As the oldest of three sisters, I carry a huge responsibility. I always have to be careful about what I say, and my behavior around the house. I love being an older sister because it is like being a parent without having to deal with the whining and reprimanding. Because my sisters Tara and Divya look up to me, I have learned to be a role model. Camp counseling is like being an older sister to all the campers because I get to connect with them on a different level. I worked with my mom who is a pediatrician for the past three summers, and I got to observe her interact with her patients. She knows how to make them feel comfortable, yet is firm with them when it is necessary. As a paid intern, I worked with her in the pediatric department of a health clinic in the Bronx, NY. I prepped patients; performed hearing and visual tests and took care of their patient files.
I was a forum leader my junior year of high school. Forum is a group of students chosen by reference only. Facilitated, along with another leader, a group of twenty-five students of all levels to discuss a controversial topic that was often presented to us that day at an assembly. It reminded me a lot of group sharing. In addition, I worked at Kumon Math and Reading Program, a program designed for children to improve their math and reading skills through completion of assignments, that I corrected. I worked primarily with children between the ages of five and twelve and assisted them when they needed help, and would also explain to them the mistakes they made and teach them the correct way so as not to make the same mistake. I was more like a tutor to them.
Since my life altering car accident in September, I have not had much time to focus on my spiritual goals. After my discharge from the hospital five weeks later, I had to catch up on schoolwork and adjust my schedule completely. Since the accident, my time has been filled with schoolwork, meetings with teachers, doctors appointments, surgery and recuperation.