The brain, the brain, the center of the chain….

So, today my mind was blown! So, I am going to talk about “mind goals.”

I am all about the journey so I figure I’ll take a minute to explain how I got to be here in this moment.

Let’s start last Christmas break. I had decided this would be a good time to do all of the application essays and decide which summer research programs I would apply for. I was 100% correct! This would be the perfect time to do it…no classes, no test. Perfect! To give myself some credit, I did finish one application and make a list of places to apply, but as you could probably guess there were plenty of better things to do than try to explain to someone why I deserve to be accepted into this program. Back to that one application. As I was browsing through the list of programs, I came across the national nanotechnology infrastructure network’s program (NNIN…yikes, I know). What did I know about nanotechnology? Next to nothing. What did I know about the program? That they sent your application to 5 schools. I might not be a nanotechnologist, but I like those odds. So, as I sat with Katie watching every episode of season 1 true blood, I wrote the cheesiest essay of my life!!! It’s actually embarrassing. The application asked to rank your top 5 locations out of 14. There were the top 10 schools, the UT-Austin’s, the University of Minnesota’s, Colorado’s. There were the impressive names Harvard, Cornell (ever heard of it???), and Georgia Tech. So, I figured I would have a better chance if I picked from the other schools. California for the summer? Sound perfect! Arizona? Katie would visit! Seattle???

Seattle. Birthplace of grunge( and lots of better music), a place where you could be sleepless and very well caffeinated (Thanks starbucks). A place where you give hearts and get pens (yes that is a Say Anything reference). And as any Twilight fan could tell you, home to an army of newborn vampires. So, there was born my number one choice University of Washington, Seattle.

Fast forward a few months. I was on my way home from an AiChe fieldtrip. I compulsively check my email (remember technologically dependent), so I was quick to read an email about the NNIN REU program. This email explained how they had 750 applicants and 75 spots, so don’t feel bad if you don’t get in, let you know next week. Yikes. Within the hour Mandy got a call from TC basically telling her that we both got accepted into the LSU summer program. Awesome! Any disappointment I had about NNIN was more than overshadowed by spending time in the bayou with the rooms/best friend. So, I was officially excited. I planned my whole summer around this program. Then, a week later as I was checking my email (still in bed, yes I am ridiculous) I got the email extending the offer to be a NNIN intern in Seattle. Yikes! Excitement! Then, Mandy walks in the room, and then guilt, lots of it. I knew I had to go. I also knew this made me a terrible best friend. That is more than a bit dramatic. Everything happens for a reason, and this was no exception. I truly believe we both have become more of ourselves through this summer.

So, there it was settled, and here I am. This summer has offered me a different perspective. I think to that quote on one of the walls in the fitness room at the hper that says something about knowing what you don’t want is just as important as knowing what you want. I have observed and interacted with a lot of people, enough to realize what kind of person I want to be. If this is the only thing I learn here, it will be well worth spending 10 weeks away from everyone I love.

So, I said something about my mind being blown. This came in the most unlikely of forms, an ethics discussion. Gross. My friend Roger had mentioned something about how he didn’t see any negatives to what he was doing in disease diagnostics. I totally agreed with him. Then, it was brought to my attention the risks we take every day as far as dangerous chemicals and safety procedures and nonsense. I obviously knew this, but had never thought about it in that perspective before. So, ok that’s a potential negative. Then, some debby downer said something about what if this disease diagnostics tool doesn’t work right and someone gets misdiagnosed and they die. Double Yikes! That is for sure a negative. Through the negatives being brought to my attention, I began to realize the benefits were worth the risk. The juice is worth the squeeze. I got excited about research!

Mind Goal Number 1: Be more positive about lab
I have been working in a lab back home for about 18 months now. Most of the time, I think of it as somewhat of a hassle. I HAVE to run a gel tomorrow. I HAVE to go check on my samples. This is ridiculous! I like what I do, and I for sure see the potential of it. So, I want to stop taking this opportunity for granted, and really immerse myself into my project.

Mind Goal Number 2: Keep a better lab notebook
IMPORTANT! Just do it.

Mind Goal 3: Work more efficiently
Not only in lab, but with homework as well. Work smarter, not harder type thing.

Mind Goal 4: 4.00, No exceptions
Pretty self-explanatory, bring it on Dr. Jong. (By bring it on, I mean, go easy on us) Food Chem and H.BioChem I, I am ready!!!

Mind Goal 5: Learn for Knowledge!!!!
This could be the most important. Learning for a class is good that’s for sure, but if I was learning for the sake of learning it would be better.