Rachel and the Amazing Unicolor Dreamcoat

Exhaustion. Exhiliaration. That pretty much sums up my day today. It was, no kidding, one of the highest points of my thus far life. The culmination of a great journey, the realization of a lifelong dream, and the commencement of a new breakthrough into a life for which I am passionate, driven, and responsible.

I woke up early and headed to registration. Stood in line for a long while; but it was productive, because there was plenty of opportunity to mingle with even more members of my class. Two virus titers and a PPD later, it was downstairs for photos and parking. Met Roger, Argo, Melinda (one of the two mothers in our class!), and our married couple Stefan (Harvard '97?) and Liza.

Lunch kicked off the real inspiration as we heard from our Deans for the first time. This was followed by the white coat ceremony, full of pomp and symbolism. I have to admit, it was pretty thrilling to feel the white starchy color scratch my neck (imagining it joined by a stethoscope, casually lounging over my shoulders), look down and see the bright blue name label proclaiming "Rachel Friedman Yale Medical Student" to everyone with sharp enough vision to read it, put my hands in the pocket and imagine them stuffed with important gadgets and bandaids...I couldn't help but grin and grin. I guess symbolism does count for something.