Sam Dubensky Berkeley, California
I have hiked up the hills behind UC Berkeley for years to see this view, but had to take a break after my hip surgery. A year and a half later, I finally made it back up here without needing crutches!
Berkeley is where the US Free Speech Movement began in 1964, and that activist spirit is still felt there today.
William Song Dallas, Texas
A picture of not-yet-cooked dumplings, handmade in Dallas years ago by my mother and me before I first left for college. Perhaps the incoming MS1’s are like these uncooked dumplings––filled with potential, lined up and ready to be thrown into the boiling pot of medical school.
Medha Sharma Orchard Tea Garden, Cambridge, England
When I was little, I used to roller skate down to the tea garden and eat fruits from the fruit trees.
Tons of really well known historical figures took tea at the Orchard Tea Garden: Ernest Rutherford, Stephen Hawking, Alan Turing, and Watson and Crick.
Chip Chambers Watkinsville, GA
The bustling metropolis of Watkinsville, GA has a burgeoning population of around 3,000 people, making it into the expansive cultural and intellectual hub it is internationally known to be today. Jokes aside, it’s a great little town, only a short drive from the University of Georgia seated in Athens, GA (which is much more of a true musical, artistic, and culinary bastion).
Sarah Rowley Lithia, Florida
Growing up outside of Tampa, FL, one of my favorite memories was going into the city to see the New York Yankees play in Spring Training. We would always get there early so that my Dad and I could play catch before the game.
Check your local strawberries in February or March! So far I’ve come across my hometown strawberries at Giant Heirloom and Fresh Grocer.
David Eduardo Jimenez, Farmingdale, NY
This photo depicts some of the over 1,000 attendees of a BLM protest in Farmingdale, NY on June 7th, 2020. This was the first of two BLM protests, held on back-to-back weekends (the second of which was organized by current Farmingdale high school students) and possibly, the largest unified demonstration in support of Black lives in my town’s history. I am proud of my hometown, of my neighbors, and I hope that it doesn’t stop here.
Farmingdale is home to the amusement park, Adventureland, like from the movie of the same name, and to the Bethpage State Park Golf Course, which hosts the U.S. Open every few years. The latter makes for some awesome Sledding in the winter.
Michael Karamardian Newport Beach, California
My favorite memories in my hometown of Newport Beach involve spending time at the beach. The beaches are especially beautiful at sunset, which is why I chose this picture, and I’ll definitely miss being there while I’m in Philadelphia.
One interesting (and also beach-related) fact about Newport is that it’s home to the Wedge – a famous surfing spot known for its large, unpredictable, and very dangerous waves.
Nate McLauchlan Austin, Texas
The best days in Austin usually involve a morning with the active community around Town Lake followed by breakfast tacos or a movie at the Alamo Drafthouse.
Austin is home to the largest urban bat colony, with over 1.5 million Mexican free-tail bats!
Megan Zhao Broadview Heights, Ohio
I am from Broadview Heights, OH, a suburb of Cleveland. Lucky to have the Cuyahoga Valley National Park right in my backyard, I love going there for trail runs or hikes. We also have Lake Erie, which is the shallowest Great Lake!
