(USC) Life According to Elizabeth

They say you never forget your first time...seeing the Phantom of the Opera. That's the tagline on all the billboards and buses. I'm hoping it's true. Tonight I am going to see Phantom at the Pantages in Hollywood. I'm super excited. The organization that gives me my scholarship, Associated Presidential and Trustee Scholars, got a block of tickets for their students. So my friend and I are going for $15! It should be really fun, although I just got out of class and we leave in like an hour and I have nothing to wear. But whatevs. Apparently an alumnus from the theatre school here is in the show, so we get to meet him afterward, which is kind of special.

And this weekend I'm headed home. I have this committee meeting for a foundation board I've been working on for the past couple of years. It's just a really quick trip; I'm pretty much only home on Saturday. But still, all the travelling (and I'm missing school and work on Friday) is kind of throwing me off. I feel like I'm getting really behind in my biology reading, which blows since I have a test next week. It'll be fun to see my family, although I'm really not looking forward to leaving the 80 degree weather.

It's only October and I'm already thinking about summer...but not fun, relaxing, school-free summer. Internships. Fellowships. Volunteer work. Resume-padding experiences. Or waitressing? Maybe I just want to go (more) broke backpacking through Europe. Is there a way to combine them all? (Minus the waitressing). This is ridiculous, I've only been at school a month and I'm alrady starting to have to think about applying for jobs this summer. I want to do something adventurous, I'm getting kind of restless. I need to do something medical/clinical for my med-school apps. I really need to something where I get paid, because I'm starting to rack up the credit card bills. And I have to do something that I will enjoy because seriously, otherwise what's the point?

So I'm considering these options right now. Maybe you guys know of some cool ones, and you could throw them my way.

1) USC's Global Fellows program.

 +$5,000-$7000 stiped (way more than I made last summer, but also factors in housing and travel expenses)

 +in Asia (soooo cool. I've never been there, would be stoked)

  - super-competitive (might not get it)

  -engineering related (probably really interesting, but not medical which is what I need, might be low-level internship, slightly boring work)

2) Multidisciplinary International Research Training (MIRT)

   +Clinical work to improve health disparities (perfect)

   +Argentina, Brazil, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe (never been any of those places, probably wouldn't want to go to Zimbabwe at the moment)

   +stipend (although I have no idea how much it is)

   -don't really know anything about it or anyone that's done it (i.e. real adventerous, which is great, but also potential to be a bust and scary)

I need some more options. I'm going to keep looking. Most of the deadlines aren't until December (still so far from summer, and I don't like thinking that far in advance), so I have some time. Wish me luck!