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Keeping Perspective for the Spring

Being a biomedical sciences (BIMS) major, it is fair to say that most of us want to eventually go to professional school.

Most schools take holistic approaches in evaluating their students, so we applicants try to make ourselves as well-rounded as possible. As much as we don’t like to admit it, this leads to a certain amount of competitiveness between us.

Shadowing, volunteering, working, or research—these are all experiences that we all try to stack up. And I find myself comparing what I’ve been doing to what my peers are doing: She’s volunteering at St. Joseph’s Hospital and doing research! He’s shadowing in the operating room over winter break! These thoughts constantly pop up.

Last semester, I worked two part-time jobs, one as a lab assistant in Texas A&M’s health and kinesiology department and the other here as a BIMS Ambassador.

Academically, I was also taking “Organic Chemistry” and “General Biology II,” along with six other credits, while doing research as part of the Biomedical Research Certificate Program.

Time management skills were crucial. I learned the hard way that studying ahead of time was the only way for me to be successful in really understanding the material from my classes for exams.

I learned to take deep breaths and pace myself when things seemed overwhelming and like they weren’t accomplishable.

I have learned to accept that I am already trying my best and doing what I can as an applicant. Comparing and worrying will do me no good, thus my goal for this semester is to start out with a different mindset.

Everyone is striving to reach their own goals and working hard for themselves, but we can all be in it together and help each other get through the rough times.

I can already feel a portion of the weight that has been on my shoulders lift with this change of perspective of things!

Finding My Voice at Texas A&M

Before committing to a school last year, I wanted to ensure that wherever I ended up was the best place to foster my goal of becoming a veterinarian.

Texas A&M’s biomedical sciences (BIMS) program was the obvious choice for many reasons. Aside from my career goals, my Indian culture is an important part of my life, and I was concerned about finding a community at Texas A&M that was similar to my own.

I am incredibly lucky to say I did.

Swaram A Cappella is Texas A&M’s nationally ranking South Asian fusion a cappella team.

I was trained in Carnatic music, a type of Indian classical singing, for the majority of my life, and I was also very involved in my high school’s a cappella group.

Swaram immediately piqued my interests because it seemed liked a place where I could keep up with my Carnatic music training and my love for a cappella.

Now in my second year on Swaram A Cappella, I am now one of the musical directors of the team.

Since last year, we placed third at nationals in Washington, D.C., and we just finished recording a new album set to be released next semester! Needless to say, I have been very busy.

This year has been more stressful than last because I have an officer position and school has been much harder; however, Swaram rehearsals are a place where I can wind down and do what I love most—sing.

Our first competition this season is on Nov. 16 at UC Berkeley, so we have been working very hard to perfect all of our music and choreography before then.

I am particularly proud of our new members because this semester has been especially difficult for them, having to learn a new set and become acclimated to the team.

I am grateful for all that Swaram has given me—long-lasting friendships, an outlet to sing, and a way to relieve stress.

Even though we are a South Asian fusion team, we have members from different cultural backgrounds. The music unites us, no matter our background, which is a beautiful thing to be a part of.