Previously posted on the Albany Tulip blog on July 10, 2014.
Posted by: Meghan Yi, 2014 Tulip Court
Thursday July 10, 2014
Summer is in full swing, Albany!
As I type this blog entry, I can’t believe that we are already two months into our reign as the 2014 Albany Tulip Court! From the hectic weeks leading up to Coronation Day in May to the whirlwind of a Tulip Festival weekend to finishing up our rigorous academic years to fun mingling with the Albany community at different events to planning our literacy programs for the year to enhance the Mayor’s Literacy Campaign, the City of Albany has certainly kept us busy this summer, and I know that this is just the beginning! (Phew! Even typing all of that has me out of breath!)
My name is Meghan Yi, and I am a second year medical student at Albany Medical College. I was born and grew up in Ellicott City, Maryland between DC and Baltimore, but I am no stranger to the Albany area; I graduated from the beautiful Siena College (Go Saints!) with a degree in Biology after four amazing years at the school. Siena’s Franciscan Catholic tradition, which emphasizes service and the necessity for treating each and every person with the God-given dignity that he or she deserves, are lessons that I have taken to heart and try my best to emulate in my daily life. Siena pushed me to always give back to the community that has given me so much, whether that was through building homes with Habitat for Humanity over spring breaks, teaching math and English for a summer in Namibia, or biking across the country to support the affordable housing cause; I truly believe that this “impulse to serve” mentality is what guided me to become a Tulip.
To me, the Tulip legacy is one of many things, but primarily service, and to spend a year working with and for the City of Albany is the opportunity of a lifetime. As Tulips, we have been given the tremendous responsibility to try to make a difference in the Albany community, and it is not a task the five of us take lightly. I am confident that our unique literacy programs we are working hard to develop will not only engage Albany youth but will also inspire these young scholars to value reading, writing, and the education system in general as a pathway to accomplishing their goals. I am thankful to my own parents, older brother, and teachers I had growing up who constantly encouraged me to ask questions, try new things, work hard, and never give up, building the foundation upon which I stand today. These are the same messages I hope to spread to Albany students throughout the next year as a Tulip.
As a non-Albany native, I also look forward to the opportunities to attend so many events this year and truly experience the very best Albany has to offer. I already love Albany for its proximity to the Catskills and Adirondacks, beautiful places to run and bike, great variety of restaurants, and most importantly, the exceptionally friendly people, but I’ve been amazed by the rich culture hiding in my own backyard at churches, schools, concert halls, and other establishments even these past two months have exposed me to. Attending different festivals, concerts, events at local schools, and other celebrations I had no idea even existed has been enlightening and eye-opening, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year has in store for us.
One of my favorite recent events we’ve been able to participate in was the 4th of July Celebration at the Plaza during which we braved the rain and wind to work on some patriotic, super glittery arts and crafts projects with Albany natives and visitors alike. Between the legitimate pieces of artwork our new friends created, the live music, all of the foods (gyros, crepes, and Cuban food all in one day-a girl’s dream!), and the honestly incredible fireworks show that had me, I kid you not, “ooh-ing and ahh-ing” the entire night, the 4th festivities have definitely been a highlight of my summer.
As my second year classes begin on July 21st, it seems like my official summer is coming to an end, but for the city of Albany, summer excitement is still going strong! We’ve still got the GE Kids Day at the Plaza, Senior Sundays, several more Alive @ 5 concerts, and more up ahead in the coming weeks, and I hope to see and meet you all out there while we take advantage of the warm weather!
Stay cool, take care, and God bless,
Meghan
Meghan'sMind 