In all honesty, my new motto entering the lab was: “Act like you give a sht.”* I would literally repeat it to myself before walking in. Not because I don’t care — I do. I genuinely love research. I love thinking deeply, solving problems, contributing to something bigger than myself. But I realized something uncomfortable: …
Dear Lab
Dear Lab, Coming into the lab, I worried I wouldn’t fit in. Girl straight out of Nigeria. New to microbiology. New to American academia. New to everything. And then I walked into a room full of Indians, other Nigerians, Pakistanis, Koreans — Christians, Muslims, Hindus, atheists. Different sexualities. Different genders. Different ages. Different stories. And …
Dear Imperfection
Dear Imperfection, As an artist, dealing with you comes with the territory. You show up in brushstrokes, uneven lines, colors that don’t blend the way I imagined. In art, imperfection can even be beautiful. But as a researcher, you terrify me. I think about the weight of getting things wrong. Not small mistakes — not …
Dear Money
Dear Money, You’re an uncomfortable topic in medicine. One people dance around, soften, or pretend doesn’t matter. But you do matter — not as the goal, but as the context. When I think about becoming a physician-scientist, I don’t imagine wealth as excess or status. I think about sustainability. Freedom. The ability to choose meaningful …
Dear MCAT
Dear MCAT, You’ve been a lot. I’ve officially started studying for you, and honestly, it’s been intense in a way I didn’t fully expect. A lot of the content feels unfamiliar, and some of it feels like I’m learning a new language all over again. But I’ve found that sticking to Anki, committing to a …
Dear Words of Wisdom
Dear Words of wisdom Some of my identity was shaped not by places or people, but by words I encountered at the exact moment I needed them. These poems didn’t demand interpretation or explanation — they simply stayed. Quietly. Steadily. Long enough to become part of me. On Purpose “The two most important days in …
Dear New Beginning,
Dear New Beginning, I came to America on my mom’s birthday — December 19th. After a long, exhausting flight, we landed in Houston relieved, hopeful, and completely overwhelmed. There were five of us and over thirteen boxes. The first challenge was simply getting everything out of the airport. The second was standing outside in the …
Dear Nigeria,
Dear Nigeria, I went back to you for many reasons. One was logistical — my green card interview date was finally released, and I had to return weeks ahead of time to prepare. Another was personal — my grandfather’s funeral was in December, and I wanted to be there. I went back hopeful, believing that …
Dear Survival, Diabetes Awareness Art Piece #3
Dear Survival, You look like flying, but you don’t feel like freedom. This piece came from a conversation with a woman named Krishnaa. She spoke about the sheer amount of medicine and medical technology it takes to keep her alive — the supplies, the waste, the constant reminders that her survival is not effortless. Sometimes, …
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Dear Impossible, Diabetes Awareness Art Piece #2
Dear Impossible, You’re what people tell those with diabetes they shouldn’t try. I learned that after listening to someone describe their life — not in restrictions, but in motion. Cycling 235km in a single day. Eating freely. Living fully. Refusing to let a diagnosis become a ceiling. And yet, diabetes isn’t simple. It isn’t linear. …
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Creating My Autobiography 