Fireside Chat
Some special coverage out of Charlotte, NC.
One of my pledge brothers, Tanner, has been kind enough to host me for a visit down to North Carolina! He was our pledge class president (that’s totally a big deal), and I still think of him as one of my closest friends. He is a guitarist, an outdoorsman, and, as of next week, a Physician Assistant.
So what’s a memory you have of pledging?
As a sort of ritual, our president, Adam, would always text me individually to bring him cigarettes. Even though he could’ve asked anyone, he’d just ask me. I’d ask if I could delegate it and he’d be like, “I don’t know, aren’t you the PCP?” It was a bit like a mind game. It felt like he only wanted to deal with me.
Why do you think that stands out?
I don’t know. At the end of the day, he kind of picked favorites and didn’t really want to admit that. Ironically, they fought a lot for me to be in his big/little lineage, but it got messy cause the guy who introduced me wanted me to be in his lineage, too. I got close to Adam, he let me drive his car a lot, which was sick. It was like a 50th anniversary Camaro.
What do you think you learned from that experience and pledging in general?
I don’t know, things were a mystery and they kept us on our toes. It felt like life was a mystery. You never know exactly what you’re signing up for, you just have to roll with it and see where it takes you. I trusted the process and ended up meeting some amazing people.
What was something that was hard about the transition to PA school?
The hardest part was going from a four year social experience, where I always had a friend or brother around and felt comfortable around them. Now, life was a blank slate. I had to reorient myself, meet new people, and fit in again.
The sheer time commitment was so much more. I couldn’t dick around a couple days a week. You’d fall behind if you didn’t constantly grind. It was tiring, man. It was taxing. I’m glad I made it.
Last question. What’s something you’re doing for fun right now?
I get to do the activities after working my summer job at the adventure center. I get to reap the benefits, if I have the energy after being a counselor all day. I can go up and hop on the rock climbing wall and ropes courses. The process of doing something is fun, instead of just sitting there, watching the kids do it, and going home.
I’m just trying to relax before I start the full time job.
Thanks for being a great host, Tanner! I would love to do these little casual interviews occasionally if they seem interesting - let me know in the comments.