Working My Buns Off

*ERRHH!!!*ERRHH!!!*ERRHH!!!*

My alarm asserts that it is time to wake, but I beg to differ. 6:30 AM and a new day has begun. After a healthy breakfast and a shower I make my way via the Illinois Tollway system to my first job of the day: Biochemical Research at Northern Illinois University.


The faint of heart beware, for I conduct REAL SCIENCE from the reasonable hours of the morning until the late afternoon. Bacterial transformation, DNA sequencing, protein purification, xray crystallography, and microcalorimetry make up only part of what may consume my day to day. Donning a white lab coat that would make Bill Nye proud, I pipette with great efficacy to discover the unknown. It seems fitting as I wander from lab bench to lab bench that Weird Al's "White and Nerdy" choruses in my head.

I've found that I truly love working in a lab. Each day brings new challenges and the hands on experience has concreted so many of the scientific concepts I'm working with. (More on the specific research projects later).


Finishing my experiments for the day I weave through the endless construction barriers to return from whence I came. I typically have a few moments to gather my thoughts before I begin my second job of the day: summer programs at the residential school where I work.


These summer programs include tasks like tutoring science, implementing local excursions, and lending an open ear. My day wraps up at about 11PM or 12AM depending.


Then I start all over again.


Needless to say it has been a busy existence, but it's quite delightful. By the end of the summer I'll have been part of three different summer programs (all with varying time frames and different goals), put in a great many hours in a real laboratory, and enjoyed 1 day off a week (excluding the week of Independence Day).


Summer is great, but I'm working my buns off.


Oh yeah! I forgot to mention that I'm still volunteering at the hospital every other week...

A Longer Awaited Update

Since my last blog post I've completed an entire semester's worth of academic and professional work. To be honest, I probably did myself a sincere disservice by such neglect for this blog. It is thoroughly true that I do function better when my ideas are written out, and moreover it gives me the opportunity to start conversation with any who dare read the ramblings of this "non-traditional" medical journey.

That said, here is the last semester recap.

General Chemistry at NIU proved an enjoyable class, though the lab lacked challenge and creativity. The professor's strict application of his syllabus left little room for error, which I liked. Tests were challenging, but the homework was lacking... I may be the only NIU student ever who longed for more homework. All in all this course was a great refresher, and I now know more about molecular geometry than I ever had.

General Biology started with a pretty tough exam, then lightened up quickly. It was the first semester the professor had taught which meant she was trying to find a happy medium for difficulty and number of people who passed the class. Unfortunately I felt that the course lightened up too much. Biology lab did fulfill my need for legitimate course work though. The labs were relevant and really had me spend additional time with material that I had breezed past before.

This semester has brought a new set of challenges: General Chemistry II and Microbiology. Microbiology will prove much more challenging considering it is a 300 level course and the grade is solely based on performance in the lab and 3 exams... General Chemistry is already looking even more informative than the first semester. Our homework is more consistent and really forces us to know the chapters inside and out. Nailed the first exam yesterday.

With my new schedule in place I'm hoping to start volunteering at the hospital again. Not being there to serve in the hospital on a weekly basis has definitely has taken a toll on me because when I'm there it feels just right.

More updates to come. Until then, know that I haven't fallen off a cliff and that I'm still going strong.