I received an e-mail from my friend Jess today. She’s alive! She just completed her first week of boot camp in Rhode Island. Not the same type of boot camp that I sobbed through in Arizona, but REAL LIFE BOOT CAMP where there ain’t no money-back guarantees or free e-newsletters.
When Jess first told me that she got a Navy scholarship for dental school, I was like, “Congrats. Free cash,” but didn’t make the connection that she would actually have to serve in the Navy. When our group of friends discovered the reality, the image was almost comical. Jess — the girl who would wear rhinestone tiaras to sorority parties, who squeals over candy, whose mantra has always been “We need to look hot, bitches!” — is going to be protecting our country? But then the humor in all this began to fade as we learned what she would have to face. For five weeks, Jess must wake up at 3:30 a.m., put on a dowdy uniform, clean like mad, get yelled at, memorize Navy stuff, do exercise drills in the hot sun and get yelled at some more. WHY WOULD THEY DO THIS TO HER? SHE’S TOO PRETTY! I wanted to cry.
But as we started talking, we realized that she can so do this. In college, she was totally the Asian Elle Woods. She’d work hard, play hard and then work hard some more. (After late-night parties, she’d come home, wash her face, crawl into bed and open her bio books — who does that?) And she’s the most dedicated gym-goer I know. (I can still hear her chant: “Come on, Meesh. Don’t you want to look hot?” as I’d muster up some excuse about how I can’t make it.) I was always in awe of how well she prioritized her life and managed her time.
One day, during our second year of college, while we were eating lunch in the sorority house, Jess, in her always-excited tone, was like, “Guess what?” And I was like, “What?” And she was like, “I decided I’m going to be a dentist!” And just like that, she set her path. She graduated from USC Dental School in May.
In her super-long e-mail, this line was all I needed to read to know that she’s OK: “Don’t worry, I have not turned butch and don’t intend to. I still try to wear makeup with my uniform every chance I get.”
Go Jess! We’re so proud of you. If anyone is mean to you, just jab them with a stiletto. (OK, don’t really do that. That might be bad.)
3 responses so far ↓
1 jenny // Jul 16, 2007 at 3:40 am
tell her i love & miss her. and to try not to giggle and replying to her drill sergeant on why she choose a tiara to wear with her boot camp uniform. she is unique, isn’t she?
2 Alice // Jul 16, 2007 at 7:23 am
That sounds like Jess alright. Oh the many Jess stories that one can tell but we definitely need to celebrate once she comes back.
3 F.J. // Jul 16, 2007 at 8:26 am
Wow, I guess the few times that I met Jess really did not give me the impression that she is “Navy” material. But then again, what was even more surprising to me was when she told me that she was from Louisiana (I guess I am too comfortable being in a diverse area vs. in an area where I would REALLY be a minority).
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