When I Got a Second Chance at Life

This sounds too cliché, doesn't it? Getting a second chance at life after a tragedy occurred, and how it changed my perspective. I also believed it to be completely cliché, until it actually happened to me. And yes, it did turn my life around for good. The only part that was missing was the tragedy part, and I'm thankful for that. You know how everyone says, "You know the things that you've always wanted to do? You should do them."? that's exactly me. I really do live by the ideal that we get only one life, and it's our responsibility to make it worth living. But an event occurred that forced me to change my ideals.

I live with my uncle, the most amazing uncle I could ever ask for. He means so much to me. He treated me like his daughter for two years and asked me one thing: to apply for the Wayne State Direct-Med Program. Not to be boastful, but I'm a very smart student—a straight A kid. My uncle had really high expectations from me, and I really didn't want to disappoint him, which is why I applied and got selected in the top 25 applicants. If I become one of the top 10, then I've to commit myself entirely to becoming a doctor. I had no other way around. I was getting my entire education paid off by the university, and it was just the perfect opportunity for me. It honestly couldn't get any better than this. I did want to get into medicine, but I also wanted to travel. Travelling is my life. I know it sounds so exaggerated, but it's completely true. All I do when I'm not doing my homework is watch travel videos on YouTube or read travelers' blogs. When my uncle told me that he wanted me to go into the program, I bawled my eyes out right that second. I don't even know how or why, but I felt like I was trapped, and I just couldn't escape. I had this huge dream that I would save money during college, travel the world, and never return. I was so set upon this idea of escaping this world and becoming a digital nomad, but when my uncle told me about the program, I felt like all of my dreams were shattered, and I was just going to be wasting my entire life. Not saying that this profession is bad. It's an extremely awarding profession, but only for those who are actually ready for their lives to revolve around medicine. Even though I liked studying medicine at school, I couldn't imagine myself being a doctor and saving people's lives. I had an extremely different goal. I wanted to see more of the world and experience what it has to offer.

However, I somehow convinced myself that I'll definitely be able to travel a little in life, maybe after I turn 35 and fully pay off my debt. I used the cliché quotes such as "age is just a number" and "you're young at heart" to convince myself that what I was getting into is the most appropriate thing for me, and that this is God's plan. This is how it's supposed to happen and that I'll be able to travel the world indefinitely after. But deep in my heart, I knew that this wasn't the life I wanted, and that I could do better. I had huge dreams for my future that had to be accomplished. Nonetheless, I also knew that there was nothing that I could do and went on to please my family by accepting the interview offer.

During the day of my interview, I did a phenomenal job. By looking at the way the two interviewers were reacting to my fast-paced, mature answers to their questions, I knew that I would become one of the top 10. But when the results came, I was completely shocked. I did not get selected. When I got the email, my life flashed before my eyes. Not the past, but my future. I know that it sounds so dramatic, but it's true. Now, I'm an over-thinker. If you tell me a simple situation, I will make that into an extremely tragic story; that's what I'm good at. I had everything sorted out in my mind. I knew where I was going to stay, where I was going to work, and how much I was going to be saving. The next ten years of my life were straight in my mind. But when I got my results, all of my theories broke apart. I didn't know what I was going to do now. My entire life changed. The next ten years of my life were planned like a second ago and now I didn't even know what the next day was going to be like. But as they say, everything happens for a reason. There is always good to be found in everything that happens, as long as you're willing to find it. Even though I got rejected from the program, I earned a full-ride scholarship to Wayne State.

Now, I don't exactly know what my life is going to be, but I know that no matter what it is, it's still going to be good. I don't know if it is accurate or not, but I consider this event a second chance at life. Being rejected from the program opened up tremendous amounts of doors and possibilities for my future. I now have an open mind and a variety of ideas to bring to life.

With all this craziness over the past couple weeks, there's one thing that I've realized—where you are is where you're supposed to be. If I hadn't applied for the program and hadn't gotten rejected, I wouldn't have gotten the scholarship. And if I didn't get the scholarship, I would have had to worry about paying off my loans after I graduate, and set my dreams of travelling aside.

Another little piece of advice that I'd give you, fellow reader, is don't be like me—never settle. Don't wait for some opportunity to knock at your door, but create one. Don't wait for life to give you second chances. Instead, know that you only get one chance at life and make it worth living. Not many people get those second chances, and they end up surviving, not living. I'm lucky that I got another chance, but don't assume you would. Because in the end, all that matters is how you live your life and whom you ultimately live it for.