Interview with Caitlin Kling, 11/20/2016

AK: Alright today in November 20th, its 11:00 and I am located in Polk Library and where are you located?

CK: In my apartment in Des Moines Iowa

AK: Okay. And I'm Amanda Koehn, could you state your name for me?

CK: I'm Caitlyn Kling

AK: Alright perfect. Where did you grow up Caitlyn?

CK: I grew up in Neenah Wisconsin

AK: Did you live there your whole life?

CK: Yes I did, well I mean until I moved to Oshkosh for undergrad and then I moved here (Des Moines)

AK: And who did you live with?

CK: First, both my parents, then they got divorced when I was 13, so it was just me my mom and my sister together and then my mom got remarried most recently in 2013 so now my step dad lives at home.

AK: Okay, can you tell me about your siblings?

CK: I have one biological sister, Sam, she is, oh my god, she just turned 22 00:01:00that makes me feel so old! And she is actually a senior at UW Oshkosh but then I also have 6 step siblings from my step dad and 1 step sister and a half-brother from my dad but I don't know either of them.

AK: OH Okay! And out of your siblings do you know if they are attending college at all?

CK: On my dad side my step sister is too young she is still in high school. On my step dad side the youngest one just graduated or no, in the past year he just graduated. I think only one of them completed their college degree, but they are 00:02:00all pretty successful.

AK: Oh okay, tell me a little bit about your parents, did they go to college at all?

CK: One of them did, my dad is a Dentist, so he has a dental degree from Marquette University. My mom graduated from high school but she never went to college.

AK: And what is she currently doing?

CK: She was working as a dental assistant but now she doesn't work.

AK: What about your extended family? Do you have a huge bunch of cousins, aunt, uncles?

CK: On my dad's side it's pretty small, he just has the one brother, so I only have 2 cousins on that side. But my mom has 8 brothers and sisters so I can't even tell you how many cousins I have on my mom's side. I haven't even met some of them. So it's a lot. (Laughs) Is that detailed enough?

AK: (Laughs) Yeah! And like what would you say the range of their ages is pretty young to old or are they all around the same age as you?

CK: They're, most of them are older than I am, my mom is the second youngest, so I'm pretty sure my sister is the baby out of the entire family. Yeah, they all have kids of their own now. Their kids are closer in age to me and my sister than my actual cousins are.

AK: Mhm. I'm going to take you a little bit deeper into your family just a little bit, what values did you parents put on you as a child?

CK: Let's see, I was never raised religiously partly because my parents couldn't decide on a church. Cause one was Catholic and one was Lutheran, so that just 00:04:00never was a big part of my life but my mom did always preach like "be a good person, be honest" you know just "be kind to others". My dad was always stuck on "working hard and doing the best you could and striving to get good grades" and all that. Sometimes to a fault, it was a little too much. Borderline perfectionism. But yeah, I'd say on my mom's side it was definitely just be a good person, be kind, golden rule type thing and my dad was defiantly work hard, get good grades, get a good job, that kind of thing.

AK: Would you say that you still have all the values today?

CK: Yeah I would

AK: Still working hard?

CK: Still working hard in med school! (Laughing)

AK: (Laughing) Back to where you were, you grew up in Neenah correct?

CK: Yep

AK: I'm not really familiar with Neenah what kind of community is it would you say?

CK: Can I be honest? Like bluntly honest?

AK: Yes!

CK: I would say very white, upper middle class, stuck on their high horse, snobby type people. There's a lot of those. Otherwise I mean it's relatively small it's only about 25000 people. So a lot of people know everyone, a lot of people I know, like some of my friends parents went to Neenah high school, graduated, and their still in Neenah. But, a lot of people are very nice, it's got a good school system, it's got nice parks. We don't have a Target though. I take issue with that.

AK: Do you at least have a Wal-Mart?

CK: Oh yeah, we have a Wal-Mart, we have a Festival, we have a Pick in Save, and we also have an Aldi's now, but I haven't been to it cause I'm pretty sure it opened after I left. So we have plenty of food.

AK: Would you also say that your family was middle class?

CK: Yes I would

AK: (Coughs) Sorry. In your community were close with your neighbors?

CK: Not so much when I was younger, because the neighborhood we grew up in all the lots were kind of big so we weren't physically close and also a lot of the people that lived there were kind of older, so I don't know I wouldn't say so much when I was a kid but the place where my family is now is a lot closer and 00:07:00we'll chat with the neighbors and whatever. But it's not like we were throwing block parties or anything. We're still not, I should say.

AK: Did you guys move in Neenah?

CK: Yeah

AK: Oh okay

CK: We're not, my family isn't currently in the same house that I grew up in.

AK: Why is that?

CK: Because my parents got divorced, so me, my sister and my mom, we moved out and the house ended up getting sold. We lived in an apartment for a little while, then we bought the house, or I should say my mother bought the house that we're currently in. Or their currently in. Does that make sense?

AK: Yeah!----.Could you describe the house that you grew up in. Like how big it 00:08:00was or fancy if not fancy it was?

CK: It was big but it was old. I pretty sure it was built in the '50s so I don't know, it wasn't as modern as some of the houses are now. It was a weird layout, something I always hatred was that the garage was on the opposite end of the house from the kitchen. So whenever we went grocery shopping it was a fricken hike to unload the car all the way to the fridge and cabinets in the kitchen, which is something really ridiculous but it's something to remember (laughing). It was on a big yard, which is nice since it was right across the street from a park, so my sister and I spent a lot of time outside playing and stuff. Which is good. I feel like a lot of kids now don't have that experience. And it was green! Like an evergreen green color. Which I guess I liked. But I don't know, 00:09:00I've never analyzed it that much before

AK: And how was the apartment? Was it a huge downsize?

CK: (Pause) I like it because, let's see how to say this, okay, I don't want you to take pity on me for this tale of woe but my dad was really hard on me and my sister, him and my mom relationship was not that good. So, long story short when we were able to move out into that apartment where it was just us three it was kind of relieving and like a breath of fresh air because we weren't constantly walking on egg shells and having to deal with him constantly controlling everything and breathing down our necks and it's like I would do my homework and 00:10:00he wasn't there to hover over my shoulder all the time. So after a while it kind of got annoying because we didn't have a yard but it was a very nice apartment but growing up in a house you know and then downgrading to that was kind of different but I'd say over all it was a nice change. It was very freeing. Yeah, that basically it I think.

AK: How about where you are now, how do you like where you are currently living in Des Moines?

CK: I love it! This is my first time ever living on my own in an apartment cause in Oshkosh undergrad the first two years I lived in a dorm and I don't really consider that like living on your own. And then the second two years I just commuted from home because it's only like 15 min away. And I took a gap here and 00:11:00I also lived at home during that time. So this is my first experience being away, having my own place, totally new city and I really enjoy it. Des Moines is a beautiful place. There's lots to do, everything is super conveniently located around where I am. And I just love being on my own, having my own apartment, being able to decorate how I want and keep everything clean. That's a big issue I had before I moved out, my sister is a slob. And I'm sorry if she hears this but it's the truth. (laughing)So I was happy to have my own place and be like "Okay I made that mess I don't mind cleaning it up cause I made it, I accept it". I know it sounds super ridiculous but it's the truth.

AK: Do you live more downtown in Des Moines? Or do you live more in the 00:12:00outskirts of it?

CK: I live, I'm probably about, I don't know, maybe a 5 to 7 min car ride away from Des Moines, er, downtown. So not right in downtown but I'm just up the road. And I know a lot of people in my class live in a suburbs, cause there are quite a few suburbs surrounding Des Moines. So they are a lot further but I'd say I'm more centrally located.

AK: Okay, and do you like that? To be closer?

CK: Oh yeah for sure I love that. For an example if we wanted to go out downtown we can call an Uber and it's pretty cheap ride because it's so close. Yeah, I love Uber, never took it before I moved here but it's a great resource.

AK: Save some money?

CK; It does, and also eliminates the issue of "Whose going to drive" and whatever. Now it's not an issue and everyone stays safe.

AK: Yeah (giggles). Alright I'm going to take you back to your past again, ha-ha. How were your schools when you were growing up? Like elementary, middle school high school. Stuff like that.

CK: I would say they were good? I have fond memories of elementary school.

AK: Like what?

CK: I made lots of good friends. I'm still friends with quite a few people that I met in elementary school. I think it set me up well for, you know, higher level schooling. And I remember doing lots of fun activities and stuff during that time. Middle school, of course is always painful and awkward socially, but 00:14:00I still had a good group of friends. I remember being challenged appropriately because that when they started bringing in the advanced level classes. So that was nice because that's where I was as far as academic schooling goes.

AK: Okay.

CK: High school? Good. Um, I was in a lot of activities and clubs and stuff. I was in music, drama, let's see, I liked most of the classes I was able to take AP (Advanced Placement) classes and got the credit for college, which was nice. I don't know that's basically it, I've heard that Neenah has a great school system and I guess I don't really have any complaints about it. I feel like it prepared me well for everything I'm doing now.

AK: Did you have a favorite subject while you were in school?

CK: Um, if I had to pick the favorite it would be science, specifically biology. Chemistry is lower on the ranking. But I would say science in general. I also always enjoyed English, writing and reading, that's something I've always been interested in.

AK: What was your least favorite?

CK: (Pause) Speech, speech class. That was incredibly painful, not the actual writing of the speech, cause like I said I don't mind writing but I hate public speaking so the fact that there was an entire class completely centered around that was like a nightmare for me. Extremely painful. But you do what you got to do.

AK: Yeah. And you said you were in a bunch of stuff like drama, were you an actor or were you behind the scenes?

CK: I was behind the scenes, I did a lot of publicity stuff and that kind of thing. I actually also took a theater class and helped make the set and stuff which was really cool and fun cause it was more hands on and just completely different from anything else I've done before but other than that let's see what else. I was in orchestra.

AK: What did you play?

CK: Violin. I still play actually my school now has a chamber ensemble group and so I play in that which is cool cause I didn't play in any sort of organization during undergrad. It didn't really make it into that part of my life so now that I'm able to participate in that now it's really awesome for me. Let's see what 00:17:00else, I was also in extracurricular orchestra group that was called Tetra class and that was a smaller group of, I don't know, I don't want to sound super snobby but the better players. I mean you had to audition to get into it that kind of thing. That was a fun opportunity too, because we were rehearsed a lot and went out into the public playing gigs around the community and I got really close to all those people so it was defiantly a highlight of my high school experience.

AK: Did you get to travel far?

CK: Um, no I'd say we stayed within the Fox Cities area. Oshkosh, Neenah, Appleton.

AK: Okay.

CK: We actually, do you know the Pain Art Center?

AK: No.

CK: You don't know the pain?!

AK: No. (laughing)

CK: Okay well you defiantly need to check it out, cause it's a beautiful mansion 00:18:00building and they always have different art stuff happening there. And it's probably happening now they set up a bunch of different rooms with Christmas trees and it's all holiday themed, and there was one time that we went there and we played our Christmas set at the Pain which is really fun.

AK: Yeah, sounds like it.

CK: But you should go check it out! It's really cool!

AK: Okay (laughing).

CK: It came back to me it's called the Nutcracker and the Castel.

AK: Oh okay! Did you do anything else during your high school?

CK: Let's see, I was in National Honors Society. Which is a lot of volunteering in the school and the community. Oh, man you're really taking me back here, trying to think! What else did I do! I was in the American Red Cross, like youth 00:19:00group, comity, volunteer group thing. Oh my gosh I know there's more! What else did I do? I should have pulled up my old resume. (Laughing) Uh, I can't think of anything else right now, I know that I was in like one or two other clubs and I'm totally just brain farting.

AK: Did you happen to have a job when you were in High School?

CK: I was fortunate to not have to work during High School. But I did get a job right after I graduated as a CPR and First Aid instructor.

AK: Oh Okay. (Coughing) Sorry!

CK: You're okay don't worry

AK: When you were in High School, I know that you said your dad was very, um, he 00:20:00pressured you to be a hard worker but did anybody else help you along with achieving goals through high school, like getting good grades and everything?

CK: Well let's see, my dad stopped talking to me around, I think it was the end of 8th grade about, so I was like, what are you at the end of 8th grade? 14? I think.

AK: Yeah something like that.

CK: Yeah, so he wasn't really present during high school so it all kind of fell to my mom. And she was extremely supportive just in a way like do your best, put your best foot forward, put in maximum effort and she was always proud of whatever I ended up doing. And just incredibly warm and supportive and vocal 00:21:00about how proud she was and just how much she classified my achievements. So she was still, it was almost like she never out right said I want you to do well but I felt internally that I wanted to do well for her because it made me happy to make her proud. So she was never as much as a, what's word do I want, like a tough driver like me dad was but she was like a softer influence and like I said I had more of a intrinsic desire to make her proud of me because that made me happy.

AK: Did your mom want you to go to college?

CK: Oh of course! Honestly that was never not a thing for me. As a kid it was established like you graduate from high school you go to college, so by the time I made to high school there wasn't anything else in my mind. Whatever I ended up doing was going to be at a college somewhere.

AK: When you were growing up what did you think you were going to be when you grew up?

CK: For a long time I wanted to be a doctor. And then I want to say around sophomore/junior year I was like "I'm sick of school I don't want to go to school for 8 more years" So then I was like "Oh I'll just be a nurse because I 00:23:00love science, I love medicine" but that is only just a four year bachelor degree. So when I graduated I actually came to UW Oshkosh and I was signed up as pre nursing for the first year and then at the end of the first year I don't know what happened I went crazy, I was like "that wasn't so bad, let's do 7 more!" I should just be pre-med! That's really what I wanted to do my whole life! So I went to my advisor, I told her the situation and she was like "well if you're going to make the switch now is the time to do it because all the pre-nursing classes were essentially the same thing as what pre meds would have been doing their freshman year." So it was a pretty easy switch, there was only like one class that I should have taken that I didn't take and I'm pretty sure I took it over interim or something. So yeah, then I switched back to, well I've 00:24:00always wanted to be a doctor but I just had a little weakness of heart there in the middle when I had senioritis and stuff. And now I'm here! So, that all history I guess, it's too late now.

AK: Why did you pick to go to Oshkosh?

CK: Cause it was close to home. Cause it was inexpensive, and I did go and tour it during high school and I really liked the campus, I liked what they had to offer. I don't know it was a mixture between convenient and actually really enjoying the school itself.

AK: Did you know anybody else going to Oshkosh? Like did you have friends that came too?

CK: Yeah, my best friend Michelle, who I've known since probably sixth grade 00:25:00also went to Oshkosh and she was in the Education program. We lived together sophomore year, which is great. And she graduated almost a year ago now, and she working as a teacher.

AK: In what subject? Do you know?

CK: She teaches 1st grader I believe. So not a subject, too early for that. She likes the little munchkins. (laughing) I love her but I could never do that.

AK: Do you not like children?

CK: I love children! But I don't think that I could be in a room with them for 8 hours every day. I mean I love kids, I have 10 step nieces, well, 9 step nieces and 1 step nephew on my step dads side and I love them. I'm actually interested 00:26:00in PEDS. But just the capacity of the civics of teaching I don't, I couldn't do it with young kids

AK: Understandable

CK: Too much one-on-one time

AK: Yeah! Was there any other colleges that you were looking at other than Oshkosh?

CK: My dream was always to go to Madison, but I think, I don't know, I knew Oshkosh had a great nursing program. And it was also cheaper I said that at this point I don't know that money was kind of you know something in the back of my mind

AK: Uh huh

CK: Since my mom was still by herself, and that was also something I felt kind of bad leaving my mother by herself. So I don't know, I don't feel like I 00:27:00settled for UW Oshkosh, I'm still so happy I went there. But Madison was the only other place I considered, although I only sent out the one application. I applied to Oshkosh and that was it.

AK: Nice!

CK: Yep!

AK: Was money a big issue for like everything? Did you personally pay for college? Or did your mother help you out?

CK: She helped me out a little bit freshman year but the rest of it I paid for.

AK: Did you take out a bunch of loans? Is that how you paid?

CK: Some loans, I got a few scholarships and grants. But yeah I still have some debt from undergrad. But that just a drop in the ocean now with med school. (Laughing) Whatever!

AK: Understandable. Before coming to Oshkosh, did you know anything about the school?

CK: Well yeah, I took that tour. So I came to campus, I knew that it had the best nursing program in the state. I got invited to the honors program straight out of high school, er, when I was in high school. So I knew about that. I guess that was basically it. (Pause) I'm the oldest so I didn't have anyone to go off of, like I didn't have an older sibling who had already done college so in that respect as sort of blazing the trail and since my mom never went to college she didn't know much about it either. So it was a new experience for all of us.

AK: And you said you liked the campus, do you have any other first impressions of Oshkosh?

CK: Just that everyone was extremely friendly, I liked the atmosphere in 00:29:00general. It just seemed like a happy place to learn and hang out.

AK: So you did four years at Oshkosh?

CK: Yes.

AK: Do you remember anything from your freshman year?

CK: Let's see. I remember that I thought the 100 level classes were a joke. And I don't think I studied very much. And I wish I could go back to that time. Cause everything is so hard now. I had a bad experience with my freshman roommate. Which was just a random roommate. But I'm glad that it happened cause I feel like I grew as a person and it educated me on conflict management. It was 00:30:00quite the experience. Living in the dorm was interesting, I got stuck on 4th floor of Fletcher, which is all girls. That wouldn't have been my first choice but it is what it is. Um, I used to have one night class from 8-9. Never again! That was a mistake. I hated it. It was just, I don't know, it was just an interesting combination of like trying to figure out who you are away from home and away from anything that you've know like you don't know many people, you're not established. So just navigating that transition but it was also so fun to 00:31:00have such a big change and to have no one know who you are so you can kind of start fresh. So I defiantly say that was freshman year.

AK: Could I pry a little bit about your roommate?

CK: Sure!

AK: Why didn't you guys get along well?

CK: I think our personalities sort of, I mean superficially we matched up well but I defiantly would say I'm more type A, I like things to be clean and organized and she was more type B. And her side of the room was a little sloppier than mine and she would tie up her garbage bag and set it down to take it out and it would be like 3 days before she'd take it out. And her clothes 00:32:00were everywhere. I would say in general she wasn't a very considerate roommate, like at night, I would have an 8am lab the next day and she would stay up late and have the lights on and she'd be talking on the phone and she'd be watching TV. And she knew I had a lab the next morning. Also she had a boyfriend at the time that would work 3rd shift so it'd be 3 in the morning when he had his break and she'd talk to him on the phone! While I was sleeping I'd wake up to her laying in bed talking to her boyfriend, like okay. So, I don't know, I mean I'm sure nobody is the perfect roommate but I don't want to completely point my finger at her, I'm sure there were things I did that drove her crazy. But I did try to be consider it like in the mornings when I had early class and she didn't 00:33:00I would only turn, like, one little light on and try to be as quiet as possible. You know stuff like that but I think it's hard to live with someone. I defiantly love living by myself now, it's nice. I'd say I'm an extravert generally but I do love having my alone time and the option of "Oh I'm going to go back home and there's not going to be anyone there and I don't have to talk to anyone or deal with anyone". Just, this is my home.

AK: Did you like Fletcher itself as a dorm?

CK: Um, yeah. I'd say my biggest complaint was that, that was the time when they were building Horizon.

AK: Oh!

CK: And my dorm was right on that corner toward Horizon, and so every morning it 00:34:00would be 7 o'clock and they would start working it would be like "BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP". So that was kind of annoying. But, I mean in the scheme of things it was a very minor annoyance. That fact that we didn't have an elevator was interesting on move in day and move out day. I didn't really mind it otherwise, I thought it was good built in exercise. If I could choose I would have chose to be on a CO-ED floor as opposed to an all-girls floor but again, minor. I guess I don't really have any big complaints.

AK: On a really random note, do you know what's happening with Fletcher now?

CK: Isn't it getting torn down? Or--.

AK: It's getting renovated, yes.

CK: It's getting renovated? Of course-- I'm sure it will be lovely and beautiful.

AK: Their putting in 3 bedroom rooms and an elevator.

CK: Oh! 3 bedroom and an elevator?

AK: Yep!

CK: Huh! Wow, I don't know if I'd want, wait, when you say 3 bedroom rooms--

AK; So you'd have 2 other roommates

CK: Okay! So 3 persons to a room. Okay, I don't know if I'd like that or not. Because having one roommate is difficult enough! So having 3 people trying to meld their schedules together that'd be interesting but I guess it's a nice option if you have two fiends you want to live with. Huh, I wonder, they'll have to post pictures of that I'm sure, it'll be interesting to see.

AK: Yeah! Um, where did you live your sophomore year?

CK: I lived in North Scott, 3rd floor.

AK: How'd you like the Scotts?

CK: I liked them better than Fletcher, probably mostly because I liked my roommate, Michelle. I actually really loved how we set up our room, cause we didn't keep it in the layout that it is when you move in, we kind of did like our own fun and unique layout. So I really liked that. Location was good, it was a little further away from classes and stuff but not a big deal, again built in exercise.

AK: Did you eat at Scotty's a lot?

CK: Yes I did. Probably a bad thing. I love the personal pizzas, I loved the grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Yes, so good. That was convent 00:37:00having that right there. But I remember, I feel like something with the meal plan you could only eat there so often I feel like. I can't remember specifically, I think it was like 3 times a week or something. I don't know, it feels like forever ago.

AK: Oh okay. Well that's been changed, cause I lived in the Scotts freshman year and you could eat there every single meal of the day. Except for breakfast

CK: Really? Hmmm, maybe I don't know, maybe it's just the meal plan I picked, I can't remember. Was that freshman? I don't know. Forget I mentioned anything. It's all a haze, I don't know for sure.

AK: Since the Scotts were at the edge of campus did you get a lot of noise from the local bars nearby? Like Kelly's?

CK: No, because I wasn't on the south side, or south Scott. So I was facing more toward campus. My window faced, what was that--Algoma--.

AK: Oh so where Horizon is now?

CK: Yeah, yeah my room faced towards Horizon. So, no that wasn't an issue.

AK: Do you remember, during school, if you had to take a bunch of generals?

CK: Yes I did. Let's see what generals did I get out of? I got out of basic English whatever that is 101,110 or something. I took that for CAP credits in 00:39:00High School. I almost got out of Bio 105 but turns out you needed a 5 on the AP exam and I only got a 4. So I should have researched that more. But you know whatever! So I took that, general chemistry. Let's see. I didn't take my general history class until later on which was interesting. It's always weird to be an older student in a general 100 level class because a lot of the freshman are just there because they have to be there or their there because they want to party so they don't take it seriously. It was a lot of me just sitting there watching their antics and just rolling my eyes at everything they said and did. 00:40:00Which sounds, I don't know if that makes me sound bad or prudy but I would say I was more mature and more focused and I was there on a mission to be educated and move on. And I found that many people weren't in the mind set. Which is okay! But I was always very focused, so like I said there was a lot of eye rolling happening.

AK: When you were at Oshkosh how did you like the honors program?

CK: I loved the honor program. That was probably, if I had to pick a favorite thing in my time at Oshkosh it would be the honors program. I loved the people I met through it both professors and friends like other people that were in the program, I still talk to those people today. I still am in contact with Dr. 00:41:00Carlin, the director of it. I'm in contact with Julie, the assistant director. And one of the honors, well not strictly honors professor I met him in an honors class. So as far as the social side of it, I loved the people that I met. The classes at the time sucked and they were a lot of work, but when all was said and done I was happy I did it because I was challenged to an appropriate level. It forced me to work hard and apply myself. What else. My junior year in the spring I went on the London trip, I was in the first group of the London trip. 00:42:00That was one of the most amazing experiences I've had in my life thus far. It was just such a privilege to go and have all those experiences and be able to write about them and discuss them in an academic way with other people who are on the same level of appreciation and seriousness. Those are my really close friends that I met through the honors program, so again the social side of it. What else, I did the senior thesis, and like all the other classes it was extremely painful and the time. It was a lot of work because it was a yearlong project and it was like nothing I've ever done before. But when all was said and done I was so happy I did it because I was so proud of myself to have something 00:43:00like that under my belt and be able to say" Look I created this all on my own!"

AK: What was your thesis?

CK: It was about the physiological effects of scuba diving. Technically I didn't do any research in a lab it was more like a lit review. It was super cool I loved my advisor, Dr. Sheldon Cooper. You know him? Have you worked with him? Are you aware that we have a Dr. Sheldon Cooper!

AK: I know of him but I've never met him personally though.

CK: Yeah he's a great guy, he was very easy to work with. I enjoyed working with him. At the symposium it was so great to be like" oh my advisory Dr. Sheldon Cooper" and everyone was all like "snicker snicker". That was great.

AK: Other than the honors program did you do anything else while you were at Oshkosh?

CK: Let me think, what did I do? I wasn't involved in many clubs I think. I know I was in American Red Cross early on. I'm going to pull up my resume, cause I don't know if I've blocked this part of my life out or what. I can't even remember. I know as far as things I did not with the school I volunteered at Mercy Medical Center for like 3 years. Which was fun.

AK: What did you do?

CK: I spent a little time in the emergency room, and then I spent some time on 00:45:00their maternity ward but I would also say I spent the most time in the pharmacy. Okay which was kind of fun because I actually got to fill prescription stuff, I mean of course the pharmacist checked everything that I did. But that was good experience just to see names of medications and stuff and get their side of it because I had done a lot with physicians but I had never seen the pharmacy side of it but that's such a significant side of health care but it's more hidden I feel like. People just take it for granted and they don't see the big role that pharmacists play in care. So I like that side of it. Okay let's see here. My 00:46:00computer is super slow-- OH YEAH! How could I forget that, I worked as a stats tutor.

AK: Oh okay! For regular math stats?

CK: Yes regular math stats. I did math 201 and I did PIBIS 189 or something I think. That was really fun. I really do enjoy math. I did really enjoy statistics and I do enjoy teaching. Which I think people going into medicine you have to enjoy teaching to some extent because is actually a big part of health care educating patients on their own heaths and preventative medicine and that kind of thing. That was like a complete tangent I'm sorry. Let's see---- I was 00:47:00in pre-med club. That was nice. Wow, I totally blanked out all of this. So that was cool because being pre-med and going to the application process is a lot of work and it takes a lot of time and it's really difficult so it was nice to be with like-minded people who were going through the same thing. It was just a good resource about tips and tricks and whatever, we did some volunteer stuff. Let's see, I was in Golden Key Honors society, I didn't really do much with that. I think I did a few volunteer things. That was more of a "oh look at me on a resume thing, I was in this top of my class". I was also in the National 00:48:00Society of Leadership and Success. Which was similar to Golden Key more of a resume thing. Although, we did have like 6 or 7 meeting where we talked about setting goals and the following week we talked about how it went and to fulfill that role. That was a little more involved.

AK: Did you enjoy NSLS?

CK: I did!

AK: I'm just asking because I'm their secretary.

CK: Sorry I didn't mean to hate on it at all!

AK: No, no!

CK: No, but I did enjoy the meetings but once you fulfilled your number of meetings that basically was it. So after that it just dropped off. I wish it 00:49:00would have kept you more involved, I maybe I should have made more of an effort to be more involved, I don't know.

AK: I'll defiantly take note of that (laughs).

CK: I don't know, I know you have your initials meeting but if you could keep up the meeting like every 3 months or something that'd be cool.

AK: Yeah!

CK: Okay let's see what else--... My other big thing I did, I was a CNA at a nursing home in Oshkosh. So yeah, I was there for almost 5 years. I started that my freshman year of college. I'd I say that would be the most influential thing I did. I could ramble on about that if you want.

AK: How did you get your CNA License? Did you get it though Fox Valley Tech?

CK: Yes I did, I actually did it in high school. They offered like a partnered class through the high school and the tech. So we had the class in the high school but we also went to the tech I think about once a week for our lab and then we had clinical of course. So technically I was certified in 2010 but didn't get my job till freshman year of college. Which was 2011-2012. You could probably put that under my high school experience. That was a really cool thing that the high school offered that many highs schools don't offer. It was convenient because I didn't have to pay as much as if you just took it straight through the tech. But working as a CNA was probably the best experience as far 00:51:00as being a pre-med goes. Because it was direct hands on patient care and a lot of pre meds don't actually have that, even Scribing, which is a big thing with pre-med, probably half the class worked as an ER scribe or some kind of scribe but even that, you are never interacting with patient or providing any care. I'm probably bias but I think being a CNA is AWESOME! You kind of just get over the gross side of it. It just is what it is. Body functions happen. But yeah it was very rewarding very satisfying. To be able to take care of people in such a 00:52:00manner, they are just completely relaying on you to be as good as you can be.

AK: While you were at Oshkosh, do you remember what you did for fun on weekends----.if you had time?

CK: Oh yeah I had time, I mean I worked every other weekend at the nursing home. So I didn't do much on those weekends. But I wasn't a big partier, I mean I never went out before I was legal, which is different from a lot of people at Oshkosh. But like I said before, I was always more focused, I was on a mission and I was there to learn and get out. But I definitely would say I went out more my senior year when I was 21. Otherwise I was more laid back, hung out, hang out 00:53:00with friends, go out for food. I went home a lot because I was so close. It was just a 15 minute drive away. But my mom is my best friend so I love hanging out with her.

AK: Why did you decide to live in the dorms instead of commuting your first two years?

CK: For Freshman year they had that thing saying "we really recommend that you live in the dorms" and I know they made exceptions for commuters within 40 miles or something but it was an experiences that I wanted and I wanted to break out of my bubble and meet people. And of course the roommate thing happened, so then sophomore year, it's funny, my friend Michelle also had a bad roommate and we were both like "we both should just live together, like why didn't we do that in 00:54:00the first place". That's kind of what lend us to live together sophomore year. Because we wanted to have a good roommate experience. It turned out excellently, and I know there are those stories out there like two best friends live together and then they hate each other because they can't live together but that isn't what happened to us. So I'm happy I did that.

AK: That's good. During Oshkosh you said you were in a bunch of different stuff, did you happen to make it on the dean's list at all?

CK: Yes I did, 7 out of 8 semesters!

AK: Nice!

CK: There was one, oh god damn it, there was one semester, honors abnormal physiology. It was Dr. Fan Hong, great teacher, very intelligent woman, her test were so hard! I got a B+, that was my only class that didn't get an A or an A- 00:55:00in and that dropped my G.P.A. just low enough that I didn't make the cut off for the dean's list. And if she reads this or hears this, I apologize, you're a great teacher but your class is hard.

AK: Was there any classes you took during you 4 years that you just absolutely hated?

CK: Well, I hated that class because I didn't get an A in it. Although the material is extremely interesting. Classes that I hated----.. I try not to hate anything as a general rule because I find that not being positive and happy is very draining on your energy. Let's see, I specifically remember history 102, 00:56:00not a big fan of that. All the chemistries, I mean I did fine in them but chemistry doesn't come quite as easily to me as other sciences. Like organic chemistry, I don't know, do you have to take that as a rad tech?

AK: I do not.

CK: Okay, you're lucky. It was hard because it was so abstract and my brain had never really thought that way before, like take this molecule and rotate it this way or now switch these two atoms, I'm like what? So I struggled with that a little bit. Trying to think what else. Oh I know, ethics. Honors ethics, not a fan. That also happened to be my one night class that I took, so that probably added to my dislike. I think basic philosophy would have been more enjoyable. I 00:57:00like ethics but I don't know, I just was not a fan of that class. So yeah, that's basically it.

AK: Being at Oshkosh, do you recall anything big had happened on campus while you were here?

CK: Let's see, Obama was elected in----.when was that? What's this year? 2016? So 2012 that was a big thing cause the election was going on. I'm pretty sure we had some type of speaker, like some specific political speaker come. Trying to 00:58:00think, Bo Burnem the comedian came, do you know Bo Burnem?

AK: No

CK: He came one year. Which was kind of cool----...There's nothing coming to mind.

AK: That's fine.

CK: There's probably something that happened but I'm just spacing out on it.

AK: Another question, overall with Oshkosh what do you think is the biggest thing you've learned while being at Oshkosh?

CK: (Pause) Biggest thing I've learned----That's a tough one----probably learning for the sake of learning. Learning for enjoyment and to better yourself 00:59:00as opposed to simply learning to get the grade or to keep your G.P.A. up or whatever. I mean those things are important of course but I think at Oshkosh there were many things or many classes that I took and participated in where I was like "wow I really enjoy this, I'm generally interested in this, I'm learning because I want to learn and because I enjoy it". Otherwise just in general, how to interact with people, how to be a mature adult, and have things not always go your way or you don't always enjoy everything you do. Kind of like 01:00:00my thesis, but you stick with it and you do your best and in the end it's usually a great thing. Actually my favorite professor DR Don Dingledine (?) from the English department, who I still talk to this day, he told me "if it scares you, you should do it". I asked him about my thesis, this was when I was still trying to decide between thesis and the seminar class, I said I want to do this but I'm scared, it's such a huge project and he said "if it scares you do it, because those are the things in life that are most worth it and you will grow from it" so I try to keep that in mind even know in Med School which is an incredibly difficult demanding thing, and it's scary especially coming here I 01:01:00didn't know anyone, I didn't know what to expect, and then I got into it. The classes are hard and demanding it's like nothing I've ever done before and it's like wow is this something that I really want to do, can I handle this? and it's just going to get harder from here on out, and then 3rd year and 4th year I'm going to be in a clinical setting with a bunch of strangers doing things I've never done and I just keep reminding myself, change is good, the unknown is good, challenge yourself as a person. Being cliché, step outside the box. Go outside of your bubble and force yourself to do things because those are the most meaningful. Oh man that just turned into another tangent.

AK: Your fine (laughing). Do you think Oshkosh had prepared you well enough to get into your med school?

CK: Oh for sure! Yeah, definitely shout of to Dr. Merriman the pre-med advisor, 01:02:00is she your advisor too?

AK: Yes.

CK: Oh, yeah, didn't we talk about her? Before? Yeah we did I'm sorry. Sometimes I forget things. But yeah, she definitely was a great resource she does a really good job of staying up to date on what school want and what they are looking for, all the changes that maybe happening in the pre-med and med world. Like I said she was a very good support system she helped me figure out my classes and whatever. Of course there are med which is good, but in general I think Oshkosh did a good job preparing me for grad school and especially the honors program 01:03:00like I said those classes where more challenging and forced me to work harder than other classes would have. But I defiantly feel like Oshkosh provide me with a very well rounded education. Which I guess that's what it aims to do and I feel like it did that for me.

AK: Final question for you, what advice would you give to current students here at Oshkosh?

CK: That a good question (laughs). I guess, you know work hard and learn because technically that's what you are there to do, either to prepare you for your future job and or whatever future schooling you might continue to go on and do. 01:04:00Take advantage of every opportunity that Oshkosh presents you with and there are many. Try to get involved, meet people and get established socially because the people you meet now are people you probably will stay in contact with the rest of your life. And they're a great support team and you never know when you might need to call on them and be like "oh yeah I know someone or I could hook you up with this person or whatever". I guess kind of like I touched on before, like learning for the sake of learning, sometimes it's easy to get swept into the academic vortex and you're like "oh I have 3 tests, and 2 papers and a presentation" and you sort of lose sight of what's important and where you're 01:05:00going, but think it's good to take a step back and look at the overall picture and be like this is just one part of my life I need to enjoy where I am now and stay focused. Id defiantly say to enjoy it, times goes by so fast and before you know if you will be walking that stage and you're going to say "Oh my god where did my 4 years ago, wait a second!" Yeah, I think that's basically what'd I'd say. There's a lot I'm sure I could write you a whole anther 3 pages or so on that. As it comes to me but those are probably my biggest things, have fun , work hard, learn a lot, meet people, and take advantage of all the opportunities that Oshkosh presents you with.

AK: Alright perfect, thank you so much for letting me interview you Caitlyn!

CK: Your welcome I hope that this was acceptable and I gave you some decent material, something to work with that isn't complete idiotic gibberish.

AK: (laughs) You did great

CK: Do you have another questions?

AK: Nope that's pretty much it.

CK: Okay!