Lost and Found: AED Edition
Hi everyone! As rush comes to a close, I wanted to share a little bit about how I fell in love with AED during my rush experience and the incredibly special role it has come to play in my life.
As I began my sophomore year last fall, I was at a place in my time at Michigan where I was filled with an extreme amount of uncertainty, confusion, and anxiety about being pre-health. So many questions raced through my mind: Pre-Med? Pre-PA? One of the above? But which? Or something else? I had no idea how to decide, or who to turn to. I was on my own little deserted, confused, pre-health island amidst a sea of people who seemed to be pursuing anything and everything else. I often felt really alone. I lacked the resources, knowledge, and, above all, the people to help me navigate my pre-health journey.
In need of a community where I could find these answers and hopefully a sense of belonging, I began to attend rush events for multiple different pre-health organizations on campus. Amidst the whirlwind of mass meetings, and initial interactions with each organization’s members, I could feel my heart already start to gravitate towards AED. While attending AED’s mass meeting, it was undeniable that AED could offer me something beyond its ample supply of service, professional development, and academic opportunities: AED could offer a family of like-minded, generous, enthusiastic people, always willing to offer a helping-hand, positive encouragement, and invaluable advice. The genuine passion for the organization that radiated throughout Forum Hall was incomparable to any other mass meeting I had attended.
As I continued to attend the rest of each organization’s rush events, the gut feeling that AED was the place for me never went away. While the other organizations could provide me with some professional and academic growth, I was not confident that they would be able to provide the same level of community and support that I knew I could find in AED. At each of AED’s events, I consistently found myself talking to the most comforting, welcoming people who left me feeling fueled by their encouragement and enthusiasm. By the time bid day rolled around, I was undoubtedly sure that AED was everything I needed. I felt a combination of disbelief and overpowering excitement when I opened the email reading:
“CONGRATULATIONS FROM AED!!!”
That night, I had such an amazing time getting to meet all of the members of my pledge class, the freshman and transfer associates, and reconnecting with the people I had talked to throughout rush. I instantly felt immersed into all of the AED resources and genuinely welcomed into the community. Even just in the first few months of joining, I had the chance to attend a wide range of valuable events: volunteering at the Ronald Mcdonald House, learning from peers at an MCAT prep seminar, decorating pumpkins at a wellness event, enjoying delicious foods at the DEI potluck, and even crafting my schedule at one of our organization-wide backpacking nights. From the moment I joined, I had the privilege of attending extremely beneficial events while being surrounded by some of the best people. All of a sudden, my previously lonely, confused, pre-health island was not so lonely anymore. I became surrounded by a sea of ambitious, kind, genuine people, collectively helping to keep me afloat.
On paper, AED is a Pre-Health Honor Society. However, to me, and to all of our members, AED is so much more…
AED is feeling excited to go to orgo lecture because sitting in CHEM 1800 meant being surrounded by members of my pledge class.
AED is sharing a 5-person hotel room at AED national’s (and only complaining a little).
AED is dressing up as a leprechaun in the Law Quad with Emerson because naturally it was a necessity for a St. Patrick’s Day themed scavenger hunt.
AED is sharing a 7-Eleven stash of candy (thanks Mikayla) and supply of Trader Joe’s snacks (thanks Alyssa) with everyone during deliberations.
AED is getting scheduling help from older mentors to make sure I take the correct classes and choose the best professors.
AED is Katie Crowe walking home with me from a weekly meeting so she could answer any questions I had about obtaining patient care opportunities.
AED is standing on the corner of S. Forest Ave & Willard St. each Tuesday night because Lindsey, Emerson, and I could never stop chatting on our way home from Palmer.
AED is really something special.
If you can’t already tell, there truly isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about how thankful I am for this organization. I feel so lucky that I get to be surrounded by, and learn from such amazing people. They keep me motivated, grounded, and never fail to lift me up. I know I would be in a really different spot academically, professionally, and most importantly, emotionally and mentally without AED. To anyone feeling lost on their own journey, I can confidently tell you that you will find your place. Last fall, I would never have imagined that a year later I would be sitting down to write a blog post about finding the community I needed, but here I am, smiling ear to ear as I write the sweet little phrase that has grown to mean so much to me… AED Love.
aed love,
katie ♥︎