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Starting Monday we're going to participate in a program through which we will host two teachers from smaller Kansas City middle schools and show them how we do science. I'm pretty excited about this, but there are a few things that give me pause.
My boss is out of town all next week, so it falls to me to introduce these folks to all of the research projects we have going. While I feel pretty confidant in my understanding of what we do, I'm sure they'll find questions to ask that I'll have no answer for and I'll end up looking like a jackass.
Also, they're going to be in the lab from 8:00 to 5:00 every day, while I'm only in the lab from 12:00 to 5:00 once classes begin on Tuesday...and most of the other research assistants in our lab graduated in May. So, I have a three hour block of time on Monday, after their orientation, to teach them how to do enough tasks independently to fill four hours every day while I'm in class.
I spent hours today printing and collating lab protocols as well as a number of journal articles published by our lab and other related labs. I know that if I showed up on my first day and was handed a giant binder full of jargon I'd feel pretty fucking intimidated. I really hope I don't scare them off.
I want to assume that these teachers have either some collegiate background in biology, or at least a personal interest in the subject, since they volunteered for this program. They are getting paid for it, though, so I guess they could just view it as an easy second paycheck for the summer.
There's this woman who proselytizes for a program for science and math majors to expedite the process of getting qualifications to teach K-12. She says that there's a dire need for people who are experienced scientists and mathematicians to teach at that level. This seems like a really noble goal, since science literacy in this country seems abysmal, but I just can't see myself teaching middle or high school. I remember what I thought of my teachers back then, and the prospect of putting up with little shits like my younger self for $30K a year is not very appealing.
So, yeah, I hope my new friends are cool.
Posted at: 20:41
[path: /work] permanent link
I'm not sure when or why this started, but I have a habit of writing "ya'll" all over the last minute study guides I make for myself during finals. For example, from my chemistry notes: "Buffers --> it's the common ion effect, ya'll." This is a function of how very, very tired I am, but always it makes me laugh like an idiot for much longer than is productive.
Posted at: 01:45
[path: /school] permanent link
Next Thursday marks the end of my first successfully completed year of college in five years of failed starts and half-hearted attempts. I still need to make it through finals between now and then, which is sort of complicated by my premature celebratory feelings.
I am starting to question whether medical school is a reasonable goal. I've had to really struggle to make it through a year of introductory science classes, and I know that it's only going to get worse. On the one hand, all of my classes were so basic and so abstract and boring that it was very, very difficult to muster the motivation to study. I'm pretty sure that my remaining classes will be more stimulating and less superficially challenging. On the other hand, these classes should have been really easy, and I made this hard by my well-practiced method of truancy and procrastination.
I frequently think to myself "I need to start acting like a pre-med if I'm going to have a shot at getting into med school." Haven't really seen much follow through on that, yet.
In retrospect this year seems to have been one indefinitely long, blurred memory.
In unrelated news, we got a new neighbor this week, and every night since he's moved in there has been hours of what sounds like RC plane noises in the skies around our complex. I've yet to actually catch him, or anyone, remote-handed.
Posted at: 02:20
[path: /school] permanent link