New Terrain

I might have used this post title before, but it's Mew's "New Terrain," one of my favorite Mew songs ever. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GdxNxGOGx4

Okay, I should be working on my yeast paper, but that sucks the joy out of my day so I'll take a little break. Today's lab was actually fun. Is it crazy to say I love my group (to a certain extent) even though I obviously do more work than everyone else combined? I mean, we do have fun in lab, and I don't mind doing the work, so it's all good. So maybe I'm just crazy for enjoying the work.

I also love being a leader, not really the part where I boss people around (I actually hate that), but the part where I take responsibility and have that good influence on others.

So spring is here. It's wonderful. I can't help being nostalgic and reflective when a new season starts. I listen to playlists from the past and memories rush back to me all over again. No, not just memories, but all that I can't describe in words. College is almost HALF over, how weird is that? Most of what's been on my mind lately is just the whole "what's next?"

But that's been frustrating, so how about talking about the nearer future instead? Here are more plans:

Summer 2010:
1) Volunteer in a lab. I'm going to devote as many hours as I need to, to learn all I can about being part of a lab, whichever specific lab I end up in.
2) Stop being so lazy about tutoring. Mike said there are student-athletes taking summer classes, so I'll get back to tutoring if I can. Since I now have a better idea of what subjects I tutor (chemistry and physics, mostly), I'm going to make little guides on important skills, like unit conversions.
3) Work on Linear Algebra.
4) Learn everything I can about working in the prep room... because next year I'll have to know it all.
5) Read more philosophy. Read Darwin's Origin of Species

Summer 2011:
Hopefully get into a research program. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is one of my top choices because it seems like an amazing place, plus James D. Watson is there. Having written my term paper for philosophy of biological sciences on how the discovery of the double-helix transformed biology, I would be so honored if I get the opportunity to meet the co-discoverer of DNA. I think I would die.

If I can do all this, I'd be proud of myself. I'm afraid of underachieving, but it happens from time to time. I just want things to be right, according to my plans.