During my freshman year in high school, my science teacher assigned us to interview people in the community about how they use science in their careers. Although I don’t remember most of the people I spoke with, I can tell you that I spent meaningful time with a local community pharmacist who changed my life.
What I saw was a man who loved his career and truly cared for his patients. In an instant, I knew that I wanted to become a pharmacist, and I never wavered from that goal throughout high school.
Knowing what you want to be when you grow up at age 14 is unusual, but it is very liberating. I simply had to work backwards to figure out how to achieve my goal of becoming a pharmacist.
After high school, I chose to attend Ohio Northern University (ONU) because it had a unique pharmacy program. Rather than attending college for 2 years and then applying to the pharmacy program, ONU students were admitted to the College of Pharmacy from day one.
Although it was expensive, being in pharmacy school from day one and avoiding the risk of rejection made it worthwhile for me.
In college, I spent a lot of time in the library. Although the classwork was difficult, I did well with one exception: organic chemistry.
I did fail organic chemistry—a notorious “weed out” course—but I successfully retook the class over the summer and graduated on time with the rest of my classmates. Failing a course is a difficult stumbling block, but I stood strong and persevered.
Today, I’m thankful for the wonderful pharmacy profession for so many reasons.
First, I’m thankful that community pharmacists are the health care professionals most accessible to the public. If my local pharmacist wasn’t accessible to me, then I likely would have taken a different career path.
Second, I’m proud of the work we pharmacists do, the diversity of our career options, and the relationships we share with our patients and fellow health care providers.
Pharmacy is a profession that makes a real difference in people’s lives. It certainly has made all the difference in mine.
Boyfriend/Girlfriend, home, King of Prussia, Love/Romance, Pennsylvania, Silly, USA | Romantic | January 5, 2018
(My boyfriend and I are discussing a Facebook post wherein a guy referred to his girlfriend as “Butterscotch.” )
Boyfriend: “I promise never to call you ‘Thingamajig.’ Or ‘Butterfinger.’ Or ‘Lollipop.’ Because calling your girlfriend a food item sounds pretty degrading.”
Me: *interjecting* “Belgian Waffle.”
Boyfriend: “You’re likening someone you say you love to something you chew up into tiny bits, swallow, suck out everything good left in it, and excrete out 24 hours later.” *pause* “Buttermilk Pancake.”
Me: “Green bean.”
Boyfriend: “Crab Cake.”
Me: “Tater tot.”
Boyfriend: “Cheese biscuit.”
Me: “Okay, we could do this literally forever.”
Boyfriend: “We could!”
Me: “Let’s not.”
Boyfriend: “Okay, Bacon Cheeseburger.”
(To his credit, he did actually stop after that last one.)
(My husband is playing “Fallout 4.” He has been agonizing for months over which faction to pick, watching videos and reading reviews, paranoid that he will choose poorly. Finally, he makes the irreversible decision.)
Husband: “Now, I’m off to kill the bad guys.”
Me: “Unless you are the bad guys.”
Husband: “Arrrrgh, why would you say that?! Oh, my Goooooood! Nooo! Why would you make me doubt myself?! This is why I can’t finish this game!”
Bigotry, Delivery, England, Harassment, home, Jerk, London, Pizza, UK | Romantic | January 2, 2018
(I am a 19-year-old female living with my girlfriend. My girlfriend has anxiety and can’t stand it when a man comes near her. Recently, my girlfriend got sick and was hospitalized. To celebrate her recovery and her arrival home, we order pizza. When the pizza arrives, I am on the phone with my dad asking him to bring something for tomorrow.)
Me: “Babe, can you get the door? I’m on the phone.”
(As she goes to the door, she sees it’s a guy. She whimpers and runs back into the kitchen where I’m standing.)
Girlfriend: “[My Name], it’s a man. I can’t do this.”
Me: “It’s okay, babe. I got it.”
(I hang up and go to answer the door. The delivery guy is short, baby-faced, and looks like he’s just started his first year of university. As soon as he sets his gaze on me, I see the wheels in his head start turning.)
Delivery Guy: “Took you long enough!”
Me: “I’m very sorry. I was on the phone.”
Delivery Guy: “I guess I could let it slide if I could… sit in and eat this with you? You’re my last delivery for the night.”
(He smirks and I roll my eyes.)
Me: “No, thank you. I’m good. How much will it be, then?
Delivery Guy: *holding my pizza away from me* “Aw, come on! You are smoking! It’s free if I can get your number and a kiss.” *winks*
(I am so over this guy. I start digging through my wallet and pull out enough to cover it.)
Me: “I’m really not interested.”
Delivery Guy: “Aww. Well, then, maybe just your number? Come on, sweetie. I can show you a good time!”
(He hands me my pizza. I roll my eyes.)
Me: “Look, I’m just trying to have a nice night in with my girlfriend. Here’s your money.”
(His eyes are as big as saucers as he realizes his mistake.)
Delivery Guy: “Eww! I just hit on a [slur]!”
(He then took off running down the hall… without his money. Hey, horny delivery boy, thanks for the free pizza!)
Clinic, Golden Years, Silly, Spouses & Partners, Texas, USA, Volunteer | Romantic | January 1, 2018
(I’m volunteering at a clinic, currently working in administration. I handle calls and schedule appointments. It has been raining throughout the whole month, so there are puddles outside. An elderly couple around their 70s come out from their appointment.)
Husband: *to his wife* “Let me move the car so you won’t walk in a puddle.”
Wife: “No, it’s all right. Just unlock the door.”
Husband: “Fine. If you fall, it’s not my fault.”
Wife: “Don’t worry; I can swim.” *walks out the door*
Boyfriend/Girlfriend, College & University, Long Distance, Pennsylvania, Roommates, Silly, USA | Romantic | December 31, 2017
(At this time my boyfriend and I are long-distance, and both in school. He’s commuting an hour and back to school every day. We video call before going to bed. I share a bedroom, and my roommate lets me know when she’s getting ready for bed so I can end the conversation or move to the living room.)
Roommate: *coming into bedroom* “When are you guys planning to go to sleep?”
Me: “I don’t know. Sweetie, when are you going to sleep?”
Boyfriend: *sounding quite drowsy* “As often as possible.”
(I play a survival game online with a group of friends, among them a married couple. We’re clearing a cave of giant insects. Our strategy revolves around having people grapple up to the ceiling and shooting from there while a ground team keeps the bugs busy. We are starting to run out of ammo, when…)
Tribe Leader: “Okay, I’m calling a retreat; back to base to restock.”
(We begin to run, with several bugs on our heels when we hear, through the voice chat
(I am a female teacher. One of my male students has a six-year-old sister who adores him to the point where she won’t allow him past the school gates without a kiss. She’s universally accepted as “too cute.” One day I’m going to my car to get home after a long day and I run into my student, as well as his mother and sister. I wave at him, and then hear
Sister: *loudly* “Who is that?”
Student: *also loudly because he wants me to hear* “That’s the prettiest teacher in school, who is going to give me good grades tonight!” *we had a test that day*
(I laugh it off and get in my car, thinking it was a pretty okay joke. The next day, about 15 minutes into class, this student’s phone rings.)
Student: “Oh, d***. I swear this thing was off. Wait, Mom?”
(He takes the call out of worry.)
Student: “Yes, Mom… SHE WHAT?!”
(He jumps up and runs for the door.)
Student: “Sorry, my sister disappeared. She can’t have gone far; I’m going to look for her.”
(The daycare is a one-minute walk away from my classroom, so I rally my class to help out. However, as we take a collective sprint to the gates, we find his sister standing in the schoolyard, looking lost. Upon seeing us she runs past her brother straight to me, looking as adorably angry as only a six-year-old can. She angrily pokes me in the thigh and looks up at me, declaring
Sister: “[Brother] is going to marry me, not you!”
Extra Stupid, home, Spouses & Partners, UK | Romantic | December 27, 2017
(It’s a month before Christmas, and I’ve purchased some gifts for my wife. When the first one arrives, I hide it in my desk drawer, where she promptly discovers it within hours. A few days later, another gift arrives, and I decide to hide both someplace different. The following takes place that evening
Bad Behavior, Dating, Friends, Harassment, Houston, Jerk, Liars/Scammers, Restaurant, Texas, USA | Romantic | December 26, 2017
(I go to college out of state, but come home to Houston every year for holidays and summers. My boyfriend attends college where I do, but lives elsewhere. A male friend I have known since high school contacts me on messenger to ask about my holiday plans one year.)
Friend: “So, you’re going to be home again for Thanksgiving?”
Me: “Yeah, I thought about going to see my boyfriend’s family this year, but we decided that we should just each go home separately. I might go visit him for New Year’s, though.”
Friend: “We should get together when you’re back! We can have a big outing like we used to with everyone!”
Me: “That sounds like fun! If you plan it, I’ll find a way to make it.”
(A few weeks pass, and Thanksgiving break is imminent. He messages me again.)
Friend: “Hey! Are we still on for getting together when you’re back?”
Me: “Sure thing! Is that Saturday okay with everyone? Did you want to do an e-vite so everyone knows? I can set something up and start a group chat.”
Friend: “I’ll take care of it. Are you bringing your car back? Do you need a ride?”
Me: “Oh, don’t worry. I’m sure [Another Friend of ours] can pick me up, since I live so close to him.”
Friend: “No, no! I insist on picking you up! Does [Local Restaurant] sound okay?”
Me: “Sure. I think that should be within everybody’s budgets.”
(I came home for Thanksgiving and the get-together had been solidified. Or so I thought. My friend texted me to say he was coming to pick me up. Upon arriving at the restaurant, I discovered that he lied and didn’t invite anyone else; it was just the two of us. I insisted on paying for my meal, despite his repeated attempts to cover it, and the entire evening was extremely awkward with little conversation. When he drove me home, he even tried to lean over to kiss me as I was getting out of the car. I chewed him out over messenger when I finally got over my shock and disgust, and he acted like I was some cheating girlfriend who had led him on for months. When I mentioned the whole scenario to a mutual friend of ours, he laughed and said that this was the third time that guy had pulled this series of tricks on a girl in our social circles. And every time, he tried to blame it on her “leading him on.”)
Holidays, home, Love/Romance, Music, Pennsylvania, Spouses & Partners, USA | Romantic | December 25, 2017
(For as long as I can remember, I have loved a specific Christmas song. One day I’m telling my husband about it.)
Me: “I know it’s weird, but it’s like the holiday season doesn’t really begin until I hear ‘Snoopy’s Christmas.’ I don’t know why. It just isn’t Christmas until someone plays it.”
(The conversation meanders and I don’t think much more about it. About a week later, he gets a package, which he opens to reveal a set of CDs. It’s all the songs by a group called the Royal Guardsmen.)
Me: “What’s this? Who are these guys?”
Husband: “They’re the ones who sing that song.”
(He shows me one of the CDs. Sure enough, there’s “Snoopy’s Christmas” on the list. I’d never known who actually sang the song and, for whatever reason, never investigated the matter. I look to my husband for an explanation.)
Husband: “Now, it can be Christmas whenever you want!”
Boyfriend/Girlfriend, home, Kansas, Silly, USA | Romantic | December 23, 2017
(My boyfriend and I are having guests over. I realize I’ve left something in our bedroom, on a high shelf, so I excuse myself to retrieve it, only to find my boyfriend following me.)
Me: “What are you doing?”
Boyfriend: “I know the item is on a high shelf, so I came to help. You and your stubby arms!”
Me: “You’re just jealous because I’m one step closer to being a T-Rex than you are.”
Holidays, home, USA | Romantic | December 22, 2017
(Christmas has already blown through my house. My family has already unwrapped their presents, and my siblings and their children have gone home. My fiancé and I are cuddling in bed after a full day.)
Fiancé: “Hey, I felt bad for not getting you any Christmas presents! So, I ordered some gifts for you off of Amazon. They clearly won’t be here before Christmas, but could you avoid looking in the cart?”
Me: “Aww! That’s so sweet! Of course I won’t; I ADORE surprises!”
(A little while later, I go to check my messages after receiving the wrong item a while ago. I accidentally hit “my orders” instead of “my account” so I see ALL of the presents my fiancé has purchased for me.)
Me: “Wha! [Fiancé], I’m so sorry! I accidentally saw all of my presents!”
Fiancé: “It’s okay—”
Me: “But I wanted them to be a surprise!”
Fiancé: “Did you like them?”
Me: “Yes!”
Fiancé: “Well, I’ll just have to get you more Christmas surprises!”
Boise, Boyfriend/Girlfriend, Holidays, Idaho, USA | Romantic | December 20, 2017
(My boyfriend is an avid skier, so for Christmas I buy him a pass to our local ski area. The pass is just a piece of heavy paper, and rather than just tucking it in a card, I put it in a small box and add a few heavy beads to throw him off when he tries to guess what it is. I go over to his house around the 20th, he opens the door.)
Me: “Merry Christmas!” *hands him the box*
Boyfriend: *takes the box and immediately drops it*
Both: “Oh, no!”
Me: “I’m sure it will be okay.”
(After some socializing I go home. Come Christmas morning, the phone rings.)
Boyfriend: “You are so rotten! I’ve been shaking that box every day since you gave it to me, trying to figure out how broken it was, and if I could fix it before you knew!”
Me: *laughing my head off* “Yeah, it couldn’t have worked out better if I’d planned it.”
Boyfriend/Girlfriend, home, Pennsylvania, Pets & Animals, USA | Romantic | December 20, 2017
(Whenever my boyfriend and I decide to get intimate, we usually make sure that our dog is out of the room. My boyfriend wakes me up and we start getting a little intimate, when I realize the dog is laying in bed staring at us.)
Me: “Do you think you could put him outside? He’s being weird.”
Boyfriend: “He’s fine. It’s not like he cares about what we’re doing.”
(Right on cue, the dog decides to move and lay right beside our heads and make eye contact with my boyfriend. Needless to say, the dog was put outside.)
Diễn Đàn Người Việt Hải Ngoại. Tự do ngôn luận, an toàn và uy tín. Vì một tương lai tươi đẹp cho các thế hệ Việt Nam hãy ghé thăm chúng tôi, hãy tâm sự với chúng tôi mỗi ngày, mỗi giờ và mỗi giây phút có thể. VietBF.Com Xin cám ơn các bạn, chúc tất cả các bạn vui vẻ và gặp nhiều may mắn.
Welcome to Vietnamese American Community, Vietnamese European, Canadian, Australian Forum, Vietnamese Overseas Forum. Freedom of speech, safety and prestige. For a beautiful future for Vietnamese generations, please visit us, talk to us every day, every hour and every moment possible. VietBF.Com Thank you all and good luck.
English
Deutsch
Français
Español
Italiano
Português
Norsk
Nederlands
Dansk
Suomi
Polski
Čeština
Русский
日本語
한국어
中文(简体)
中文(繁體)
Magyar
Türkçe
العربية
ไทย
Latina
हिन्दी
Bahasa Indonesia
Bahasa Melayu
