Hello, I'm Deepa! I am a senior and currently majoring in Community Health and minoring in Psychology. I plan on going to grad school in the fall to get an MPH in Epidemiology - a field that has been especially important as of late. My ultimate goal would be to work for the CDC or an organization like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, however those are pretty high hopes and I'm honestly just trying to graduate at this point 😅
I watch lots of TV and since I essentially did nothing but sit in front of my laptop all last year, I ended up rewatching a ton of my favorite shows including Community, Avatar, Fleabag, and Atlanta. On the rare occasion that I ventured outside my comfort zone to start something new, I luckily found some other great series' that I highly recommend if you're looking for something to watch: Bojack Horseman, Barry, What we do in the Shadows, and Veep. My anti-recommendation, if you're curious, is Emily in Paris.
If I am not watching something, you can typically find me listening to podcasts (I stan Ira Glass), playing Animal Crossing (I stan Timmy and Tommy), or walking my dog, Mango (I also stan fruits).
I'm also happy to share that I just finished a book! I'm overly excited about this fact because it's been awhile since I've read outside of class. I made something of a new year's resolution to read one book per month, so hopefully I'm able to maintain this habit! I read Tara Westover's
Educated which was a great read and I highly recommend it, even for other non-readers out there. I plan on reading Atul Gawande's
Being Mortal next, but I would love to hear if you have any book suggestions!
I'm looking forward to learning about mythologies and folklore in this class and meeting everyone! I've never blogged before and have very little creative writing experience so there's a lot I have to learn and I can't wait to start engaging with everyone's work 😊
Images Used:
Streaming shows (Source: Pixabay)
Personal photo of Mango from 2019
Reading a book (Source: Pixabay)
Hi , Deepa. My name is Drew. I also watched Avatar and Korra during 2020. I watched them as a kid when they originally aired on Nickelodeon. In fact, I remember the day Avatar aired in 2005. It was cool to be able to share the shows with my younger sisters who were too young to watch them when they first came out. One of them also read "Educated" for a summer project. I hope you are able to fulfill your dreams of working at the CDC!
ReplyDeleteDeepa, I'm back. There was some great news yesterday: Nickelodeon and CBS-Viacom have started an independent, Avatar focused studio for the sole purpose of creating films and series in the Avatar world. The original creators are on board as well. Hopefully we have a future filled with the four elements. I hope your semester is going well and that senioritis hasn't kicked in too strongly.
DeleteHey, I'm sorry about double replying. I'm just figuring out how to sign in properly.
ReplyDeleteHi Deepa!
ReplyDeleteI have also watched Avatar and Fleabag and those are two of my all time favorite series! And I am currently watching Community, you have impeccable taste in television.
Like you, I have also recently gotten back into reading. I did a lot of reading as a kid, not so much nowadays but I'm doing my best to keep up with the reading log of 12 year old me, I mainly get most of my reading for pleasure done during breaks., school keeps me too busy during the semester. Good luck in your pursuit to read more!
Hi Deepa,
ReplyDeleteI also found myself watching a lot of shows during and even after quarantine. I finished Community within a week and Avatar + Korra also within a week. It is cool that you set this goal for yourself to read one book a month. I also tried to but I can't seem to focus in a book at all and instead spent my time painting and working out. The last book I read was "The Alchemist" and I recommend it even though it is one of the most popular book of all time.
Hi Deepa! It's definitely a time to be a Community Health major! My boyfriend is a junior Community Health major, and he has become something of an expert in our friend group about all of the COVID things--I wonder if you can relate. :) I love Avatar! I'm a bit of a latecomer to the fandom, since I watched it for the first time last year, but I know I would have liked it a lot as a kid. Mango is so cute, and looks so fluffy! I adore books and always love to give suggestions! I just finished a YA dystopian book called The Waning Age by S.E. Grove, and I would recommend it. It's about a future where humanity loses their emotions after age 10--a lot of food for thought in that one.
ReplyDeleteHi Deepa, nice to meet you! I loved all the images you included in your post, especially your dog. Mango is such a cute name! I'm also minoring in Psychology, and I think it's so cool that you want to go to graduate school for Epidemiology. I've never watched Bojack Horseman, but a lot of my friends like it, so maybe I'll give it a watch when I have more time. I love listening to podcasts too—my favorites are The Psychology Podcast and Stuff to Blow Your Mind.
ReplyDeleteHi Deepa! Your dog is adorable! I am also a senior bachelor student at OU. One more year to survive! We got this! :) I also love to read books, mostly YA fantasy and fantasy. I can definitely give you tons of recommendations if you are interested. I know reading outside of class can be hard during the semester, I applaud you on your goal of one book a month and am rooting for you! Lastly, I am definitely going to check out some of your show recommendations, because I have basically ran out of things to watch. Good luck this semester!
ReplyDeleteHi Deepa!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on almost being finished with undergrad! Epidemiology is DEFINITELY a hot topic right now, and I think it will be that way for quite a while, so you're going into a great field. And we really need you! Also, another congratulations on finishing a book! I have also recently rediscovered reading outside of class, and it's something that I think is really peaceful and fun that college students often leave.
Oh wow, an MPH in epidemiology: you are the person we need now and in the future, Deepa! This pandemic has been such a wake-up call to the whole world. I didn't used to even think of epidemiology as something in my life, but now I follow a lot of epidemiologists at Twitter, and I really rely on their expertise to help me at least try to make sense of what's going on in the world. Hello, 2021!
ReplyDeleteAnd look at your adorable Mango! That is so cute! Now I feel bad I did not see this post earlier: I put mangoes in the class announcements today, and I could have included this adorable furry Mango!
About books: YES YES YES to Atul Gawande's Being Mortal. I am so glad that is on your list. I read that when my mother became ill some years ago, and after having gone through just now a long illness with my dad (he died last August), I don't think I would have even being able to cope without having read that book. Highly (HIGHLY) recommended. He is so knowledgeable and, even better, he is such a good writer too.
Yay for the intersection of medicine and writing! :-)
Hi Laura! I saw the announcements and there's actually another relevant connection: My family is from south India and we speak Tamil. I think the idea to name our dog mango was a subconscious process because that fruit is pretty ubiquitous in our culture. Thank you for sharing about your family and how Being Mortal helped you cope. I just started the book and am looking forward to gaining a new and more well-rounded perspective on healthcare and life.
DeleteHi Deepa!
ReplyDeleteThose are pretty cool majors, psychology was one of my favorite classes that I took over my academic career. The knowledge in the field seem endless and it so interesting that to this day we are still discovering new things about ourselves. I have never been one to read books, and I honestly have never read a book outside of highschool or college. I think that today schools drive kids away from reading as the mandated books are usually ancient and boring but I digress.
Hey again Deepa. After reading your story "The Elephant, the Doe, and the Hunter" I find it hard to believe you have little creative writing experience! I think your writing is great.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to get into reading again too. I used to love reading years ago but I feel like I just don't have the time for it in college! You've inspired me to maybe pick up a few books on my shelf that I got but never quite got started on, and maybe I'll check out Educated too.
Hey Deepa,
ReplyDeleteI'm so interested by your majors and how well they play into the wold we live in today! Have the recent months helped you become sure of your major choice or made you worried at all, because I could honestly see it going either way for myself if I were in your shoes? I've noticed many people commented about your mentioning of the Avatar series in your bio and that makes me so excited! I just finished all of the series for the first time, though. had watched parts growing up, and am very hype for it right now! Also, I definitely relate to not having blogged before or having much creative writing experience; it's a totally new battleground for me too! So far I have enjoyed it very much, largely because of how it helps students experience new cultures and mythologies, and am excited to see how the semester continues. How about you, are you enjoying the class so far? Looking forward to hearing more from you this semester!
Hello Deepa!
ReplyDeleteI found myself watching a lot of shows as well. I should have spent more time reading since it is something I enjoy. I think you have an exciting major and that working for the CDC is a wonderful goal! Also, your dog is adorable! Best of luck to you!
Hiya Deepa! OOF - not my girl Emily in Paris!! My poor heart can't take it. Haha, I loved that show! It's cheesy and definitely.... different, but I loved how Emily was always unapologetically herself, you know? Whether it was her humor, her ideas, or her outfits, she was always radiating Main Character energy. Plus, whats-his-face is so attractive! And his accent? Whew. I can respect the criticism though! Hey, I'm looking to read more books too. If you keep up this new year's resolution, you should totally make a tab/post on your blog of the books you've read and their reviews! Would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions :)
ReplyDeleteHi Deepa,
ReplyDeleteWhat a coincidence! This winter I rewatched Avatar and got my dad and younger brother into the series (I don't really like the worldbuilding direction they went with in Korra though). If you could bend any element, which would you bend? I think fire bending is the coolest, but based on my personality I would probably make a better earth bender. My partner thinks water bending is the best, because of blood bending, but there's nothing cooler than shooting fire out of your hands (pun intended).
Deepa,
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to read more books in my free time, but I can never get myself to do it since I already have so much reading and school work to do. I think reading one book per month is a great goal to have, and I hope that you are able to do it!! I also love to watch tv as well but haven't done it as much with school being so busy. I haven't watched the shows you mentioned, so I'll have to check them out! Hope your semester is going great!!
Hello Deepa,
ReplyDeleteI think that if your goal is the CDC and you stick with it, you'll make it there no problem! I can be pretty bad about actually sitting down and watching TV shows so I actually haven't seen many, though I have watched some Netflix original series recently, like Sweet Home and Alice in Borderlands. Best of luck with grad school!
Hi Deepa! I really think that working for the CDC would be so cool especially with what is going on in the world right now! I am also about to graduate so congrats to us! I liked that you included suggestions for some new shows to watch because I have been looking for a new show to start. I hope you have a great rest of your semester!
ReplyDeleteHi Deepa, nice to meet you! I love Avatar too, I spent my summer binging it when they released the full series on Netflix. It definitely holds up to the nostalgia from when I watched it as a kid. I haven't finished watching Atlanta yet, but so far I'm absolutely loving the performance. Working for the CDC seems like a crazy job, good luck on making it there!
ReplyDeleteHi Deepa, I enjoyed reading your introduction! I respect how you want to get an MPH in epidemiology because it is crazy right now but definitely is needed. I am like you in the fact that it has been a long time since I read a book on my own time, but I definitely want to get back into it. I hope you have a great rest of your semester!
ReplyDeleteHi Deepa! Your dog is so cute! I also think that working for something like the CDC is so crucial, as shown by this past year. I am planning on going to medical school myself, so here is to a stressful future for the both of us! On your book recommendations, I really enjoy all of Atul Gawande's books. I have actually read Being Mortal, and I really enjoyed it! I hope you find the tine to read it. I hope you are doing well as we approach the end of the semester.
ReplyDeleteHi Deepa! I love Mango they're so cute! Also Love animal crossing, I have it on my phone and on my Nintendo switch! That's awesome that you like it too! I think it is so cool that you have a passion for health! I am also planning on going to graduate school! Where do you plan on going? I hope the application process went well! Good luck with everything and I hope you had a great semester!
ReplyDelete