I look at the picture on the card now, comparing to my previous photo, and notice more than a few differences between the two (luckily, although they took my previous ID, I still have a copy on my Res Life ID from when I was a tutor). The haircut is similar, a little bit shorter and a little less styled. I'm now sporting a goatee, hiding the changes in body size (although at this point I probably weigh less than I did then, a result of 58 consecutive days of running).
Most tellingly, though, is the overall appearance of age. I look older, a few more lines on my face and much deeper bags under my eyes. A spry 23-year-old in the old picture, I was not aware of how much age and experience I would obtain in the 5 years between these two pictures. Next week I'll be 28, and while that's not an advanced age, I've gotten a lot of experience in the intervening time that has made me both wiser and much more sleepy a lot of the time. I've learned a lot of different things, from chemical reactions to ways to interact in a professional context with others, to how to change a light-switch, to caring for a dog. I've worked hard, played hard, gotten more than a few scars along the way, and I think my picture reflects that experience.
I'm looking forward to finishing the PhD and moving on to the MD, but I'm glad to know that the experience I've had will continue to drive me forward, and that this experience is reflected in my appearance. I want people to know that I'm older and wiser than the college students I'm constantly surrounded by, so that people will come to me for advice and knowledge as I continue forward in my career.
We all like to stay young, but sometimes it's nice to be a little older.
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