Miracle League Volunteering + End of Semester Thoughts

This month, per Joe and Diane’s recommendation, I decided to volunteer with Miracle League. I went on Saturday at 10am to Audubon Park and helped out with the Phillies baseball team, and it was really fun to get to know a lot of the kids and help them play. I really enjoyed volunteering with baseball especially because I've played softball since I was five, and the sport has always had a very special place in my heart. In high school, my team placed second in Western Nationals — a tournament of all teams from California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Arizona — and I played as the starting shortstop. Because of this, it was really fun to run the bases with the kids and help them bat, and share some of my love for the sport. I helped a child named Gustavo run the bases and field the ball when it was hit, and it was really cute to see him have so much fun with the sport and get a chance to be outside and play. I miss softball so much and was even thinking about joining one of the City Park rec leagues soon (but I think I need a buddy or friend to sign up with... the application is open!). It was also such a nice day to be outside in Audubon park with the weather getting warmer.

Overall this month, classes have been going really well and I’m really happy to have gotten closer with many of my classmates. The BMS crawfish boil was so much fun and it was really nice to see everyone outside of class! I love that our program puts on events like these and it definitely brings everyone closer. A lot of weekends I work on the ambulance so I can’t always make the events (like our pharmacology crawfish boil… sadly) but I really look forward to them when I can. We also all got together for Joe’s birthday and went to the Fly last weekend! A lot of us were able to go and it was so fun again to actually get the chance to talk to and get to know people in our class that I hadn’t had the chance to earlier. The year is going by so fast and I’m a little sad that I’m just now getting so close with everyone, but better late than never! I think the presentations honestly help a lot with getting to know everyone and making everyone feel comfortable talking to one another, even if they’re a lot of work sometimes. I wish that we had more class events or pharmacology program events, because it really does make class a lot more fun when everyone knows each other a little better.

I’m also happy because I feel as though I’ve gotten much more comfortable with our presentations and presenting in front of the class: I’ve learned to not use notes anymore when presenting and to just go off of my slides. It definitely helps that I’ve gotten so much closer with everyone, but I’m really proud of myself for feeling so much more comfortable presenting in front of the class. In the beginning of the year I was so nervous presenting, but now I feel so much more at ease talking in front of everyone and not needing an entire script or notes to follow. I think all of the presentations definitely have made me much better at public speaking and just feeling comfortable standing in front of a group.

Hours: 2