Hey guys! My name is Akriti but my friends call me Kreets :) My family is from India, although I have grown up in Oklahoma City my entire life. Because of this I have had the opportunity to grow up in two different cultures at the same time: the one at home and the one outside of home. I have loved this experience mainly because it has allowed me to have a different perspective on certain issues and just life in general. My culture is very different than the one in America, yet somehow my parents found a way to adapt and interrelate the two cultures. :)
I usually go with the flow on a lot of things, so here's a lot of random information about me that I put together; enjoy! feel free to comment away on anything you find in common or even if you're the complete opposite of me :p
Random Facts about me:
Organizations I'm involved in at OU:
There are six organizations that I actively participate in and value deeply here at the University of Oklahoma and lemme tell you why.
I usually go with the flow on a lot of things, so here's a lot of random information about me that I put together; enjoy! feel free to comment away on anything you find in common or even if you're the complete opposite of me :p
Random Facts about me:
- Class: Junior
- Major: Psychology Pre-Med
- Minors: Spanish and Medical Humanities
- Birthday: May 23
- I have one sister who is 6 years older than me, although everyone thinks we're twins...
- Favorite hobby: painting
- Favorite color: turquoise
- I collect stuffed animals
- I love, love, love meeting new people and making friends. My parents always call me a social butterfly. :-)
- I love jewelry like no other, specifically rings
- I love hugs. a lot.
- I adore dogs. I've never had a pet, but if I did it would probably be a corgi.
- I have run two 5ks in my life, but my goal is to run at least one every year until I can run a 10k. and then run those every year until I can run a half marathon. and then run those every year until I can survive an entire marathon (specifically I want to be able to run the OKC memorial marathon one year).
- I am the biggest Harry Potter fan you will probably ever meet.
- I have a stuffed animal BB8 as well as a remote controlled BB8. :-)
- I usually never sit in complete silence. I'm always playing music.
- Favorite artists at the moment: Ed Sheeran and The Weeknd - both of which came/are coming to Tulsa, OK this year and I can't go to either
- I actually have never been to a concert and when I do, I hope it's for one of these amazing voices ^^
- I am always eating something. Food is the way to my heart.
- I. Need. Coffee. Every. Day.
- I have three onesies.
- The amount of money I have spend on Starbucks in the past two years is probably as much as my tuition costs. (jk but really...)
- TV shows I am currently watching/have watched: Friends, HIMYM, White Collar, Suits, Quantico, Prison Break, Big Bang Theory, Arrow, Flash, Grey's Anatomy, Orange Is The New Black, Sherlock, Doctor Who, Brooklyn Nine-Nine (I know, I know, it's a lot...)
- Words that I like to live by: Be you. (it's simple but it means so much)
My sister and I. Who's who?
Just a lil something I painted during camp. Peep my corgi named Sprinkles and the BB8 & elephant night-light in the back.
Organizations I'm involved in at OU:
There are six organizations that I actively participate in and value deeply here at the University of Oklahoma and lemme tell you why.
- Camp Crimson - I actually never went to camp but still decided to become an SGL, and lemme tell you: it has changed my life for the better in so many ways. I love being able to interact with incoming students and allowing them to express themselves and be heard, but besides that, seeing how selfless everyone is at camp makes me want to be a better person too. Lovely organization with lovely people.
A collage of a few of my favorite pictures from both years of camp.
- India Student Association (ISA) - I have had the opportunity of being the publicity chair of ISA for two years now and I absolutely love it. I didn't know anyone before I joined ISA but the people in it are so welcoming that I felt at home right away. I have participated in numerous dance performances with my fellow ISA-ers and have loved every moment of them.
A collection of pictures expressing my Indian heritage.
- Integrity Council - Such a great organization on campus, but highly misunderstood by many students :( Some people think all we do is expel people for cheating and that we are out to get them, when in fact, oftentimes we are not the ones that catch someone in an act of academic misconduct (professors and other students do). I love that we get to serve on hearings, conduct investigations, serve as peer educators, because having a mostly student-run council makes things more comfortable for many. Unfortunately I do not have a picture for this one, since I just joined the council last semester itself :)
- Soonerthon - Oh man. Soonerthon. One of my favorite events in the whole year. I have attended Soonerthon for the past two years that I have been here and have always stayed til the very end. I just love the whole concept of it: Standing for the kids that can't. It's such a strong message and I love that our university puts on events such as these. #FTK.
The amount of money we raised for the Children's Miracle Network in the last two years.
- President's Community Scholars (PCS) - this was my favorite thing about freshman year. I have made certain connections from PCS that you wouldn't find anywhere else. The friends I made in PCS are those that will last a lifetime.
Last PCS meeting freshman year with some of my favorite people at OU!
- Big Event - I have always loved serving the community, and what better way to do it than being on Operations Staff! The past two years on Ops Staff have blown my mind; each year we get more and more volunteers to help out neighboring communities on the big day and it's amazing to see everyone coming together and uniting as one.
All of Exec Committee and Ops Staff this past year.
I hope this class will give you another opportunity to "interrelate" India and Oklahoma... that is very much what this class is all about! For most of the students the epics are totally new, but of course they will be very familiar to you already, and I am excited to see what your creative take on them will be. And of course a Harry-Potter-inspired project would be great: thanks to the Patil sisters, Hogwarts has a connection to India... but I don't think Rowling has read the Ramayana or the Mahabharata, so she needs some help from us to get the Indian creatures and stories into the Hogwarts world! Or maybe it could be Doctor Who... the Doctor could get into all kinds of trouble if he took the T.A.R.D.I.S. back to ancient India. Maybe you could even be his traveling companion! (that would be a DREAM COME TRUE for me, ha ha)... and like I said in the email, please keep me posted on ISA events! There are always so many things going on on campus, and I like to include an event in each day's announcements, and of course India-related events are perfect to include. Along with any other events you are involved in too... OU is such an exciting place to be because of all the great things the students are doing! :-)
ReplyDeleteOh my, I didn't even think of Doctor Who! That could totally be a thing, a travelling companion making him go to the ancient times of India to help stop Ravana and other demons from hurting anyone or something :-)
Deleteand I will of course let you know about any ISA events throughout the year! We would love it if you came and hopefully other people from this class as well!
Hi Akriti!
ReplyDeleteI am jealous of your Spanish minor. I was one class away from achieving my minor and was so overwhelmed with it that I dropped. I never ended up taking it because I fell completely out of the groove of learning Spanish. But I really wish that I would have done it! I have also loved my experience with Soonerthon. I have been a participant the past four years!
Awh, I'm sorry that happened! I can understand though, it is really overwhelming at times, especially since we learn from scratch.
DeleteAhhh yes soonerthon is so great! I'm glad you have been to it so much! #trooper
Hi Akriti! First, I immediately love anyone that shares my deep and utter devotion to Harry Potter. I was quite a bit older than the target audience when the books came out, but that did nothing to change my adoration of them. I've probably re-read the books about 15 times. I've traveled a lot, but I've never been to India. Most of my knowledge about the culture is very indirect. So, for this class in particular, I'm really interested to see what kind of stories you will write. Having that background into Indian culture, but with a fully American spin seems like it would provide a really unique perspective. It's also amazing and admirable that your parents were able to do such a good job of intermingling the two for you. It's a very difficult thing to manage!
ReplyDeleteI definitely love meeting Potterheads from all over, it's a great thing to bond over!!
DeleteThat's great that you travel a lot! Unfortunately, I haven't been to any other countries outside the U.S. except for India and Canada. I would love to travel across the world!
And thank you so much! I hope you find this class very helpful in learning about Indian culture :)
Hi Akriti!
ReplyDeleteIt is so awesome to meet someone, who share so many similarities as me. My family is also from India and are Hindu religion. I love Harry Potter too, I have watched all the series and went to the theme park. It was really cool. That's cool that you are part of so many organizations. I can't wait to see what stories you come up with. Good luck!
Ahhh that is so cool!! I love meeting people and instantly finding commonalities! And omg yes! The Harry Potter world is so amazing, I almost cried when I went there a few years ago, I was so happy :-)
DeleteThank you Urvi!! Good luck with your stories too!
Hi Akriti!
ReplyDeleteSo let me tell you, I feel you on the need for coffee, and we definitely share a love for corgis. Those are probably my favorite dog (besides Shiba Inus). I don't know if you have seen or been to one of them, but there are Corgi Rallies that are held every now and then at some of the nearby parks in Norman and Oklahoma City. I've never been to one, but I've always heard that it's a good time.
It's also really cool that your family is from India! I am looking forward to seeing the stories you will write!
Oh my goodness, I have actually never heard of the Corgi Rallies, but I'll search them up soon!! That sounds like a blast!
DeleteThank you Molly! Good luck with your stories this semester!
Hi, Akriti!
ReplyDeleteWow, you are involved in quite a bit on campus. And in a lot of very positive organizations that do good things in the community. I think that is great.
With your family being from India, I am curious if you have every been exposed to any of the stories or characters that we will be reading about, or will this be your first experience?
I always enjoy meeting new people, especially from different cultures. It's a great way to learn about people and places that I have very little knowledge of and I think it is very interesting to see the similarities (and differences) of people with such different backgrounds.
Good luck throughout the rest of the semester!
-Jeremy
Thank you so much, Jeremy! I have been exposed to some of the stories we will read; we have books such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata at home, but I always used to read the children's versions and have forgotten some stories by now, so this class will be very helpful for me :)
DeleteGood luck to you as well!
Hi Akriti!
ReplyDeleteWow. A.) you hands down have the coolest nickname I have ever heard and B.) it is so cool that your family is from India. I cannot wait to read more of your blog posts and see how you interconnect your two cultures. Part of the reason I enrolled in this class as opposed to Myth/Folklore is that I know almost nothing about Indian culture, and I love learning about new cultures. Also I really admire your dedication to onesies and your TV watchlist is almost the exact same as mine, so that is really fun! I loved reading your first post and look forward to seeing more!
-Elizabeth
Awh, thank you Elizabeth; that's so sweet!! I am also excited to see your stories and see how you write from a different perspective than mine!
DeleteHaha I love that we have so many similarities. Good luck with your stories!
Hi Akriti, or Kreets! :) I loved your introduction, especially all the pictures! You did a really good job of letting us all know what you are like! I commend you on your goal of running 5k's. I have never really been much of a runner, I actually hate it lol. But I always can respet people that do. Also, I hope you get a corgi someday! I have three dogs and I have no idea what I would without them!
ReplyDeleteAwh thank you so much! Haha, I need to pick up on my running, I've been slacking lately :-(
DeleteDude I'm so jealous of your dogs! What kind are they?
Hi Akriti,
ReplyDeleteI think your profile might have been the last one to be commented on, but save best for last right? I really did enjoy hearing a little bit about your life. I thought it was great how much money you helped to raise for Children's Miracle Network. I also agree with your simple life words to live by, Be you. Hope you have a great semester!
Haha you right, you right! Just kidding, but thank you so much! I hope you have a great semester as well, and good luck with your stories!
DeleteHi Akriti!
ReplyDeleteI love your background photo, its so cute and so fun! I think it's really cool that you've grown up in two cultures, and also great to hear that your parents figured out a way to adapt. Reading through your fun facts made me realize we have a lot in common! My birthday is in May, I love rings, Ed Sheeran is one of my all time favorite artists (I didn't get to see him either.. still crying about it), I love food, and HIMYM and Friends are two of my all time favorite tv shows! I also was in PCS, and I agree that it was the best part about my freshman year!
Wish you the best this semester and can't wait to read some of your stories!
Woah, I think it's super cool that we have so much in common! #PCSforever
DeleteGood luck with all your stories too! Have a great semester :)
Hi Akriti!
ReplyDeleteGoodness, I don't even know where to start! You're involved in so many cool things! I will say that I too love food and jewelry. Eating is lovely. I especially love eating foods from other cultures. It feels like the most simple and authentic way to experience the lives of others, to see what their day to day might taste like. I love jewelry mostly because I love rocks. Crystals, river rocks, cool shaped rocks I find on the ground, I love them all, especially when I can wear them. I love rings too. I'm happiest when wearing at least nine rings, and midi rings are life. It was so nice to read about your life!
Awh thank you!! Omg I've never met someone else who wears as many rings as I do! I have so many different ring combinations, it's crazy. Charlotte Russe two for $10 jewelry is my happy place :-)
DeleteHello Kreets!
ReplyDeleteYou seem like a pretty cool person! Surprisingly we like a lot of the same things. Food, being one of them. What is life with out a variety of food? I used to love starbucks just like you. I have this shirt that says S.O.S "Stuck On Starbucks" . Lol! I still wear it but I found out that I actually like gas station coffee better because I can make it my own and it is less costly!
Great job on running 5K's! Thats is awesome. My grandmother and I participate in a 5K every year together. I think doing running marathons are really a great way to support your community and your own health. It was great, getting to know you! Good luck the rest of the semester!
Haha I just recently realized that I like gas station coffee more too, just because I can add as much coffee as I want, plus I can add like 3 different flavors and it doesn't cost extra!
DeleteWoah it's awesome that you and your grandmother run 5ks every year too! I definitely agree that marathons are super powerful, for ourselves as well as the community :)
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ReplyDeleteHey Akriti! It's nice to meet another junior!
ReplyDeleteJust letting you know, I also collect stuffed animals! I don't care how old I get, I will always love them. My current favorites that I have are Gizmo (he's from the movie Gremlins), Squirtle, and Dr. Eggman from Sonic the Hedgehog.
I also run sometimes! I hate it but I do it with my mom because she loves it. I ran a half marathon in Tulsa and it is BRUTAL so I applaud you for your dedication!
That's awesome that we share the same amount of love for stuffed animals! They're the best.
DeleteWoah, I love that you ran a half marathon! That must have felt so rewarding afterwards though!
Hey Akriti! I'm impressed by your introduction. It takes a lot to be as involved and still maintain such an active lifestyle- I suppose that's why you drink the coffee. I was really trying to figure out how you have time for everything on your list, and it's so simple- you don't sleep at all. Anyways, I look forward to checking out your story this week. Good luck with med school!
ReplyDeleteYou're right, that's exactly why I need the coffee :-) haha and I definitely do not sleep as much as I'm supposed to, but it's worth it!
DeleteHey Akriti!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I love the way you have your blog set up (ESPECIALLY the background)!
It's awesome that you take part in 5k's and are going to work your way up to the marathon, that's exciting! You seem like such a determined individual and that further shows by all of your campus involvement. It must be amazing to be a part of so many awesome organizations.
And you know? Coffee is DEFINITELY a must. I know I can make it at home and all, but it just tastes way better and it's way easier to just swing by Starbucks or a coffee shop!
Also, we have so many favorite shows in common! But, the one we share that's by far my favorite is Grey's Anatomy. Are you all caught up on Grey's and watching the current ones each Thursday night?
Good luck to you this semester and in your future!
Ahh thank you!! I love elephants way too much :-)
DeleteI have not watched Grey's Anatomy this season yet but I really need to catch up before one of my friends ruins it for me again :p
Hi Akriti, or Kreets! I love that nickname so much. Also we have a lot in common, mainly food and TV shows. I love grey's anatomy, doctor who, sherlock, friends, and Harry Potter omg so much!!! I'm actually doing a doctor who themed storybook with the 11th doctor so if you haven't checked it out, you might enjoy it! I wish I liked to run but sadly I hate it. If you're looking to run a 5k, my sorority is hosting one on November 18th and all the proceeds go to our philanthropy which directly impacts the Cleveland county community :) I know Soonerthon always hosts one too, but just in case! I enjoyed getting to know you and I love your website design.
ReplyDeleteOmg we share the love for almost all the fandoms! I'll definitely check out your storybook soon; I will read anything Dr. Who related! Woah that's awesome that you guys host a 5k; I'll see if I have time to run it, because that would be refreshing :)
DeleteAkriti or Kreets!
ReplyDeleteI love nicknames so I will just refer to you as Kreets which by the way is one of the better nicknames I have heard. I think it is really cool that you have been able to grow up merged in two different cultures. I think that having the cultural intelligence of two completely different lifestyles would be very beneficial to you as you get out of college. Great introduction and hope to read more of your stories soon!
Awh, thank you! I have been quite blessed to have been brought up in the way I was :) I hope to read some of your stories soon as well! Good luck this semester with everything!
DeleteHey Akriti,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I really love the background for your blog. I also want to say how much I admire how involved you are. I’m so lazy I hardly want leave my apartment most days let alone do all that stuff. Also your TV show list is similar to mine, and if you think yours is long you don’t want to even see mine. I hope you have a good rest of the semester.
Haha thank you so much! I hope you have a good rest of the semester as well :)
DeleteHi Akriti! Firstly, wow! Your blog is amazing, I love elephants and your intro was definitely a lot to take in. You are such an active person and it's incredible and inspiring. In my few years here, up until this point as a senior, I haven't done much to be a part of the university. So sad to say, but I wasn't allowed that much time with my family and working. It's great to see you put that effort in though. I can relate in growing up with two different cultures, it's so amazing and eye-opening. We definitely have quite a bit in common and that is: psych major (minus pre-med), I love rings as well, I always have music playing, and if I were to pick a pet it would have to be a corgi as well, because I have one! They are the sweetest, most energetic beings. You won't regret getting one if you ever get to! Good luck the rest of your semester and years to come! It was a pleasure getting to know you!
ReplyDeleteHello Akritit!
ReplyDeleteYou have a really nice blog! I like your wall paper. I think elephants are pretty amazing animals. On another note, I see that you like to paint! I like to paint and draw as well! I actually just recently went to a wine and pallet and I got to paint a Halloween pumpkin themed painting. Have you done a wine and pallet? Also, good luck with med school I'm sure you will do great !
Akriti, I've been reading your awesome stories this entire semester and have somehow just now come across your introduction page. You seem like such an outgoing person. Also, I love the fact that you put everything that you love into list format, because I love lists, lolol. Good luck with your future endeavors! Harry Potter will always be the greatest! (I'm a Hufflepuff!!)
ReplyDeleteHey Akriti! you have such an amazing blog! I love your background because not only is it beautiful but it is related to our class. I read that you like to paint. I love to paint as well but I am not that talented at it. I am so excited that to read your stories this semester! Nice to meet you!
ReplyDeleteAkriti!
ReplyDeleteI made it back to your introduction for extra commenting solely for the purpose of sharing a video I saw on facebook that I'm sure that you have already seen, but I thought you would really appreciate it. I found the video right after reading your story "the one where Dumbledore saves the troops". Christmas is coming to Hogwarts at universal studios!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwvu-3s7QSA
Hey, Akriti! I love the look of your blog! It is so colorful! I am sad that it took me until the end of the semester to stumble across your blog. I too love Harry Potter (I have a cat named Crookshanks) and Star Wars, my shower curtain is Darth Vader and I have stormtrooper lights around my mirror. I also have Yoda wearing a Santa suit Christmas lights hung outside of my house right now. I hope you enjoy your winter break!
ReplyDelete