25.12.2024 – Merry Christmas everyone! I am writing this post in a cozy tiny house in Vermont, surrounded by snowy trees and fields at -19°C (-2.2°F) – the perfect environment to reflect on highlights, lessons learned, and the power of dreaming at a place where possibilities are unlimited.
Before I tell you more about my time in Vermont next week, I want to share some thoughts about my Harvard journey so far, as the first semester has officially ended.
Highlights of My First Semester at Harvard
Being here has been an amazing experience so far, inside and outside of class! Classes were thought-provoking and shifted my worldview, conversations set a flame of motivation and inspiration, that will drive me forward, and former strangers became friends. The aspect I value the most about the environment at Harvard itself is no dream seems to be too big.
Dreaming Beyond the Horizon
I’ve always been a dreamer, someone who believed in possibility and change. I always had the privilege of a strong support network, which helped me achieve my goals. Still, in my small mountain town, some dreams felt too big to reach beyond the horizon of the mountains surrounding me.
While in places I’ve lived in, dreams sometimes are responded to with a disbelieving gaze or the answer “that is not possible”, the people I have met at Harvard reply with encouragement and actionable advice on how to reach those dreams. This has taught me an invaluable lesson: dreams thrive and become reality in an empowering environment, that believes in possibility. So here is my advice to you:
- Don’t let others discourage you from pursuing your dreams. Instead, be the inspiration that shows what is possible.
- Support the dreamers in your life. No matter how impossible a great vision of someone in your environment sounds – don’t give in to the urge of shutting it down wit a dismissive “that’s not possible” but instead ask yourself “How can I help them to make it happen?”
Your aspirations matter, and with the right support system, they can become a reality!
Harvard Christmas Celebrations
The last week of classes was full of festive Christmas events. I enjoyed delicious food and great music at the Christmas dinner of our Global Health and Social Medicine Department. Just a couple of days later, I attended the next dinner for all Harvard Medical School Master’s students, a wonderful occasion to celebrate the semester with my peers.
Weekly High Low Buffalo & Lessons Learned
High: Celebrating the end of the semester with my colleagues & welcoming my boyfriend to Boston
Low: Public transportation is a challenge in Boston, particularly as the T-line was being constructed last week. One journey to Harvard Medical School even took me 2 hours—by foot, it would have been 1h40.
Buffalo: We had real snow for the first time this season. It is interesting to see how much a tiny bit of snow impacts the traffic of a place like Boston, which receives snowfall every winter.
Lessons Learned: take your own and other’s dreams seriously
As the year ends soon, thank you for joining me on my journey! Let me know what you are interested in next semester!
Liebe Grüße
Sophie