Maggie is my oldest friend. By some miracle, we've remained friends for over 10 years now. Maybe it's the similarities in our crotchety personalities, our shared eldest daughter syndrome, or our mutual love of cats. Either way, Maggie has been a steadfast support system and it has been so rewarding for us to grow together both personally and professionally (did I mention she goes to NYU for LAW SCHOOL?? One of the best in the country??). I am forever in awe of her work ethic, her boss girl attitude, and am so proud to call her my best friend.

Arwa has been my closest friend in medical school. She has truly been with me through thick and thin during this experience. Her contagious laugh and smile always brighten my day and she is one of the sweetest people I know. She is always there to listen to my rants and lend her opinion on even the most inconsequential of my problems. Arwa is my go-to person, and I am so lucky to have found her at Wayne. If there's one thing I am thankful for from this school, it's that I've found another lifelong best friend here.

I can't believe my ~baby~ sister is all grown up now. It feels like just yesterday that she was chasing me all around the house as a toddler and being an overall menace. Over the years, it's been a privilege to watch her evolve from an awkward bean sprout into a beautiful young woman, and I couldn't be more proud. While she might view me as a second mom, we've definitely become closer over the years and I can't wait to see what else she accomplishes. She is so incredibly talented, smart, funny, and I feel especially lucky to call her my little sister.

I met Lauren in M3 and she soon became one of my closest friends. She is easily one of the funniest people I know and livens up any room. Lauren juggles living life to the fullest with med school better than anyone I know. She always encourages me to exercise and truly is an inspiration as a former tennis player and current ice hockey player. On top of being an athlete, Lauren is also excellent at baking and manicures! I am so grateful to have become friends through anime, sports, and the struggles of med school – truly the things that make for lifelong friendships.

Anthony ("Koko") is one of my closest friends. When we met, we had many things in common – we both transferred to Cornell, we both were pre-med, and we both enjoyed games. Those college years were some of my favorite pre-Vikki years, and I'm so glad I got to experience them with a lifelong friend like Koko. Though our career paths diverged, Koko remained a good friend. He is determined (graduating from TOSU med school c/o 2025!!), smart, dependable, kind, and everything I could ask for in a friend. Thanks for everything, Koko!

Fun fact: Andrew is the reason Vikki and I met! He went to high school with Vikki and connected us during the summer of 2019 while we were doing research at Cornell, and I will always be grateful for this. But beyond introducing me to Vikki, Andrew is also a great friend. Our shared hobbies and sense of humor made us great partners in crime. He's the life of the party and always so much fun to be around. New York City shines brighter with Andrew there!

Allen is another member of the OG transfer squad. His eccentric ways and dank memes can put a smile on anyone's face. One of my favorite stories with Allen is when he bought a watermelon to combat his scurvy. After weeks of neglect, the watermelon began to rot and leak on the counter. We finally decided to throw it out over the gorge, only for it to explode in the bag as we were swinging the rotten flesh.

I met Nevan in my junior year, a little later than the rest of the gang, but we quickly grew close. We spent many late nights gaming and talking about everything under the sun. Imagine my surprise when one day, he casually mentions he adopted a pet bird he found abandoned in the parking lot. Though unexpected, this perfectly encapsulates who Nevan is -- a kind-hearted guy who lives in the moment.