Waiting For Wednesday

I’m taking a break from studying for my biochem final to update. Last week was pretty good–classes were done Friday, thank goodness. This semester’s been something else…

Dr. Elrod had a chem majors dinner on Thursday night and Jeremy was able to make it. The food was really good, almost as good as the company. Following dinner, Jeremy went out to his car to discover he’d left his lights on and that he needed to have his car jumped off, which Dr. Elrod was more than happy to help with. It was quite a funny evening. Jeremy had a rough week, but I hope this one is better for him. 

I had a great weekend with Jeremy, and I even got to see some of my South Carolina relatives yesterday. I really miss getting to see them as often as I had in the past. I hope to be able to visit them again sometime soon.

In other news on Goatneck, the Stockbridge Johnsons spent the weekend moving some of their things up here to begin their next great adventure–building a house. So, Mark is staying with Papaw, Wanda with her mother (she is still working for a bit down south), and Stephen is up at the cabin, commuting everyday to Atlanta. They have been working hard, and I look forward to having them around more.

I am about to go get something good to eat. I can’t stand to eat cafeteria food during finals. A years-worth of it is quite enough, so I’m off to find some Italian or Asian cuisine.

I called my friend Amanda this afternoon to see how she is doing–her father passed away yesterday and I wanted to make sure she didn’t need anything. She said she’d call back when she knows more about the memorial service tomorrow, so I may be making a visit to Toccoa tomorrow afternoon.

I finished one exam today. I have two tomorrow morning and then another Wednesday morning. I simply cannot WAIT for this semester’s end. It is so deliciously close to being over, and I will feel so much better when it is. This has been a tough year and I am feeling quite burnt out, so a break will be marvelous. I finish moving out Wednesday and check out Thursday morning.

More later. When I’m done with all of this MESS.

Almost Done With Spring & Learning To Let Go

I just finished a good helping of tofu Pad Thai and coconut milk. It was very good. I finished both of my organic chemistry take-home exams today, so I thought it was appropriate to reward myself. Now I just have to study for my electrochemistry exam on Friday and then my series of finals starting on Monday. As of right now, I’m scheduled to take my Instrumental final on Monday, my Biochem and Ochem exams on Tuesday and then my Calc. III final on Wednesday. I think I’ll talk to Elrod and see if I can get my Ochem exam over with on Monday after Instrumental–they’re the standardized national exams and quite annoying to take. That way I can focus on studying my Biochem pathways and reworking my Calc. III quizzes.

I am really looking forward to being done with this semester. Not that I haven’t enjoyed parts of it, but this past year has been particularly tough, and I’m sure that senior year won’t be much easier. At least it’s a year closer to graduation, right? I’ve got to start moving stuff out next week. And then it’s a few days of relaxing before moving to Athens to work at UGA. I am looking forward to being back in a research group–it’s always an adventure and a great chance to meet new people. I am going to push myself this summer since I’ll be asking my PI to write me a recommendation letter this fall for graduate programs. It should be exciting, though, to be close enough so that my family can actually come visit to see what I do (and that I actually DO work). I just have to get all the details worked out sometime in May.

I worked hard today, but I did take a minute to walk outside the library this afternoon when it was sunny. It’s been really pretty around campus lately and all of the flowers are blooming. My favorite is the honeysuckle bush out next to the sidewalk on the far side of the cafeteria. I love the smell of honeysuckles. It reminds me of the big honeysuckle bush we had next to our house on the farm in Forsyth County that I’d eat off of during the warmer months.

I have been quite transient (I don’t think that’s even the right word, but I am not an English major, so I’ll let it go.) since last summer–floating between campus, my dorm, my parents’ house, and Jeremy’s house. Since I returned from Pittsburgh, I have felt a bit more nostalgic than normal, but I have learned that memories are best if seen from the present without trying to recreate them. I know that may not make much sense to those reading this, but it has been a very hard lesson for me to learn. Part of me is always going to want those things from my past that I enjoyed so much, but I know that I need to move forward instead of continuously looking back. Retrospect is not bad, but I tend to dwell in the past too much for my own good. I am learning that it is okay to go with the flow, to not be afraid of change, and to embrace the moments that are truly worthwhile.

That being said, I have been trying to work through my thoughts without being overwhelmed by them. Thoughts such as, “What will happen to me when I graduate?” “Will I ever get a job and will it be one that I enjoy?” “What if I don’t get accepted to a graduate program?” “I will be letting everyone down if I don’t do well…” , etc… I have been trying to think more positively–less worrying, more dreaming. That is how it is supposed to be, right? Less negative, more positive. I CAN triumphs over I CANNOT.

Not that I won’t get things done or that I am not concerned with my work. I will get the work done. But I do know that this is just a small portion of my life as a whole and that I needn’t let such worries take over my mind. It will all get done one way or another. And I’ll have a good time with it, too. I also need to start living in the moment more–I find myself always concerning myself with negative thoughts about the distant future, and usually regarding things over which I have little control. I need to let those concerns go. They are not here. And they have not happened. And they may or may not, but it is not for me to decide. These things are not in my court, so to speak, and I can only have faith that the future holds what is best for me. I should not wish it here so quickly; it will be here before I know it.

I have so much to be thankful for; I have a great family (hilarious), wonderful friends (patient), and the best friend ever in Jeremy. They all mean so much to me, and I know I do not tell them nearly enough. I have my health, and I’ve lost some weight. Despite all of my worrying, I have it pretty good. I just need to remind myself every once in awhile. It’s important.

More later…I’m tired and I start to wax philosophic after my brain turns off….

Elrod’s Cooking Tonight

So this week has been pretty stressful, but I’ve made it through the worst.

On top of four (now five since I got another one today) exams, I have been trying to get some of the details worked out regarding my summer housing in Athens. Jeff Urbauer and Ed Kelly have been quite helpful thus far and I am sending in an application for housing tomorrow morning. I need to go down there mid-May to get my parking worked out.

I am going over to Dr. Elrod’s tonight for the annual chemistry dinner party thing. I think it’ll be fun.

I can’t wait for this semester to be done with. It’s been so tedious.

More later when I get back.

Heartbreaking, Absolutely Heartbreaking

This just breaks my heart to read. I have no words for it.

Virginia Tech Shootings

Keep them in your prayers.

Clemson University? Maybe.

Clemson went well. I met at least four professors whose work I am interested in, which is a good sign. They paid for the whole trip and also waived all fees associated with applying–also a good sign. I plan on applying over the summer. I think I made a good impression to all of them by being on top of things and being interested in what they had to say even if it wasn’t really my area.

Hopefully, I will get into their program. I really liked their campus and the drive, although a little longer than the drive to Athens, was quite enjoyable. Their graduate students (with whom I had lunch) also seemed pretty happy with their department.

I had an exam in analytical yesterday and I know what I missed. But that’s alright. I’ve got to go study for my calculus exam tomorrow. Then begin again on biochem. It’s going to be a rough few weeks for everyone. This organic take-home test is going to be the death of me.

I am tired, but I’ll get there.

Jeremy and I are supposed to go to the dance Saturday. I’m really looking forward to it.

Is is sad that I spend what little spare time I have looking at all of the homeless pets on Petfinder.com and wishing I had some place to keep them all?

More later.

Athens In Summer 2007

It’s official. I mailed my acceptance letter this morning. I’m spending the summer doing research at UGA with Jeff Urbauer. I decided this mostly because he has been quite helpful in answering all of my questions and seems genuinely interested in helping undergrads like myself learn new techniques. I am looking forward to this experience. He says that he already has two undergrads that work with him during the year and he is taking on two more this summer–myself and another. I need to read up on some of his recent publications and on high res. NMR techniques.

I still have not heard back from Emory or Clemson. Emory’s program has not even responded to any of my emails, so I doubt that they’ll be getting around to me. Clemson has a rolling admission, but I am sure that they prefer to accept students who have not already had summer experience. Nonetheless, I am still not ruling them out for grad school. I am visiting them tomorrow with Dad–it should be an interesting day. We’re scheduled to have short meetings with a few of the professors and also to have lunch with two grad students, so I will have plenty of opportunities to ask questions. We’ll see how it goes.

So, I need to retake the GRE sometime before September. Katie is coming to visit in May and maybe after she returns home, I’ll push through grad school apps so that all that I will lack will be my GRE scores and transcripts to send off in the fall. I’d love to have everything sent off by mid-November at the latest. That way I can focus on my senior research and presentations.

I have been having a difficult time decided which area of chemistry is for me. All the applications require you to specify an area of interest. I really enjoy inorganic chem and I seemed to really have a knack for it. I struggle so much with organic chemistry, but I love it. I am enjoying analytical and I love that it has so many applications. I have not had physical chemistry yet (I take it next year), but I enjoy thermodynamics. I have really gotten into my biochemistry class (more than I thought that I would) and I seem to be doing fairly well at it.

So, how does one just pick? Any suggestions, Sruti? You’ve done this before.

I do know one thing for certain–I like research involving biosensors, either for environmental or medical uses. So, I suppose that borders analytical and biochem. But I’ve seen inorganic applications (as in Petoud’s lab last summer). I emailed a few professors involved in similar research this past week, including a really nice guy from the University of Southern Miss. and another from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and received responses from all of them. The few that I emailed all responded saying that they would be able to support new group members come Fall 2008 and that they did have stable funding. They also sent me their recent publications and their respective graduate applications. I took this as a good sign.

I just hope that I can do better on my GRE scores this next time around. I know that I have decent grades and I’ll have good research experience (two summers and senior research next year), but I know my GRE scores are pretty average. I’ll try again. I can do it.

So, thus far, I am really starting to look into these programs (making contact with different professors and emailing grad students): Clemson, USC, UGA, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Emory, University of Southern Miss., University of North Carolina, and a few others.

It’s getting close to crunch time for finals. I can’t wait to see Katie again. I have missed her so much. She sent me a marvelous package with lots of Erie, PA goodies. She’s so thoughtful. I think that it was fate for us to be roommates last summer. I certainly would not have made it through without her.

Jeremy is wonderful. My family is wonderful. Did I mention that I’m pretty blessed? I’ve got so many good things in my life, despite my whining about everything. I guess I should pay more attention to those good things.

There shall be ice cream cake this weekend. Good, good, good.

I hope you guys have a good weekend!

April = Pinnacle of Evil Spring Semester

Firstly, I had a great weekend–I went fishing with Dad on Saturday up on Lake Seed in the new boat. It was really pretty and I even caught (and released) a large perch. I will definitely be doing that again.

And Jeremy was really sweet all weekend. Yesterday, he took me dress shopping (always more trouble than it should be) for the Black and White Formal on the 14th. I’m REALLY looking forward to it; I think we’ll have a great time. And it will be a much-needed break for me right before finals.

I must truly concentrate on school for the next few weeks–it is going to be ROUGH. I have an Instrumental Analysis exam and also a Calc. III exam next week, and possibly a third (Biochem, AHHHH!!!!). I also have an organic take-home exam to finish(hopefully soon so I can study for my other exams). I have to finish my Japanese portfolio soon, too. It’s all going to be nuts for a bit, but I know I can make it through April.

I’ll be an old lady, after all.

More later–I’m off to work on homework/study for exams.