Day 099: A Quick Update

I've had just about all of my classes (including my SIP class!) and things are looking good. Good meaning I have a lot of work and I'm going to have to figure out how to study for numerous subjects rather than just one but I'm glad I'm getting closer to this whole doctor bit. Physics seems fine enough (we'll see how he is again today). I really like my Organic and Biology professors -- they've got their acts together so that's good. And good ol' Burnsy (my Chem II professor) is the same ol' same ol'. I'm glad he's my SIP Academic whatever-his-title-is ... we get along. And he pretty much knows he's writing my letter of recommendation to med school so that's sweet too.


In other news, I'm thinking about doing an internship? We'll see how much time I have and how well it pans out. It's not looking like too big a commitment but it is going to be cumbersome in regards to driving to and from but again, I don't really know. Never mind, apparently, it's highly sensitive and I may not be right for it. Oh well, let's see if there's something else I can try :)

There's a big storm in North Kakalaky right now so I haven't walked to school in a few days and instead have been late when people have given me rides. Ironic, I know.

Day 080: Final grades and some good news?

The registrar is being weird and not showing me my GPA or any earned credit so I'm going to call them today to sort it all out.

I passed Chem 2 and Chem 2 lab so that's always a plus. I celebrated by shopping like crazy and I think I deserve it :)

Anyway, my professor from Chem 2 asked me to be his SIP leader in the fall. Here's the little schpiel on the school website:

The Supplemental Instruction Program (SIP) is a series of weekly discussion/ review sessions for students taking historically difficult courses. SIP is available for all students enrolled in specific course sections. SIP sessions consist of a discussion facilitated by an SIP leader who has successfully completed the course. The SIP leader knows the class content and sits through class with you every day. They hear what the class hears and read what the class reads in order to help students critically think about the class material. Statistics show that students who attend SIP attain from 1/3 to 1 whole letter grade better than those who do not. This could be you!

Firstly, let's recognize what an honor this is. I really thought he was going to ask David because he not-so-secretly loves and wants to be David but apparently I have a better personality? Whatever, yay for me and not David, haha. So the fact that he chose me is pretty cool beans.

In all seriousness though, I don't know if I should take it. The position requires about a 10 hour commitment per week, I have to change Organic Chemistry professors (to a more challenging one) and yeah. Those are the main cons I've come up with.

The pros are: I would develop a good rapport with the professor (so that he could write a kick-ass recommendation for me), it would look good on my med school application, I would be firming up my chem knowledge and, that's all I've got.

I like how he thinks...or decides rather.

So it looks like I've got three pros to two cons but those cons are a big deal. To be honest, I came to win. If my grades suffer at all, I'm out of the game. So even though I have "kick ass SIP leader" on my application, how much will that matter if I get a B in Organic? Since grades and MCAT scores are what get you remotely in the door, I need to get in the door. Seriously.

So, it is certainly good news, it's just trying to figure out what to do that's the tricky part. Any advice friends and family?

Day 072: The aftermath of chemistry

It's over. So very over. The final was long. Longer than long. The group and I were under the conception that the final was going to be something that covered more conceptual information and that if you really wanted to improve your grade, the final would be your chance. Wrong. We decided that if you didn't know it before, hopefully you learned it for the final because it was very calculation heavy and just longer than anything.

For me though? It was fine. I didn't go over it as thoroughly as I have previous tests just because I was so sick of it after going through my numbers the second time around. I would have had to screw up big time to lose my A so I'm very whatever about it.

The long convoluted formal lab report I did? It actually turned out really well. I think when I'm more apathetic about stuff (but still on point, does that make sense?) and just plain sick of it and ready to turn it in, that's when I do my best. Haha. I spoke to my lab instructor about it and she said that I may walk out of lab with an A+ ... which would just be absurd. She was great though. She pointed out that she wasn't giving anything to me and that I earned it and that's always great to hear.

So I have more thoughts and such but maybe I'll blog about those while I'm on vacation! I'll be home in California for two glorious weeks and I'll blog more about feelings and thoughts and fears and I know, you're all just titillated by the thought. ;)

Basically,

Disclaimer: I do not watch this show. I just thought Zanessa
would best demonstrate the sheer joy that I have about
26 days of vacation/no school. So yes, scream & shout!

Day 068: So close to the end

Two tests down, one to go. And by one, I mean a final. Meh. I was a little worried about it earlier this weekend but it shouldn't be too bad.

To be honest, I'm just ready for all this crap to be over. So I can go home. And see my beautiful family and friends. And just relax. Like that shirt/reference I don't actually understand, "Frankie says relax!" That's what I'm looking forward to.

The second test on Thursday was fine. I made a crapload of mistakes but I saw them all and corrected them during the test so ... we'll see. At least there's that.

Anyway, this final chapter is on chemical kinetics (the rate at which chemical reactions happen) and it's pretty math heavy. We discussed derivatives/instantaneous rates on Wednesday and I was reminded that I really need to get my calculus mind back into gear.

Oh, and I hate formal lab reports. They're annoying, mainly because they expect them to be immaculate but they only give us two days to do it. Whatever, lab's over on Tuesday. So close.

Day 064: Studying...supposedly

I'm done studying.

Well, not really, but I'm not burnt out anymore. I listened to some music, baked a little and just realized I'm fine. There's nothing to really be stressed about. I know the material. I think I was just sleepy yesterday.

Anyway, I got my test results back from Monday. Una A. We have this new kid in our study group, David, who keeps kicking my ass on these tests. And by kicking my ass, I mean he always gets 105 on each test (it's out of 100 with a 5 point extra credit question), so that's annoying. I suppose it's something to strive to though, haha.

Tomorrow's test is on oxidation-reduction stuff and voltaic cells and other stuff? I forget. Whatever, I just want to take it and start studying for the final and go home. I'll keep you all posted.

Day 063: Burnt out

I had a test yesterday which I think went fine. To be honest, yesterday feels a million years ago. I've been studying for my upcoming test on Thursday (yes, two days from now) and just doing problems and reading and the usual. I don't know what happened, or how it happened, but class is over in nine days. That's crazy.

We're about to start the last chapter/subject (Chemical Kinetics) tomorrow and I'm completely burnt out. Earlier today, I was sincerely insane -- I'm running on bad sleep (I'm not sleeping well for some reason) and then I had iced coffee so it wasn't good. I was singing random songs outloud (more so than usual) and talking a billion miles a minute and yeah.

I don't know what's going on with me. I think it's time for this all to end. The end is so close but like my friend Chris said, three tests in two weeks -- that's a little extreme. One down, two to go. And we'll probably have an in-class assignment tomorrow that I just can't even think about right now.

Day 061: Feeling caught up...for now

I'm sensing a pattern of blogging when class is over for the week (Thursday) and then again before the week starts (Sunday). Huh.

Anyway, I'm finally feeling caught up. I'm all studied out for our test on acids and bases tomorrow. I've done all the suggested and practice problems. As well as reading the book chapters and my notes. I'll probably read my notes again tonight before bed but at this point, I need to look ahead to Thursdays test on electrochemistry. We did a lab relating to it on Thursday which was kind of fun -- we used baby-baby spark plugs (essentially) and measured voltage of different metals and it sounds scintillating I'm sure. haha, well, considering our lab on Tuesday and Wednesday was more annoying than the song that never ends, well, it was quite refreshing really.

Luckily, the lab reports for those two weren't so bad. I'm really impressed with myself. I usually feel like I'm trying to catch up to what's going on half the time (because of this weird 8am class, I have a theory I will elaborate on in a second), and I finally feel caught up. Right now, I'm reading what he taught us on Thursday (the beginning of electrochemistry, focusing on oxidation-reduction reactions)

OIL (Oxidation, electron is lost) RIG (Reduction, electron is gained)

and hoping to actually read ahead? (Knock on wood) We'll see.

As I mentioned earlier, I think our professor teaches our 8am class like a 5pm class. He presents information as if we should have read about it beforehand so I feel he doesn't always delve as much into things as he could. Then the rest of the day (after lab) is dedicated to teaching what he should have taught me? Does that make sense? He's really clear and if you're 100%-focused, then you should be able to follow along. It helps to read just in case you weren't 100%-focused and it just helps to clarify concepts that he may not have covered well/thoroughly. So instead of being ahead as he seems to think we are, we're all really trying to catch up, every single day. This isn't a bad thing really. I'm just grateful he's so on top of things and helpful and organized (I really can't stress how important organization and structure is) and as long as I learn the stuff (a third through him, a third through the Fantastic Four (Five-ish; we have a "new" kid who studies with us sometimes) and a third just by myself), that's all that matters.

Until Thursday and then one more week! Time sure does fly. I'm sure you'll all depressed summer is coming to an end soon. Summer's almost here (for me), haha.

Day 058: The second test results and lab info

We got our tests back today and I did fine. An A for those of you that are wondering so, again, fine. I missed this question that was obvious but my brain was malfunctioning and switched the concepts/ideas (bonds forming = exothermic, bonds breaking = endothermic) and got the problem wrong. However, that was the only problem I got wrong so there's not much to complain about.

I really am terribly sorry I don't blog as much. I've realized that lecture and its accompanied homework/practice problems are not what's keeping me busy. It's lab. Let me fill you in on the 411...

Lab is worth one credit. Class/lecture is worth three credits. However, I swear to you, I am spending more than 50% of my time every single day working on lab. The lab reports are waayyyy more involved than they should be and they take forever and a half because reports are the only grades you can get and it's just ridiculous!

Par example, we have a (formal) proposal due in Monday for lab. A proposal! We don't even know what we're doing half the time (because lab rarely correlates with lecture and we're doing stuff because they tell us to -- nothing conceptual and nothing really gets taught) so you somehow expect us to create a proposal? And of course they're freaking scientists so they don't tell you length or any of that crap. Here's how you source, look here, go! ...UGH.

Basically, lab is consuming my life and it sucks.

On another note, I really like my professors/instructors this session. I like how methodical my lecture professor is and he's really helpful and succinct and organized and methodical and basically all things one wants in a professor.

The wand is just for effect. It's all in the chemistry.

He's so cute, he makes these dorky chem jokes and then he laughs at them and my friends make fun of his laugh because its a little bit like a bark and a little bit like Butthead's laugh (or is it Beavis? I never watched the show, thank goodness) from "Beavis and Butthead". An awful show and an awful reference but its the truest one there is. My only true critique would be that he has a very monotone voice so its easy to not pay attention and realize you missed a chunk of something. My lab instructor is so much more organized and actually teaches in pre-lab so we're not going in blind (like we did most days in Summer Session I). She's really friendly and she knows my friends and I 'cause we work and study hard and ask her for help on lab reports so she knows what's up.

I know this is long but I thought I should get everything in while I have time and it's still fresh on the mind. I'm serious guys, all I eat, live and breathe is chemistry right now.

Day 054: Enthalpy, entropy and (Gibbs free) energy

I thought I would take a break from studying and attempt to blog more. I really do apologize for not blogging as much because this really is the sole means of communication between us so I reiterate, sorry.

Our test tomorrow is math-heavy. A lot of formulas and concepts are tied together. I know them all, it's just a matter of sorting everything into its appropriate little box and then after that, fitting all the boxes together to make a pretty picture.

Just to give you an example (feel free and skip to the next paragraph in case this bores you) ... Enthalpy is the amount of heat given off (or taken) by a system.

Looks like everything is in proper disorder...

Entropy (the amount of disorder/disorganization within the system) relies on enthalpy -- the amount of heat tells us what kind of reaction it is and other cool tidbits. Gibbs Free Energy is a combination of enthalpy and entropy and it tells us how much energy is "free"/left over to do actual work (e.g., how gasoline works/is used in the piston of a car).

I know, it all sounds pretty dry and random but it's pretty cool how everything relates to one another. However, it is also a little overwhelming to have to keep all these concepts and deltaH, deltaS, and deltaG's straight. Much less the different kinds of deltaG. No worries though, I've got a handle on it, just wanted to keep you all in my chemical loop, haha.

Day 051: Tests, labs, and such

Hey everyone,

I know it's been awhile but this new schedule is pretty intense. I'm up at 6:15-6:30 every morning. I have class from 8am to roughly 1pm (depending how long lab runs). Then I study until ... oh, evening time ... 6? 7? 8? Then I come home, work out, watch some TV to destress and then sleep. And then I do that again. And again.

We got our test results back on Tuesday. I did fine...an A so I'm happy. It's been good to take his tests (which are quite fair) and also see how he grades (also fair -- when he takes off points, he tells you why). We have another test on Monday (happy birthday Mom! Happy Bastille Day!) which is going to be calculation-heavy -- enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs Free Energy, in case you were wondering -- and then more learning. Coming up, we have two tests the week after that and then the last week of class. Whew! This has been quite a sprint!

The labs are fine. They're a bit cumbersome at times (both the procedure/performing the lab and also the lab reports) but I like that this time around, everyone seems much more organized. Which is always, always welcome.

Anyway, I should probably get back to studying/doing my labs. Thought I'd (finally) drop a line!

Day 045: The first test of Chem II and a freak out

I had my first test yesterday.

It was an extremely fair test. If you understood the material, you were pretty much set. He also offers extra points on test (as a way of getting extra credit) and I think I nailed that so I know that I at least got five points out of a hundred. Yes! Anyway, I think I did okay. We'll have to see how he grades but I feel like I prepared properly (studying, practice problems, etc) so, yeah.

Labs have been going fine. I like that this instructor has her stuff together. She preps thoroughly during pre-lab so that most of the time we get a good sense of what we're getting ourselves into. Do we know why we're doing such and such lab or how it correlates or any of that? No. But that's okay, at least we're doing it with some instruction.

In other news, I had a minor freak out the other day when we were learning about hybridization (it has to do with how electrons of different atoms bond together) because I didn't get it right away and the professor zoomed past it like he was in a sports car on the 17-mile drive. I was freaking out.

How carbon and hydrogen electrons form methane (riveting, I know)

Thank goodness for the Fantastic Four. Chris helped me figure it out and Michael (bless his heart) was trying to help me but he has a way of teaching in a demeaning tone sometimes so I was pretty frank with him when he was "teaching" me. "Michael, I know you want to help but you like to tell me everything I don't need to know about things and right now, I just really need to understand what's going on with all this orbital hybridization, ok?"

After two hours, I finally had a grasp on it. Luckily, I had Tuesday and Wednesday to solidify the material before our test yesterday and I gotta say, I finally get it. It is always, always a gratifying experience to overcome a mental block on stuff so yay hybridization!

Day 037: The end of Chem I! (My one day off)

Today I hung out with the "post-bacc party" as Chris deems it. It was nice to relax and not worry about chemistry.

Ahh, lovely.

However, the fun is over so fast because Chem II starts bright and early tomorrow morning at 8am. Yes, A-M.

Anyway, this professor really has his stuff together. He's already put up everything I could possibly ask for on Blackboard -- syllabus, notes, practice problems, everything. Michael and I have decided he's going to be tough but it'll be a wonderful, organized, structured tough.

We are done with Shazam. I didn't like him, then I liked him and near the end I decided I don't really like him. Every day was an adventure in chemistry. Would we cover valence electrons? Would we make it through electron configurations? What exactly is happening for the final? Lots of questions that any good professor should have answers to. (He didn't.)

And of course, test and quiz days were always fun. The post-bacc party ultimately figured out how he tested. ...badly. He would mention something for literally four seconds and expect us to a) grasp the material and b) memorize it. Then he would put in on the test/quiz and make it worth an absurd amount of points. It doesn't matter that he spent 45 minutes on electron configurations. He wants you to remember nodes and degenerate orbitals and blah blah blah. Thank goodness the madness is over. And good riddance.

However, I made an A (unless he scales funny). In both Shazam's class and the Bobblehead's lab.

It's gratifying to know that all my hard work pays off (especially when presented with two really weird and not-that-great professors). It's also wonderful to go on to an MD on the right track.

Day 031: Test results, studying and the upcoming schedule

We got our tests back yesterday. The fantastic four (that's what Michael's wife calls us) did not do so good. The highest any of us got was a 90 ... this test kicked our ass. It was pretty much for stupid mistakes -- not converting units, not reading the problem all the way through, et cetera, et cetera.

The apathy's still around and I was a little affected by my grade on the test so I'm studying even more to make sure I ace these next two (big, fat) quizzes.

Today, Michael and I studied and got a better hang of electron orbitals and electron configuration.

Can you believe I actually know what this means?!

What that translates into is knowing how to read the periodic table and [warning: geeking out] let me tell you, the periodic table actually tells you a helluva lot. I won't bore you with details but it's pretty cool.

---------------------------

Upcoming schedule:

Monday: quiz on quantum mechanics [note: how (fake) smart do I sound? haha]

Tuesday: Whatever we learn on Monday. (I know, so stupid and random and fairly useless.)

Wednesday: Day off ... where I'll probably read the chapters we need to catch up on.

Thursday: Chem II starts!

Day 029: The third test and more clarification

The test was fine. It felt a bit difficult -- I probably left one question blank on each page the first time around and that's pretty intense for me. I got through everything and, like I said, it was fine. This apathy is still hanging around but it didn't really hinder my studying or test-taking ability. I'm just "meh" about everything.

After the test, a group of us were talking and we decided this test was tricky and annoying and was a little taxing (basically, a very Shazam-like exam) but I think we all did well enough.

Uhh, B? No, I think it's C. ...eeny, meeny, miney, mo!

Nick joked that none of us got a hundred so he's quitting our study group. (Oh, I forgot to mention that Chris made a hundred on the last exam.) Nick also got the lowest score on the last exam out of our foursome -- a 97. Ouch. I know, pretty pitiful, right? That's why he's ready to quit ;)

So since we didn't get through enough of Chapter 7, we're not getting quizzed tomorrow. We're getting quizzed Monday and our 7, 8, 9, 10 exam on Tuesday is going to be a "whatever's leftover" quiz. However, Chris and I decided that there is no way he's going to get all the way to Chapter 10 by Monday (our last official day of class) so we're probably going to finish Chapter 8. Tops.

Uhh, it'll be tons of fun when Summer Session II starts and we start on Chapter 13. FUN, I say.

Day 028: Final clarification and the end of lab!

Professor Shazam clarified things today.

Since he is sprinting to the end (a chapter a day), on the day of the final, everyone will be taking a test.

Instead of giving us a quiz everyday (as he intended), people with a 90 or below are going to take the final (Chapters 1-10). People with a 90 or above will be taking a test on chapters 7, 8, 9 and 10.

So, I don't really have a choice of taking a test come final day. It's not really a problem but I'm in this weird state.

We're rushing to the end and I'm not feeling stressed out. I think I am, but I'm not feeling it. I'm rather apathetic about things. Not in a Jessica's-being-lazy way, more like Jessica's-getting-her-stuff-
done-but-doesn't-feel-like-anything-is-processing way.

Whatever.

Anyway, today was the last day of lab. The bobblehead instructor decided not to give us tomorrow's lab so we're done. We have labs to turn in on Thursday but there are no more new labs. Huzzah! The bobblehead is out of my life! All I have to do is finish these labs and then life will be good.

Oh yeah, and the test tomorrow (did I forget to mention that?) and then the quiz on Thursday and then the other test on Tuesday and then I'm done.

And then Summer Session II starts next Thursday.

...yeah.

Day 026: Sprinting to the end

Shazam finally realized that we only have six days of class left and with more than half of the alloted subjects/chapters to cover ... well ... "we're sprinting to the end."

What does that mean for the class?

A lot of reading. Little to no examples to do in class (to help ingratiate (probably not the correct use of the word but the same concept) the material). Lots and lots of note-taking. Probably not a good grasp of whatever's left to learn.

The group and I are now in mild cahoots with Shazam so it'll be a bit of a bummer when we have a new professor for Chem II and we'll have to figure out what kind of lecturer he is, what kind of tests he gives, et cetera, et cetera.

Oh, and if you have a 90 or above in the class, we don't have to take the final. The group and I are trying to figure out what we want to do -- to take or not to take, that is the question?

Day 022: Second test results and titrations

My lecture professor was on his game yesterday. He graded all of the tests and handed them back today.

I got the multiple choice wrong, as I expected, but I got everything else right so another A. That was really gratifying because I studied a lot with my friends and just like test numero uno, I felt over-studied. Which really just means come test day, I was ready to just take the darn thing.

We've been doing more real labs which is pretty sweet. Lots o' science happening.

In regards to today's lab, I think if someone told me that titration was going to be such a hassle, well, I would have told them to suck it up. But it really is a huge hassle. Chris and I did about four titration test runs before we said "screw it" and went ahead and did what needed to be done.

Chris was all ready to make a joke about the stopcock.

Honestly, who the hell would have thought that one freaking drop would make a difference between faint pink (which is the desired result) and bright-look-at-me pink (which means you've gone past the endpoint and just about driven off the bridge). I mean really.

Day 021: The second test and then some

This test was quite a doozy. It was a lot of information to deal with and regurgitate and all that good fun but it went fine. I made an annoying multiple choice error and those are pretty much you know it or you don't. And it was a toss-up between B or C and of course I picked the wrong one. Bah! Overall, I think I got the rest of them so we'll wait and see.

I had a meltdown in lab today because my California lab partner (let's call him Chris) and I screwed up. We fixed it, eventually, but I was having a serious panic attack because there's a difference between slight error and huge f-up, you know? Luckily things worked out in the end.

This is the perfect segue into how much the Enforcer sucks.

Hmm, I wonder how many significant figures are in the word "soup"?

She's a despot about stupid pointless crap (like maintaining significant figures) and so I did fine on the first lab and so-so on the second. Since labs are all I have ... well, now I need to talk to that bobbing idiot to make sure I have my reports together. So, in case I haven't actually stated it, she sucks. And I do not like her. However, one must triumph and prevail and whatever crap people say when life throws you really annoying curve balls.

I made another post-bacc friend, Michael. He's also from North Carolina, married with kids, and he's going to be a dentist. He's great because we're kind of on the same scientific memorization (or whatever you want to call it) level so it's good to work with him because we keep each other in check. All in all, I'm feeling good about my post-bacc friendships and new study circle :)

Other 001: Doctors Without Borders and Brave New World

I realized something yesterday. None of the people I've spoken with about Doctors Without Borders actually knows what it is.

To preface, right now at this very second, I really want to work with Doctors Without Borders. I think there are too many doctors in the United States and I read somewhere that if a third of them took their work abroad, the world's health (and care) would be a lot better off.

So, when the inevitable question comes (why do you want to be a doctor? Or "why did you decide to switch?" or something along those lines), I usually tell them that Doctors Without Borders is my ultimate goal. And it's so interesting that no one down here in North Carolina seems to have heard of the organization.

I wonder what it means.

Sans segue, I'm currently reading Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. While reading it last night, they were mentioning a lot of chemicals and I found myself trying to figure out the molecular formulas for them. Immediately after that, there was a molecular formula and I, again, found myself trying to decipher which compound it was.

Is that not crazy? Science/chemistry is pervading the "fun" parts (reading, e.g.) of my life and you know what? I kind of like it.

Day 016: Stoichiometry, the first test results and then some

Stoichiometry is "the process of relating quantities of reactants and products to one anotehr in a chemical reaction." In English? Lots of chemical equations, how to balance them and basically a lot of information in a few not-so-random numbers and symbols.

What it all means

The point of telling you what the heck it is, and why you should pretend to care, is that this is a big freaking chapter. There is a lot to learn, a lot of conversions to grasp, more things to memorize (solubility rules -- joy :/) and just a lot of chemistry.

However, It feels like we're really starting to do chemistry. In lecture, we're learning how things fit and why things have to balance (The Law of Conservation of Mass) and how everything combines to, well, work. In lab, we made some aspirin! It's amazing what some chemicals, hot and cold water, and a good mixing technique can create. I'm extremely excited to keep learning because I feel like it's starting to make sense in the broader scheme of things. ...well, it does when I blog about it, not so much during lecture and lab, but whatever. I'm learning.

Getting my first test back (with an A, phew!) was comforting in the sense that I'm on the right path. I'm studying hard. I'm studying properly. I'm grasping the material. I'm applying the material. I just need to keep this up and we'll see how things go.

On a personal note, the North Carolina post-bacc guy that I met (let's call him Nick) is turning out to be a fascinating person as well as a wonderful study partner! We're both suffering through this post-bacc thing together so we support, push and help each other on all scientific frontiers.