UCSB
geesh.. so much has happened since the last post I couldn't possibly cath y'all up. So I'll get pick up from here. I'm at UCSB right now attending a Summer Calif. Nanosystems Institute for the next couple of weeks. We stay in dorms ride bike to campus, the whole University life. I am so in love with the idea of getting a university level education, it makes me sad to think I'll never be a young college student here. BUT, I do get this opportunity now. And it's fricken amazing.
In our lab we've handled real human brains, I learned to cross section and stain the brain for view under a light microscope.. I euthanized a mouse and removed it's brain for experimentation, treated it with paraformaldyhyde for preservation. The research in my lab is on autism, I have always focused all of my school project research on Autism, so I am really intrigued. My professor and his undergrad are developing new ways to conduct tests and their work is super exciting. When I am there I don't ever want to leave. We spend 8 hours in the lab and I'm never wanting to leave when I'm there. I could be there all day and be just fine.
Today I got to go inside the Allosphere today http://www.mat.ucsb.edu/allosphere/ omg was that cool. We toured the free electron laser, I guess there are only three in the world. Heard a lecture from a nobel prize winning physicist. Tomorrow I learn how to extract DNA from an animal and I get to isolate and view the DNA. Then I can amplify it, making many copies that are able to be manipulated. CRAZINESS. I've kind of lost the nursing dream somewhere along the way, I don't know if that's a good thing yet. I would rather conduct research in a lab if at all possible. I really want to go here. I can't believe I didnt go to a UC when I was younger, wtf was I thinking. There is so much more to life than partying. Boy was I lame. At least I get this chance again, I am SAVORING it. The world is so much different from this perspective. People are healthy, don't have addictions, and are motivated to excel. It's like nothing I've ever experienced before. Now that I've seen these super motivated people on the right track, i would never feel satisfied going back to partying. I am forever changed from this trip. Now if only I had the time to get my bachelors. I will if it kills me I will get the damn Bachelors of science.
In our lab we've handled real human brains, I learned to cross section and stain the brain for view under a light microscope.. I euthanized a mouse and removed it's brain for experimentation, treated it with paraformaldyhyde for preservation. The research in my lab is on autism, I have always focused all of my school project research on Autism, so I am really intrigued. My professor and his undergrad are developing new ways to conduct tests and their work is super exciting. When I am there I don't ever want to leave. We spend 8 hours in the lab and I'm never wanting to leave when I'm there. I could be there all day and be just fine.
Today I got to go inside the Allosphere today http://www.mat.ucsb.edu/allosphere/ omg was that cool. We toured the free electron laser, I guess there are only three in the world. Heard a lecture from a nobel prize winning physicist. Tomorrow I learn how to extract DNA from an animal and I get to isolate and view the DNA. Then I can amplify it, making many copies that are able to be manipulated. CRAZINESS. I've kind of lost the nursing dream somewhere along the way, I don't know if that's a good thing yet. I would rather conduct research in a lab if at all possible. I really want to go here. I can't believe I didnt go to a UC when I was younger, wtf was I thinking. There is so much more to life than partying. Boy was I lame. At least I get this chance again, I am SAVORING it. The world is so much different from this perspective. People are healthy, don't have addictions, and are motivated to excel. It's like nothing I've ever experienced before. Now that I've seen these super motivated people on the right track, i would never feel satisfied going back to partying. I am forever changed from this trip. Now if only I had the time to get my bachelors. I will if it kills me I will get the damn Bachelors of science.