December 2017

In just a few days the semester will be over. The program so far has been great, and just last weekend we had our winter celebration. Being able to see our teachers outside the classroom was refreshing, and everyone had fun. The live band was engaging, and the venue at the Columns Hotel was also memorable itself. Today I volunteered yet again with Habitat for Humanity, this time mostly working on the roofing trim, soffit, and small finishing touches on some of the base boards and quarter rounds inside the home. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Tulane so far, and can't wait to get back next semester!

Community Service Hours December: 8

Total Service Hours: 32

November 2017

The semester is drawing to an end, and the weather cools with each passing day. The climate is very pleasant this time of year, and I am beginning to wonder if winter will ever come to New Orleans. Classes are going well, and we are moving onto the brain and behavior block, for which I am very excited. As I am writing this, I am relaxing after another long day of work on a Habitat for Humanity build site. Today I was tasked with completing a staircase, building a stand for the AC unit, installing the remainder floorboards and quarter rounds, and helping a group of high-school students dig out the driveway and front walk. Also, the stove and refrigerator came today. This was the first house I have worked on that was in such a complete state. Previously I had mostly been helping on houses that were still in their inception. It was a treat to see the nearly finished product, with the counter-tops, cabinets and appliances installed. The homes that we work on turn out to be surprisingly high quality, given that countless untrained volunteers are the ones constructing the house. I believe this result can be attributed to the care and effort volunteers work with, and it is a service to which I am proud to belong. Furthermore, these builds are making me feel more like a part of this community, a community that I have enjoyed serving.

Volunteer hours: 8
Total hours: 24

October 2017

This month has been another great month at Tulane. Classes are going well, and fall has arrived with cooler temperatures and breezy, clear sky days. Fortunately, our intramural volley ball team has started to find success with victories in our past two games. Intramurals have been a great way to blow off some steam and relax at the end of the day, and is something I look forward to every week. I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity once again, this time on the construction of a new house. There were many volunteers that day (about 30) and we got a lot of work done. One volunteer that was great to work with was the future homeowner himself. He is a musician, and this house was being built near some of his friends, who he had performed alongside with for several years. This corner is a musician’s paradise. It was just nice to meet the person who I was volunteering for and to work alongside him, allowing me to associate a face with the house that I was working to help build. This truly made me feel that I was making a direct impact on someone’s life. Hopefully our paths will cross again in the future.

Volunteer hours: 8
Total Hours: 16

September 2017

This month has flown by very quickly. Since our renal block, we have been focusing on NSAIDs and various drugs associated with the treatment of asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout. I have also seen an improvement in my study habits. Staying on top of all the information is important to make sure you are prepared for the exams, and to ensure that you retain as much information as possible. In other news, I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity recently, specifically with the A Brush for Kindness program. This program helps low-income homeowners that are not able to afford repairs by providing a variety of services, giving the property a refreshed look and the homeowner happiness and satisfaction with their home. Our job specifically was to repair a wooden fence that encircled the property. Many of the boards were rotten, broken, and even infested with termites. One section of the fence was being warped and bent from the large amount of vines growing on the fence. By the end of the day, we had successfully removed the poorly conditioned sections, and correct the warped fence. A fellow worker came up with an ingenious system to account for the lean in one section of the fence, where the metal post that served as the original fence post was grounded in cement and was unable to be moved to correct the lean:

 While this may not be a “by the book” solution, it will serve the purpose of making their home and property restored to its original state. Another mini-project we worked on was fixing the front gate, replacing most of the wood. These small changes alone led to a significant improvement in the property, and was such a great use of our day off. Being outside all day long was a nice change, and I look forward to volunteering with Habitat in the future.

Number of Community Service Hours: 8
Total Hours: 8

August 2017

When I first decided to attend Tulane, the major concern I had was the potential for tropical storms and hurricanes. Coming from Maryland, these storms were distant problems and had a minimal impact on my life. With this in mind, it is ironic that I would travel to the city to search for an apartment in a tropical storm. Until people called from back home and told me it was a tropical storm, I just assumed I was very unlucky with the weather. Nonetheless, I managed to find an apartment, and begin my life in New Orleans.

Since that rainy visit, much has changed. Yes, the threat of severe weather looms, but more importantly I feel I have made great progress in the Pharmacology course. The highlight of the course so far for me has been the cardiovascular simulation. In a simulated emergency room, we got to see how a patient with cardiac complications would be treated. Being able to see the drugs we learned in action was very helpful, and a great way to learn the material. While learning so much material can be challenging, mastering the material is very rewarding. 

I am still getting used to the city, but so far it has been a blast. I occasionally take a wrong turn and get lost driving around town, but in a way getting lost is the best way to explore a new place. I have found a few good food spots, and I am sure there are many more waiting to be discovered. I am also looking forward to the volunteer opportunities in the city, and am excited about playing a role in contributing to the well-being of the community. Everybody that I have met are very friendly and genuinely good people, and hopefully I can make some lifelong friends by the end of this program. Until next time, thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day.

Joseph