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New Year, New Challenge

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Freshman year, it seemed like the roughest challenge I had to face was adjusting to being away from home and handling college classes. Now, in my sophomore year, the stress of a busy schedule is amplified. The main contributor to this is Chemistry 2510, better known as Organic Chemistry 1.

To me, as well as many of my classmates, this semester is the first time I’ve really been exposed to organic chemistry. It feels an awful lot like having to learn an entirely different language in just a few months. And now that the first midterm is behind us, the workload is only growing.

While at times I resent this class, it has definitely required me to learn more about how I learn best. To do well, I have to study to understand, and not just to know the answer on the next test. I’ve had to up my time management and prioritize the topics and questions I struggle with most, all while not losing mastery of topics I understand better.

This Friday we have our first IR Spectroscopy quiz. Unfortunately, this is a topic I have struggled with the most so far. I’ve practiced using the past quizzes provided by my professor, as well as by using lecture videos posted by other teachers on YouTube. Still, I’m nervous and not quite confident in my understanding, as I often make silly mistakes on practice problems. I hope this test-anxiety won’t weigh me down when the real quiz comes along!

My ultimate goal for this class is to end with an A. In order to get that grade, I’ll have to continue to devote a lot of time to studying and reviewing. Hopefully, by the end of the semester, I can look back and feel that I have gained confidence in both my understanding of organic chemistry and my ability to conquer new academic challenges.

A Student in the OR

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In August before beginning my freshman year of college, I began working as a perioperative technician at OSU Wexner Medical Center’s Ross Heart Hospital Operating Rooms. This would be my first job experience.

At first, I was rather intimidated by the environment- physicians, nurses, surgical technicians, PAs, and various other healthcare professionals all working together to treat patients with serious cardiac illnesses. On top of that, I was the youngest of my colleagues by several years and had basically no experience.

I’m now approaching the halfway mark of my second year working in the Ross OR. In recent weeks, I’ve been feeling more like an accepted member of the team than ever before. Being able to contribute to the surgical team and be trusted by the nurses and other staff I work with, to me, is a great accomplishment.

Looking Back- Getting Involved in Research

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This month marks my first full year working in a research lab. In high school I had never participated in Science Fair or assisted in a hospital lab, as many of my friends had done. Therefore, the process of reaching out to PIs (Principle Investigators) and asking if I’d be able to join their lab staff seemed rather daunting. In fact, at first, I was mostly rejected- on account of being a freshman with no prior experience- or just ignored. That is, until one day, I sent an admittedly long and enthusiastic email to Dr. Jonathan Godbout regarding a literature review he had recently coauthored. The very next morning I found a response waiting in my inbox recommending me to a new colleague of his who would be working in conjunction with his lab. A week later, I met with Dr. Olga Kokiko-Cochran and soon after, began learning basic lab procedures.

A year later and I feel like I’ve learned so much. I’ve started to develop a sense of independence in the lab and a confidence in my new abilities. However, what strikes me as most interesting is how I feel looking back on the process of finding a lab position. Back when I was actually in the process, I was stressed and worried no PI would accept me, a freshman with no knowledge of common lab techniques. I truly believe my luck in gaining o position in the Godbout Lab came from that email I wrote. PIs get hundreds of emails from students every year and they don’t accept everyone. I might have originally thought of my email as a tad overdone, too wordy, a little too enthusiastic, but maybe that’s what set me apart. I had taken the time to read up on the research and the science behind it, and my excitement about the topic was genuine. So a year later, when I get questions from freshmen about how I got involved in research, I tell them, “Be honest and interested, and you’ll find a place.”

I think it’s easy to get wrapped up in the competition of being pre-med. Sometimes, it’s nice to remember that an impressive resume isn’t the only thing that can open doors for you. Sometimes, a little passion can go a long way.

2017 Fall Undergraduate Research Forum – My Experience

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I was lucky to be able to present a poster outlining one of our current projects at the 2017 Fall Undergraduate Research Forum. As a sophomore, it is rare to already be involved in a lab to the point that the PI will entrust you to present a poster. Therefore, I already felt so grateful to have the opportunity.

Still, though the session lasted for a mere hour and 15 minutes, I feel as though I gained so much from the entire process (which really lasted over a month). In order to describe your research to someone else, you have to understand it well yourself. Thus, by writing the abstract I submitted in application to the forum, designing the poster, and then presenting the finished product, I gained a more comprehensive understanding of not only the smaller pieces that make up the research we’re conducting, but also of how those pieces fit together looking forward. I feel closer, in a way, to the research than I did before, and it has motivated me to continue to pursue my interest in the academic side of neuroscience.

That is not to say the process was easy or just a positive experience. It was stressful and nerve-racking at times. I had about a month between the abstract deadline and the day of the presentation to create my poster. In reality, however, I made the poster over the course of about a week (on top of my classes and work). Going into this, I had no idea how tedious the poster-making process is. First, you have to decide what data you want to present, in what order, and using what sorts of graphics. The hardest part comes next and that is arranging everything on the poster template. But after all the small edits and shifting around of graphics, you’re left with a beautifully laid out research poster. And, for me, being able to stand in front of it and share my enthusiasm for the scientific process with other students, made all the stress worthwhile. Moving forward, I hope to have more opportunities to present the research I’m lucky to be a part of.

Year in Review

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[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

G.O.A.L.S.

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[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.

Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc .
Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]

Career

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[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career.  Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated.   For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

Artifacts

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[Artifacts are the items you consider to be representative of your academic interests and achievements. For each entry, include both an artifact and a detailed annotation.  An annotation is a reflective description of the artifact that attempts to communicate its significance.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

About Julia

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Julia Kumar is currently a second year Honors undergraduate student at OSU studying Neuroscience. Her ultimate goal is to attend medical school after graduation. She works as a Perioperative Technician in the Ross Heart Hospital, where she is gaining clinical experience interacting with patients and assisting in preparing operating rooms for surgical procedures. She is also an assistant in the Godbout Laboratory, working on projects analyzing the neuropathological effects of sleep disruption following traumatic brain injury. She hopes to gain additional experiences that will continue to strengthen her passion for pursuing a career in medicine.