(Personal Photo at the Grand Canyon: Photo taken March 2018)
(Personal Photo of the first day of class Fall 2018: Photo taken August 2018)
Hello! My name is Olivia Yancey, i'll start with the basics that we all tell new people when first meeting. I am a 22 year old female and this is my last semester here at OU! I am from Redlands California a small town about an hour east of Los Angeles. I will answer your next question now, why did I move to Oklahoma from Southern California? I became interested in OU because my grandparents were from Oklahoma and went to this school, but the main reason I came here was because it was cheaper then my in-state tuition. However, I have come to love OU more than I ever thought I had and moving here for college has been the greatest adventure.
I study microbiology with a minor in geography here at OU, I am particularly interested in infectious disease and how they are effected geographically. I have been keeping busy these lat two months because I am currently applying to public health graduate schools in epidemiology! If you don't know what epidemiology is we are nicknamed the "disease detectives", its all about understanding how disease like Ebola all the way to mental illnesses occur and how to prevent and control them! I took geography not only because I love the subject but because they teach you how to make maps! So I want to use maps to help identify why diseases are where they are and to help contain epidemics (Like the maps you see on the news about the spread of Ebola in Africa)!
Less about school since we all have a life outside the classrooms. Growing up my life revolved around school and sports, I played soccer and badminton all through out my life, and not the backyard kind of badminton. My brother played soccer so when I was old enough I started to play and my dad was a badminton coach and I followed him to practice until I could start to play myself. Also if you had a chance to look at my favorite place blog you know that the most important thing to me and my goal in the future is to travel. I have not been to many places, college is expensive, but my list is long. I have been to Israel, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, France, and Italy my favorite being Germany so far but Sweden is a very close second. The number one on my bucket list is to see the Taj Mahal before they close the inside to visitors. My goal for my remaining time here in Oklahoma is to travel to places close by on the weekends since I do not know when I will be able to come back to this area. So if you have made it this far in my blog please comment a place I should go to before I move for grad school, it can be anywhere from here in Norman to about 6 hours away in any direction! Or if you cant think of somewhere close by tell me what city/country I should add to my bucket list.
I hear you about coming to Oklahoma instead of California, Olivia! When I went to Berkeley back in the 1980s, the tuition was so cheap! In fact, we didn't even pay tuition: tuition was all paid by the state, and we only paid registration fees. It cost me less than $1000 per year to go to Berkeley; even adjusting for inflation, that would be just $2200 per year. And you sure cannot go to Berkeley or even OU for $2200 per year... that's why I have so much admiration for students today: you are making bigger sacrifices to go to school than people in my generation ever had to contemplate. And that motivates me to try to make these classes worth the huge amount of money they cost compared to what my college classes cost!
ReplyDeleteAnd I wonder if you can use your skills with maps and geography to come up with a cool project for this class! Plus, I have a reading recommendation for you, if you are up for a really cool book to read later in the semester: it's called The Calcutta Chromosome by Amitav Ghosh. It is AMAZING. You can get a sense of the book here: Wikipedia: The Calcutta Chromosome. Amitav Ghosh is one of my favorite writers in India, and he writes both fiction and also science books. You may have heard about this climate change book he published recently: The Great Derangement. Anyway, keep Calcutta Chromosome in mind as a possible book to read in the free reading at the end of the semester. One of the main characters in the book is named Murugan, also known as Kartikeya, an important Indian god, son of Shiva: Kartikeya/Murugan. :-)
Olivia,
ReplyDeleteYou have traveled to so many places, how awesome! I have also been to the Grand Canyon and fell in love. It is so weird how a crater full of rocks can be so mesmerizing and beautiful to stare at. Have you done the river tours deep in the canyon? I love how you also included multiple photos of your life. I am also from Southern California. Small world!
Hi Olivia! What a beautiful town to grow up in! I am sure that picture does not even do it justice. Also, how crazy that your instate tuition is less than the OU out of state! I do not blame you for looking at outside options. Your career path sounds non the less inspirational. It is impressive you are going into such a difficult field. The learning of geography is such a good addition it sounds like for your career path too. Look forward to reading another one of your posts.
ReplyDeleteHi Olivia! I'm out of state too and I think it's crazy that it's cheaper for you to go to OU than staying in state! You seem like you're really passionate about your major and I think that's awesome! I love that you like to travel. I've been to Italy, France and Denmark also so that's awesome. You should definitely go to the Taj Mahal sometime! It's so beautiful and for me visiting the country was just an amazing new experience.
ReplyDeleteHi Olivia!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Trini Dean, it is so nice to meet you! I love that you are interested in epidemiology! I am a pre-PA student and last year I worked as a scribe for a little while. I spent the whole time scribing for a private infectious diseases group and it was so fascinating! I am grateful for all of the amazing work you will do in the future. That is crazy that tuition was cheeper here than in state for you but I'm happy you found your way over here! I hope you have a great semester and that I come across your blog again.
Hey there Olivia! It's so cool that you went to Israel - it must have been a great trip ;) But in all honesty, I had no idea you'd been to so many countries! Travel is also something I'm very passionate about, and I can't wait to see more places and explore the world. I love the term "disease detectives;" when I took genetics in high school my favorite part was looking at disease and genetic predisposition for it. I know you're going to do amazing things and I wish you all the best in your final semester!
ReplyDeleteHowdy Olivia,
ReplyDeleteI am from Texas and I know how expensive out of state tuition is for me, so I think it is absolutely mind blowing that in state tuition is more than out of state tuition is for you. I am jealous of how many places you have traveled to. I have not traveled as much as you have, but my favorite place I have visited so far is Switzerland, 10/10 would recommend if you ever get the chance. I also find your goal of being a "disease detective" interesting and kind of fun to be honest. Good luck in your last semester at OU!
Hey Olivia. I was shocked to see that your tuition here is less expensive then the in state tuition in California. That is crazy to think about. That is awesome you are studying microbiology, this is my last semester also! Were you able to take Pathogenic Microbiology with Dr. Paul Lawson? That was one of my favorite classes I have taken at OU. I hope you get into the public health graduate school! That is so exciting!
ReplyDeleteHey there, Olivia!
ReplyDeleteIt is really interesting that tuition here is cheaper than your in-state options in California... I've always heard things are more expensive there! I know I never saw myself coming to OU, especially because my dad went to UT and Texas Tech, but I fell in love with Norman when I first visited. We also have an exceptional music program, which is what I study here! Hope to read more from you in the future!(:
Hey there, hey there Olivia!!
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to find someone who is interested in diseases. My father is a doctor who primarily diagnoses cancer cases. One time he brought me to his workplace, where he showed me a green, rotting, malformed tumor the size of my head. That's when I decided I didn't want to be a doctor. Have you heard of the X-29 experimental aircraft? Northrop Grumman made an aircraft that was completely unstable in when flying, and could only be regulated by the internal computers that kept it in the air, and if those computers ever made a mistake, the plane would automatically eject the pilot.
Hi Olivia! I have a friend from Southern California who went to OU too! She gets that question a lot but she too has family from here. Also I liked your pic from the Grand Canyon! I love to hike and visit National Parks, but I still have not been there! When I go, I want to make it a trip of a few days and maybe camp. If I were not in my current major, I think I would be interested in pursuing a career in epidemiology. I find something so intriguing about how how human conditions can persist, spread, and how they are treated, and why it works. From a small-scale (body mechanisms) but also larger scale (horizontally like populations and vertically like families). I think it is so cool you are doing that!
ReplyDeleteOlivia,
ReplyDeleteI think passion is so interesting! It's amazing seeing all of these different interests from all of our classmates! I wonder how you came to be interested in diseases? Was there a specific class that changed your mind or maybe a tv show from when you were a kid? I'm also applying to grad schools, and I find it so overwhelming! I wish you the best of luck!
Olivia, it blows me away that your tuition here is still cheaper than your in-state tuition in California. Regardless, it is awesome that you made it to Oklahoma. In fact, I believe we’ve shared two classes that I know of (Infectious Diseases and Into to Public Health). I think that it is absolutely fantastic you are planning on pursing a masters in epidemiology and I wish you nothing but the best in your future endeavors.
ReplyDeleteHi Olivia!
ReplyDeleteWow! I love all the pictures you added to your intro! It looks like you've done some cool things. Playing badminton competitively is so unique and cool. I've always wanted to play but have never really gotten the chance. It is also great that you are a microbio major. I am a biology major but am currently in immunology, which is a microbio class. I really enjoy it!
Hi Olivia,
ReplyDeleteThis blog really highlighted your personality well! I just wanna say I admire you athletic abilities because I am the most uncoordinated, unathletic person ever so I really like people who are! I am also jealous that you have been to so many places and especially all those countries in Europe. My mom went to Indian last November and saw the Taj Mahal and she said it was very pretty! I cannot believe she went without me and saw one of the wonders of the world with out me how fake. I can confirm your desire to see the Taj Mahal is just! It was nice to read a bit about you!
Hi Olivia!
ReplyDeleteI loved reading your Intro. It really covered a lot about who you are, and what you want. I love that your so active. I can see being active is important to you and your family. I am actually the complete opposite, eek! But that just means I admire it all the more in other people. You have been to many places in the world already, and it is amazing that you are not stopping and will continue to travel. I hope you make it to the Taj! Have you been to Turner Falls yet? I have not actually, but I am hoping to plan a visit this summer. It is located in the Arbuckle mountains and should have lots to interest someone so active. Hope you enjoy your last year here in Oklahoma!
Hi Olivia!
ReplyDeleteI think that your major and minor and what you want to do with both of them is so interesting. My major is international studies, so although I don't know much about the specifics of the disease and how/why they spread, I think learning about where and why they are located in different areas of the world is really intriguing. Travel is really important to me too and I intend on traveling more! If you want to see the Taj I think you should definitely make a whole India trip out of it and go to different regions. (Go to southern India, I've been and it's awesome)
Hi Oliva,
ReplyDeleteIt is great to meet you. I am so glad you decided to venture out and come to OU. I think your passion for your future career is great and you should be proud of your accomplishments. I think you will have a very important and beneficial job for society! I am also jealous that you have been to many different countries, I can relate to wanting to travel more. I would love to travel more once I graduate! I hope you have a great final semester and enjoy the rest of your time at OU.
Olivia,
ReplyDeleteHere we all are. It is the end of the semester! Yay! I hope you have had a successful time this spring. I am sure you are looking forward to the summer. Hopefully it will bring you lots of enjoyment and new fun opportunities. It has been a pleasure reading your thoughts and work in this class. Take care and I wish you the best of luck!