faculty and staff who are there to guide you every step of the way-- I know I'm pretty grateful for everyone I have at Tulane.

Only at Tulane . . .

Who Are You?

2007-12-22T10:43:00.000-08:00

This particular Christmas holiday has me doing some soul searching. My mother underwent major surgery and for the first time in almost two years, I'm staying in my hometown the entire break with no fancy vacation planned.

And that really got me thinking about all the opportunities I have when I'm at Tulane. I can definitely say that I'm not the same person I was when I left Friendswood for Tulane exactly two Christmases ago-- I think I've grown up.

At Tulane I've gotten to find out who I am without any pressure to be a certain way. When I was in high school, being a liberal arts major for example was highly frowned upon for the "bright" students. Yet now I find English as my passion and certainly my favorite major. When I was in high school, there were only a certain number of organizations I could join. Even at the University of Texas in the Indian Association I was one of a thousand students and had no significant role. But at Tulane I got to dance on stage, help plan functions, and be as involved as I wanted. Finally, in high school I made friends with people with very different personalities and backgrounds but none similar to my own. At Tulane I've found friends with whom I have cultural, religious, personality, ideals, and value similarities. I've even found a guy who meets both mine and the people close to me's criteria of a good match--he's Indian and Hindu and laid back in contrast to my go-getter attitude.

So now that I'm back here I'm thinking . . . . I've really found out who I am at Tulane because of all the people I've met, clubs I've joined, and classes I've taken. Tulane offers such a diversity of options that every single person can find his or her niche here.

So for those of you still applying over Winter Break please think about it . . . . who are you? And if you don't yet know, which is totally normal, then come to Tulane and find out!

This is me and one of my best friends representin'- I so would have never pulled this off in high school!

Hornets Game

2007-12-10T11:45:00.000-08:00

So last weekend I was fortunate enough to attend a New Orleans Hornets game. A friend of mine won tickets when we were out to eat at a famous restaurant where the Honeybees, the Hornets dance team, was signing autographs. The seats weren't great but the experience certainly made up for it.

There is so much tradition associated with every event here in New Orleans-- Mardi Gras, jazz, the streetcar, and even sporting events. At the Hornets game, the tradition was to stand until our team made its first basket. Even if this meant standing for five or six minutes all of the fans all the way up into the third tier of stands were on their feet. Additionally, the Star Spangled Banner wasn't sung like everywhere else- it was played on a saxophone, truly representing the city. I didn't realize a basketball game could instill such New Orleans pride in me but by the end of the game I found myself screaming and cheering like everyone else.

The game was a close one as the Hornets were against the Dallas Mavericks, a team with a very strong season so far. The odds were against the Hornets but a few moments of truly impressive playing and the rallying of the fans pulled New Orleans through. At the very end of the fourth quarter with 5 seconds left, New Orleans tied the score when one of the players sank a 3 pointer from nearly the sidelines. The game went into an exciting overtime in which the Hornets really scored, making them the ultimately winning team. When the colorful confetti and balloons poured from the ceiling of the New Orleans Arena the cheers were deafening and it seemed like the entire city was celebrating the incredible win.

The last time I'd been to a basketball game before that was a Comets WNBA game with my father. We had gotten box seats and I was about 12 years old. I was excited about the food and paid no attention to the game whatsoever. Eight years later, I can honestly profess that I enjoyed watching basketball and the Hornets game was an experience that I would certainly repeat!

Only in New Orleans . . . .

An RA Thanksgiving

2007-11-23T11:58:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving was the first I've ever spent away from my home and family. Part of the job of Resident Advisor requires half of us to remain on campus for Thanksgiving and Mardi Gras while the other half stays for Spring and Easter Break. I chose Thanksgiving, thinking I could go back to Russia with the longer springtime break and hence, I'm here.

I thought at first that my Thanksgiving was going to be very lonely. I was worried that without my friends here, I'd really have no place to go. I was invited to friends' houses off campus but because of desk shifts and duty, it was much more convenient to just stay on campus. As part of our programming duties, some of the RAs had decided to have a dinner for ourselves and all of our residents that were staying for the week and we would each contribute a different dish.

I didn't really understand how much time this would take until we actually started shopping and cooking. Three Winn Dixie and one Walmart trip and four hours later, I realized how long I'd spent with my fellow RAs and how much I had enjoyed their company. We spent so much time giggling and laughing over little things as we prepared for our feast.

We ended up having an awesome day together. The guys you see in the pictures- David, an RA in upperclassmen Aron Apartments, Corrina, an RA in Modular Housing, Jenny, also an RA in Aron, and I spent time on Thanksgiving cooking, going to a Housing and Res Life party, and finally, just hanging out.

We ended the night at Corrina's place, where she made us excellent soy milk chocolate espressos. We spent hours chatting, sharing pictures of our families, and discussing books we all wanted to read and borrow from Corrina, an English major with a diverse collection of literature. After that David had a shift at the desk and we all trooped in after him to watch a movie, even though the desk might not have the same comforts as someone's room. The point was we were a band for this one day and we all flowed wherever one of our members wanted to go.

George Burns once said, "Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city."

All I can say is it was a happy Thanksgiving for me after all.

Exams Week

2007-10-09T21:51:00.000-07:00

So this week is MIDTERMS WEEK!!!

Beware incoming freshmen . . . the middle of the semester suddenly creeps up on you while you’re still stuck in “summer mode” and then you’re sitting at your laptop typing notes for a class you skipped all semester long thinking the midterm was far away. There was always a reasonable excuse . . you weren’t feeling that well one day . . . you had a paper due another day . . . you thought you’d go in early to work . . . your friend just got dumped and needed a shoulder . . . . you had to take care of dropping a class . . . . you had to meet with your advisor . . . . this is college, the excuses are creative and endless. It’s very easy to convince yourself not to go to class and then you end up with about half the material you need to know in your notes and the other half in the notes of other people who DID go to class on those days.

Luckily for you, you have good friends and sorority sisters who are there when you need them . . to give you all those notes from all those lectures you missed.
And now, you have exactly two days to learn everything you need to know.

Welcome to college, ladies and gentlemen, because the all-nighter, the cramming, the borrowing notes, the energy drinks to keep you up, and the general lack of sleep pretty much describes it! =)

I promise you guys will hear more from me as soon as my midterms are over!

Sex Signals

2007-10-01T22:49:00.000-07:00

So last week my Office of Multicultural Affairs little sister and I attended a presentation entitled Sex Signals- a funny show on college dating. Many others had the same idea- our University Center was PACKED with people wanting to see this show. It was put on by the Newcomb Institute, which is dedicated to furthering women’s education at this school.

The show was HILARIOUS. It asked for a lot of audience participation in terms of pick up lines to start scenes and defining stereotypes. For example, the beginning scene was a guy hitting on a girl at a party. Someone in the audience came up with the winning line, “Are those space pants? Coz baby your ass is out of this world . . .” And the scene proceeded from there. The next scene worked in the stereotypes that often define these interactions, with the women expected to be docile and sweet and the men expected to be macho and tough. Somehow these presenters managed to capture the awkwardness of trying to impress someone of the opposite sex in an intense situation like that and every single person in the audience understood!

But then the show took a more serious turn and started addressing the topic of rape and what exactly constitutes rape. We learned that any slightest lack of consent is all it takes and the legal and social implications are very severe for someone who doesn’t realize that. I was honestly impressed that the majority of the audience, my fellow Tulanians, stayed through this portion of the show. During our Resident Advisor Training we had to attend a seminar on Louisiana laws in terms of sexual assault and rape but this presentation was purely voluntary. The people at my school cared enough to sit there and listen and the presenters did an awesome job informing while at the same time exposing how confusing the issue can be. The Newcomb Institute did well in picking this show to bring to Tulane.

So if you want to go to a school where people will work to guide you even through even the most uncomfortable subjects, Tulane is the one for you. An issue like this has to be addressed and it was frankly amazing the way it was done.

Only at Tulane . . . .

My Little Sisters

2007-09-22T19:24:00.000-07:00

So this year I’ve gotten the opportunity to be a big sister through both the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Newcomb Institute and its been a very rewarding experience. My two littles are named Asha and Meg and they are both amazingly smart and talented girls. They really make an effort to hang out with me and I call them and check up on them every couple of days. One of them is working at the desk in her dorm, a very low key job, and is interested in joining my sorority. The other is already pledging for the business fraternity. They are two examples of girls who have made the best out of the opportunities that they have had so far and I’d like to think that they can look to me as an example of someone who also got involved early freshmen year and now is doing well managing all her activities.

(Here is Meg trying on some crazy glasses at Funky Monkey on Magazine Street!)

The best thing about having little sisters is being able to show them all the interesting places to go in New Orleans and on campus. I did have a Newcomb Big but I rarely saw her my freshman year- only when I went out. She answered all my questions on the actual day of the ceremony but never called me to eat or go with her someplace after that. I make it an effort to call my littles when its a new place from which I think they can benefit. For example, we’ve gone to Magazine Street, Target, out for dinner, and tomorrow we’re going to Barnes and Noble. Most of these are things I need to do anyways but having them around always makes it so much more fun!

So incoming freshmen make sure you remember to sign up for a Big Brother or Sister. You’re going to make some awesome friendships in the process!

(Here are Sangita, Sona, Me, Meg, and Asha out at Reginelli’s on Magazine Street)

The Life of a Leader

2007-09-20T00:38:00.000-07:00

Sigh . . the life of a leader is certainly a tiring one!!! So here was my day today:

I got up at 9 in the morning for Cell Biology, to which I was only two minutes late. I then had lunch with a friend and worked on RA stuff for about an hour. Immediately following that I had a one on one with my supervisor (RA), and then office hours at the OMA Office since I’m an Office of Multicultural Affairs Ambassador and we are all required to do one hour a week. And then I had class, then service learning for that class, and then rushed to check in for duty, which I am on tonight.

And then I hosted a meeting at 9, went on rounds with my duty-buddy (basically checked my area to make sure everything was safe and secure) and then rushed to the gym before it closed. I managed to set up my laptop in my lounge to get some studying done . . . and then my friend called.

So now its 12:34 am and I have an 8 am class which I’m determined to attend even if it kills me.

And then I’m going to the medical school for my research job, then I have sorority stuff in the evening.

The life of a leader has me running from place to place . . . and loving every second of it!

Take advantage of your opportunities at Tulane, guys! It’s so worth it!

Habitat for Humanity

2007-09-12T13:08:00.000-07:00

So long time no blogging . . . I know! Being an RA is more rewarding and also more difficult than I ever imagined. The not-so-fun part of it is hunting residents down for signatures and paperwork and when you have 55 residents, its more than an arduous task. The fun part is programming, getting to know them, and discovering for yourself what an awesome group you have. Last weekend my residents and I participated in Outreach Tulane at the Habitat for Humanities site. Even though we hadn’t had our first floor meeting, just talking to my residents got 12 of them to show up at 7:30 in the morning and I was so proud of them!

(Here we are working hard!)

(Here is Brian, one of my all star residents! I made him stop to take this picture, he wasn’t just standing around chilling. As you can see, it was extremely hot outside and he was working up a sweat!)

(This is Lauren, another awesome resident. She was in charge of moving siding to the houses on which other students were putting up siding. )

(Here are Laine, Erin, and Richard- they were working on the interior of some houses. This is during our lunch break- I went and found them and made them pose so I could post these pictures on my blog!)

(Here are Tim and Kyle, two of my most enthusiastic residents. They actually got farther in siding their house than any other team and they were very proud of that fact- that’s their house behind them.)

(Finally, here are some of the RAs siding a house as well- the residents aren’t the only ones who get to have fun with Habitat!)

So far, its been a blast being the Leadership Village RA. My residents are enthusiastic and cooperative- we’re planning another service day sometime soon. One of our residents is actually a Habitat staffer, and she helped coordinate this for us during Outreach. We’re planning on programming with freshmen too to include them in all the cool stuff we’re doing this year. With every idea that my residents (all upperclassmen) suggest, I’m reminded of how many interesting things there are to do in New Orleans and on the Tulane campus. We already have ideas for a Halloween service program for local neighborhood children, a barbeque with freshmen dorms, a program to show freshmen how to decorate their rooms to look unique with a reasonable budget, pancake breakfasts, and more. All of these ideas are ones that have been done or resources that are yet untapped here at Tulane.

Only at Tulane . . . .

Life as an RA

2007-08-26T02:47:00.000-07:00

So welcome to Tulane to all of those who read my blog and emailed me over the summer. I know it’s more than you anticipated- you’re going to love the four years ahead of you.

Which brings me to the thing that’s been on my mind- my college career is officially half done. In less than two years I’ll be graduating and moving on and that’s a scary thought. This year I’m a resident advisor for Leadership Village and the last two weeks have been a lot of fun with getting to know the other Willow/Aron/Modular RAs and the other RAs in general. I’ve started a new chapter in my life and I’m enjoying every second of it so far.

It’s 2:35 am and I happen to have a desk shift here at the Willow front desk. In the last two weeks I’ve really seen a whole new side of Tulane and gained the respect of an entire new group of people. RAs here really do work hard and they have a LOT of issues to handle. Just today, as an upperclassmen RA, I was handling an erroneous placement that led to girls and boys living together, equipment problems, contractor problems, and more. Other RAs were dealing with pets on campus, switching mattresses and furniture, and irate parents. And this is as upperclassmen RAs.

Freshmen, make sure you thank your RAs because I can guarantee that tonight they have had a million calls while on duty, 3 hour rounds in just one building, and so many domestic disturbances that you would never even think about if you weren’t an RA. I really have a newfound respect for MY past RAs because they handled all my issues and the issues of 30 other residents with confidence and grace. It’s not an easy job but it can be very rewarding when a resident comes to you for help, waves at you from their balcony, or starts to talk to you when they see you on campus. It’s like making a lot of new friends all at once.

Being a resident advisor is going to be very interesting, I think. Tomorrow is upperclassmen move in, so I’m literally on my feet 7:30 AM to 4 PM. Right now is the calm before the storm and it gives me a little time to reflect on my thoughts. Being an RA is a wonderful leadership opportunity and I encourage many of you to think about applying to be an RA this upcoming spring. If you want programming exposure and to be in charge of planning and budgeting you should think about applying to live in Leadership Village.

I’ve already had all those moments I discussed earlier- the smiles, the waves, and the conversation. I already have my favorite moments as an RA with only 1/4 of my residence hall full. I can’t wait for the moments that await.

Welcome back to Tulane on behalf of your RAs!

Back in the Hometown

2007-05-21T00:08:00.000-07:00

After a VERY hectic past rcouple of weeks, I am now back at home in Friendswood, Texas. The rest of the family is traveling around Russia with my family from India, and I’m stuck here in Friendswood, Texas . . . taking MCAT classes. Friendswood is a town with a cute little history museum, a principal who remembers teaching people’s parents, a couple of intersections of farm roads, and a mall on its outskirts. As you can see, there’s not much to do here but study!

Now to warn you pre-meds out there- the MCAT is going to ruin a summer, a semester, or both. Count on it, and factor it in somewhere. You are going to have to give up your travel and internship plans and sit at home and read your physics book while everybody else is having fun. That’s pretty much my summer this summer . . . . and honestly, I’m not used to sitting around. Because I’m so involved at Tulane, I’m used to running around from classes to work to meetings with a few gaps for meals in between.

And let me tell you . . . this is a strange feeling. I haven’t been here for this long since the winter of my freshman year and I’m about to start my junior year. This town has definitely grown up in the time that I’ve been gone and so have my friends. It’s a sad truth, but I feel like I’m not really a part of life here anymore. I moved here when i was about 8 years old, and this house was always the place of activity, of people running up and down looking for things, people needing rides places, and just a general hustle and bustle that comes with childhood years. 12 years later, this house is empty, and the memories float in the air. Though I have a few friends and extended family nearby, sitting here in this house without a single person to tell me to go to bed, to call me and ask me what I thought of some latest episode, or to wake me up in the morning because of inconsiderate yelling about who is going to be late where is just lonely.

So to all you kids about to start college- appreciate the noise of your lives this summer. You won’t realize you’re going to miss it until it’s gone. And then you’ll find yourself in a charming little Texas town with a long summer of MCAT studies stretched out ahead of you.

Welcome to Friendswood.

My friends at Tulane

2007-04-30T09:17:00.000-07:00

This year I think I’ve made a lot of influential friends here at Tulane. And no, I’m not just talking about the other people my age in my life, the people with whom I eat, go out, and waste time. I’m talking about the adults here at Tulane– I think I’ve formed some very interesting friendships through which I have learned a lot.

First, I’ve made friends with people in HRL, or the housing and res life office. One person I truly admire is actually leaving us next year to go to the illustrious Columbia University in NYC for his studies. He was an advisor for Residence Hall Association, which is the student body representing the various dorms on campus. This past year I was on the eboard for that, and I got to know this guy- Caleb. He plays in a band, he has long hair, he’s always smiling, and always encouraged us. At the last second when I decided I wanted to apply for RA, he wrote me a recommendation right away. He has always been there to steer our thoughts in the right direction and advise us even on personal matters. I’m really going to miss him.

I recently found out that I may be an RA next year, and this holds a lot of interesting new opportunities for me. As someone told me, it is the primary leadership role here at Tulane, and I’m truly thrilled about the idea of it. I also received another position- Program Coordinator for the Office of Multicultural Affairs, a position I would have to turn down for RA but appreciated receiving nonetheless. I do plan on being involved with OMA next year regardless. I’ve made friends with some amazing people in that office and they have all been so warm and understanding, advising me on what to do in the case that I did get the RA job with only my best interests in mind.

I love my friends here at Tulane- you’re about to see a picture of my friend Karthik whom I absolutely adore. He’s a goofy kid, but when you need him, he’s there. I love hanging out with him and the others, watching tv, studying, and strategically doing homework. But its my adult friends here at Tulane that have really influenced my last year. I’ve learned a lot from the great people surrounding me and I’m sure I still have a lot to learn from them.

Only here at Tulane did I get the opportunity to get so close to all these people. Because our school is small, it does center around the individual more than the whole student body. People like Caleb and the guys in the Office of Multicultural Affairs are there to get to know me and support me as my own person, rather than a representative of students at Tulane. This one -on-one interaction leads to friendships that I think are undervalued by many when considering choosing a college. Tulane University employees are not afraid to cross the bounds between staff and students and reach out to people like me.

And so I learned that friends come in all flavors- different backgrounds, different races, and even extremely different ages!

Work, Work, and more Work

2007-04-15T14:21:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks have been CRAZY here at Tulane.

I’ve had papers due, exams, lab exams, as well as finals approaching. It feels like everything is sort of coming to a close all at once, and every professor wants to squeeze everything out of the time they have left with us. This isn’t the actual case, of course, but it certainly feels like it! If you’re a college student who doesn’t plan too far in advance, you’ll find impending deadlines to be no fun at all. It’s just so much work- an orgo test, a Robert Frost paper, orgo final, physics final, brain and behavior exam, final papers . . . these are only SOME of the things I have to do in the next few weeks.

But after the next two weeks, finals will start, and the semester will be over. Summer will begin . . .and for most of us, that means an internship, a summer job, summer classes, or studying for the MCAT.

annnnd the hard work will begin once again . . . .

I guess this is just part of getting older. I know my parents don’t get a long 3 months off from life basically. I know they don’t get to plan their work day from 11 to 3. I know that it will happen to me too someday soon . . . but I’m not ready for it just yet! I sometimes wish I was still a freshman, because their fun years of finding themselves are still stretched out ahead of them.

But it’s been a fun journey . . .

Only at Tulane.

Bulgaria

2007-03-28T07:41:00.000-07:00

This spring break, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit my aunt, uncle, and five-year-old cousin in Sofia, Bulgaria!

It all started when I decided to go to Russia for spring break. I wanted to see my parents, and they were going to be there. And then on Monday, we bought tickets for a Thursday flight to Sofia, and the adventures began!

On the first day, we saw many of the sights in the city on our own. We visited four different churches from different time periods in Bulgarian history, ranging from fairly modern to Byzantine times. We saw the Parliament building, the library, and the gorgeous view of Mount Vitosha from the city. We also then bought ski pants for me to try skiing the next day.

On Friday, that’s what I spent my day doing- skiing! My small cousin Aryan was skiing with his little school and many other local schools in the area and I tagged along. To be honest, many of the little children were MUCH better than me, but I still had a lot of fun. I only fell twice getting off the drag lift, which I don’t really count as falling because it wasn’t as though I fell while actually skiing.

On the third day, we drove about two and a half hours outside of Sofia to see this beautiful monastery and several lakes. The scenery is really spectacular in Bulgaria. The mountains are everywhere and the countryside is scattered with orange colored trees and green grass with the snowy peaks in the background. We also stopped to see the monument of the bells, which is a monument dedicated to international children’s rights.

On the fourth day we took a walk around where my aunt and uncle live, which is in the city center, took pictures, and then went back. I was sad to leave, but spring break had to come to an end!

And now I have a midterm tomorrow and LOTS of studying to catch up on . . . but the escape sure was nice for a few days!

Ode to Ochem Lab

2007-03-18T09:29:00.000-07:00

So on Wednesday, like every other Wednesday, I found myself stuck in ochem lab without any good results and long after most of the other lab groups had left. I had to go to work after lab, I had a volunteering opportunity that I had just missed, and everybody else’s product was yellow while ours was . . . gray. We had restarted our experiment twice because the first time, it had turned green. The second time, it turned green again, but this time we KNEW it wasn’t because any of our glassware was unclean. Our TA, who now understands our overall lab inefficiency, allowed us to keep the second trial running, hoping our product would turn yellow-orange. And it turned gray.

Now you’d think that in a lab like this, I’d be utterly miserable. You’d think that I was watching the time slide away from me, seconds into minutes into hours. Believe it or not, this isn’t the case.

I actually enjoy organic chemistry lab! The lab is long and sometimes the results don’t turn out, but I know when I get there, I have a lot of fun. Our lab “team” is comprised of two different lab groups, and we have a ton of fun rescuing each other from potential dilemma. We’re always nearly the last ones to leave but I honestly don’t even notice how long it’s taken until I see that we’re the last ones left. My lab partners, Gino nd Karthik, are entertaining through and through and working with them is always a great time. Our TA seems to think so– even if he’s stuck in lab ’til the end, he seems to love hanging out with us as well!

(Here’s Gino working hard and Karthik . . . .chilling. But to be fair, as Karthik says, this picture isn’t representative of the actual work they do in lab!)

Organic chemistry lab, above all else, does teach you the essential skills involving team work. I personally have learned a lot from my two lab partners and the other kids in our lab “team.” I’ve learned how to work together smoothly, how to not take control in every situation, and most importantly, how to troubleshoot (aka make it up as we go along!).

(The three of us and our TA Lee in the last stages of last week’s experiment)

So this is my ode to organic chemistry lab– trust me, it’s not as bad as you think. You might actually . . enjoy it. =)

Step Show and Food Fest

2007-03-10T18:57:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday was the Step Show held by the Office of Multicultural Affairs for Flava Wave Week here at Tulane. Basically, this was a week for all multicultural organizations to step forward and make known their presence on campus through events like food fests, poetry readings, and STEP SHOWS.

My wonderful sorority, Delta Xi Nu, does in fact have a step team, and we stepped and strutted at this year’s step show. Our girls were joined by the boys of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, or “dorks til death,” as they call themselves. The combination of the talented girls on our team and the comical boys on theirs made for a VERY entertaining show. They were followed by a step team made of Office of Multicultural Affairs Ambassadors, or people assigned to have little sisters and brothers in incoming freshman classes. It was a very fun event for everybody involved!

And we fly Xi Honeys sure can step!!!

Also this week in Flava Wave Week, we had a food fest courtesy of the Asian American Student Union. It was free for members and $5 for all non members. This particular Food Fest was exciting for me because not only did I run into my usual group of Asian friends, but into a guy named Hameed.

Hameed used to be the graduate hall director for Wall Residential College last year, when I was its president. He taught me a lot about leadership, and I’m still grateful for all the lessons I learned. We had a very strange relationship, as we had a professional relationship because of Wall Residential Hall Government but an odd friendship as well. He moved to Miami after he graduated as a BME during Lagniappe, and now is working full time. It’s always a shocker to those of us still in college that the world beyond these borders exists, that people do get up at 9 and work til 5, and that being an adult is NOT all its cracked up to be.

But it was a great treat seeing him, even if we were reminded of all that! Here’s to you, Hameed!

Habitats for Humanity

2007-03-05T22:18:00.000-08:00

This Saturday I participated in Habitats for Humanity. We woke up at 7 am, drove more than half an hour to Musicians’ Village off N. Claiborne and stood outside freezing in the crisp early morning air.

And all for what?

Musicians’ Village is a place where Habitats has built a large group of homes so New Orleans musicians can come back and live together. If you ask me, its the best idea for the space, as it propagates the human imagination and spirit in terms of music. We were honored to be contributing to the project . . .and contribute we certainly did try to do!

We were put in charge of making sawhorses. At first, we were so excited that 5 seemed too small of a number, but then we started hammering and nailing. I sawed the wood with a circular saw while someone held the 2 by 4s for me, another team nailed, and another team measured out the wood. We thought we had a very efficient system going until we stood up our first sawhorse and discovered that it wasn’t quite aligned. See, the concept of simply cutting pieces and putting them together had led to us actually nailing them on in different places . . . and also created very unsturdy projects.

<<(At work on the sawhorses- me and my sister Jennifer)

And so we had to correct all of them . . . and you could tell which ones were ours. In our defense, everything turned out fine, and people ended up using our sawhorses that day. We also participated in painting and cleaning up and organizing when the frustration of the sawhorses got to us. We wanted so badly to get in the mix of building things but we quickly discovered that things don’t fit together in reality like they do in theory!!!

<<(My sister Amy working with one of the future homeowners)

But we had a great time, us Delta Xi Nu girls and the Sig Ep boys. Our very own admissions counselor Jeff was there too, working (or at least pretending to!)

I’m proud to say I got this amazing opportunity. I think it’s one truly unique to Tulane and New Orleans, and I hope that my little bit was just another piece in the giant puzzle that is rebuilding this city.

Nothing Gold Can Stay

2007-03-02T20:00:00.000-08:00

Today, like all MWF, I had my Robert Frost class, which I genuinely enjoyed. We studied a poem called “Nothing Gold Can Stay”, and I found it to be very inspiring, so I’ll share it with y’all.

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

We had a discussion in this class about this poem. It’s a 450 level class, but it’s the most fun I’ve had lately. Some people thought the poem was about how everything that is perfect is ephemeral, and quickly falls away to reality. Others thought this poem was about the cyclical patterns of nature, and about how things start out fresh and anew but then resume the cycle, ie the novelty soon wears off. It’s evident that the colors green and cold are valued here in this poem, so just because the leaves are no longer gold doesn’t make them any less valuable. I think the poem speaks to all of us about how we should cherish those moments when things are “golden,” those little perfect rays of sunshine that make our lives worth living.

And this class happens to be one of mine!

If you like what you’ve just read, get involved in English here . . the department is great. I truly have enjoyed every class I’ve taken and I cannot wait to take more!

Sisterhood

2007-02-27T20:30:00.000-08:00

The dictionary definition of sisterhood is : A society of sisters; a society of women united in one faith or order; sisters, collectively.

In my world, sisterhood is a bond that ties in any and all situations. It’s a bond of more than just faith, its a bond of humanity. Sisters are there for each other no matter what, and their love is unconditional. Sisterhood is a bond that exists forever, no matter where you go and how far away.

. . . . And as prolific as all these statements are, what does it really mean? When I was asked at interviews what sisterhood meant to me, I would mechanically respond with any combination of the above statements. And now that I AM a sister, the word has taken on a completely different meaning.

Lately, my sorority has become more than just another activity that takes up my time, something else to add to the resume. My sisters and I more than just do sorority things together, we have fun together, we study together, and more than anything else, we support each other. Lately, we’ve been hanging out more than usual and I’m starting to see what it really means to have sisters. It’s like they’re more than friends because we already have this unbreakable bond between us. I don’t have to worry if I’m spending too much or too little time with them, I don’t have to worry about which of them is my “best” friend, and I certainly don’t have to be afraid of being completely different from them.

So what does sisterhood mean?

It means I go out of my way to befriend my sister’s boyfriend just so we can all hang out together.

It means my sister comes out with me on my birthday night with all my friends, even if she doesn’t know any of them and she’s the odd one out, just because it’s my birthday and I want her there.

It means we plan a night together despite our different busy agendas just because one of our sisters has a night off and she doesn’t have very many like that.

It means we plan a night in, watching movies and eating good food because we know we all have to get up for community service the next day when all our friends are out partying.

It means sharing responsibilities we have in the sorority, sharing our duties and getting each other’s opinions even if it means spending more time than we normally would doing a certain task.

It means . . . people with whom you share more than title–you share your life, and you’re honestly lucky if you find out the true meaning of sisterhood somewhere along the way.
So this one goes out to all the girls and guys in sororities and fraternities here at Tulane (and there’s plenty!), because they understand more than anyone exactly what I’m talking about. Here’s to being a part of something truly universal!

Me and my sister Amy

Xi Honeys for life!

My sisters Amy and Iris

Me and Iris blowing kisses!

Beautify Broadway

2007-02-24T22:36:00.000-08:00

Anthony D’Angelo once said, “Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.” Community was certainly the theme of today’s event: Beautify Broadway. About a hundred students of various backgrounds from various Greek organizations came out to support and clean up the street and surrounding areas. I mean, we all party there all the time, so we might as well clean it up, right?

It was a great day for being outside– not too sunny and just a little windy. The areas around Broadway were sectioned off per sorority/fraternity. It’s the first project in which I’ve participated as a Greek, and not specifically as a sister of Delta Xi Nu. My sorority was really outstanding today though. We don’t even have a house, as we’re a very small organization, yet we had a group out there cleaning up. We were out there with our fellow Greeks, scouring the streets for trash and debris. It was a new experience for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s not often that you see people cleaning up their mess and other peoples’ too. Today we were cleaning up for all the Greeks and non Greeks that tread Broadway every weekend.

I guess Anthony D’Angelo was right. Caring is community . . . . and we Greeks do care!

Here we are, repping DXN! From L to R: Me, Jennifer, Zoe, Jackie, LG, Sabine, and Amy

Jackie, Jennifer, and Zoe enjoying pizza!

Me and Amy also enjoying the free pizza aka the college way of life.

Mardi Gras Madness

2007-02-21T15:04:00.000-08:00

And the madness HAS officially begun. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the amazing and spectacular show you are about to see here in the city of New Orleans. No hurricane can knock this out of us– the party spirit lives on forever!

Here are a few shots to commemorate the parade experience- this parade is called Endymion, and it’s one of the biggest during Mardi Gras.

This parade for some reason went by VERY slowly, and we had plenty of time to goof off and act silly in between the floats. They had high school bands playing in it, as well as a few jazz bands, and when they played our Saints song, we went crazy dancing, as you can see!

One Year Later

2007-02-14T21:18:00.000-08:00

It’s officially been one year since I started blogging. I remember my first entry last year was about Valentine’s Day, and about noticing my Valentine blissfully snoring on my floor. I was so excited then, so enthused about the day and everything about it. It was the only year that I’ve really celebrated Valentine’s Day with someone else.

Well let me tell you how that story ended . . . . my Valentine and I decided to part ways a few days after that. Though initially we were excited, it turned out that our personalities just didn’t mesh the way we thought they would, and we had VERY different standards when it came to what was and was not appropriate for that stage in our friendship/relationship. It was a strange way to end something that held so much promise but I can more than confidently say it was a good end for both of us!

I saw him today, in organic chemistry lab, and laughed to myself. How much life has changed in the past year . . . it made me think . . .

In the last year, what have I learned?

I learned that life at Tulane is not a piece of cake, I learned that working hard does earn rewards, and I learned that there is certainly a balance between having too much fun and not enough. It’s crucial to find that balance to survive in this college environment, and when you do, life is absolutely amazing!

And specifically, in regards to Valentine’s Day, I learned that the real Valentines are not the ones that show up at your door with roses, or serenade you with their violin, or take you someplace fancy. The real Valentines are the people that are there to wish you, hug you, and tell you they love you . . . . year after year. So here’s to all my real Valentines out there: My family, especially my mother, who called just to wish me, and my high school friends who are still with me even though they’re all far away. At Tulane, I just have one person that meets that definition.

This year, at Tulane, I just have one Valentine: my friend Iris. We celebrated last year as we will this year. Since then, we’ve become inducted into the same sorority, picked our majors, been through good times and bad, and earned the nickname “Yin and Yang” for how different we are but how we still seem to click anyways.

I’m lucky because at this school I get to expand my horizons with people like her that I’d never expect to meet but do and fall in love with along the way!

Me, Iris, and our dear friend Caroline at Bruff last year

Me and Iris now– how we’ve changed!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Exam Weekend

2007-02-10T17:04:00.000-08:00

This weekend is exam weekend . . . much to my dismay. It’s the beginning of the Mardi Gras festivities and I find myself in my room . . . studying. Unfortunately I happen to have an exam in Organic Chemistry II and Brain and Behavior on Monday and Tuesday . . . and I’m not the only one. I know so many students in the same dilemma with several tests stacked up early next week– especially all us premeds taking two or three sciences at once.

But at least after its over, we’re home free until Mardi Gras is over. That’s one of the best parts of living in this city–people understand how important it is for us to let loose and have a little fun. And since Mardi Gras is on my birthday and Lundi Gras falls on my old suitemate’s . . .w ell we’re definitely going to have a little fun. I can’t wait til the parades . . . . all the gorgeous floats and beads and stuffed animals and more!!!

People are starting their “parading” this weekend and its certainly unfortunate that I won’t be there for that . . . but its ok. After four days of hardcore studying, I’m sure Mardi Gras season will be a well-deserved break!

And its back to the books for me . . . .

Classes get in the way of college

2007-02-07T03:15:00.000-08:00

So this week is like Study Week 2007. It’s rather difficult to literally hole myself up in my room and refuse to move at all . . . but it’s necessary. Because without such restrictions, I inevitably find some way to get out there and socialize.

See, that’s what I like the most about a small campus. Everybody knows everybody else, and every time you step out of your room you run into someone you know, and then you stop and chat. You think it only holds you up a minute or two . . until you do it five times on the way to class and on the way back!

This weekend was a social one for me- my friend had her birthday celebration at Vincent’s on St. Charles. We all had a great time . . . and then we went back to her dorm and chilled out, played games, and talked. Unfortunately this also meant that we didn’t accomplish much else that night . . and didn’t wake up early the next day. Another friend had had a birthday party the previous night, and that was yet another night of nothing but fun. So finally . . . .the need to study has caught up with me.

What can I say? Classes get in the way of college for me! There’s just too much fun to be had!

But this week . . . my only friends are my organic book, my physics homework, and my brain and behavior notes!

Welcome to February

2007-02-01T10:45:00.000-08:00

Welcome to February, guys!

For me its always been the month of my birthday and Valentine’s Day, and last year, Valentine’s Day was my first blog entry. Just to give an update– that Valentine’s Day, though memorable at times, turned about to be mostly a fiasco. In fact, I’m not even sure how I can top last year’s adventures this year!

But this year, February is also the month of Mardi Gras . . . . which incidentally falls right on my 20th birthday. One of my friends is going to be in a parade and promised to throw me something good from the floats. My birthday is February the 20th, and I was always jealous of those kids that had their birthdays in the summer or fall because nothing exciting happens in the middle of February. You can’t even have a pool party.

So I woke up this morning, stretched, saw it was raining and very cold outside and despite all that, cheered because it is my month of the year. And this year millions of other people will be celebrating all month long with me!

Amethyst, the birthstone for February

Car= Freedom

2007-01-28T22:59:00.000-08:00

So today was a happy day: I finally brought my car from Friendswood, Texas to New Orleans. It was a long drive, and very arduous, but totally worth it. My friend came with me and I dropped her off at her house on the West Bank before I came back to Tulane. And as I drove away from the West Bank, on the i-10 bridge over the Mississippi, I couldn’t help but think about what having a car means: freedom.

I felt like I was 17 all over again, when I first actually got to be a primary driver on my dad’s car. It was exhilirating, thinking about the possibilities. And not that I’m going to drive into the sunset or anything, but it is nice thinking about it. It’s great to have in emergencies, great to take downtown for my upcoming job, and wonderful for doing groceries. It makes life a lot easier as I can do things on my time, and not on others’. I don’t have to depend on anybody to give me a ride, or pick me up, or take me someplace like Walmart. Walmart is now just one short drive away . . . as is everything else.

But then as I thought further, I thought about how many times I’m actually going to go off to Walmart or anywhere else with my car. The reality? Probably only when I really need to . . . . once a week or so. I don’t see myself suddenly eating off campus every night or shopping every day. I see myself usually it practically and frugally. So the best part of having a car is not the actuality . . . but just the idea of having one!!!

This is sort of what my car looks like, except it is beige!

RHA Plans

2007-01-25T00:38:00.000-08:00

Today was the first general body meeting of the Residential Hall Association. Now probably this sounds cool, but not many readers know what it is. It’s a body literally comprised of every student living on campus. We oversee all the individual dorm Residential Hall Governments, work WITH Resident Advisors and the Housing and Resident Life staff, and provide funding for programs. Not many people on campus know who we are either . . . and right now, we’re a group of ex-presidents and vice presidents from freshman dorms that decided to keep on moving up! I’m the VP of Public Relations . . . . though really if anything, I’m part of a team of people dedicated to making life in dorms more fun!

So now its our goal to be known! My plan is to throw some kind of huge charity benefit . . . in the new UC. Turns out they have a ballroom, a HUGE one, where you can throw parties like this. In fact. another group on campus is already planning a Dance Marathon, where people will be dancing or on their feet for 24 hours!

The new UC makes life a LOT more interesting for all of us. Prior to it, there was really no place on campus where we could host a huge campus wide event. There is a ballroom in one of our dorms, Josephine Louise, but it is an all-girls dorm which makes it difficult for boys to come into the building for an event. There are various other rooms in other dorms . . . but none large enough to fit a huge crowd.

So . . . . for everyone reading this: if you have any suggestions for my big party- email me!!! The RHA would certainly appreciate it!

Andrew, the VP of Finance, Dan, the President, and Nene, the VP of Administration hard at work!

Back to Work

2007-01-23T00:18:00.000-08:00

So today was my first official day of work . . . . and although I had some trouble paying attention, it was good to be back. At my wonderful job at the A.B. Freeman School of Business, I work as a student assistant to my boss, who is the director of Constituent Services and Initiatives. . . .

Which means a lot of times we talk, we eat together, and I pretty much ask her any questions I have about ANYTHING. I’m an inquisitive sort, and it seems to me like she knows everything, so she’s great for advice about pretty much anything. Under her guidance not only have I learned about copyediting, filing, and business etiquette, but also about gems and minerals, boyfriends and husbands, and about ALL the people in the business school whom I should (and do) look up to and respect. It’s a pretty sweet job, and one that I literally walked into. My sorority sister was graduating, and sent out an email to the listserv asking for someone to take her old job . . . and I volunteered. I had no idea what I was getting into, but I’m pretty glad I took the chance.

Although sometimes I hate the idea of getting done with all my work at 5 or 6 every night, its usually worth it to hang out with my boss and all the amazing people at the business school. In fact, all the people I work with are well above my age . . . . there’s no one that’s actually a student. There are other students working in other departments, but I like the friends I’ve made . . . they certainly are diverse.

So here’s to being back at work . . and lovin it!

(A.B. Freeman School of Business)>>

Back to School

2007-01-17T17:23:00.000-08:00

SO it’s now been about a month since I left Tulane and New Orleans . . . . . .

I spent my vacation in Russia and India. In Russia we spent a little bit of time with friends, and enjoying the cold weather (though now it’s just as cold in New Orleans!) In India we visited family, all our cousins, and spent time reestablishing connections as the far flung branch of our family. I personally started an account on a version of myspace.com that is popular amongst Indians, just to stay in touch with all my cousins. The vacation was tons of fun, and I miss travelling after being in New Orleans for only two days!

<<(Christmas season in Russia)

Boy is it strange to be back. A few days after returning from India and Russia, I have to say I wasn’t quite ready for the semester to start. I’m barely getting over my jet lag, let alone getting it together in terms of studying. And of course, I already have homework in three classes!

But there is one thing that made coming back a good experience: the new UC. According to seniors at Tulane, its been three years since they tore down the old one. I just visited the new UC for the first time yesterday and what can I say? It’s totally been worth it!!!!

The new UC is very well-designed, inside and out. Inside there are lots of tables in a several areas with large windows that let in the natural light. It’s much nicer than being holed up in the temporary establishment, known as the Bubble. It has Pandini’s, Wow, a sushi place, Quizno’s, a Euro place, and much more. The food options are now very varied and easily accessible . . . we can no longer complain at all about having the same thing to eat all the time like all college students. They even have an international chef station with different cuisines!

So . . . even though I miss my vacation and still suffer from jet lag . . . I do eat well! Thank you Tulane for the new UC! It rocks!

Me and my cousin Sid in Pune, India

My sister, my friend Allegra, and me in Moscow, Russia

My cousin’s wife Snehal, my cousin Sid, and me in Ahmedabad, India

My twin cousins Ashu and Avi, our cousin Sid, and my twin Anisha and me in Pune, India

Ochem

2006-12-12T22:19:00.001-08:00

Organic chemistry.

When I first heard of this class I had to take for premed, I was intrigued. I hoped it would be something close to biochemistry, and I’d get to learn about all kinds of reactions that happen in the human body. Turns out it has deal with mostly stuff you put INTO the human body, drugs and stuff . . . . and it would be interesting if I didn’t have to memorize all those reactions.

So earlier this week I was freaking out about it because I thought the final would just be horrible. I expected it to take the full time, and I expected to be sweating bullets through it. But after having taken it, I can say it wasn’t so bad after all. If I had studied more regularly, I probably would have had no problems with it, or the class.

I remember taking a similar course- Chemistry, at the University of Texas. While I email my professor almost weekly, my friends and I hit up office hours, and talk to our professor after class, I remember the line of 30 students that would try to talk to our professor after class at UT. I think we’re pretty lucky at Tulane that we get all the help we need in such a difficult subject. The last thing that I’m grateful for in terms of organic chemistry is the tutors available at the ERC. Normally, we would think oh, tutoring, I don’ t need that. But everyone I know gets help on one thing or another. The tutors are available almost every day in almost every subject, and they are more than competent.

So this blog really isn’t about ochem . . . . this one goes out to the ERC. Here at Tulane I discovered that when you’re struggling in something, help is always available. All you have to know is where to look.

And so after all that . . . organic chemistry is really not so bad after all. =)

Zen Party

2006-12-09T20:29:00.000-08:00

Last night was the Asian American Student Union’s Zen Party- a night with sushi and karaoke at a great Japanese place called Mikimoto’s. I was unsure as to how many people I would know at this party, as I don’t know all the Asian students on campus as well as I know the Indians. But after I got there, I saw a diversity that I honestly did not expect. I saw some of my sorority sisters, I saw some of my friends in classes, and I saw many of my Indian friends. The room was very small, but we had a good time singing the night away.

And boy, some of these singers were VERY overzealous. The best job was done by my sorority sister Nikki. She did an awesome job because she knew all the words to the song and has a wonderful deep voice. Props go to her!

Most of the other singers picked their songs before realizing they had to know all the words, and ended up pulling other people “on stage” to help them out. My favorite was when my somewhat clueless friend Prashant was pulled onstage to sing a song by N’Sync - Tearin Up My Heart. He knew every single word, and though on any other night, this might have been an embarrassment to a 20 year old boy, he was pretty excited to sing for the crowd.

I guess that’s what I like the most about parties like this at Tulane. It’s good humored fun, no one gets in any trouble, and you mix with a diverse group of people. And in that small room, eventually, you get to know them all well enough to stand up in front of them and make an idiot out of yourself with some karaoke.

Only at Tulane . . .

Dead Week

2006-12-04T15:55:00.000-08:00

Finally, we get a dead week. Except its really only a day- Monday there are no classes and Tuesday exams begin. My first exam is on Wednesday . . . . .

I’d have to say, the scheduling here is a little strange. Despite the fact that we have no dead week, I still don’t get done with exams until December 19, which is very late compared to most other schools. Though it gives me more time to study for the later exams, it does not help me on my most important exam- Organic Chemistry. Additionally, I have final portfolios and papers due in my English classes . . . a little extra time would have been nice for that too.

But every cloud does have its silver linings. As I was whining to myself about how I have to study in an erratic way because of the time constraints, I looked ahead to next semester. Not only do we get a spring break, but we ALSO get two days off for Mardi Gras. This is especially important because this year, Mardi Gras will fall on my 20th birthday. And boy, what a way to celebrate.

SO the moral of the story: It’s a give and take. I give up a couple of days of studying for partying . . . .just kidding, y’all. We work hard AND play hard here.

Welcome to Tulane . . . . where we have round-the-clock entertainment, whether it be from a parade, campus activities, or . . sadly . . a physics textbook on December 18 when all your friends are already getting their entertainment elsewhere!

Shaolin Show

2006-12-04T15:54:00.001-08:00

Last Saturday, I went to see the Shaolin Warriors perform. I’ve been a martial arts student for a significant portion of my life, and I was very interested to see their technique. In their program, they had not only students from the school in New Orleans, but experts from the Shaolin Temple itself.

The sound was basically a dialogue from a young man who is lost in the ghetto of New Orleans but finds his way to enlightenment by learned the ways of the Shaolin Warriors. The story takes him and his friends to China, where they learn impressive tricks from students there.

The actual performances were very impressive, and it was obvious that these young people had immense skill. The New Orleans group of students particularly impressed me, as did the youngest group, which was between about 6 and 8 years old. These children knew the meaning of discipline at such a young age. They also showed extensive command over their movements, which is very difficult at an age where motor development is still occuring. The older students were in their teens. They were of multiple racial backgrounds, and they showed all kinds of different unique skills. No two fighters fought the same way, each had molded his technique to fit his particular style. Amongst the Chinese warriors, we saw men of all ages performing with all kinds of weapons- Psis, Nunchucks with an extra bar in between, swords, bos, and even brooms at times.

The show was certainly worth seeing- y’all check them out sometime!

AKPsi Semiformal

2006-12-04T15:54:00.000-08:00

So last weekend, we had the AKPsi semiformal. At first, I grumbled and mumbled about going. A friend of mine needed a date, and asked me, since I already knew some of the people that would be there. Rather grudgingly, I said yes. This same friend tends to do my physics homework every week, and its not like I ever offer to compensate him for his services. Rather, about a fifth of my class now depends on him . . . So I had myself yet another semiformal to attend.

And I figured it being a DIFFERENT semiformal, I could wear the SAME dress I wore to all of them last year. Probably not my smartest idea as people recognized it when I got there, but I figured I was being resourceful. The less work I had to do, the better. I had sorority interviews that night as well, and it was also VERY frigid outside. I ended up walking back to my place barely forty minutes before I had to go, peeling off layers of formal wear, and then disapprovingly staring at my dress knowing how cold it was outside. If I had been a little smarter, I would realized this before I chose to wear the one nice dress I have and found some other mode of dressing nicely without dying of hypothermia. But I wore the dress, and my friend’s sweater-coat thing on top. And froze anyways. My friend and I were late getting dressed because warmth was our utmost concern, and hence, we made our dates miss the bus. We ended up taking a cab to the Republic, the club at which our semiformal was held.

(Me still freezing in my friend’s lovely white coat)>>

The Republic, surprisingly, did have a place to check coats. I’m used to Russia, where they check them everywhere and its highly unfashionable to tote them around. In New Orleans, you either freeze for the few minutes you are out in the cold, or deal with the reality of carrying your coat ALL night long. Most of the time we choose to freeze . . unless its in the forties, which it was that night. Once we got inside, it was very warm. The music was good, and the regular Republic crowd started showing up as well. Soon the dance floor was packed, and they played lots of classics, like Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean. I ended up having a great time though I dreaded it at first.

My suitemate and I at the semiformal

My friends Yusuke, Annabelle, and Ricardo- the two AKPsi men and their dates after we finally got to the club!

In New Orleans, I’ve gone to three different dances in the last year, and all out of obligation. Here at Tulane we like to dress up and have a posh night every once in awhile. I don’t think many other schools can say that. I have friends at LSU who are actually jealous of all the dances I must attend–for my sorority as well as different organizations such as IATU.

After this dance, and the third use of my green dress, I guess I can say they’re not so bad after all.

Diwali

2006-11-27T22:46:00.000-08:00

So since I’m catching up on blogging here, another important event in my life occured in the last couple of weeks as well- Diwali!!!

For those of you that may not know, Diwali is the festival of lights. It’s celebrated all over India, and the actual date of the festival was about a month ago. But the India Association of Tulane University decided to celebrate on November 19, 2006. Many of my friends danced on stage in the various performances–friends of every race, not just those of south asian descent. That’s one thing I love the most about Tulane– the way cultures don’t segregate into groups the way they do at big state universities. Here in New Orleans we’ll love you no matter what your race and heritage, and we’ll be even more excited if you can teach us something about your culture!

I celebrated Diwali with my friends here at Tulane about two weeks ago. Here are some pictures of the dances and of my part in a skit called the Diwali dating game.

House Gutting

2006-11-27T22:13:00.000-08:00

So LONG TIME NO BLOGGING, huh?

Sorry to all you freshmen eagerly awaiting this. I’ve been cramming for midterms and chilling in Friendswood for Thanksgiving.

But before I left, last Saturday, the Asian American Student Union went house gutting with SAFER. As the community service chair, I made all the arrangements and expected me and the board members to show up. But we had a good turnout, and in fact, most of the members participating were NOT on the board. We wereout from about 9 to 4 and we got to see the levee which lead to the destruction of the house we were gutting.

The house we were gutting

Setting up before we began

The other half of our group listening for instructions

Jacob, Brian, and Byron emptying out junk from inside the house

Me raking some away some pieces of paneling, drywall, and peoples’ lives

Lower 9th ward levee

The Asian American Student Union on our house gutting day

It’s funny . . . the memories you make out here in New Orleans. Spending Saturday with pink respirator filters hanging off my face in a house infested with giant roaches wouldn’t normally seem like a fun activity. But seeing the house after we were done was the only reward we needed. I’m rather inspired to do it again some time. After all, without students like us, some of these houses would simply be neglected.

Only at Tulane . . . .

TEMS to the Rescue

2006-11-13T10:32:00.000-08:00

So this weekend, I did nothing exciting in terms of Tulane or learning more about this wonderful environment. I spent it being sick . . . . literally. I’m not really sure why but it was pretty embarrassing when all my friends wanted to go out and enjoy this lovely cold weather we’ve been having and I had to stay inside in bed. That’s pretty much all I did this weekend . . . spend time in bed, watching tv or watching stuff on my computer, generally relaxing without eating anything that would make my stomach turn. I missed my sorority’s amazing Family Breakfast, which was at 3:30 AM on Sunday. Normally I would have been up and would have gone gladly- breakfast is easily my favorite meal of the day. Unfortunately, I had a few issues with keeping food IN my stomach, as gross as that is.

But then there was TEMS to the rescue. I have this friend in TEMS who ended up helping me out. He told me what was wrong with me, how to fix it, and what NOT to do. I started feeling better after I listened to his advice and I knew what to avoid for next time. You wouldn’t really think that another 19 year old kid would know something like that but these TEMS students are the exception.

Last year a bunch of my friends and I applied to be in TEMS. Some of us made the first interview, some of us made the second, and a lucky few were selected to by trained by TEMS, or the Tulane student EMT group. They mainly serve the Tulane area, but their knowledge and expertise is much needed for this campus and its neighbors. These students go on call a few days a month where they wear their uniforms and radios and must leave if an emergency does arise. They do this in turn so no one ends up missing anything really important in terms of classwork. When I brought up the subject of my mystery illness to my TEMS friend, I figured I’d get somewhat of an answer, but not the exact causes of my illness. He saved me a trip to the health center . . . . and he’s only 19 years old.

These are the kind of kids you will find at Tulane. They are dedicated to their cause, whatever it may be. And in the end, you will be impressed because for a moment while talking to them, you’ll forget that they’re just students still adjusting to college and its increasing demands.

That’s Tulane for ya . . . we’re hard workers here! =)

Volleyball

2006-11-02T19:32:00.000-08:00

Recently I have started going to volleyball games at Tulane. I don’t know why I haven’t gone all this time, but a few friends of mine, diehard fans, are suitemates with one of the girls on the team. So every Friday and Sunday they wear their Tulane Volleyball t shirts and tote their signs with the girls’ names on them to Fogelman. And then they watch the team win . . . which it usually does.

So here’s the thing: we have a reallly good volleyball team. It’s second in our conference, and the games are always exciting to watch. I’d say volleyball is one of the better sports here at Tulane. Three of the girls are Eastern European, and they were all recruited by Tulane for their talent, which is obvious when you see a perfect service ace or a kill that’s so elegant it looks like its being done in slow motion.

Here are some pictures of the girls . . . and if you’re a Tulane kid reading this–go watch them some time!!!

These are from their game on Friday against UAB . . . which they lost by a VERY close fifth match!

Homecoming Pep Rally

2006-11-02T19:09:00.000-08:00

So last Thursday was the Homecoming Pep Rally. It’s sort of taken me awhile to write about it, I know! This week, as I walked around, I noticed no windows were painted and then I remembered I had wanted to share my experiences with you all.

See, one of the things that the Homecoming Committee announced at the pep rally was the winners of the window painting contest. Various different organizations paint the windows of Bruff, including student organizations, fraternities and sororities, and multicultural groups. Various dorms also compete amongst themselves, on the windows of their own buildings. This year the winner was the India Association of Tulane University, and I can tell you from walking around campus last week that pretty much everyone knew it would happen. IATU entered the contest late, but you’ll see from my pictures why they still won. This, if you ask me, is art (done by Aden Malik of IATU).

The pep rally also featured the marching band and the color guard, both of whom I had never seen perform before. It was very obvious the effort they went through to guarantee a good show.

And finally, they had fireworks. When my friend called me to go to the pep rally, I thought no one would be there and it would be pretty dull. Coming from a huge state school last fall, the University of Texas at Austin and a proud public school in the small town of Friendswood, Texas, before that, I was used to school spirit being at an alltime high ALL the time. In Friendswood we had a football team that never won but we still went to their games to support them, and the stands were always packed. Here at a small private school, school spirit is a little different. You don’t see as many people at games, but the ones you do see are diehard fans and can tell you exactly what’s going on. This pep rally, however, was a reminder of how school spirit, though different from that of a public high school and big state school, is still there, tried and true. The place was packed and the firework show at the end of the night was something I’d never seen at any pep rally.

The whole thing made me proud of this school and proud to be a Tulanian!

Multicultural Food Fest

2006-10-29T17:16:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, we had our Multicultural Food Fest. It was in honor of homecoming, and it brought together a diverse group of organizations. The food was good . . and lasted about 20 minutes!!! Here are some memories that I think represent this experience well, and bring out Tulane’s multi ehtnic student group.

This is the representation from the Asian American Student Union. Here at Tulane, what the actual color of your skin is doesn’t matter at all. What does matter is the interest you have in learning about other cultures. We’re very open and all of our multicultural groups have members of widely varying backgrounds.

These are girls from my sorority, Delta Xi Nu. We are the only multicultural Greek body on campus, and just by looking at us, you can tell that we’re a very diverse group of girls. But sisterhood ultimately brings us together, and we learn about each others’ cultures in the process!

Here’s our poster!

My friends Jacob and Annabelle goofing around. She’s eating this interesting macaroni and cheese with some spices in it . . .

These freshman are all in the India Association of Tulane University. They signed up for it at the ACTIVITIES EXPO, where all the multicultural groups are represented by booths. Their executive boards sit at the booths and try to get members to sign up. In several of these groups, you can be on the email listserv without paying dues (which means you can even be invited to events without paying dues, which are usually only $10 anyways). That way, you can choose to pay for whatever events YOU want to do.

And this is the girl who made it all possible in terms of this Food Fest- Sarah Chiapetta. She’s on the Homecoming Committee this year.

Internet at Tulane

2006-10-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

Oops so it’s been awhile since I last posted. Ok partially this is my fault, but partially because the internet connection in my room has gone from bad to worse. Now many of you may not know this already, but Tulane, as a private university, doesn’t allow you to use file sharing software like Limewire. This means that you can’t really download anything you want to download because Tulane is particularly conscious about copyright laws. Now I tried to get around this by using another downloading system, using torrents, but that is what causes my internet to go from bad to worse.

But then I found this thing called ctrax. It’s like this free online music database, and its REALLY fast. It’s a great way to download music, and they have most of the popular music you’d find on Limewire anyways. And now, they’re letting you download a special player for it so you can put this music on your ipod like with files you download from Limewire. As a freshman, I never knew about this. Only after I got onto the Residential Hall Association did I find out. So pretty much I spent an entire two semesters being angry that I couldn’t download anything here. Ctrax is not a bad option, and they’re fast-growing as well. They also don’t violate copyright laws . . . which no longer is a concern for most of us but in the end, downloading music from Limewire is still sort of illegal.

So here’s to all you incoming freshman: Don’t fret about Limewire- check out Ctrax instead!

Bourbon Street Bluff

2006-10-16T17:28:00.000-07:00

What are people really looking for on Bourbon Street?

I found myself wondering that when I was on Bourbon street awhile ago with my friends. Why do people go there?I was there at a jazz cafe, stuffing my face with beignets, enjoying some good music, when I looked outside the gates to the almost surreal world outside. The actual street is littered with these characters . . all of us searching for something.

Jazz on Bourbon

But what?

Bourbon Street’s appeal comes from its lawlessness and its ability to provide an easy good time no matter what. Part of that comes from its alcoholic beverages. The other part is because in some ways it embodies the spirit of New Orleans: flashy and colorful, living for the moment and the quelque chose ephemere (the here and now). The part that gives little regard to the past or future, to the yesterdays and tomorrows. The part that lets you get yourself into a stupor and not worry about waking up and getting things done the next day.

I think Bourbon Street is extremely appealing when you first get to college, like all things new and forbidden. It’s very exciting to be in that environment of lost souls, searching for a good time to forget about their troubles. For those moments you’re all the same, all there to have fun: laissez les bons temps rouler. Once you get a little older you start to see that Bourbon Street is only a temporary fix to problems that need a better approach. Plus, there’s a fine time to be had at Tulane and near it. You don’t need to go all the way to Bourbon to search for whatever you’re looking for. It might just be in front of you.

I bought this t shirt once that said BS: Bourbon Street. I think that pretty much captures it. If New Orleans were a card game, Bourbon Street would be its biggest bluff.

But when you’re in the mood for that, I guess its ok. Once in a while, you even need a little lie. And then you find the truth at Tulane, studying for classes, socializing with friends, playing somewhat treacherous intramural sports =) . . . . and you realize that you’re not like all those older people you see on Bourbon Street still searching.

My friend Sasha and beignets!

Me and Clint- lab partners then friends! A Tulane connection!

Only at Tulane . . . .

Battle Wounds

2006-10-16T17:13:00.000-07:00

So for all of you wondering where I’ve been the last week I have two words: head injury.

I got it while playing soccer. Now granted, I’m not that good at soccer, and I probably shouldn’t have blocked a ball with my head and then fallen to the ground but still . . . . intramural sports is one of those things that I occasionally wish I hadn’t volunteered for but most of the time thoroughly enjoy.

Let’s just say my coordination with any type of ball is pretttty limited. Now in high school I did karate and dance . . . so I can move. But with a ball in my hand or around my feet . . not so much. But I’m a quick learner and I’m definitely learning the rules of the game. See that’s kind of how it goes for intramurals. You just get with these players that know what they’re doing. Nobody teaches you the rules, you have to sort of catch on. But you’ll become a LOT better player in the process.

And who knows if I’ll actually ever need to block a ball with my head again. Even with my head injury, my heart is still in the right place. I wish that’s all that counted . . . but I think I have some learning to do too! Next time I’ll definitely use some other body part . . . .

Oh the joys of college life!

Saints Game

2006-10-09T18:18:00.000-07:00

So on Sunday, I went with my wonderful sorority to a Saints Game. We were vendors there, along with a whole group of Tulane students, and as a compensation for our hard work, we got to keep a commission on the concessions we sold and all the tips we received. We went up and down in the stands selling stuff. . . . . very grueling work but also very rewarding.

Rachel, Mayra, Lauren, Me, Iris, and Keisha (front)- go Xi Honeys!

More than just the money, going to the Saints game was another reason why we came to New Orleans to go to school. It was definitely a bonding experience for me and my sorority sisters in Delta Xi Nu, and we got to see all the fans at these games, all the fans who support their team no matter what. The Saints’ return to New Orleans marks a new beginning for this city, and the thousands of people dressed in fleur-de-lis gear certainly proved that. Even when we were outside the stands we could hear the crowds cheering and booing and we knew exactly what was going on. It was an incredible sense of pride and team spirit that I’ve honestly never seen anywhere else, not even at the University of Texas, which last year was certainly known for its football team.

The field before the game started

Me during the third quarter

Bucs are about to score . . . but that’s ok, we still beat ‘em in the end!

It’s because the Saints are more than just a football team like any other football team, college or professional. They’re a lot of attitude, representative of the people of New Orleans’. Every win of theirs says: “That’s right folks. We’re back and better than ever.”

Salsa Night

2006-10-02T10:36:00.000-07:00

So Friday night was Salsa Night. For all of you who haven’t tried it, I strongly encourage you to!

We ended up going to Cafe Brazil, which is at the corner of Frenchman and Chartres. The cover is like $7, and they teach you how to salsa first. Then a band comes on around 10, and by 10:30 its easily the only place in New Orleans that’s already busy and packed. If you get there early enough, not only will you learn how to dance, but some Latino men will dance with you, further improving your skills. It’s a little different from your average club, considering many of the guys there are older, and people who have taken lessons in salsa and merengue just as a hobby. They will definitely respect you when you dance.

We took the bus down to Canal and walked what seemed a REALLY long distance, but it was good exercise and the weather was great. We didn’t walk on Bourbon, rather, we walked through le Vieux Carre and got to see some really interesting art galleries along the way. We had with us a New Orleans native who knew exactly where to go.

<<(Me and the girls on the bus on the way to Salsa Night)

I think in the end, a good night out is what you make of it. If you pick a place, have a plan, and have the right people with you, it can be successful no matter what. But here at Tulane, in New Orleans, salsa dancing will make it a great night out. How many other schools can say that? =)

RHA

2006-09-27T22:25:00.000-07:00

So here I am now, more than a week later, still procrastinating? Why, you ask? Because I have been blessed with an 8 am organic chemistry lab. Now 8 am is awfully early for a class, and its definitely the only lab at this time. The only thing worse than an 8 am lab on Thursday is a 1-5 lab on Friday . . so here I am, stuck.

But I just got out of an RHA meeting that broke up the monotony of tonight, which consisted of and will continue to consist of my organic chemistry lab report. RHA, or the Residential Hall Association is a national organization for all the residence halls on every single campus. Our personal RHA is marked by funny characters and great people. Every Wednesday at 8, we get together for dinner and to talk about issues before the general body meetings, which consist of every dorm’s own government’s president and vice president. It’s more like a family dinner than an executive board meeting, and its totally different from any other organization I’ve been involved in so far. We threw a party about two weeks ago actually, and had hundreds of people show up. It was an immensely successful program . . . so successful that we want to throw another big event just for students to enjoy themselves with us! It’s definitely a college thing to simply throw a party for publicity, and for people to show up that aren’t even members of that organization. If you’re good, you might even recruit people at such an event . . . my comrades and I certainly put our name out there with our party. We even gave out T shirts that now we see students wearing all over campus.

See, this is what happens when you’re a sophomore. You get to know a lot of different people, and work with a lot of different people, and then, when you decide what you really want to commit yourself too, chances are, you’re going to know who is doing that with you. It’s a great combination and it really works out well when you’re running an organization and managing thousands of dollars with 7 other kids like you.

So here’s my tribute to the RHA!!

This is our t shirt design and unofficial slogan!

Socialization

2006-09-19T23:41:00.000-07:00

So now its 11:30 at night and I find myself with several hours of psychology, english, and organic chemistry in front of me. Why? Because instead of doing all these things I was too busy kickin it with friends, running into other friends, and socializing with yet others. I managed to find out somebody in the mail room’s life story, hear about the latest episode of the tv show Divorce Court, and secure myself either an invite to a Grey’s Anatomy party on Thursday or a copy of the show in case I couldn’t be there. All important accomplishments, I thought . . . until I got to my room, saw my textbooks looking at me forlornly, and wondered how it was possible that I had just wasted my entire evening.

When you’re in college, there’s nobody there telling you there will be no tv, no video games, and no friends until you get off your behind and study. Unfortunately, this is a decision we have to make ourselves . . and its a decision most of us are still unwilling to make!

I mean its always great to be socializing and running into people. It’s one of the best things about Tulane. Just taking a short walk to go eat will result in at least four or five different social interactions, some even with the people that work at Bruff. It’s a friendly place.

But at some point you have to draw the line between squandering away an entire evening on those friends and having a good time.

It’s 11:30 . . . . . I think it’s time I draw mine.

AASU Car Wash

2006-09-12T21:19:00.000-07:00

So on Sunday was the Asian American Student Union Car Wash.

Now I’ll admit, initially, this idea didn’t sound too appealing. My friends and I were out until about 4 in the morning, and smelling like we’d been out til then too. Getting up at 8 to shower to get dirty again washing cars . . . . . not too fun.

Until we got there of course! Suddenly the sun was shining and we were teaming up to tackle cars and advertise. And though you might think that standing on a street corner yelling, “CAR WASH” is pretty tedious, its actually not. It was interesting to see who would respond to that kind of advertising! And everybody had their own way of going about it as well . . . . one kid rolled up his pants and held the sign with CAR WASH written on it in a way that looked as though he was wearing nothing but the sign. It got a lot of laughs from all of us and even from some total strangers.

I wasn’t terribly efficient at the actual car washing, but I quickly learned the tricks of advertising on the street corner and I was put to use. The others however worked like a machine, with each kid taking initiative to get something done. Most people were pretty pleased with the job we had done with their cars, and tipped us well. This is the kind of thing that encourages you to do it again, to spend a day in the sun getting bugs out of peoples’ grills after having little to no sleep the night before. At least you’re doing it with your friends, right?
And that’s pretty much what you get when you join an organization like the Asian American Student Union. It’s not a huge organization, so everybody gets to know everybody else. It’s the perfect place to meet people that not only have stuff in common with you culturally, but interest-wise. Everyone who joins wants to know something more about Asian cultures, and there’s no better way to learn than to do it together.

So that can make even a car wash after 4 hours of sleep fun . . . . .

Getting Involved . . . Again

2006-09-09T17:09:00.000-07:00

so here we are . . .getting involved . . . yet again.

Two days ago, Thursday, was like the DAY for getting involved. Everybody seemed to hold their meetings . . . .which meant I had 6 meetings in one night. Am I slightly overzealous? Perhaps . . . but there are the introductory meetings that will tell you if you’re really interested or not. So far I’ve been to meetings for Tulane DEMS, Science and Engineering Honor Society, Alpha Lambda Delta, step practice for my sorority Delta Xi Nu, dorm meetings, and the Residential Hall Association. And that’s just a few of the things I’m interested in . . . . .

<<(Me with my sorority sisters at the Activites Expo)

I really thought it would be easier to narrow stuff down as I got older. But I see so many new opportunities and its sort of difficult not to jump on them all. Going to introductory meetings is a nice way of figuring out where my real interests lie. I’m sure within the next couple of weeks I’ll find out for sure. I’m actually a little jealous of the freshman . . .8 months ago I didn’t even have all the opportunities that they have now to get involved. Many different organizations call for freshman representatives so by the time they turn into old people like me they know what they’re doing and can effectively help lead that organization.

So for all you freshman out there . . . . . please don’t sit at home and chill with your peeps and watch tv and talk on AIM and facebook stalk people ALL the time. This sort of stuff is good 4-5 hours a day . . . . with the rest of your time go LOOK around, grab a flyer, go to a meeting or two. You just might be surprised at what you find!

The best treasures are often hidden . . . . .

Back to Tulane

2006-09-03T13:41:00.000-07:00

So here we are again- back at Tulane. It’s now been one week since I came back onto campus, and man has it been a fun one!

I have to say, although I wasn’t thrilled about starting classes again, and studying again, I was thrilled to see all of my New Orleans friends again. We’re a pretty widespread group, scattered all around the world during the summers. I was also thrilled to see my sorority sisters again . . it was great having that support network again. Even though I don’t know all of them as well as I know some of my friends, they still treat me like a sister!

And then of course, the freshmen! I’ve already met quite a few, and I certainly hope all of the them are like the kids I’ve met. They are ambitious and outstanding in their drive to succeed at Tulane. We all knew that a hurricane would change the types of students that would be attracted to Tulane, and now we can see that in one way, its almost helped the character of the incoming classes.

We had our first Activities Expo, TUCP program (LUDACRIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), and even all the frat parties began. It was strange doing it all over again 7 months later . . . but this time, I was a sophomore. This time, I was the one running the stuff at the activites expo. This time, I was in the SECOND ROW at Ludacris, and this time, I knew which frat houses to go to and when.
. . its good to be back!

Russian Fun

2006-07-04T02:42:00.000-07:00

So long time no talk, right?

Well in the past month I finished up Lagniappe with pretty good grades, partied a little, and made a lot of new friends . . . . I got close to some peoplpe that I never would have gotten close to otherwise. I guess that’s one thing about Tulane– there are so many different people but if you run into someone once, you’ll probably run into him/her again. So its not like the two of you can just go on with your separate lives and never see each other again. Which brings me to my most recent story . . . .

This summer, I was in two lab classes, one of which was a difficult advanced biology lab. I made friends with another kid, as I didn’t know anyone and was the youngest person in this lab. This kid turned into more than my lab partner . . . he turned into my friend.

And now, 7 weeks after we met, we’re hanging out in Russia together. My family actually lives in Russia, but his uncle works here. So by random coincidence we’re both here at the same time, staying a 12 minute walk away from each other. In fact, just last night we were at a popular expatriot hangout, watching Russian teens dance to techno, and we thought, “man, we New Orleans people need to show them how to dance!”

And so we did!

Me and Clint

Dancing the night away . . . .

Summer Fun

2006-05-31T23:15:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can’t even believe that the Lagniappe semester is a third over. I just had my first midterm today in Molecular Biology, and boy was I unprepared!!!!

See, its summertime. And during the summer I’m definitely not inclined to work . . . and study . . . . . rather, I just want to hang out all the time. And New Orleans is the perfect city for that!!! Two weekends ago I went tubing up in Covington . . . . apparently its a college kid thing to do that I never really knew about. It was so much fun! Then last weekend there were parties and barbeques that some of my new friends had- also another source of fun! I’m not even sure what craziness this weekend will bring, but I sure am excited about it.

It’s hard to remember I’m still in school and this is still a semester for me. I’m working or studying usually every day during the week, but its so hard to get into that mindset when you already have a three day weekend, and thus only have a four day week! I am definitely taking this time though to go out and about in New Orleans and do things I’ve never done and see things I’m yet to see. I know during the regular school year this is an opportunity I will no longer have.

And so its hot and humid here . . but its New Orleans, and somehow I don’t think the charm of this place ever wears off!

Hurricanes and all . . .

My friend Shivas, his dad, and me at his bbq

me at Audobon Park

The New Orleans skyline from the bridge over the lake

Girls gone wild at the bbq

Summer Plans

2006-05-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

So this is my last blog for a little bit . . . . . its been an amazing adventure this year.

But more adventures lie ahead!!! Of that I am absolutely certain.The end of the year is marked by two important events:
1. The purchase of my OWN digital camera!!!
2. For the first time, I am completely on my own (meaning I have to live within my means)

This summer I’ll be here for Lagniappe, and don’t worry, I’ll let y’all know how hot and humid it is in New Orleans in May and June!!! But after that, I’ll be joining my folks in Moscow, Russia. In August, I’ll be going to India by myself for two weeks. And then I’m TRYING to talk my dad into a trip someplace exotic . . . but we’ll see on that one! Regardless, I think I’ll be travelling enough over the next few months. My goal is to get through Lagniappe with a near perfect GPA and a brand new job at the Freeman Business School and then enjoy a summer without any major worries. Around August I’ll start the 1000 word story that is due in my creative writing class in the fall.

In Russia, I’ll read, write, socialize, shop, and volunteer. (Not in that priority order, of course) It’ll be a rather . . intellectual life. People always ask me what its like living over there, and I always tell them its some kind of freedom. When you become completely disconnected from all the drama and tension in your everyday life, its a sort of freedom. You can live however you choose and there is no one to judge you, no one to tell you no, and no one’s standards you have to meet.

And when I come back full swing in August, oh the tales I’ll have to tell . . . . .!!!

"Hometown"

2006-05-08T23:55:00.000-07:00

So today I visited my high school.

And as I walked through the halls, I couldn’t help but feel . . lonely.

I realized that as I walked through those halls . . . . I was a year older, a year wiser . . and a year more experienced in the game of life. This distinguished me from the other students walking in the halls, and it became painfully evident that I just didn’t belong. I mean, I saw my friends and visited my old teachers, and that was definitely rewarding . . . .but something just didn’t feel natural anymore. When I was a senior I spent my time cruising in and out of the school as I pleased, on top of the world and everyone in it. It had been my territory, my domain, and most of all, my home.

And now I was back at Friendswood High School in the small town of Friendswood, Texas, where I spent nearly 10 years of my life, and it just wasn’t the same. Everyone didn’t know me. My friends had lives of their own. And suddenly, I was no longer in the picture. It’s a weird feeling, knowing that just one year ago that girl walking in the debate room or principal’s office was you. It’s a weird feeling knowing you were so close with this teacher or that one and now she barely recognizes you. It’s a weird feeling knowing you’re not there to go to class and meet up with the same people you’ve been around for most of your life.

They say home is where the heart is . . . . and I think all of us are going through experiences now where we realize our hearts are no longer where we left them. For me personally, this year has been a journey all about finding home, and I still don’t know where that is. Is it in Moscow, with my family? Is it in Austin, with my UT friends? Or is it in New Orleans? What about Friendswood, where I spent my most trying years?

Maybe “home” doesn’t really mean anything besides a place where you can be happy.

In that case, my “hometown” of Friendswood is no longer the top contender.

Tulane Routine

2006-05-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

So now finals are OVER for everybody on campus. It’s the first official day of summer vacation for Tulanians, and I personally am spending my vacation in Houston.

Except that my vacation is a week long! I’ll be back for Lagniappe, like almost all of my friends. I was talking on the phone with a friend of mine from LSU, and he too was contemplating summer classes. But unlike us, he had been at LSU for the entire year and was getting sick of the campus and of the food. We personally are still enjoying it to the max!!!

I feel like it would be really hard to get sick of Tulane. Although there are places and events that tend to become routine, there are also lots of situations that make them vary every time. For example, this Friday night, we celebrated our friend’s last night here. It was Cinco De Mayo night.

Now being from Houston, I know how Cinco De Mayo is usually celebrated. But I didn’t expect a celebration in New Orleans of all places! That night, I saw literally everyone I knew. From people on the Residential Hall Advisory with me next year to my graduate hall director this year, I saw everybody coming out and having a good time. All the people that were done with finals (and even those who weren’t) were out celebrating.

Now I wish I could tell you that we had a grand adventure in downtown, in the French Quarter, or on Bourbon Street. Nope. We ended up going with our usual routine. But its a routine that’s been tested, and it definitely works. Sometimes, to have fun, all you need is to walk around on the street and do a little dancing and then end up at the Big Easy with everybody else. When I was in high school I had adventures driving out to town to test out this club or this restaurant but here at Tulane, everybody just kinda goes with the flow. And when everybody does it, its always a great time.

Only at Tulane . . . . . . .

(Roshni and me- her last night at the Big Easy!)>>

One Act Plays

2006-05-02T23:19:00.000-07:00

So on Thursday night I saw the One Act Plays . . . . . .

I’ll admit that I didn’t want to see them. They were like 3 hours long and they had nothing to do with the final I had to take on Saturday. I was MAD. I wanted to be cramming . . . . . and so I took all my notes and decided to cram during the plays.

Until the first one started. The first play was Leonardo’s Last Supper and it was a play about the family of a burial man. At first, I didn’t know what was going on, but then the plot started to unfold. The main character was a somewhat cranky man who seems really sadistic. I couldn’t figure out if they were cannibals until Leonardo himself came into the picture. The play quickly turned from mildly confusing to hilarious!!! There was also an abundance of humorous song and dance, and both of the students playing the parts of the burial man and his wife were blessed with amazing voices. And then I totally forgot about my genetics notes . . . .

The next play was a series of three by William Donelly. One of my Performance classmates, Lauren, was really brilliant as the secretary in the first dialogue. She played a somewhat disconnected secretary who comes into touch with her religious side when she meets Jesus. The next play was a satire dripping with social commentary. It starts with a worker who finds an accounting error in the books of a large company, and follows her through her home life, the affair she has, and the bosses she goes through. The final play in the set is about two kids who go through life together and what happens when one of them dies and finally is alone. It’s a transition from funny to satirical to touching . . . . a great change in mood to keep my attention!

The next play was WASP, and it brought up a lot of issues about science, religion, and faith. It was actuallykind of sad, because it brought up a wife’s dilemma with her family and the voices in her head. It proves the point that perfection is really superficial. I was surprised to see this play after the first two comical bits. Each of the characters had some sort of aside that represented their true views about their life. And again, I was totally captivated . . . .

The final play was called God, and it was about plays within plays within plays within plays . . . . . and how they all turn out. It was kind of confusing, but everything was framed in each other and it was a pretty exciting turnout. The light part, and the use of my other Performance classmate Liz for asides/prompts offstage was also really interesting!!!

I was enraptured til the very end. It was three hours, but it certainly didn’t seem like it. Which really just proves the point that sometimes you find little treasures in the oddest places . . . . they’re everywhere at Tulane!!!

TU TAs

2006-04-27T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have a lab final in twenty minutes . . . . . and I’m going to take a moment to appreciate my TA, Gopal.

My roommate, friends, and I, between all of our chemistry labs, have a conglomeration of TAs that are Indian, Russian, Caucasian, and Chinese. And boy do they make our day!

My TA Gopal is probably the nicest man I’ve ever met. He hangs out with my roomie’s TA, and he has a thick accent and his voice cracks when he speaks. He’s always eager to help us, and he gets excited when he sees us outside of class. I’m quite an appreciator of his mannerisms, as is everybody else in his class. He does his absolute best to make sure we understand the experiment, and when we yell out his name in frustration in the middle of the lab he always comes over to have a look at our experiment and correct whatever we’re doing wrong.

Every Thursday at the beginning of lab he gives us a short lecture on what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. Sometimes we don’t pay attention . . . . . but he tries hard to make us listen anyways. I was really surprised to find myself with him, and a chinese TA for my other lab in the middle of New Orleans, Louisiana, but it just proves that diversity exists in the most random places!!!

Now we all know that chem lab is generally not too much fun . . . .but with TAs like these, its a lot better. I feel like no one taught these people who are only a little older than us to reach out the way they do, but they understand the frustration of not understanding and try to facilitate our lab experiences as much as possible. This is unique to TAs that tend to be immigrants or international students because unlike others, they don’t automatically assume that we get it.

Really, in a million years, I would have never expected to meet my TA Gopal at Tulane University. But after a semester of lab, and with my lab final approaching in now 10 minutes, I’m really glad I met him. It was just another experience I never thought I’d have at Tulane and I did and ultimately it expanded my horizons a little farther.

And isn’t that the whole point of college? To expand the horizons, stretch the bounds of the imagination . . . . .

Anyways, I have to go to my final now!

Semiformal Fun

2006-04-23T21:31:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, the best part of a year’s hard work is the celebration at the end!

. . . . which brings me to AJ’s Semiformal 2006 Adventure. Ironically enough, the two semiformals I had to attend were held at the same place, at overlapping times. There was the India Association of Tulane University’s semiformal in the upstairs of a restaurant, and my sorority’s downstairs at the same restaurant. It was amazing!!!

We had a great night! There was food, there was dancing, and there was great company! Semiformal is not only an excuse to get dressed up, but an excuse to tell other people they look great without hitting on them. (Or so I thought! =) )

My date Austin wasn’t feeling terribly well on our Semiformal night, but we still had a great time. What adventures we ended up having . . . . . . we had to figure out a way to rotate between the two formals, almost lost my sorority’s scrapbook, left early, and then my suitemate left my purse filled with her belongings in a cab. She was a tad emotional, so Austin was pulling tricks out of his hat left and right to keep her from crying. It was a night that I’ll definitely remember.

Then a few hours later the other kids started coming home . . . . some in better shape than others. A night out on the town wearing the pointy heels with plenty of food and drink can really wear on a person! There is such a thing as having too much fun!

All in all, it was amazing. While there a friend of mine called me from LSU and complained that he never had a chance to dress up like that (and he LOVES dressing up!).

All I had to say was hey . . .it’s Tulane. It’s classy.

Austin telling a joke to me!

My suitemate Jen and me

Jen and Chris

Awww . . . my date Austin and me

Friends and more

2006-04-22T11:20:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, life can be sort of disappointing.

Here at Tulane, we just had elections for the India Association of Tulane University. I wanted to run for a particular position, but I changed to a position that I knew nothing about because someone more hardworking than me would then be running by herself for that position. It was a good move . . . .and I thought I was doing the mature thing . . . until all of my friends got onto the board except for me.

But then I realized: I’m just a freshman. I don’t have to belong to a certain clique or group, because I’m going to meet so many people over the years. I don’t need to limit my friends, because I’d rather have a lot of different friends than a group with whom I always do stuff. And I’ve found the best friends in people outside that group. Here at Tulane, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to bond with people that have similar backgrounds to mine. At UT, that was considered a bad thing, because the groups were almost separated, like people would only hang out with others like them.

As I was sulking a bit about the fact that maybe I just don’t fit perfectly into this group, someone pointed it out to me: that just because people are my race and religion doesn’t mean that they have to be my primary group of friends. I’ve met so many people that aren’t Indian or South Asian, and I rather like hanging out with all of them. I have friends here that are of almost every different type of background. Tulane breeds diversity in a lot of different ways–my boyfriend is Jewish, Italian, and from Portland, Oregon. My best friend is Scotch Irish, her mother is Buddhist, and she’s from Blacksburg, Virginia. How much more different can you get?
In the end, I have to see this as a good thing. I’m not doing something on the board that I don’t really want to do, and people who really want it have got their places. I can still be involved without being on the board . . . . and most importantly, I don’t feel so pressured to fit in with that particular group.

So this is my goodbye to my position on the board of IATU . . . . . all of my friends on the board will certainly see me working hard again next year. Just because I’m Indian doesn’t mean I have to fit into that group.

Essentially, the environment here at Tulane is set up so I have so many options free of the stereotypes that prevail at schools like UT.

I’m free.

<<(IATU Board 2006)

Two Weeks for Tulane

2006-04-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

As I write this blog, I realize there are about two weeks left in this semester. It’s now the home stretch–third exams and final assignments come into play, with final exams right on their heels. I have a couple of Bs that need to be brought up to As. Luckily, most of my professors and TAs are lenient enough to let me do that. I always have this to do list that always has studying somewhere on there but somehow it never becomes a priority.

Until finals.

Now I won’t lie to you and say that I’m an unusual student, and that most kids are on top of things. I’d say the overwhelming majority of college students, especially freshman, save their studying to the very last minute. In this case, its the two last weeks of classes. Everyone then starts struggling to yank up those grades in the final few days before exams, because of course, no one wants their entire fate to depend on final exams. Final exams tend to be way too stressful to do that.

Last semester at UT, I was doing the same exact thing–studying like crazy the last few weeks of school. But at UT, I had to approach my professors and TAs to ask for help where I needed it. I had to convince them that I was indeed a hardworking student. Most of them didn’t know me at all . . . .some didn’t even know my name. When I applied to UT last year, I thought I wanted to go to a HUGE school to be a part of that vast network. Now I’m starting to realize the advantages of a smaller school.

As of now, I have a B in chem lab and in chemistry. My chemistry TA I see every week in Bruff, and sometimes we eat together. My chemistry professor is a Senior Fellow for Wall Residential College of which I am the president. Both of these people know me well enough to realize that I am capable of doing whatever it takes to get my A. Pulling up my grades is a lot easier when I have the support of people who already know me and like me, and want me to do well. I feel like at UT, some of the freshman courses I was in were designed to “weed out” science majors who weren’t really suited to be science majors, and in that respect the professors weren’t super compassionate about individual students.

So I’ll be cracking the books for the next two weeks . . . the library is going to be my new home.

Check out our lovely library at http://www.library.tulane.edu/!

But right now I got other stuff to do. Studying . . . I can just do that later, right? =)

Homecoming

2006-04-15T21:11:00.000-07:00

Whoever said home is where the heart is was definitely right. Coming home for me is like a purging of all the things I have to do and places I have to be . . . . . its freedom all over again.

<<(In my living room in my house in Friendswood, Texas )

I noticed it today while driving on the streets of my small town of Friendswood, Texas. The town is small and there’s literally nothing to do here. It’s very southern, conservative and certainly not the most exciting place, but its a place I call home. I’ve lived a lot of places, but this is where my roots have been for the past ten years.

Today my best friend and I went to our old haunts–super target, the mall, Starbucks, etc. We had a ball doing all those things we did to relieve our boredom during long Texas summers. We always got tired of shopping and hanging out at Target and Walmart and driving around in search of entertainment but today we didn’t mind.

I guess our lives are so busy now in college that sometimes its a great feeling to just chill.Today we shopped for a dress for various semiformals I have to attend. It was like our usual routine but this time it had a purpose. So even when we weren’t really doing anything productive we still had a goal!

New Orleans is a great city, but going to Tulane definitely is not like living in a small southern town. It’s a big city, and full of adventures just waiting to happen between Bourbon street, the French Quarter and off campus night scenes. Here in Friendswood, you have to dig for it. Spending a day at the town mall is kind of exciting as it gets!

Homecoming–its the periodic trip back home to a boring place where you are more than happy to dig a little!

Airport Fun

2006-04-14T17:06:00.000-07:00

So here I am, sitting in New Orleans International Aiport, contemplating life itself.

Ok not really. What I am doing is downloading music, talking to people online, and of course, writing this blog.

My plans were: read for anthropology, read for english, and review my notes for genetics. And here I am, doing everything but. I think its because studying is just so boring that any distraction ultimately finds a way to supersede the pressing homework I have. I’m on my way to Houston, and as I sit here contemplating, I realize that this life is slowly coming to an end.

At Tulane, most of my friends are freshmen, meaning that the second they can go home, they usually do. I too am one of them . . this will be my third trip to Houston this semester alone. I usually use these trips to stock up on food, medicine, and any other essentials that I’m too lazy to pursue in New Orleans. These are the trips for haircuts and waxing, shopping and eating “real” food, and of course, enjoying the spoils of one’s parents as though one is a hero returned from war. I definitely fit this freshman mold–I love going home and realizing I have a fridge just stocked with food and that if I don’t want any of it, my mother is more than willing to take me to one of my favorite restaurants. I just spoke to one of my friends who proceeded to inform me that he was on a mountain skiing with his father and he couldn’t talk because reception is bad on mountains. And he has been home for not even 24 hours! It’s a pretty sweet life, really.

But what I also realize as I’m sitting here is that this life definitely has its end. Upperclassmen I know don’t go home at every chance. Why? They start establishing various ties in the community that keep them there. Jobs, friends, and studies start to eat away at this war hero existence we all crave. Eventually we realize that the most important part of these trips home is maintaining relationships with the people there, and if the relationship isn’t superficial then that will happen no matter how often we return. Many of our high school friends we stop seeing, and the ones that matter are there regardless of that fact. My best friend will be picking me up from the airport today and its bittersweet. From spending all our free time together, now we see each other every few months if we happen to have the chance.

(Eman and me being models! What a way to end my high school world. ) >>

Masala 2006

2006-04-10T23:26:00.000-07:00

So Masala was yesterday. What is Masala, many of you may ask? It’s a big dance program which showcases types of Indian dancing and culture at the end of the year. We had several Bollywood dances, a garba/raas (that was our dance), several solos, traditional Bharat Natyam dancing, and a very cheesy skit plus corny emcees.

I ended up with a painful back injury, sores on both feet, and an extreme dislike towards all forms of Indian dancing. Cool, right?

At the very last minute, I was pulled into a dance for the Masala program that India Assoc. at Tulane puts on annually. Since I’m on the board, it was not only my obligation but actually my duty to jump in as a backup dancer. Unfortunately, that meant I was learning this dance in two days, practicing non stop, and making a hurt back even worse.

But the results were amazing. I know I missed a lot of steps, but people said we looked good on stage. All the dances were great . . . . . it was such a transition from dress rehersal when nothing quite came together. The most amazing part was the dancers themselves . . . India Association’s program but many of the dancers weren’t even Indian. There were lots of members of IATU participating that were not of Indian background, and lots more observing. It just proved the point that though Tulane is no NYC in terms of diversity, there is definitely diversity and cultural awareness here.

It was a lot of fun, overall. There were so many people there for dinner who congratulated us on our dancing success. I even saw one of my chemistry TAs, and let me tell you–that was one of my favorite experiences this year.

Tulane does diversity New Orleans style . . . . . . slow n easy, but its definitely there.

Jacob and me being too cool

Our dance troupe- me, Chandni, Puja, Jennie, Rita, Roshni

Doing the Raas

Me pretending that I know what I’m doing . . . .

Look at Chandni smiling while I struggle to remember the next step!

BLOG CHAT!!!

2006-04-08T17:50:00.000-07:00

Hi guys!!!

I know you guys have all been religiously reading my blogs . . j/k. But even if you’ve seen one, two, or even none, here’s an opportunity to learn more about Tulane University. I myself had MANY doubts before I came here, so I can understand what its like perfectly. I’m really excited, because what I’m about to share with you is an opportunity for me to meet some of the future class of 2010.

We are having a LIVE CHAT. All of the bloggers will be there. If you have any questions at all about Tulane and life here, please come join us online. We’ll be able to interact one on one and hopefully help you out with any concerns you might have. I’m really looking forward to this, so y’all please do join us!!!

Monday 4/10, 9-10pm Central time.

http://www.interactionsoftware.com/openhouse/default.asp?SchoolId=1000162584

Talk to you SOOOON!!!!!!!!!!!!

New Orleans Civilization

2006-04-08T17:45:00.000-07:00

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “The true test of a civilization is not its census, nor the size of its cities, but the kind of man it turns out.” No city but New Orleans knows that better, for its denizens now represent its former glory all over the country. New Orleans itself however, is not a place that can turn out good types of men anymore.

The reason why? Post Katrina, the population is not even half of what it was. And when one drives down the streets, one sees trash and debris piled into mountains on curbs . . . . hills of waste that are never carted away. Today I assisted in a neighborhood cleanup and I was deeply saddened by what I saw. There were beer bottles and paper bags everywhere. There was plastic covering and batteries, bottles of detergent and food . . . . obviously people had stocked up for the hurricane. The worst part by far though was people’s memorabilia that they had tried to protect. I found personal letters that someone had saved and a large icon of Mary that had miraculously remained unscathed. But all that too was thrown away. It was like we were throwing away parts of these folks’ past and we wouldn’t be able to fill in the holes when they came back and realized everything was gone.

The neighborhood itself was mostly abandoned but for a few people that lived in one of the houses in the area we cleaned. The people that drove by either waved or gave us strange looks. It’s a helpless feeling knowing that someone else is taking care of your neighborhood because they think you can’t do it yourself.

And then we saw two children walking down the street. It occured to us that they have to grow up on these streets we clean.

What will happen to these kids? Can New Orleans still pass the true test of a civilization?
With kids from Tulane and other colleges dragging themselves out of bed in the morning for a couple of hours, maybe it is in fact possible. When we left, we looked back on our work, at streets that were a lot cleaner. New Orleans needs a fresh start, and it needs fresh faces to give it just that. So to all of you– there are always opportunities to help out! Please do, because New Orleans needs us to absolve it of Hurricane Katrina’s still horrific effects.

New Orleans is a civilization not lost yet.

I love my roommate

2006-04-04T13:53:00.000-07:00

You never really appreciate someone until you realize they aren’t going to be around you forever.

I know that’s a feeling I certainly am getting in regards to my roommate Puja. We met each other with the online roommate search that many upperclassmen call online dating. Except its like one step beyond that, because you’re asking the other person to live with you. At first, I totally lied on my profile, claiming that I went to bed at 11 and was extremely neat. One of my best friends caught me and made me fix it, and then Puja’s profile was a perfect match to mine. Turns out that we lived in the same city and had mutual friends. It was the beginning of a great friendship!

Now we have an extremely unique relationship. We’re both pre meds and involved in some of the same organizations, so we always have common things to do. There are times when we sit next to each other in chemistry class and make a very long To Do list of things we have to get done . . . . . and then later that day our friends come over to do homework and they get their homework done while we’re too busy entertaining them to do our own!

Last semester, just spending time in the room was entertaining because of the sheer volume of people always in it. I had about 7 roommates at UT, 3 official and 4 regular unofficial ones. I actually worried that this semester would be lonely for us since it was just the two of us.
But all of this just proves two things: that the online roommate search works, and that a lot of times, roommate situations turn into friendships you’ll always cherish. I know I was worried at the start of my freshman year, but now, I can hardly imagine living in a single room again likeduring the pre-college days. Roommates are going to have an impact, and most of the time, its for the better.

The moments when we’re singing loudly to Indian music, the moments when we’re cleaning our room and pretending it’s like that all the time when our parents come, the moments when we’re feeding our friends while not doing our own work . . . these are the moments I’ll miss.

But hey, I’m fortunate in that I got a friend out of it. And if any of you know my roommate Puja, you’d know that I’m pretty lucky.

The Stream

2006-03-31T22:08:00.000-08:00

So this whole being involved thing isn’t always exactly what I expect. Though most of the time its great to be busy, to feel needed, and to make a difference, occasionally, the feeling is quite the opposite.

Now I’m not talking about being overwhelmed with responsibility or being too involved. Though people tell me I am, I’m yet to feel this way. The balance has been struck, and the only thing that tampers with it is the unexpected.

And unexpected is what I got.

As the President of Wall Residential College, I was on the selections committee to pick which residents would be returning. It was only logical that I do so, especially since I knew most of them, and interacted with them on a community level. I was excited about this additional responsibility . . . . . . until people got their emails letting them know if they were invited back or not.

Suddenly, it was NOT exciting anymore. People were upset with me, not realizing that I was only part of a selections process much larger than my personal relationship with them. The backlash was extraordinary in the fact that I didn’t anticipate it at ALL. I know how I deal with conflict, and I assumed that everyone would deal the same way. Unfortunately, not everyone is as reserved about their sentiments. People openly called me out on it and even approached me, criticizing my choices.

Woodrow Wilson once said, “The man swimming against the stream knows the strength of it.” I didn’t anticipate ever being in a position where I’d be in that stream. But I guess that’s the definition of leadership . . . .doing what makes everybody happy and doing what makes nobody happy and treating the two sets of actions the same way. Public approval, though very necessary for a leader, sometimes is superseded by a duty and obligation to the larger community. It’s one of those tough choices I never thought I’d have to make, but now that I’m here, I’m a leader. And I have to make those choices.

What I have to remind myself from time to time is that leadership is not supposed to be easy. In the end, its worth it, because I know that the best possible community is going to be returning to Wall next year. Hopefully, you incoming freshman will realize that too when you interact with these kids next fall.

And when you all tell me how much fun you’re having at Wall, I’ll think back on all this for a brief moment, and then smile and move on.

I sure know the strength of this stream.

But regardless of how strong the current, I’m going to keep swimming.

Freshman Representin'

2006-03-28T15:35:00.000-08:00

The year is quickly coming to an end, and with much sadness, I realize that I’m not going to be a freshman anymore. High school won’t just be around the corner anymore . . .rather, it will become a more and more distant memory.

But I have had so much fun as a freshman! Though I only spent one semester here at Tulane, it has been enough to mark me as an individual and set me on a path for the next three years. Being involved as a freshman, I learned, is one of the most important ways to start off.

I will admit, however, that most of my friends look at my busy schedule and tell me I’m crazy. But as a freshman, jumping in and trying new things is the only way you’ll find out what you love to do. And as you become an upperclassmen, it is these activities that will distinguish you. I was lucky; I came here to Tulane and made the most of every opportunity I had. There are still so many opportunities I would love to take, but at this point, taking on any more responsibility would really be insanity! For example, several weeks ago I got an email about being a representative on the student health board. I had to physically restrain myself from jumping into that too. Between the presidency of Wall, exec board of the India Association of Tulane University, and pledging for Delta Xi Nu Multicultural Sorority Inc, I’m booked. Occasionally, I try to branch out, but usually this schedule keeps me busy every night of the week minus Fridays and Saturdays.

At University of Texas at Austin last semester, I found myself surrounded by familiar faces, a great environment, and a lot of fun. Having come to school late due to the hurricane, I was perfectly happy making that my excuse for not getting involved. I was fortunate, because I had a chance to start all over at Tulane. But not everybody gets that chance, and too many freshman are happy coasting and partying before they realize that they’re missing out on a lot of amazing adventures with different organizations and groups on campus.

So for all you incoming freshman–the opportunities are definitely there. Just make sure you take them! You don’t have to be super involved . . .all you have to do is dabble in a few things and look for what really interests you. You might even be surprised! College is a whole different venue from high school, and the term “involved” takes on a completely different meaning. It’s not just the stereotypical group of Student Council officers and National Honor Society leaders that gets involved here . . . . its everybody!

The adventures I’ve had this semester with my organizations have been great . . .and they are chances that were solely available to freshman. I’ve got my track for the next three years, and I owe it all to the people who encouraged me and welcomed me . . . . .IATU, the management of Wall Residential College, my sorority sisters . . . .and of course, the Admissions Office at Tulane that invited me to become a blogger!

Thanks guys! I owe you one!

Me, Simran, Karthik, and Rita- all on the IATU Executive Board 2006

The three freshman representatives on the IATU Board- Me, Karthik, and Rita!

Medea

2006-03-26T17:57:00.000-08:00

Oscar Wilde once professed that “There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.” Both are tragedies because sometimes what we want the most is the most detrimental to us. It is a theme forever present in the eternal spirit of Greek tragedies. The suffering and sorrow of the main characters is to prove Wilde’s point–that no matter what the actions along the way, the outcome is the same. The fates of these characters are predetermined, and nothing they do will stop the gods from playing with them as pawns on a chessboard. Such is the case in the Greek tragedy Medea, where a crazed and twisted woman ends up murdering everyone near to her in an effort to find vengeance.

It doesn’t seem like the sort of story that should be a play–everyone dying, the entire moral structure collapsing into a mess of tears and grief at the end. An ancient Greek proverb said that “If it were not for hope, the heart would break.” Medea herself eventually loses all hope that her life can change, and her broken heart leads her to commit unspeakable crimes. Ultimately, Medea is a twisted woman devoid of rational thought, and in Tulane’s own production of Medea, Kathleen Small perfectly lived this role. It’s the actors and actresses that breathed life into the story and made a story seemingly not appropriate for stage into the masterpiece it was.
The other characters were also outstanding. The chorus was well versed and proficient in telling the story in low and forceful tones. Creon (whom we know from both Oedipus and Antigone) is bound by the ethics of his past drama. Jason is fearful and his internal stuggle becomes evident throughout the play. His last monologue was the most appealing—his anger and grief were directly felt. If the sky was raining tears over him, the audience was also drenched. It was consummation in sorrow and in my mind, that’s the point of a Greek tragedy.

My favorite character though, was definitely the nurse. I thought Courtney Pauroso did a superb job playing the role. Perhaps her role inherently preserves the humanity of the play, but in my opinion, it was her portrayal that did so. While Medea was crazed and torn at the same time, the nurse was her foil in that she was concerned and watchful. She was the only character in the play (besides the chorus) that wasn’t bound by deep jealousies, rivalries, and crimes. She was an insider but an outsider to the Greek drama that formed the plot of Medea. Because she wasn’t bound by the moral conflicts that ruled over every other main character, she was the most rational.

The entire play was well coordinated, from the lighting to the music. The beats of the music harmonized with the mood of the play, and there were several moments when the characters were moving in contrasting patterns to the rhythm that spoke more powerfully than moments of monologues. I enjoyed this play more than I thought I would. As I watched the story unfold on the stage, I was more and more impressed with each of the characters and the way they become their characters in truth and perfection. I was thrilled to witness this living art and it become very evident the weeks of work it took the cast and crew to bring it to this standard of flawlessness.

Wilde’s truth was preserved in this play–Medea gets what she wants but doesn’t get what she ultimately wants. She finds her vengeance, but at a cost too high to pay. Tulane’s actors and actresses did a perfect job of investigating the plight of Medea and the other characters. For the audience, it was a lesson in tragedy.

Dat Phan + Karma = FUN

2006-03-25T19:28:00.000-08:00

So its like 6 pm, and I’ve only been awake for about . . .2 hours. My parents don’t understand this at all . . . . . . if you’re in college and you have plans for Friday night, chances are slim to none that you’ll wake up on Saturday. Except of course, to get up to get ready to go out again. Cool, right?

Last night I was out and about from 7 pm to about 4 am, because of the Asian American Student Union’s wonderful standup show– DAT PHAN, and then the AASU + Indian Association of Tulane University coprogramming for the afterparty- KARMA! It was sooooooo much fun!

<<(The crowd at Dixon Auditorium watching Dat Phan ) Dat Phan was pretty amazing. He was the winner of Comedy Central’s Last Comic Standing. He was HILARIOUS!!!! His act was based on his ethnicity, but he did well imitating other races and cultures too. His jokes ranged from slightly risque to family humor. My favorite part was when he was explaining how his mother dislikes every girl he brings home, except the Asian ones. There was something in his act for every member of the audience, and it was that bit that did it for me! It was an amazing show that I was lucky enough to see. Afterwards, we all got a picture with him, and I got his autograph. We waited in line for like 20 minutes . . .which meant I had about 20 minutes to get ready for Karma. Oh well. <<(Dat Phan here at Tulane)

I went to Karma, and I did my thing . . . . . dancing and all that. It was huge this time, and the DJs were good. There was a huge variety of people there this time, and that’s the most fun part of it. I ran into several of my executive officers from Wall, as well as the graduate hall director, and then many girls from the sorority I’m pledging as well. It was intense!

But the best part of it is that it is a party. So though I was there on behalf of IATU (since I’m on the board), it was a party after all. Everyone that usually expected something from me during the weekdays (Sorority sisters, exec officers, even IATU board) let it slide and I got to have a good time, regardless of the responsibilites floating in the air with the people at that party. Everyone sort of understood that it was just a night to chill.

Which is what I did . . . . .and therefore why I woke up 2.5 hours ago.

Welcome to college, y’all!

Go Study!

2006-03-23T21:28:00.000-08:00

Man, the things I wish someone had told me while I was in high school:
1. Studying- its pretty essential in college
2. Trying to cut back on sleep is not the best strategy for getting more done in a day
3. It is possible to get food poisoning if you eat something sketchy looking, and especially if its at a time when you cannot afford to be sick
4. When professors say you should study an hour a week outside class for every hour you spend in class, they aren’t just exaggerating, hoping you’ll spend a fourth of that time studying
5. Two words that will make you or break you: MID TERMS
6. Exams are a REALLY big deal here . . . homework really isn’t important
7. Sometimes, after you’ve skipped class a lot of times, your professor will say that if you’ve missed more than 3 times you’re being docked letter grades
8. 90-100 is NOT an A
9. 89.6 does NOT round up to an A unless specifically mentioned by the professor
10. It’s very difficult to study in your room, on your bed, when your roommate is taking a nap
11. Library–people do go there to study
12. Highlighters and post-its should be your best friends, especially at a university where “all text sales are final”
13. Tulane is HARD, don’t let its big easy atmosphere fool you
14. If you party hard, you better be working equally hard
15. There are no excuses for missing a lab . . .unless you’re dead, GO TO LAB
16. Don’t wait until the last second to write a lab report, because chances are, its the one that takes the longest to do

Clearly, its a Week of Study for me!

Holi

2006-03-19T19:27:00.000-08:00

So today was Holi.

Holi is an Indian festival where people run around and throw colored powder at each other. Sometimes, they use paint, water balloons, and water guns as well. It’s a holiday they celebrate with great pomp and circumstance in India, but here, no one can imagine a holiday dedicated to behaving as though one is three years old.

Except here at Tulane, with the Indian Association of Tulane University. Today we had Holi, and it was the most fun I’ve had in awhile. We went to the park, found a spot right by St. Charles, and then proceeded to pelt each other with colors and paint. Hopefully, the paint was non toxic, because we ended up getting it in our hair, faces, mouths, and contacts. And then we did the most Indian thing we could do– we washed up in the fountain! I’m sure the water was water we wouldnt normally want anywhere near us, let alone on our limbs and faces, but then again, if you’re Indian, you’re also resourceful. So we pretty much bathed in our own river Ganges . . . the probably still Katrina-contaminated water in the Audobon fountain!

And of course, people stared. They just thought we were a bunch of teenage idiots, though we were celebrating an ancient cultural tradition. Holi celebrates the new spring season with bright colors and fun in the sun. It is a national holiday in India, and because it falls in March, I’ve never been to a Holi celebration (that I remember). It’s an impractical holiday, which is why as an American raised kid, I’ve never celebrated it before.

So here at Tulane University, I got to know a little more about my heritage, and therefore a little more about me.

Oh the things you will find in New Orleans!!!

Growing Pains

2006-03-16T22:26:00.000-08:00

Last summer seems such a long time ago.

Now those of you more intelligent than me are probably thinking, “Well, that’s because it WAS 9 months ago.”

True, but those of you who are seniors now will totally understand what I mean when you’re in the middle of your second semester. Suddenly, you realize that your life has changed so much in the last year. Suddenly you’re no longer a kid, you’re an adult.

You’re suddenly this person that’s totally different from the high school senior you once were. You have completely different friends and different relationships with the friends you still have. If you’re an involved student, you don’t have time anymore to catch your favorite Monday night WB specials. You’re lucky if you get a couple of minutes to nap every day. Sleep and food are your two highest priorities. After that, its partying and studying. Hopefully, studying is the next priority in line, and if its not, well, then you’re one of those college freshman that figure it out the hard way!

Your relationships with other people mature. You begin to have social obligations, like calling your friends on their birthdays, or catching up every once in awhile with your old neighbors when you are in town. You have two separate worlds, and very rarely do they coincide. You study a lot more because you do realize college is a lot harder than high school. You live in a dorm with other kids just like you, and unlike you and your high school friends, you guys will bond over all of the college student priorities above mentioned: sleep, food, studying, and partying alike.

I remember my first impressions of dorms at Tulane last summer. I didn’t want to live in Wall because I didn’t want to be “too close to authority,” meaning I didn’t want to live in the same building as a professor. Now, I could not be happier that I’m here. It’s the nicest freshman dorm on campus, and just telling people I live in Wall generates a spark of envy. The building is built around an inner courtyard, and that itself propagates cross-floor conversations on the balconies and a real sense of community. My parents made me choose Wall, and though I hated that at the time, they were right.

Admitting your parents were right about stuff . . . .that’s another big thing you’ll be doing around now. If you are anything like me and very stubborn about college, all I have to tell you is wait til you get here. You’re going to love it.

So this is my own reflection as I near the end of my freshman year. I’m sure there will be plenty more reflection.

After all, when you get to college, its not just that you are in a new place with new people. You do change, and although you’re not sure when or how, you get a lot older, and a lot wiser in a very short time span. A remarkable change happens, though you’re not sure when or how.

You grow up.

Wall Officers and me- go Wall RC!

New friends rock!

Love Letters to New Orleans

2006-03-12T22:17:00.001-08:00

Agnes De Mille once said, “To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking.” Her prolific words ring true especially in the context of modern dance—when expressions become whole body movements and unorganized routines reflecting some passion, some ideal, and some truth. After watching Love Letters to New Orleans, a performance by Sara and Patrik and Tulane dancers, I too can appreciate the human glory that is dance in its basest form.Love Letters to New Orleans began with an old woman playing the piano. The entire dance show was peppered with interviews and clips of New Orleans residents. The tragedy and destruction was felt firsthand as the dancers emulated their emotions through movements and dialogues. Sara’s solo in particular was moving to me, as it perfectly showed the rise and fall of New Orleans through her tortured movements. It was as though New Orleans was meant to be hit. In one way or another, the Big Easy received the Big One—the apocalyptic hurricane prophesized through tales and gossip for years. This too was mirrored by the dancers and the images they complemented. The move where they waved to pre-Katrina pictures of New Orleans perfection nearly brought tears to my eyes, as they were not only waving to the gorgeous houses shown on the screen, but to a way of life. This move was then paralleled by the clips of New Orleans’ young ballet dancers, people on the streets, and my dance teacher Alise waving and turning to look over their shoulders. It was quite sad, really, because everyone was waving goodbye to a way of life that we all used to have before the hurricane. Even us New Orleans college students are included here . . . .for the hurricane changed our lives too. How quickly, though, we move on past that and forget that problems with which we no longer deal (lack of clothes and books last semester when we went to different colleges) are problems that make up the daily lives of the 1/3 of New Orleans residents that have returned. If there’s a reason our bathrooms don’t get cleaned, the dorm looks a little messy, and every University Services company is grossly understaffed, its because of this new way of life. I hear residents complain all the time, and its unfortunate that they do not see past their superficial complaints to the root of the problems. There is no quick fix here in New Orleans . . . it is a slow, long process of recovery. Love Letters to New Orleans was the perfect performance to remind us of that. Although everything was lost in a classical moment of human downfall, rebuilding and restoring takes time. Hindsight is 20/20, and none of us can tell the future. The dancers in Love Letters showed this uncertainty coupled with desparation in their performance. One particular outstanding piece of dialogue was “I have seen the face of hell” and the sad part is that it’s true. Anyone here after the hurricane saw this human hell. But anyone here after that saw the purging of the society and the glorious but slow return to purgatory-like human existence.

The dialogues, clips, images, and dance routines in Love Letters to New Orleans all expressed human glory in some form or another. Although we give up one form of life pre-Katrina, we adopt another post-Katrina. It is performances like this that make sure we do not forget what we have been through, and why life in New Orleans is the way it is. The fact that this city is recovering at all is human glory, for what else can take us through the “face of hell?" And this dance performance has its role amongst all that—it expresses this glory bigger, and more beautiful. It is dancers escaping their normal roles, as Agnes De Mille suggests, but at the same time, these dancers do not escape reality. None of us do.

Community Service

2006-03-12T22:17:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning so sore that I could barely move. It took me a very long time to get up, shower, get dressed, and intend to go to McWilliams to attend the performance Love Letters to New Orleans. It took me even longer to walk to McWilliams. Pretty much everyone I saw also heading in that direction passed me. Getting out of bed was the last thing I wanted to do, and I’m still hurting, even now, as I write this. Why, you ask? Because yesterday I did some community service.

What I ended up doing was walking around with a large pole, peeling lead paint off the ceiling. This involved wearing a gas mask and goggles to prevent any dust from getting in my eyes or mouth. The problem, I quickly discovered, was that the humidity of the environment led to the gas mask getting very sweaty very quickly. And then, as I was craning my head up towards the ceiling to attack the lead paint, the gas mask would slide down my nose til it was almost hanging off my face. Which meant I had to readjust it. And start all over again.

I must have taken breaks every 5 minutes while doing that particular job. Now, for those of you who know something about me, you may be wondering why exactly a small 5′3″ girl is trying to get something off the ceiling. Two of my pledge sisters were doing it too, and in fact, one volunteered first, which then led me to follow. Hard physical labor is something not many people want to do, and because of that, the three smallest girls there ended up doing it. Eventually, lunchtime came around, and we were relieved of those particular duties. We spent the rest of the day priming, which was a MUCH less arduous task.

We worked at Allen Elementary School, which is being turned into a math and science high school by NOLA Hurricane Fund. They were explaining to us how exactly they wanted to renovate all the walls and ceilings. They had already finished the second floor, and if you walk around it, you will be surprised at how fresh, clean, and colorful it looks compared to the rest of the building, and any nearby buildings in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. It’s an admirable task, and it was something to which I hope I contributed, and contribute more in the future.

Someone famous, who probably never went through this kind of physical soreness before, said, “No pain, no gain.” I guess that’s true in the end. I may be hurting physically now, but at least this means that some New Orleans students won’t be hurting intellectually later.

At Tulane, the opportunities for jobs like this are extensive. With CACTUS, and NOLA Hurricane Fund, plus a plethora of independent projects all over New Orleans, an active kid can always find a way to contribute. It’s one of the reasons I came back to New Orleans, so please don’t mind all the complaining. Many others do these types of tasks on a much more regular basis, and really, we should consider ourselves lucky to be part of the rebirth of New Orleans at all. We have an incredible chance to give back to the community, and that is something we each should do, in some way or another.

And if you’re lucky enough, you might find yourself with a large pole and a gas mask, rebuilding New Orleans one lead paint chip at a time. =)

Trust

2006-03-09T02:33:00.000-08:00

Trust is a very fragile thing.

You don’t really figure that out until you have one of those epiphanies where you realize how little you trust other people. Even the people that are closest to you. Suddenly you find yourself telling little white lies to get out of telling the truth and why? Because you don’t trust the other person with the truth. As though the truth is too much for that person to handle.

What’s sad is that in our society, it is becoming more and more acceptable to do this. With the rebellious teen culture not only being promoted but propagated through movies, music, and media in general, its becoming more than just a societal norm– its becoming a fad. It’s suddenly normal to lie to your parents and family because you’ve done something that they don’t approve of, and you feel awfully guilty about it. Instead of purging your guilt, you shelter it, and push it into the depths of your mind without ever letting it resurface.

Or at least that’s what I do. It’s a personal habit of mine that has suddenly started to take a toll on me as a person, and on my relationship with the people closest to me.

But if kids are suddenly behaving more the rebels, parents are behaving more conservative. I know that in many cases, my actions were not rebellious in spirit, but honest mistakes that I felt I could not tell anyone because no one else would understand that. My rebellious nature paved a road for actions grounded in the same ideology, but like all teenagers, I’m a good kid at heart.

College is certainly a forum where all this becomes exposed. I have so many friends here at Tulane, each with totally different relationships with their family and closest friends. I have a friend who hates his mother, because she could have a mental illness that manifests itself in irrationality and instability. I have another friend who is best friends with her mother, and they share an uncommonly strong bond. Most kids are like me, somwhere in the middle. But I’m a unique situation. Since coming to Tulane, my relationship with my parents in Russia has become more and more strained, for less and less obvious reasons. We’re 8,000 miles apart, and I find that for the first time in my life, I’m having a lot of trouble talking. I wish I could just go to them, and they wouldn’t be angry when I make a mistake, but they just aren’t like that. Perfection is what they demand, and that’s an awfully hard standard to ever maintain. So I pretend life is perfect . . .to perfection.

Why? Because I’m honestly afraid that they can’t handle the truth. I’m a college kid, just like every other college kid, and Tulane fosters a certain type of lifestyle. We are responsible kids, but we work hard and play hard at the same time. I do the same thing, and for some reason, this is a bad thing. Especially if I make some sort of mistake in the process.

But here’s the bottom line: the whole point of college is not to live away from your parents and get away from all those problems with trusting them. The point is to live in a community as an adult, and as a young adult, begin to see why those problems exist and work on bridging the gaps. My exposure to others’ relationships with their families here at Tulane has become monumental in me trying to repair mine. Trust me guys, I know what its like to be far away from your family, and if you’re going away to college for that reason, its just not worth it in the end. At some point, you’ll figure out that as an adult, you have to tell them the truth. And just hope that they trust you enough to understand.

And until that point occurs…

Oh the web we weave.

Spring Break

2006-03-05T18:31:00.000-08:00

When I was in elementary school, I had many Best Friends. Notice the capital letters because in my childhood, it was almost a title, bestowed upon my closest friend that year. But the following year, he or she and I would drift apart, someone else would claim the title, and the cycle would begin all over again. It was always ephemeral . . . . . I would claim that person was my Best Friend Forever, but then forever was only a few months. As a child very inclined towards the popularity swings of peer politics, I didn’t know what a true friend was. I only believed in the concept at face value . . and this continued until high school when I began to make friends whom I really trusted.

But here in college, I’m finding friendship on totally new levels. Just this spring break, two of my pledge sisters came with me to my house in Houston. We had a great week- we went shopping, we went to the beach, we went to the Space Center . . . . .we genuinely enjoyed each other’s company. We bought shoes together, we shopped at little kid stores (because we’re all small girls who can!), and we spent hours just basking in the sun together. We went to Galveston, to downtown Houston (where we got hopelessly lost), and to all kinds of diverse restaurants. We were around each other 24-7 and instead of merely interacting, we bonded. And then when I got in a wreck on Saturday, they both were there for me, and without them I wouldn’t have come out of the situation as well as I did. Now its a big joke, just another part of our crazy adventure.

Roshmi at NASA

This is what I would look like on Jupiter!

Roshmi excited about a pixel game at NASA

Iris and me checking out light

sensors at NASA

Rocket Park, NASA

Here at Tulane, you find such a diversity of personality types . . . . people that are drawn together by one common goal but have nothing else in common. My friends are very different from each other and from me, but for some reason, our odd combination of characteristics and traits just works. It’s like a puzzle to which you don’t have all the pieces. Suddenly, there’s a girl from California and one from Virginia and they just fit right in, making a whole picture of friendship and sisterhood.

I’m really glad to have come to Tulane and have met people like them. Elementary school friends, however, are also part of that puzzle. They’re the pieces that you find and try to fit into that one spot where you have a hole. Even if they don’t last long, you’re still glad you tried them.
Me at Galveston!

But friends like the ones I’m making at Tulane . . .they’re not just the right pieces to fit with me and my personality. I hesitate to use “Best Friend” to describe them . . . . .but I will say that they are new additions to my life, and something tells me they’ll stick around for awhile.
In the puzzle that’s my complete collegiate experience at Tulane, I definitely found the missing pieces.

Three Amigos- Me, Iris, Roshmi

When I Was In High School. . . .

2006-03-04T04:44:00.000-08:00

Today I noticed something: when college students speak, they tend to speak of their previous experiences with the disclaimer “When I was in high school . . . .” High school suddenly becomes this whole separate universe of yesteryears, a time and place when we were younger, more innocent, and definitely less cool. High school is no longer a part of the present and only fading into the hazy memories of halcyon years that slowly slip out of our grasp.

One of my last high school experiences- National Forensic League Nationals in Philly with my best friend Eman

And yet for some of us, it was only 9 months ago that we too were infamous high schoolers.

As I look back on my high school years, I see a remarkable transition in me since then. Things that I could have never imagined saying, doing, and believing suddenly seem like no big deal. Just 9 months ago, certain aspects of life remained hidden to me in my small conservative Texas town. I blithely walked the streets ignoring the jungle of human insanity that perpetuated the hysteria of drugs, alcohol, and sex that prevailed on them in the afterhours. For me, and my small town, such facts of life simply didn’t exist. And if they did, they were awful, terrible, and a Judgment was made: Good People don’t expose themselves to such things.

Just 9 months ago I thought drinking was awful, any kind of drugs were even worse, and a combination of the two would lead to certain death immediately. Just 9 months ago, I thought that anyone that had sex before marriage was sinful, that teenage pregnancies were the result of people not controlling their hormones, and that a guy in a bar hitting on me was the basest insult. Just 9 months ago, I couldn’t imagine that some of my views, shaped by my hometown and background, would turn completely before my first year in college was over.

Just 9 months ago, I was innocent.

Especially here at Tulane, I’ve learned a lot about people, their choices, and their habits. One thing I’ve learned is that I can’t try to change people, certainly not every person I meet. I myself can choose not to partake in some of the worse habits that circulate here, and hope others learn their lessons themselves. After all, a party pooper isn’t appreciated in a party town. But as I’m more and more exposed to these radical new actions and beliefs, I find myself becoming less and less shocked by them.

Which then led me to think: Since when were all these choices ok with me? Since when was I so used to seeing people inebriated in some way that I expected it of them? Since when did I tolerate such behavior from my friends and those around me?

I’ve become completely desensitized to my worst sins as of 9 months ago. Now I think drinking is ok, occasional drug use is even ok, and the two won’t lead to death right away. Now I think that premarital sex is the norm, and that abortion is important because accidents do happen. I’m a more liberal thinker than I ever was, and sometimes, it scares me because I don’t know anymore where I draw that line between things Good People do and those things that Bad People do. I always said that I didn’t judge people by their actions, but ultimately, its their actions that mold them as figures in society. But since coming to Tulane, I find myself having a more and more difficult time drawing that ephemeral line. Every time I meet someone new with a habit I don’t like, some kind of wind blows away my line and I have to etch it again. And again. And again. I find that I meet so many different people here, and I tend to be blown away by their unique characteristics, unwilling to look past them to the Bad habits.

Maybe its all just a matter of personal choice, and I can choose to accept people without accepting all of their choices. Maybe there are no such things as choices for Good People and choices for Bad People. Heck, maybe the line between Good and Bad isn’t that clear anyways.

But . . . .When I was in high school, it was.

Mardi Gras Madness

2006-03-01T14:21:00.000-08:00

Walt Disney once said, “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” His idea was promoted through the magic he spun with childrens’ imaginations through the ages with classic fairy tales and contemporary stories. But the impossible, as I discovered, isn’t just meant for children. Mardi Gras here in New Orleans is a different kind of magic. It’s a witchcraft that entangles the imaginations of everyone involved. It seduces, it beckons, and it draws you in until you find yourself totally immersed in the wizardry that is the culture of New Orleans.

A perfect example of this is the parades. People dress up, get on these double decker floats each representing some mythical idea, all centered around a theme. The parade Zulu, which had the subtitle “Social Aid and Pleasure Club” was all about representing the ancient and innate madness woven into New Orleans society today. Grown men and women dressed up, put on costumes and face paint, and rode on elaborate floats. And we all stood on the sidelines, yelling, waving our arms, reaching for prizes, and for that moment we were in the land of the Zulu. In all reality, the prizes being handed out– beads, cups, and the infamous coconut for which many strive and only a few receive– are worth little in dollars and cents. But in the moment of Zulu, they are the currency of our imagination. And though at first, seemingly silly, we too become a part of the madness. My most exciting moment was when a coconut was bestowed upon me. It’s a special type of attention from a stranger you don’t even know, a sort of human connection in a faraway land.

The first parade I went to was Muses. I caught the end of that, and picked up many beads. But I didn’t really get into it unti I attended Hermes the following day. At first I couldn’t imagine making a fool of myself just to get some beads . . . . .but then I was doing it just like everyone else. There’s something about Mardi Gras that makes you forget the impossible, makes you breach social etiquette, and makes you behave like a natural human again. That’s the fun part. Now people often take that too far and get roaring drunk and roam Bourbon Street. But all of that is easily forgiven- its Mardi Gras, after all, where the impossible becomes the real.

Even now, as I sort through my beads, I find myself teleported to this land of yesterday and the day before. I remember the stories behind all of my beads, and I remember those moments when I was carried away by the jovial attitudes and tunes dancing in the air with the floats. I remember especially well when a complete stranger took beads off his own neck or gave me an elaborate set of beads for the sole reason that he looked into my eyes and we made an instantaneous connection. I remember when men handed me plastic flowers and kissed me on the cheeks on Mardi Gras. I was totally weirded out by it, inhibited by my societally fixated judgment of such men. But then I saw it happen to others, and I realized it was a tradition. For that moment some total stranger could kiss me and I could accept his gesture because it was one of pure human kindness. Although Mardi Gras isn’t devoid of many sexual connotations, there are only certain places you will find them. The greatest mistake a person can make is in assuming that there is a motive behind every kind of Mardi Gras madness, because truthfully, Mardi Gras is just a series of moments celebrating the universal human connection.

After this whole amazing week, I feel like New Orleans has really found a place in my heart. I saw so many parades– Muses, Hermes, Krewe D’Etat, Endymion, Orpheus, Baccus . . . and through those I saw so many places, met so many people, and visited so many foreign worlds. Walt Disney spoke wisely when he said it was fun to do the impossible. In New Orleans, however, reality is ephemeral. My memories of this week will remain with me no matter where I go.

Impossible is forever.

Me and my favorite parade buddy- my amazing suitemate Jen!

Joe and me- Look at all our beads!!!

Me sitting on Joe’s shoulder’s catching beads during Endymion

Jen, Joe, and me at Bacchus

The Magic of Mardi Gras- Me, Jen, Blake (L), Austin

This is the whole gang. From left to right in the back row- Me, my roommate Puja, Aden (standing behind), Rita, Ed, Joe, Chris. Standing in front (L to R) are Roshni, Jennie, and Jen. In front of them in the corner are Austin (L) and Jacob.

The Beauty of Bruff

2006-02-24T11:22:00.000-08:00

So I just got out of class. I got exactly 4.5 hours of sleep last night. Why you ask? Because like most college freshman, I’d say I have a pretty strong adversion to studying over socializing, and thus socializing was what I was doing until about 3 AM. I didn’t even go out last night and yet when all the people who did came BACK, I was still awake. College is such a community for social interaction that a young socialite like me just can’t help herself.

Or at least that’s what I tell myself when I’m dragging myself out of bed for my 8 AM class. This morning it was quite a struggle, and I have to tell you: I should get a medal of valor or something to commend this morning’s particular intense ordeal.

I was cranky, I was sleepy, sugar was the only thing keeping me awake UNTIL . . .I went to Bruff for a biscuit. Now let’s not lie, Bruff isn’t exactly known for its fine cuisine, (though its biscuits are pretty good). But while there, I ran into two sister in the sorority I’m pledging, a floormate of mine, AND an unamed Tulane athlete whom I totally adore. And suddenly, my day turned around!!

One thing that I noticed about this place right away was that people you’d meet while out and about you always meet again. I’ll be honest, it is kind of awkward when you’re dancing with someone and you’re not sure if he’ll remember you the next day and then he’s in two of your classes. Actually, its quite awkward. And then you see him at Bruff. Every day.

But eventually, you get used to him and everybody else you meet and hope you’ll never meet again but inevitably do. It’s pretty amazing when you get over that awkward stage and make friends with these people too. Bruff is definitely the focal point for all of that. It’s the joys of a small college–its a little community and eventually you find your place in it.

And if my place happens to be at Bruff, getting a biscuit, I’d say its not too bad of a place to be.

My friends Justin, Iris (also my pledge sister, on left side), Caroline, and me Bruffin’ it up // Caroline, Pledge Sister Iris, and me // And here’s me being cool

Twins

2006-02-21T15:44:00.000-08:00

Bette Midler once said, “Cherish forever what makes you unique, because you’re really a yawn if it goes." Eleanor Roosevelt too commented on the value of individuality when she said, “Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one." Individuality has been one aspect of human life that is taught from the earliest stages of comprehension: you are unique, you are special, and there is no one else like you. But it’s a little different with twins!

My fraternal twin sister and I are 19 years old.

Our 19th birthday, which was yesterday, was the first birthday in our lives that we celebrated apart. It was a milestone that marked the beginningn of the rest of our lives, our lives on separate paths that now only occasionally intertwine. She chose to go to school in Texas while I decided to go here. Because of Hurricane Katrina, my whole college experience so far has been a unique one, and very different from hers.

We didn’t want to go to the same college because we wanted our own separate identities, and our own separate experiences. My father is a fraternal twin as well, and as the frustration of always being one of the twins really began to hit us, he told us to get used to it. At the age of 50 people still remembered him and his twin brother the same way. Growing up as a twin made it difficult enough to assert our independence from each other, and through our teen years, constant comparison made this feat almost Herculean.

We are much better friends now than we ever were, because instead of growing up together, the societal misconceptions about twins made us almost into competitors in every respect. After coming to Tulane, it was my goal to establish my own identity, separate from hers. I am nowinvolved in multicultural organizations, pledging for a sorority, president of my dorm, and writing (sporadically, I’ll admit!) for the Hullabaloo.Since coming here, I’ve found so many opportunities to succeed and excel! I didn’t ever think I wanted to go to a smaller university, and almost attended a large state school like she did, but Tulane has made its way into my heart and New Orleans has made its way into my soul.

Going back to Eleanor Roosevelt’s prolific words, we see that we each have an obligation to be unique. In the world of twins, uniqueness doesn’t come with the territory. But with this birthday and each coming year from now on, our twinship is no longer what defines us. It is part of who we are, but certainly not all we are. We are individuals.

This is Anisha (L) and me at a restaurant in Moscow last spring.

Basketball Game

2006-02-18T22:59:00.000-08:00

School spirit really can be defined as a lot of things. To me, it means people unconditionally supporting their team, regardless of the status of that team, the situation they are in, and any other factors.

School spirit is what I saw tonight.

Tonight I went to the Tulane v. Memphis basketball game. My dorm, Wall Residential College, had a pep rally prior to the game, during which Coach Dickerson talked, Soundwave played, and Shockwave cheered. Our residents came down from their rooms and bought t shirts and enjoyed hot dogs. We talked, we shared, we bonded. It’s hard to instill school spirit into people when we had no reason to have any . . . .but our particular class came back to Tulane and so in us it was almost inherent. We were Tulanians, and therefore hardcore fans of every Tulane endeavor. We painted our faces and happily skipped off to the game . . . . .only to witness a colossal defeat. Tulane lost that game 65-105. We knew Tulane was facing a very strong team, the third best in the country. We just hoped that with our peppy attitudes and team colors, Tulane would win.

But I guess that’s not really the point of team spirit now, is it?

In the end, we stood together as a community, supporting our team, letting them know that we supported them no matter what. Wall Residential College is all about community living, and there’s no better way to kick off our year than with this pep rally, and this game. We really came together to show Tulane Basketball that we do love them, and we’ll watch them win or lose any day. It’s one thing to stand for something when its easy and everyone else is doing it too. It’s another thing completely to stand alone, and against a far more powerful ideal than yours. And in our case, our school spirit ensures that no matter what the event and what the situation, none of us will ever stand alone.

So here’s to you Tulane Basketball boys: We LOVE you . . . . .all of you . . . . . .every single one of you, because no matter what the outcome of the game, you guys sure have heart and we can see that. We support you!

New Orleans

2006-02-15T21:27:00.000-08:00

For all of you that wonder what life is like for a freshman returning to New Orleans post-Katrina:

This is pretty much a soliloquy of my thoughts and feelings after returning to New Orleans, right after classes started here at Tulane.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “The true test of a civilization is not its census, nor its crop, nor the size of its cities, but the kind of man it turns out." As we each go through life, the people around us constantly strive to make us representatives of a society that will pass Emerson’s true test. We are taught morals, values, ethics, and most importantly, how to give back to the communities that foster these ideals in us in the first place. In the case of New Orleans and Tulane University, this is an opportunity that we have that we should never forget, for it too will define us as representatives of our own perfect society.Metaphorically, New Orleans is a perfect society. Now devoid of most of its residents, it sees uniformity, many less drunken nights, and less crime. I’ve now been in New Orleans for about a week, and I can hardly believe my eyes. I’ve seen destruction and devastation, but I’ve also seen a community trying to rebuild itself amidst a world full of doubts. Orientation Déjà Vu was held for us freshman returning to the city, and though the Tulane staff and students praised us for coming back, it is not we that deserve the praise.So for all those people now returning to their homes to find them broken into and broken everywhere, for all those people coming back to New Orleans to find nothing is left, and for all those still trying to find their memories and the romantic vision of New Orleans as she used to exist- I congratulate you. You have a lot more hope in this city than many of your counterparts.But with political strife, bureaucracy issues, and rampant disorganization, it’s a miracle people are returning at all. As a freshman, I returned because I wanted to make a difference, and here I knew I could. I would get a unique opportunity to facilitate the lives of others, and instead of turning a blind eye to need, I would turn both eyes to focus right on it. Many other freshmen returned for the same reasons, and in President Cowen’s words, we are “the most famous entering class in America." Hurricane Katrina not only reshaped our college experiences, but it gave us an identity, and according to the USA Today, a name too—“Katrina Kids."

We too share that romantic vision of New Orleans as the shining beacon of the Old South. We too want to see New Orleans return to all her former glory and stand as a representative of the United States culturally and socially. But with all the doubters amongst us, it is hard to see where New Orleans will go. For the most part, as freshman from all over the US, we were raised in different societies with different ideals and values. We were taught to give back to the community, but none of us ever predicted being the second line of defense after the worst natural disaster in American history.

This is the most paradoxical image I have ever seen. It is beauty and destruction, sunrise and flooding, and light and dark all at once.

If this doesn’t define us as people, I don’t know what will. We will be the representatives of this country’s youth, and we will step up to the responsibility that has suddenly been thrust upon us. New Orleans will pass Emerson’s true test, for due to the efforts of this university and this city, we will be exactly the kind of people New Orleans hopes to turn out.