Long hours, long days
As a fly on the wall
You may not have much say
Good days or bad
You’re here to stay
And it is up to you
Whether or not
To let time simply fade away
Rest assured
This time is yours
To learn and grow
Plant the seeds
From which
Your future will sow
Lessons are to be learned
Lives will be changed
But if there is one thing
Which remains the same
It is your response
To each situation
You will be placed within
For every action
Does not require an equal and opposite reaction
This path you have chosen
Has equally chosen you
Vetting you for your successes
and your failures
which have previously defined you
Now that you have been placed
Among a sea of the best of the best
You have a new scale
From which to measure success
While you may start to think
You do not fit in with the rest
Do not feel alone
As you do not know
The others look at you
In this same way
It is human nature
To want to compete
But this is no longer a race
Which you have to beat
For you are all here to stay
Do not get too caught up
In the day to day
Which the tides
End up washing away anyways
Live in the here and now
Because when you come out of the “tunnel”
You will come to know
The light for which you were searching
Was really just a mirage
As you begin trailing out
You quickly realize
The route which you have taken
Is actually a series of tracks
Some appear short and straightforward
While others seem never-ending
With twists and turns
To make you want to run away
Just as you had gained confidence
Suddenly
You find yourself
Face to face
With an unknown space
Doubts and fears
Plague your thoughts
Clouding your judgement
But you must remember
How far you have come
Ready or not
You are prepared
For whatever it is
Headed your way
With new beginnings
New opportunities arise
The marathon of life
Does not have a prize
There is nothing in particular
Awaiting at the end
Rather hidden within each moment
You learn to cherish
The small wins
They say it takes a village
And they’re not wrong
This is in fact an understatement
Without family and friends
You never would have reached
The place you are today
Long hours, long days
As a fly on the wall
You may not have much say
Friends and family
May not always understand
Why you cannot be around
You wish you could reciprocate
To be there for them
Just as they are for you
But you have taken an oath
One which others have taken before you
Binding your profession
With the privilege to care for those
In their most vulnerable state
Putting aside your plans
To be a small part of theirs
Good days or bad
You’re here to stay
And it is up to you
Whether or not
To let time simply fade away
Pareena Kaur is a member of the class of 2021 at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix. She is originally from India, but spent her childhood between Arizona and Canada. She graduated from the University of Arizona in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Physiology and minors in French and Neuroscience. In her free time, Pareena enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, and dancing. She is a big foodie, and Indian street food is her favorite!