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Ahh! So much to do! And I can't get myself to do it! For example, last night I wanted to do my postlab (due this morning) and at least start on my huge history paper due Friday. Nope.. I waited...slept...watched TV...then started on the lab. Unfortunately, the lab took about 3 hours. Basically, i had to figure out the location of restriction enzyme sites on a plasmid with the gene we've inserted into it...simple right? It's called a restriction map, and even people who know what they're doing have trouble. Seeing how I DON'T know what i'm doing, it took me a looong time. Didn't do any of my paper, and again got less than 8 hours of sleep..less than 7 actually. Considering the amount of sleep i've lost over the last 10 days or so, not good! I think that's part of my lack of motivation...i'm seriously just exhausted. The one good night of sleep I got was with the help of some sleep-tea.
Anyways, today's lab was a little more interesting. We got to run a PCR..Polymerase Chain Reaction. You may have heard the term on shows like Law and Order and CSI...it's the main technique forensic scientists use to do DNA tests for crime scenes, paternity tests, identifying dead bodies, etc.. We ran a PCR for our own cheek cells...next week we run them on a agarose gel, and try to find a specific gene. The big scary lab report is due next friday...so there goes my weekend and next week. I work tomorrow and Saturday night on Fantasmic, Sunday i have off, but i have a game at 650. So before that, i'll probably go do research for the lab.
I got a very nice schedule next quarter. Tues/Thurs. i have history (Ethnicity and Food) 11-1220pm. Yes, another history class involving food...no choice though. It takes care of both the remainder of my history minor and one of the breadth requirements i need at the same time. Then 1230-150 I have Criminology. Yay! I've wanted to take that class for so long, but it was always offered at night. I got Jesilow, who is supposed to be a great teacher. So that takes care of the other breadth requirement i needed, as well as my secondary interest in law as a career. I also have Bio 3A: Career Decisions at 5-620pm. BUT, I only have to go to 8 classes, and I get to pick which ones. It's a 1-unit class to help me get to full-time status. It's like a quarter-long career fair. We take interest-tests, meet professionals in various bio and medical fields, and learn how to apply to grad schools. It's pass/no pass...easy stuff. Then Wednesday I have neurobiology lab at 1-350pm. That's it! Lots of reading in the first two classes, and the lab is a lot of work, but it's at least interesting stuff. Brain anatomy and function, behavior, learning, etc...things like Pavlov's dogs stuff.. No school mondays or fridays...woot! I'll keep Monday's open to study and to hopefully meet up with the podiatrist i met at the career fair and observe in his office. Fridays i'll try to work in the morning so i can actually have Friday nights free. Great way to end my time here at UCI.
But until then, I have this history paper to do. Then lab report....then finals. I had my 2nd Stats midterm yesterday. It was way tougher than the first one...tougher material of course. I barely finished on time..most people did not. I feel OK about it.. Last time I felt really good and and got a good grade. This one..i think i could pull off an A, definitely at least a B. But yeah, gotta really start getting myself motivated...so far, it ain't happening. I'm just thinking way too far ahead...like living arrangements after graduation, and even more scary, getting another job that actually relates to my interest. I feel so behind...so many people I know are getting into grad schools, or internships, or even getting into their field directly. Perhaps that could serve as my motivation...
Anyways, today's lab was a little more interesting. We got to run a PCR..Polymerase Chain Reaction. You may have heard the term on shows like Law and Order and CSI...it's the main technique forensic scientists use to do DNA tests for crime scenes, paternity tests, identifying dead bodies, etc.. We ran a PCR for our own cheek cells...next week we run them on a agarose gel, and try to find a specific gene. The big scary lab report is due next friday...so there goes my weekend and next week. I work tomorrow and Saturday night on Fantasmic, Sunday i have off, but i have a game at 650. So before that, i'll probably go do research for the lab.
I got a very nice schedule next quarter. Tues/Thurs. i have history (Ethnicity and Food) 11-1220pm. Yes, another history class involving food...no choice though. It takes care of both the remainder of my history minor and one of the breadth requirements i need at the same time. Then 1230-150 I have Criminology. Yay! I've wanted to take that class for so long, but it was always offered at night. I got Jesilow, who is supposed to be a great teacher. So that takes care of the other breadth requirement i needed, as well as my secondary interest in law as a career. I also have Bio 3A: Career Decisions at 5-620pm. BUT, I only have to go to 8 classes, and I get to pick which ones. It's a 1-unit class to help me get to full-time status. It's like a quarter-long career fair. We take interest-tests, meet professionals in various bio and medical fields, and learn how to apply to grad schools. It's pass/no pass...easy stuff. Then Wednesday I have neurobiology lab at 1-350pm. That's it! Lots of reading in the first two classes, and the lab is a lot of work, but it's at least interesting stuff. Brain anatomy and function, behavior, learning, etc...things like Pavlov's dogs stuff.. No school mondays or fridays...woot! I'll keep Monday's open to study and to hopefully meet up with the podiatrist i met at the career fair and observe in his office. Fridays i'll try to work in the morning so i can actually have Friday nights free. Great way to end my time here at UCI.
But until then, I have this history paper to do. Then lab report....then finals. I had my 2nd Stats midterm yesterday. It was way tougher than the first one...tougher material of course. I barely finished on time..most people did not. I feel OK about it.. Last time I felt really good and and got a good grade. This one..i think i could pull off an A, definitely at least a B. But yeah, gotta really start getting myself motivated...so far, it ain't happening. I'm just thinking way too far ahead...like living arrangements after graduation, and even more scary, getting another job that actually relates to my interest. I feel so behind...so many people I know are getting into grad schools, or internships, or even getting into their field directly. Perhaps that could serve as my motivation...