I’m done. I have a calc test in the morning, but I can’t bring myself to study for it anymore. Yes, at about the spring break mark I start losing motivation pretty fast. The weather turns! I start running again! Who in their right mind would want to be working on applications of derivatives at such a magical time of the year? And anyway, if the turn of the season isn’t enough of a distraction, I have other things on my mind, as per usual, like the looming question of, “What am I going to do this summer?”
I remember fondly the night over winter break that I threatened to change majors once and for all. My father told me something about getting a job over the summer at a hospital (ugh) to up my shot at a dietetics internship, when I stubbornly announced, “Well, I’m thinking about changing majors, sooo…” (“So that’s not going to happen”, in other words.) And then, quite seriously, maybe three days after I made the Big Change, daddy told me that I needed to get a biology internship in a lab this summer. So I began the dreaded task of filling out online applications (does anybody else hate those things? I always find them so ambiguous.) to a couple of really awesome places that I figured I didn’t have much a shot with. Yes, my dad was convinced I had just as good of a chance at getting a spot at the Danforth Center’s internship as all of those other kids who probably have known all their lives they were destined to be scientists. So I applied. I kept looking around for more opportunities, and excitedly applied for a chemistry internship at Sigma-Aldrich as well.
The other day as I was happily (??) doing my calculus, my other best friend Elizabeth (who claims to be a blogger, but whatever) came in and told me about the interview process she underwent for a computer science internship at Sigma. That’s when it hit me: if I get lucky enough to interview there, it’s going to be hard. They’re not going to ask me to talk about a deadline I had to meet, or what my weakest personality trait is (in addition to hating online job applications, I also hate those types of interview questions as well. I suck at them.). They’re going to ask me super technical questions that may require a calculator. And scratch paper. And help from the Chemistry Gods; namely, Zeus, the dog who wrote my all-time favorite book, “Organic Chemistry”:
Don't let the human in the photo fool you.
I’m scared. I heard back from the Danforth Center several weeks ago about my status in the application process, but nothing from Sigma. Do I have a shot at it? Now that I’m finally starting to feel at home in St. Louis, I want to spend the summer here, as I think it would do wonders for my personal growth. At other times, I feel like it may be nice to lifeguard again. I like being outrageously tan. But living here, on my own…it would push me out of my comfort zone to a new degree, as I ‘d have plenty of time to explore and have fun and do the things I don’t have time to do during the school year (or feel too guilty to do).
I wish I had answers to what was going to happen! But until then, I wait, with my fingers crossed that it all works out for the best. I have a feeling that whatever happens will in fact be what’s best for me. I may not see it at first, but it will be (this is pretty much the story of my life this semester, no?).
Hang in there everyone! You can do it!
-Carly
“Soft” by Washed Out
Tagged as:
Biology,
chemistry,
dogs,
internships,
Summer Break
I made it. I can (almost) officially say that I survived a full year of Organic Chemistry Lab. I didn’t catch anything on fire, make anything explode, break anything expensive, or have to use the safety shower (Although I came pretty close to using the safety shower after spilling acid on my leg. Instead I had to sit on the counter with my legs in the sink.). This, and the fact that tonight was my last official lab of the school year, is a cause for celebration. Actually, the fact that the official countdown I have on the dry-erase board in my room says “13 days” (when really it should be 11 school days, counting today (I think I’ve left it at thirteen days simply because the fact that seeing that number and knowing that it’s wrong makes me feel super optimistic)) until summer break is a reason to celebrate. So. Without further delay, here’s my list of the Best of the 2011-2012 School Year.
The Best of the 2011-2012 School Year:
1. Best Class: Oooh, this is going to have to be a tie between Organic Chem and Food Science.
2. Best and Proudest Accomplishment: Training in the freezing cold winter for my first half marathon (I’m already registered for my next…super excited!) and crossing the finish line months later.
3. Best Decision I Made: Deciding to add a minor in Chemistry at the end of first semester, and then, just a few weeks ago during registration, deciding to add another minor in Biology (because honestly, the bio department has some of the nicest, hardest working students I know of here. And also, being able to say, “I’m a double minor” sounds kind of awesome.)
4. Best Secret Talents that I developed that I Never Knew I Possessed: Making really bad science jokes and creating unique peanut butter sandwich combinations (see #6).
5. Best Professor: Hmmm…I’m going to have to go with Dr. Smith on this one.
6. Best Way to Fuel Up Before a 4.5 Hour Chemistry Lab: An apple and organic peanut butter sandwich (Because I’d rather not degrade my peanut butter by using high-fructose corn syrup-containing jelly on my sandwiches. Yuck.).
7. Best Way to Recover after a 4.5 Hour Chemistry Lab (Because Let’s Face It, By Then You’re Ravenous): A bowl of organic granola topped with organic skim milk and fresh fruit (Yes, I am a dietetics major, thank you.)
8. Best Must-Have Accessory: Cool glasses.
9. Best Memory: Going for runs on my weekends at home in the crisp autumn air, taking in the perfectly blue sky and fall foliage with the gorgeous songs from the Best Album stuck in my head.
10. Best Album (Which I Will Forever Associate With My Sophomore Year): M83’s “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming”
Of course, there were several bad moments, too. I’ve never experienced more school-related stress than what I endured last semester. I nearly made myself sick over my first chemistry test, and I called home crying at least once a week during first semester because I had so much homework to do. Plus, trying to come up with meals for myself to eat when all I have in my room is a microwave and a fridge is no easy task (I like to know exactly what I’m eating by preparing it myself. You don’t exactly get that in the cafeteria. It’s a bit too shady for somebody as obsessed with healthy eating as me.).
All in all, it’s been quite the (for lack of a better word) interesting year. I’ve met some people I never talked to before. I’ve done some things that most normal people wouldn’t do (see #2 and #3). I think I’ve come to learn a lot about who I am now and who it is I hope to be someday. While my ideas for what I want to do with my life are still expanding, I’m totally stoked for whatever it is I ultimately decide to do. And with the end of this school year slowly coming, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve finally found myself on the path to doing some pretty awesome stuff!
Well, on that note, I suppose I better get started on my homework.
Have a great weekend everyone!
-Carly
“Midnight City” by M83
Tagged as:
Almost Summer,
Biology,
chemistry,
End of Semester
Okay, so I’ve decided to procrastinate out of sheer frustration with my chemistry homework. Currently, we are reading chapter 14, which is creatively entitled: “NMR Spectroscopy.”
Enticed? I knew you would be.
Quite frankly, I don’t understand how to identify chemical compounds utilizing IR, NMR, or any other acronym, for that mater. Give me a chemical synthesis to do or something; anything’s better than trying to identify a compound by looking at some crazy graph thing. So, to get to the point, I’ve decided to do something more fun and write my blog for the week instead of working on my online homework assignment, which consists of twenty-three headache-inducing NMR problems. Some of the problems even incorporate NMR, IR, and Mass Spectroscopy for a triplet of fun (that was a little NMR humor. A triplet occurs on the spectrum when…I’m not even going to explain it.)
So. This all got me thinking on my run today: “Wow, some people would really hate to be me.” I mean, going out and doing a 10.5-mile run only to finish and have to do Organic Chemistry homework isn’t exactly a fun way to spend a Saturday. But for some reason, I still put myself through those things anyway. I mean, Organic Part Dos isn’t required for my major, but, call me crazy, I wanted to take it. And sure, by the time I had only thirty minutes left to go during my run, my legs were about ready to quit and my stomach was not too happy (fun fact: this was likely due to the fact that blood is shunted from the skeletal muscles to the digestive system, which is why you shouldn’t work out after eating). But I somehow managed to keep going anyway, simply because I like a good challenge and will often go to extreme measures to seek one out for myself.
I guess the point of my little rant here is the fact that, while you’re going through something particularly challenging, whether it be running up a hill that’s so steep it feels like you’re walking up it or trying to motivate yourself to sit down and really focus on your chemistry homework even though it’s not clicking, it may not be fun but it’s all totally worth it in the end. Yes, your stomach may hurt the rest of the day, and yes, your eyes may never want to see an NMR again. But when you stop and reflect on what you’ve accomplished, it feels pretty awesome.
So. Because my two best blogging buds (note my use of alliteration here) gave me shout-outs on their blogs, I’d like to do the same:
*Courtney: I hope this blog was more positive and not so whiny and complain-y as my blogs usually are. Also, those two girls in that picture you posted look like the epitome of awesome. I wish I were friends with them.
*Elizabeth: I hope you get over that strange (cough) you have.
Anyway. Enough positive thoughts for one day. NMR is calling my name once again and I must heed its call!
Have a good week everyone, and remember to push through those challenges!
-Carly
P.S. Hmmm…somebody gave me a hot tip during Organic Lab that nobody listens to the music I put links up to on my blog. So, FYI, this week you are missing out on a lovely piece titled “July” by the amazing Youth Lagoon, unless of course you click here. I’m in love with this guy’s music, and I can’t wait until he comes to St. Louis. April 3rd can’t come soon enough!
Tagged as:
accomplishment,
chemistry,
Homework,
procrastination,
running
