April 2019

As I look towards graduation in 2 weeks, I've been finding myself more inclined to thinking about not what I plan to do in the next few years (though yes this is on my mind!) but more along the lines of what do I want to put out into the world. Especially caught up in the monotony of the day to day banalities of life It can be hard to find the motivation or to see the bigger picture. That is why I am finding it increasingly important to identify what is MY bigger picture. Why am I doing what I'm doing? What kind of energy do I want to surround myself as well as give off to those around me? How do I make an impact on aspects that are not just limited to my personal benefit? I've found that the more I do community service and get engaged with those around me that there are so many things that deserve our attention and efforts. Food insecurity, elderly abuse, animal welfare and conservation, academic culture, environmental protection, menstrual shaming in rural areas, and mental health are some of the topics that I've found have most resonated with me. It's easy to get caught up in one's own life, especially as we go through school and have our own stressors in terms of pre-medical students. It's easy to feel like there are too many things pulling us in different directions, and sometimes social causes fall to the wayside as secondary to the daily pressures we face. However, I urge people to throw themselves more into the topics they're passionate about. Learn more. Do more. Speak about it more. Oftentimes I've found that finding fulfillment from these things actually enhances one's life and brings about a newfound appreciation for your current circumstance as well as an internal purpose. While I still have a long ways to go, I definitely feel that the changes I've made have positvely impacted me and I only see an upward slope from here. As I finish my time in this Masters of Pharmacology program here at Tulane, I am only that much more excited for the future, to build a well-rounded fulfilling life that I can be proud of.

Lots of love,
Lekha Thangada

# of Total Community Service Hours: 25 hours