Introduction from 24 to 25

 Well, my name is David Czovek and I had just turned 24 this time last year. I was in Indian Epics with Laura in the Spring and thought I'd reuse this blog post but update it with what has happened since. So in case, you're wondering I am now 25! You're probably thinking "that's a tad old for an undergrad" and you'd be correct but that's what makes this all the more fun. I am from a city in Connecticut called Bristol and graduated in the spring of 2014 from Bristol Central high school. On a normal track, I should've finished my undergrad in the spring of 2018. While in high school, I applied to 8 schools and got into all of them. I decided upon Baylor University. I had never been to Texas and was excited to get away from home and go somewhere warmer. I enrolled as a General Engineering major and by the end of my freshman year, I realized it was not for me. Typical freshman who didn't know and was trying different things. I ended up switching my major 2 more times. Finally, I went to my counselor and she had me take tests to figure out what careers would be best for me. The results? They all came back: middle tier, a great candidate for any occupation... I was very annoyed.

I continued on and thought well let's keep getting gen-eds done. After a while I decided upon physics for a major: it was one of my favorite subjects and I excelled at math and science. I took your basic calculus' all three of them, took your differential equations class (a step above all the calculus'), even higher level physics courses. So at this point, I am 22 turning 23 and I have credits in multiple degrees with no actual degree and to make matters worse? Yep, I am now realizing that I would not be happy doing anything in the realm of physics... So what to do?

I went home that Christmas a tad annoyed and unsure. My parents then asked if I'd like to shadow around and I said 'why the heck not'. I ended up shadowing my uncle who owns his own dental practice. I instantly fell in love. Backstory: I was the kid obsessed with clean teeth, loved going to the dentist, got toothbrushes as presents for Christmases and birthdays. I never thought about it as a career. I loved that my uncle got to help people in a social atmosphere and it was over one of the things I loved: dental hygiene. So as I made my way back to Texas I had a lot to think about. My next step was a year-long internship that I had previously committed to, in where of all places? Yep, Oklahoma! Even though it took time away from what I thought I really wanted I was grateful for it because it caused me to look into OU as a transfer option. It was cheaper and had its own dental school. I finally sent in my application made the commitment to transfer and here I am and last spring was my first semester at OU! I am finishing my prerequisites done for dental school while getting a B.S. in biology (the fastest thing I could get while coinciding with my reqs). It's been a whirlwind for sure. 

In December of 2019, I welcomed 24 finally the year that I'd figure everything out (or so I think) with direction and purpose and I wouldn't take a second to look behind me, just focused on the horizon. The me who was 24 and thinking all this did not know something named COVID was about to happen two months later. Hindsight being 20/20 I now know 2020 coincided with COVID and a lot of cultural strife here in the US but to be honest I will not remember 2020 as 2020 I will remember it as 24. Regardless of what happened this past year, I crushed it in life; in my fitness, in my academics, in all my goals, while overcoming the craziness of the world around me. The thing is there are two types of people in this world: those who make excuses and those who find a way and during 2020 I found a way. I looked mediocrity in the face along with every struggle and obstacle this past year and knocked it all out of the park. So yes I'm now 25 and yes I am still an undergrad but man am I peaking now and I'm still going up. Here's to 25!

24 was my year but so is 25.