Celeste Bouchard ’20

My Match Day was not at all what I envisioned, but I am so grateful for the experience I ended up having. I was doing the rotation of my dreams in DC when I learned that the U.S./Canada border was closing to non-essential travel within 48 hours in the wake of COVID. I had to immediately move back to my parents’ house in Canada because my remaining rotations in the U.S. were cancelled. My parents insisted we were still going to have a Match Day party of our own! On Match Day, both of my parents were with me and I had video called my two sisters and a great friend I met in DC, so I was surrounded by love and support. We baked a cake and made some mimosas. After I had my initial reactions with my family, I spent the rest of the day on FaceTime with my classmates to hear all about their experiences. It was an amazing day! I was so nervous but it was that good type of nervous that makes you feel alive and proud of everything that has happened to get you to that point.

From the videos I had seen from past match days, it looks like everyone is 100% blissfully happy. When I learned my results, I experienced a whole mix of emotions. Mostly what I felt was joy, relief, excitement, and an enormous sense of pride. However, I also felt terrified that this was all becoming so real, and deeply saddened by the fact that I was going to have to move so far away from my family.

I think it's ok to feel every emotion on the spectrum when you learn your results, and I don’t think anyone should feel that they have to or should feel a specific way. My advice would be to just allow yourself the patience and kindness to feel whatever emotion that comes upon you without judgement because it’s such a life-changing event.