This week has been hectic. I don’t even know where to start.
I got a volunteer position at a lab! I didn’t think it was even possible LOL. All the undergraduate research programs (SURF, SOAR, etc.) require a 3.2+ USC GPA (some projects require 3.5+), which means that I have to be at least a second-semester freshman. Preferably a second-semestersophomore. But after browing through the current research that is going on under life sciences, I thought, “Why the hell not?” and sent in an essentially blank lab resume to ten professors. Three of them responded saying they have no room, one said possibly and didn’t follow up, and five didn’t even reply.
One professor replied with an affirmative, surprisingly enough! After emailing back and forth, we realized that the position was much too demanding (6-8 hour work day?). I was kinda disappointed, thinking that I blew my one change to get research experience really early one. But it turns out that she had another position! One that was flexible enough for me, not to mention much less intensive.
My first impression was that I would be washing petri dishes and fetching coffee; in other words, gritwork. I wouldn’t mind, since I had no expectations and with no lab experience, I have no reason to be choosy.
But the position I got was SO MUCH COOLER than what I expected. I get to process the collection of data pertaining to skin conductance, heart rate and respiration, and EEG brain waves. In other words, I get to make super duper cool graphs of twin psychophysiologies, and then help analyze and interpret them. Training begins next week. I’m super stoked! It’s so unexpected. Especially since I’m such a newbie, and will be working with upperclassmen and grad students.
Additionally, I am now a Peer Health Exchange volunteer! I’ll be specializing in the Mental Health workshop, so I get to manipulate the minds of teach local 9th graders. It’s so sad to know that many schools don’t have an established health curriculum, so the students here are so uninformed about so many things. My LC Leader is so socially awkward, I love it! It makes her less intimidating and more human. I got the curriculum yesterday, and after seeing the 300 page book, I literally thought,“Oh, sh*t.” Luckily, I only have to memorize a section of the book HAHA. 20 pages or so. Not bad at all!
I have an interview with the Admission Center next week as well! It’s kinda nervewracking. I mean, I really do want to work there because the people are just so positive and my tour guide was a major reason why I love USC as much as I do. But working would totally have to wait till next semester at least; I already have so much on my plate!
I had my first Chem exam today. It wasn’t bad at all. I think I did quite well, since I had time to double check and fix my mistakes (and oh boy, did I make quite a few of those…). The thing is,everyone walked out thinking they did well. And if everyone does well, the curve will be brutal. So life is going to suck.
Bio midterm next Thursday. Gotta study and memorize everything. Blegh.
Pauline, signing off.
