August

This summer has been full. Full of ups and downs, happiness and sadness, hope and despair. I'll be brutally honest, I like to focus on the good, but the sad may seep through and I'm okay with that.

I finally applied to dental school! I took the DAT after studying for ~6 months and ended with an okay score. I decided to retake it and ironically (sadly) I scored the exact same. I literally cried for hours. This was the despair. I felt like my application was strong, like I had worked my little butt off to be a strong, worthwhile Dental School applicant, and the only thing I needed was a good score. However, I don't test well. I knew this. In all of my undergraduate classes, I was a stellar student who took great notes, asked lots of questions, and still averaged mid-scores on her exams. It stung a LOT worse when it was an exam that would determine my fate- or so it felt.

I applied to five dental schools: Colorado, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Carolina, and Massachusetts. I am feeling hopeful, and I have just received my first interview invitation. The process is long and grueling, but I know it will be so worthwhile. I can't wait to be a dentist.

I also started working at a different dental office! It was hard to leave Port City after all the history and memories I had there, but I knew this was the right choice for me to push my comfort zone. I am now working under a Prosthodontist who pushes me to be a better and smarter clinical assistant. I know that the experiences and knowledge I am gaining from her office will serve me endlessly as I begin the next chapter. I truly feel so fortunate to be surrounded by these people.

A week ago, I completed my first Olympic distance triathlon! Totaling 1-mile swim, 24-mile bike, and 5-mile run in just over 3 hours was a win for me. I met some wonderful athletes and felt the community support as I went through the course. My roommates surprised me with Honey at the start line and the image of them and Honey cheering me on lived rent-free during the race. I hope to be healthy enough to complete Grandma's Full Marathon next summer, but more importantly, I hope to be healthy during this cross-country and track season. Being my senior year, I am starting to feel the nostalgia of this sport and place.

This weekend was a Muhlenkamp family reunion at my parent's house and it was heartwarming to see aunts, uncles, and cousins that I haven't seen in a decade or more. Although my dad overdid it on the food, it was a very successful weekend. My family is scattered across the states and I am realizing this may become open up opportunities to stay with family as I dive into traveling more.

Next weekend, my best friends get married and I am honored to be a bridesmaid for their wedding! It will be the perfect end to summer as I prepare to welcome our freshman teammates to campus and begin official practice in the coming week. I am not certain that I am ready for school to start, but I am going to make a concerted effort to take the days one by one and fully embrace everything that comes with Duluth, UMD, and senior year.

Thanks for coming to my TedTalk of a blog post, I promise to try to be more consistent. I fear I fall into a bit of writer's block when I think of typing up an update, but I need to remember that this platform was simply for fun and me.

Until next month!

xx

-Beka