Sunday, April 18, 2004

I got an email today about the 2nd Muslim PreMed Conference at UTSW. I went last year with my mom (it was on Mother's Day) and I learned a lot about admissions. The Muslim stuff they talked about wasn't really that great. Either it didn't apply to the way that I live my life or it was by certain people that I know are clueless. Well, this year they're trying something new. In addition to having the admissions committee from UTSW speak, they're also trying to reach out to the predents by also having the admissions committee from Baylor College of Dentistry speak. When I read that, I thought that that was really cool. Most of my friends are predent, my sister's predent, and my mom goes to Baylor for her dental work. So, I went to my mom and told her about the Baylor adcom being there this year. She immediately said that she did not want me to go into dentistry and that she'd be ashamed if I did. I said that I don't want to go into dentistry. So she asked why I cared that Baylor was gonna be there. I said that it was because my sister wanted to go there. My sister then said that she had changed her mind and wanted to go into business (?! ok, whatever). Then my mom kept prodding and I said that I don't know much about what the dental schools look for in applicants and I'm curious to know what they look for. Then I just walked away. I hate talking about this stuff with her because she's so quick to judge me. Then later on she was like, "Are you doubting going to med school again?" I was like, no I just want to keep my options open. She said, just concentrate on getting good grades so that you won't need to look at options; I don't want you to be a dentist. I just want to go off on her and say that my career choices are none of her business. I was the one who chose to be a doctor. I can also choose not to be. It doesn't make a difference. She's just so worried that if I don't be a doctor (specifically, going to UTSW on my first try) she'll be the laughing stock of the Dallas Iranian community. It's all because my cousin went to UTSW (hello, she was waitlisted!) and is now a resident at the hospital where I work. She got a nosejob last month and I see her flirt with this resident all the time. My mom's always talking about how now she can have whatever she wants because she's reached her goals. So I have to swear off everything until I have too. Oh God, it's like she doesn't get it at all. My future has nothing to do with anybody else. It's my life and my choices. When she talks like this, I get discouraged because I feel so much pressure. If I was rebellious I would give up on being a doctor, except that it's my dream, not hers. I would be stupid to give up on something that I want because of somebody else, just like I don't want to achieve it because of somebody else. I just wish that she would stay out of it. I need her support, not to be a doctor, but to be what I want to be.


On : 4/18/2004 10:39:44 PM Jenny (www) said:

Yikes.

On : 4/19/2004 1:01:01 AM Will (www) said:

Good post. Honesty rules. I think you may need some more "opening up" before you.
I understand you more through this post than any number of "threading/television/daily routine" posts.

On : 4/19/2004 12:23:54 PM Omair (www) said:

YEAH!

On : 4/19/2004 4:22:33 PM Omair (www) said:

umm, i didn't post the above comment that says its from me. i think that's weird.

but yea, don't worry about it. your mom's just stressing out and stuff. keep your cool! we'll be premed together ^_^