Volunteering in New Orleans: Covid Addition

Total Hours:  October  + November= 22   During the month of November, especially during Covid times, it is more important than ever to give back to the community. Many families are still throughly affected daily from this pandemic. I decided to volunteer at Giving Hope Nola,  Giving Hope is a New Orleans, Louisiana nonprofit dedicated to the vision: “Where Love Changes Everything.”  Volunteering at the Giving Hope NOLA Foundation started with meeting at the Warehouse around 10am, and staying until 4pm. It was a very safe environment, as we were given masks and gloves to wear throughout the day. Boxes of various dry and cold food items, as well as fresh foods and produce were loaded off an 18-wheeler. Then, we put one of each item in boxes. Each family in need was to pick up a box filled with over 12 items. These items ranged from salads, to juices, bread, milk, eggs, rice, pre-made quality dinners. cakes, meat, fruit, snacks, and so much more. We stocked the bo...

 For the month of October, I decided to do some research into new venues of volunteer work. I recently found an application that can be downloaded on an iPhone, as well as tablets and computers. The app is called "Be My Eyes- see the world together." The way the app works is that a volunteer with clear vision capabilities is matched with a visionally impaired person, in order to help them with simple tasks. Once the volunteer is signed up, a video call may come through and the volunteer is allowed to accept or decline. After accepting the video call, the volunteer can then see the blind's point of view (they move their phone to what they want you to view), and can further help them with tasks such as what color a shirt is, or how to guide them through a new space, and so on.  I received my first video chat request shortly after signing up, I immediately answered, eager to see what my first experience would be like. Suddenly, I was connected to a nice man named Casper. He ...

 Where do I begin? Right here, at Tulane University School of Medicine, pursuing my masters in pharmacology. I am exactly where I need to be right now. I didn't realize this until recently. When I finished both degrees from my previous university, I knew medical school was my next stop. What I didn't know, is that, I am working within the universe's timing, not my own. I have always been interested in the brain and the effects of drugs on the brain. For the last 7 years I have been doing my own research within ethnopharmacology, so when it was time to face the MCAT and that world, the global pandemic, COVID, forced  me to reschedule my MCAT 4 times. After this process of back to back dual science degrees, years of internship and research, this test was the icing on top. And starting and studying for this exam 4 times over a 10 month period was beyond mentally and physically draining. It turns out that 2020 has changed me more than I ever thought possible. Cancelling the MCA...