Hello readers :).
My sister kindly pointed out to me that I use emoticons in every paragraph, whether the paragraph is four sentences or one, but I seem incapable of breaking the habit :). On the other hand, I have found someone who uses more emoticons than I do! Professor Nick Doe, who is my lab instructor for Chemistry 212, wears a tie-dye lab coat, demonstrates crystallization with legos, and is the most energetic professor I’ve ever had. He’s definitely up my alley—lots of color, lots of smileys, and lots of learning :).
I’m taking my first 300-level class this semester, Neuro 320 with Professor Conway, so I’m getting a lot of work assigned there as well. What’s curious is that the homework is very open-ended, with my most recent assignment being: “write me a lab report about something interesting about the eye.” On our first day of neuro lab, we did a dissection of the sheep eye (we ran out of cow eyes), so it fits that that’s the topic. But there are no outlines outside this to follow anymore… it’s all up to us!
This realization reminds me very much of my newfound experience with research. I’m doing SERP, Wellesley’s Sophomore Early Research Program, which acts essentially as a Neuro 250 Independent study class (except we get paid instead of getting credit.) In this too, I’ve been finding that it’s much less about the answers, and more about the process—the teacher isn’t looking for a key phrase to check off, but instead wants you to individually think about the idea and come up with your own problems, methods, and solutions. It’s a great way of learning, because it forces you to do a lot of research, and delve into what’s really interesting to you. It’s also, as Professor Conway frequently reminds me, how life works in the real world :).
It’s rather strange that I didn’t get to this point until sophomore year of college. As a student who is exposed to Professor Conway’s teachings more than most, I have heard his lecture about the independently-motivated research delivered many times. And yet, every time it is delivered, it is new to many of his listeners, and elements of it are new to me. We have been trained for so many years to find the answer to get the credit, when what is valued outside the school environment is the motivation to search and work for the questions. You see people at Wellesley who know how to do this—who are applying for grants to change the world, not because they were told to by anyone, but because they’re interested and are willing to create something new in order to help.
But most of us aren’t like this. I know that I rarely do anything that isn’t required; it’s a philosophy that applies to swimming and school and whatever else I’m involved in. Why don’t I create something new, delve into something I’m interested in as much as I can? Right now, and I suspect for many others, is that there’s not enough time. That’s what makes the entrepreneurs and true researchers and leaders of organizations important; because being a leader, striking out on your own with an idea and making it work, is hard. You have to make up your own structure, you have to motivate the people around you, you have to be willing to dedicate time and effort to an idea in addition to everything else you’ve dedicated yourself to. It’s a rare thing; that’s why it’s so valued. And they don’t teach you that in school—they teach you the foundations, but whatever you want to do has to come from yourself.
That’s why I think I’m coming to an important place in my education. In my research, in my Neuro 320 class, and in my organic chemistry class too, I’m being pushed somewhere where I haven’t wanted to go. It’s taking more time and energy out of me; it’s requiring me to be creative; it’s requiring me to show initiative and figure out how something works. It’s learning to think for myself, and it’s going to be a frustrating process, one that I’m going to rant and rave about until I overcome. But I’ll make the time, and I’ll learn to think, and I’ll come out better at the end.
So that’s my rallying cry for the semester, and I hope I remember it when I have three final projects, tests out for blood, and all the little things I think aren’t going my way. Because learning is hard, but it’s also fun, and I wouldn’t want to dedicate my life’s time and work to anything less but the best I can do :).
Well wishes to all, and questions and comments are always welcome :).
Cheers,
Monica
We had our last dual meet on Saturday, when we bade farewell to our seniors :). Here they are cutting the cake at the reception the swim parents put together for us– congrats Karina, Kathryn, and Shaheen for loving this team for 4 years!