So about this whole college thing...
Things have honestly started to look up. I've climbed out of that rut I found myself in last semester and turned things around for myself, but a lot of outside forces have helped along the way.
The first is Dr. Mugg. This man... I'm pretty sure he's the catalyst in this whole rediscovery of how much I enjoy science. Traveling to Disney with him and seeing first hand how that company really runs their business was interesting in itself, but visiting the hydroponics laboratory at Epcot has kindled a passion in me I never knew I had. Maybe Mugg's own excitement for plants has rubbed off on me, but I'm really beginning to come to terms with how amazing I think they are. I was running all around that lab snapping pictures of every plant I saw, and even now, over a month later, I still haven't come down from that high. I ended up speaking with Mugg quite a bit on how incredible hydroponics and aquaponics are and how revolutionary they can be for the future of farming and soil conservation. He was very pleased to see how eager I was about the subject (and being a botanist himself, he appreciated that I'm a Plant Bio major). We've connected on other personal levels, and I feel like I've finally found that one professor at college that's going to end up being my tutor and friend, like what Miss Harper was for me in high school. In fact, when Mugg found out I wanted to become an independent filmmaker, he offered to do an independent study with me and have me film and edit some video lectures for him. Film! Science! Simultaneously!!! 8D And I'm going to speak with him tomorrow about adding in an aquaponics experiment, because aquaponics is just fucking awesome.
I'm officially a Film Studies Minor now. I have my first class for it this summer, and I can't wait!
Speaking of which, I had another opportunity to combine the two for my biology class. During my team's PCR project, we performed an experiment during which we spent 30 days with ALS. As part of our final project for the class, we were required to put together a video documenting the experiment, and of course I just had to make it special:
Yesterday, Dr. Luckie began lecture by showing it to the whole class. He said it was a good example of someone who "went above and beyond the call of duty." I just about melted in my seat.
Speaking of biology, I studied my ass off this semester, and boy nelly did it pay off. Dr. Luckie offers an optional Verbal Final for his class, and if you pass it, it's an automatic 100% on your final exam grade. After weeks of hitting the books and memorizing enzyme names and scheduling cram sessions with my L.A. and drawing electron transport chains on random whiteboards throughout Holmes Hall... I passed. I motherfucking PASSED!!!! I'm also not doing that bad of a job in my physics class. Somehow, I've managed to pull off solid 85% and 90% scores on the past two midterms. Never mind that I have no idea what's going on in that class. lol If the exams weren't open-note, I would be a goner for sure.
I've finally reached a point in college where my confidence has reached a high enough level that I feel like an accomplished student. I have a job at a government lab, my grades are pretty decent, a professor wants to do an independent study with me, and I've finally found ways to combine both film and my new love of plants to better myself.
Fuck yeah.
The first is Dr. Mugg. This man... I'm pretty sure he's the catalyst in this whole rediscovery of how much I enjoy science. Traveling to Disney with him and seeing first hand how that company really runs their business was interesting in itself, but visiting the hydroponics laboratory at Epcot has kindled a passion in me I never knew I had. Maybe Mugg's own excitement for plants has rubbed off on me, but I'm really beginning to come to terms with how amazing I think they are. I was running all around that lab snapping pictures of every plant I saw, and even now, over a month later, I still haven't come down from that high. I ended up speaking with Mugg quite a bit on how incredible hydroponics and aquaponics are and how revolutionary they can be for the future of farming and soil conservation. He was very pleased to see how eager I was about the subject (and being a botanist himself, he appreciated that I'm a Plant Bio major). We've connected on other personal levels, and I feel like I've finally found that one professor at college that's going to end up being my tutor and friend, like what Miss Harper was for me in high school. In fact, when Mugg found out I wanted to become an independent filmmaker, he offered to do an independent study with me and have me film and edit some video lectures for him. Film! Science! Simultaneously!!! 8D And I'm going to speak with him tomorrow about adding in an aquaponics experiment, because aquaponics is just fucking awesome.
I'm officially a Film Studies Minor now. I have my first class for it this summer, and I can't wait!
Speaking of which, I had another opportunity to combine the two for my biology class. During my team's PCR project, we performed an experiment during which we spent 30 days with ALS. As part of our final project for the class, we were required to put together a video documenting the experiment, and of course I just had to make it special:
Click to viewYesterday, Dr. Luckie began lecture by showing it to the whole class. He said it was a good example of someone who "went above and beyond the call of duty." I just about melted in my seat.
Speaking of biology, I studied my ass off this semester, and boy nelly did it pay off. Dr. Luckie offers an optional Verbal Final for his class, and if you pass it, it's an automatic 100% on your final exam grade. After weeks of hitting the books and memorizing enzyme names and scheduling cram sessions with my L.A. and drawing electron transport chains on random whiteboards throughout Holmes Hall... I passed. I motherfucking PASSED!!!! I'm also not doing that bad of a job in my physics class. Somehow, I've managed to pull off solid 85% and 90% scores on the past two midterms. Never mind that I have no idea what's going on in that class. lol If the exams weren't open-note, I would be a goner for sure.
I've finally reached a point in college where my confidence has reached a high enough level that I feel like an accomplished student. I have a job at a government lab, my grades are pretty decent, a professor wants to do an independent study with me, and I've finally found ways to combine both film and my new love of plants to better myself.
Fuck yeah.