Thursday:
I decided to look at & help one of my colleagues setting up the caterpillar eggs into their "rightful homes." She brought up a point that, b/c I have 5 science classes, what I'm doing is very sacrificial, i.e. hanging out. But you know what, I don't mind at all. I already prepared this consequence by informing all my closest friends--yes, that includes my boyfriend--that I'll have a very slim chance to stay up very late, which I used to do every other weekend. The least I can really do is eat out, then I'm off w/ my own errands & everything. So it's totally different: I need to self-discipline & be outright selfish--if I must do excellent school work I need more time to study. These close friends should understand that.
I'll admit, & I know myself: I will emerge those green eyes. I know it'll suck when I'll hear my friends going clubbing or even watch a night flick at the AMC, cuz I've been there, done that (& I like that moment). But I have to repeatedly tell myself that what you work hard on will always earn a better reward (i.e. in the end, haha). After all this will be my only 15-unit semester until I get out in one year. I guess what I'm trying to saying is that I know what my future will hold, as long as I don't slip up by giving up, & I know who of all the friends I made will really matter to me after, say, 4-5 years from now? But at least I talk to my closest friends on the phone once every other week (except Reggie, duh), so that's good for me.
Friday:
This is my official 1st day of actual researching. At first it was quite of a drag, aimlessly Googling about this FISH, not really knowing what I'm supposed to look for. It turned out that, in just under 2 hours of walking & curiously looking around the lab (all alone), highlighting & printing stuff in color that some of the pages were really useless, I suddenly DID know what the heck I'm doing & what exactly is my task.
I'm Fia Raboy, & what I'm doing right now is I'm searching for the right reagents for the DNA probe (the gene encoded in the caterpillar's DNA + the bug virus) to undergo FISH, & write a protocol regarding this new technology (in our lab).
I just wanna make sure this is how I might exactly say this if an enthusiastic colleague would ask me about my duty =). And there you go, I was happy about the finding, & I was more elated that when I told Eric the updates, he sensed that I'm on the roll. This may seem tiny, but to me, actively being in research 1st day intelligently knowing what to do & where to start makes me proud of myself.
So I want to conclude that, based on the 1st week, I'll definitely agree w/ my colleague & my biochemistry professor: I'll be a busy girl. I'll probably post a blog once or twice a week, maybe out of the blue about silly shit. And I already planned that out of my 5 subjects, biochemistry is what I need to study the most, mainly b/c my professor taught his lectures all over the classroom, & I've definitely been there before not so long ago...Additionally, I came to realize that I can put effort w/ research for only 2-4 hours a week, & at least Eric implied that I don't need to rush anyway. Obviously I can't underestimate the rest of the classes, & so I need to really get started putting my nose on those notes & Biostats lab manual starting Sunday, after the Super Bowl =P.
