18 Dec 2020. I didn’t intend on booking any trips for my month-long December break, except for my official move. In fact, my finals were so tough I feared I may have to remediate during break (thankfully, I did not – my ‘educated guesses’ aka ‘pick c & move on before you overthink yourself into running out of time’ came in handy!). So when my friend who moved to Monterey, CA said I should “visit her one day,” I replied, “see you next week!” She didn’t have a choice. All I needed was the invite and I was sold. I bought tickets hours before I left (in classic Sarina fashion) and also after Cali re-transitioned into full-lockdown.
Big Sur 
Palace of Fine Arts, SF
It’s important to note that I went because I was confident I’d be safe (I do NOT recommend travel under most circumstances with current COVID rates). My friend and I mostly chilled with our girl Maddy the Mazda, the ultimate form of PPE. I flew NYC —> SFO and my friend drove 2 hours to pick me up. When she mentioned GETTING PIZZA within 3 minutes of seeing me, I knew I couldn’t have chosen a better place to go :’)
These days, my happiness derives from nature, warm weather (I missed the snowstorms in NY!), and fostering relationships that I just know, deep down, were written in the stars. This is exactly what I got, with a casual side of realizing I want to spend the rest of my life in Cali. I feel like this was a huge step for my medical career, as it gives me a greater sense of direction. The cherry on top is that my dad even suggested himself, out of the blue, moving to SLO (!!). I’ll skip deets about my trip, but if you’re curious and have IG, I posted some pics & a “story highlight.” If that sounded like gibberish to you, you’re 100% better off. I’ll close off w/4 reflections:
- We’re so quick to hate on 2020 because it brought more suffering than usual. I’ve rewritten that script because I have grown more as a person in 2020 than ever before. Nothing this year went as planned- I entered 2020 planning to wander around the Himalayan Mountains for a few months with a 1-way ticket to India, figuring out housing and all along the way, I planned to attend med school in NY, and to take my sister on a grad trip to AUS. None of this happened (I did go to the Himalayans but ‘Rona cut my trip short). Yet, I wouldn’t change this year for the world. Yes, I have lost multiple family members to COVID, and I have experienced some deep lows this year. But with all of the lessons I’ve learned this year, I would never choose to go back to an earlier time. I define a good year as one in which we really learn to roll with the tides, and for that reason, this has been my best year yet.
- Before this trip, I was a NorCal virgin (I’d been to LA 10+ times, but never saw myself living there). Also prior to this trip, I labeled myself a city person. It would be wrong to say my CA trip changed me as a person. Rather, I think it brought out the parts of me that lied dormant for years. I fell in love with NorCal, to my surprise, because it WASN’T city-like, at least not in the way NY is. I loved the warm winter weather, and being swathed by nature. Big Sur was the game-changer though. It left me with a clear vision of my dream future, which had always been hazy in my mind (a family, golden retriever or 5, living in CA with the ocean and hiking trails nearby, merging medicine and mindfulness into my career).
- I was born in SF & hadn’t been back since age 2, so I remembered nada. The strangest, warmest, most surreal feeling arose within me though, the moment I landed into SFO. I felt like I was coming home, after visiting NY. Everything felt familiar, even though I had no recollection of living there as a baby. The feeling gave me a high I felt so strongly that I couldn’t tone down the excitement enough to fall asleep… for 3 days straight. I wish I could better explain the feeling, but I can’t, so I just hope everyone gets to experience the same one day.
- Residency?! I know what you’re thinking: “good luck matching in CA. Even in-state applicants struggle with this.” Guess what? Your sarcasm is not appreciated!!! But in all honesty, I have faith that life will take me where I’m meant to be. And I have no doubt in my mind that if residency doesn’t work out in CA, I’ll move there after! The best things in life are worth the wait 🙂 It’ll be so cool looking back at this blog in 3.5 years & seeing where I end up… location & specialty-wise!
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—> San Francisco Recs: *I only did 1 day here, during full lockdown, so there is much more to see. Here are just a few non-negotiables:
-Twin Peaks (I didn’t get to watch the sunrise, but people say it’s a must!)
-Baker’s Beach for the ocean, Lombard St for the aerial view, Palace of Fine Arts for, well, the art
-Picnic spots & views: Russian Hill (you’ll see Alcatraz from here!), Golden Gate Park, Alamo Square Park, Aquatic Park Cove
-Fisherman’s Wharf — try the New England Clam Chowder!!! I spent my last few years in Boston & STILL rate it 10/10
-GOLDEN HOUR: Land’s End (pre-sunset) / Sutros Baths (right next to it, for the sunset)
-Chinatown – save your appetite beforehand. If you’re not able to button your pants when you leave, I’m sorry but you did it wrong.
Med for the Mind 