January - The first month of the year; typically where New Year's resolutions are generated (and quickly forgotten about). For me, January was the time in my life where I changed my mind about pursuing the "teacher-path." My class schedule was now heavily filled with science courses and I had just planted the idea of Pharmacy as a potential career path. January was also the time when I took my first graduate course (as an actual participant, rather than a wallflower). Granted it was a basic seminar course, but that class taught me the importance/necessity of acquiring scholarly research articles (and leading a classroom discussion with said articles).
February - Courses are approaching the halfway mark in the midst of February and everyone is feeling the pressure (including myself). I had started becoming more interested in Pharmacy and even did a job shadow at the local Pharmacy in town. Turns out, being a pharmacist was not as "exciting" as I thought it was going to be. My interest in pharmaceuticals had not been extinguished, but my plans to attend Pharmacy schools was permanently snuffed out.
March - Winter quarter is wrapping up quickly and I was more than ready to put some of the courses I was taking behind me. The month of March probably had the largest impact regarding my academic career because it was the time when I decided to participate in undergraduate research. I had a few professors that I was interested in working under and I will be honest, I did not get my first choice. I had gone into the professor's office to discuss the idea of conducting research with them and they told me "sorry, but I don't think I will have the time to train you in the spring. If you would like, you can ask me again later in the quarter and we can discuss research opportunities in the fall." To me, that was essentially a rejection. Nonetheless, the next professor on my list would allow me to become trained in the spring and then I would be able to conduct my own research projects in the fall. I quickly jumped at this opportunity and I think that it was one of the best decisions that I have made, thus far, in my academic career.
April - The beginning of spring quarter. I had just gotten accepted into a research group at my school and classes were still in their early stages. In the eyes of an average joe, I was taking the most non-appealing courses (Multivariable calculus, Transition-metal Chemistry, Physics, and Biology), but surprisingly, I loved my classes. I guess I shouldn't say surprisingly because I have genuinely all of the classes I have taken so far (with maybe the except of Pre-Calc, but that's another story). This was the time where put serious contemplation toward attending graduate school. I made the mother of all Excel sheets, compiling information about each school, what their requirements were, MS or PhD programs, etc. I had just built a new floor in my house of education; all I needed was stairs to help me get there.
May - I don't really recall much regarding May. Not because nothing important happened, but mainly because it melded with April and June and was kind of a blur.
June - The school year was over and the summer was just beginning. Did I tell you that I love summer? If I could live in an area where it was summer-type weather all-year round, I would move their in a heartbeat. I competed in my first marathon race (Seattle Rock and Roll) and while it was quite challenging (see blog post regarding the race), it most certainly won't be my last.
July - If I had to describe the month of July, I would call it the month of travel. My sister and I went to New Jersey to visit our Dad and we ended up road-tripping up to Boston (see blog post regarding my vacation).
August - For the first time since I have been attending school, I went back to school early (August 9th to be exact). I moved into my cottage the population of cows in Ellensburg was greater than the population of the people. The town was still and the weather was amazing (hot and sunny almost everyday). August also provided me with my first independent research project (which I am continuing to work on currently).
September - December
The last fall quarter of my undergraduate career. I took some pretty difficult courses and managed to do decently well in my Chemistry ones (Math is another story). I applied to all of the graduate schools that I was interested in (see blog post regarding those). I received word from the University of Michigan that they did not want me in their program (Rejections 1, Accepted 0). Nonetheless, I have five other schools that still have to make their decision about me (and c'mon, its me!). I have continued my research in the lab and I am excited in the direction that we are heading once winter quarter begins. I am anxiously awaiting what 2014 has in store for me!
Have a happy New Year!
NT
Have a happy New Year!
NT
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