Med School Interview #3: Californians really are nicer

Every time I've ever met someone not from California, I'm asked a bunch of the same questions or told a bunch of the same statements as if they were fact. In Virginia several years ago, I was known as the girl who said "dude" far too many times. In Saint Louis, someone asked me if I surfed, and if that was why I was so tan. 

Yesterday in Philadelphia, my fellow non-Californian interviewers agreed amongst themselves that Californians are "laid back," "mellow," "nicer," and "like to mosey."

Uhm....what? Hahahaha. Okay.

(On a side note, I just wanted to add in there that non-Californians have it easy when applying to medical school. It's no secret that on average, Californians apply to more schools. I rolled my eyes when a girl said she applied to "Wayyy too many schools--13!" to which I said, "Uhm. Try 33." How's that for "likes to mosey," EH?)

I found that I missed the Bay Area terribly when I got to Philadelphia. Just look at this. 

The SEPTA is like a web...of lies. It was quite frankly a nightmare to navigate.

Maybe it's because Philadelphia is one of the great historical cities, but the subway system is so old school. A conductor walks down the aisles and hole punches paper sheets while whipping out giant wads of cash to make change. The floor is littered with tiny punched-out tickets. A conductor walks down each aisle to call out each stop as the metal doors jangle open and riders leap across the gap. I missed BART in all of its shiny linearity and automated machinery. People in Philly don't make eye contact, nor do they smile or stop walking when you say, "Excuse me, how do I transfer from the airport line to the broad line?"

This photo was taken by a homeless man who promised
he wouldn't run off with my camera. Beside us are protestors.

I stayed with my friend C who used to go to my home church in SF once upon a time, and it was great. We ate at a pizzaria somewhere after walking dozens of blocks around the city. I toted my suitcase on the uneven pavement and sometimes sewage-y streets. Good thing I packed only essentials. I was on high alert after night fell, and my spiking adrenaline levels caused me to be really gross and sticky in that skyscraper-dense area. 


Since the school that I interviewed at was in a rough neighborhood, there was tight security into the building. I had my driver's license scanned and my photo taken on a fancy computer:

Dang my picture came out so well. I was worried my smile was too wide.

Pretty illuminated microbial pathogens. Mmm.
Ambient lighting for sure.

Anyways. I missed the Bay Area a lot after this one. I'm grateful that my friend C took me in after my student host plans fell through. During the interview day, the four other Berkelians (ranging from c/o 2001-2012) and I high-fived and GO BEARS'd and then I felt more at home.