It's Over

Although this was one of the most challenging classes I’ve ever taken, I am sad that it’s over. It’s definitely a bittersweet moment now that I realize that all the modules are done. Now all that’s keeping me from finishing this class is this blog post. As I look back to where this started, I realize how much I grew especially in the lab and in writing and presentation. This class allowed me to practice my pipetting skills. It taught me how much effort goes into a science paper and how to properly write one. It even helped me get over my fear of public speaking.

When I first came into 20.109, I was unsure what to expect. It was my first time taking a class without anyone I knew pretty well. None of my course 20 friends were taking 20.109 this semester. Entering this class alone was a scary moment. It was like moving to a new school all over again. However over the course of this semester, I was able to meet new people and make new friends, especially my teammates as they were the only ones that understood the true importance of seating assignments. We were in the back corner of our lab and seemed to be missing lab equipment on a daily basis. But, we never felt forgotten. I feel extremely lucky to be part of the only three person team this semester. The other students of this class were also the only ones that understood the pain of taking this lab class along with everything else. We trudged through the seemingly unrelentless homework assignments; we pulled all-nighters alongside each other as we tried to perfect our writing assignments which we never seemed to start on time; and most importantly, we improved our lab and writing skills together.

What I’m most appreciative of from this class is not what I was able to gain out of it, but the instructors, professors, and TAs. The amount of effort it seems us students put into the class never seemed to equal the amount of time the instructors, professors, and TAs put into it. I always received extremely helpful and thought out comments on everything I turned in, and was always amazed at the dedication they put into this class. They were willing to stay countless hours after lab ended to finish whatever we couldn’t. They were willing to sacrifice their own time on weekends to offer office hours for the big assignments or spend it trying to fix whatever happened to our data from Module 1. And even more, after it was done, they wanted to know what they could do better for the next set of students. I don’t think I will ever be able to thank them enough.

The fact that this class is coming to an end is dawning on me now as I am about to submit this final blog post. I will truly, truly miss this class now that it’s over.