A component of every science course is the lab. Given my poor performance on Friday's exam, I was more than a little worried about overall grade (that's the panic attack in me). When I finally calmed down inside enough, to focus on the overall picture: I'm going to be fine.
According to my lab instructor (not some ... unmentionable TA), I'm doing exceedingly well. I credit part of that to my lab partner who is likewise, picky about data, specific about equations, and a great student. My lab grade is equal to one test score.
That made me smile!
Okay. Off to start problem 1 of the first 147 at the end of the chapter.
Advice given and taken.
Make it a great day!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Recovering From Bad Tests
Anyone on this path, or any other, has tasted that sickening feeling when a test does not go as hoped, expected, and surely, not as wanted.
That was mine today.
You might recall, if you've been lingering around for awhile, I have bad test anxiety to the point where I have a pretty letter giving me extra time and a private room in which to take it, along with medication (propranolol). Didn't matter today.
Today, I was really ill prepared, tired, and overly anxious. My test result will more than likely show that. My concentration got broken on way into exam (Concerta helps greatly with concentration but when the focus is broken, it is hard, if not impossible, to get back on track mentally).
I felt like crap after... especially, when I got to the end of the exam and realized there was a blank sheet with a 20 pt question on it, that I had about 5 mins to answer. I knew how to do it and got to the point where the proctor came in and said I was done. Hopefully, I'll get a few points on that question.
I also checked to see the impact of this exam overall. There are many other ways to earn points in this class, so after panicking and stressing out, I realized, I just need to regroup, use this test as a benchmark, and improve.
The bigger question is how to improve.
First, I need to be better prepared. My son moving back home this past weekend notwithstanding, I needed to be better prepared, and only in review this past week, not scrambling to catch up, and get my crib sheet done.
So, next exam prep starts tomorrow. I will be on track, I will not fall behind.
Second, I need to work, rework, change up, and rework equations so that I truly understand no matter what variables are thrown my way. Today, there was the conversion from d=m/v to molality and molarity based upon a percentage of solid in solution. I can do that now, away from exam. However, I need to be able to do that in the testing environment and the only way I'm going to get to that point, is practicing moving variables around and seeing if I get same answers.
Third, I need to be rested. I've had about 2 hours of sleep a night since last weekend and I'm completely drained.
Fourth, now that I've found a quiet place to study on campus, I need to use it daily. Home is not quiet and it is home where the dogs are, where the food is, where my bed is, where my son resides and asks me to play video games with him.
I think I'll be okay overall. I'm very unhappy with results of this test but I will not drop the class and honestly, I will be okay.
That was mine today.
You might recall, if you've been lingering around for awhile, I have bad test anxiety to the point where I have a pretty letter giving me extra time and a private room in which to take it, along with medication (propranolol). Didn't matter today.
Today, I was really ill prepared, tired, and overly anxious. My test result will more than likely show that. My concentration got broken on way into exam (Concerta helps greatly with concentration but when the focus is broken, it is hard, if not impossible, to get back on track mentally).
I felt like crap after... especially, when I got to the end of the exam and realized there was a blank sheet with a 20 pt question on it, that I had about 5 mins to answer. I knew how to do it and got to the point where the proctor came in and said I was done. Hopefully, I'll get a few points on that question.
I also checked to see the impact of this exam overall. There are many other ways to earn points in this class, so after panicking and stressing out, I realized, I just need to regroup, use this test as a benchmark, and improve.
The bigger question is how to improve.
First, I need to be better prepared. My son moving back home this past weekend notwithstanding, I needed to be better prepared, and only in review this past week, not scrambling to catch up, and get my crib sheet done.
So, next exam prep starts tomorrow. I will be on track, I will not fall behind.
Second, I need to work, rework, change up, and rework equations so that I truly understand no matter what variables are thrown my way. Today, there was the conversion from d=m/v to molality and molarity based upon a percentage of solid in solution. I can do that now, away from exam. However, I need to be able to do that in the testing environment and the only way I'm going to get to that point, is practicing moving variables around and seeing if I get same answers.
Third, I need to be rested. I've had about 2 hours of sleep a night since last weekend and I'm completely drained.
Fourth, now that I've found a quiet place to study on campus, I need to use it daily. Home is not quiet and it is home where the dogs are, where the food is, where my bed is, where my son resides and asks me to play video games with him.
I think I'll be okay overall. I'm very unhappy with results of this test but I will not drop the class and honestly, I will be okay.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Found Yet Another Reason
To like the new chemistry class; people MY age! Not that the youth are not fun, polite, considerate, and helpful but meeting people MY age going to class, obtaining further education is very, very helpful.
This woman turns out to be getting her master's in math (eeeeeee gad!) and is a former pilot for one of the world's largest airlines. She is wonderful even taking time to help me with my calculator problem (yes, I still am struggling NOT with the actual math but with the inputting of numbers into the tiny, hot pink calculator TI-85T my son gave me.)
So today, a bright, sunny Weds, I am thrilled yet again, to be in school, meeting new people, learning about new lives, and becoming engaged in conversations with other non-trads pursuing their own dreams.
Make it a great day!
This woman turns out to be getting her master's in math (eeeeeee gad!) and is a former pilot for one of the world's largest airlines. She is wonderful even taking time to help me with my calculator problem (yes, I still am struggling NOT with the actual math but with the inputting of numbers into the tiny, hot pink calculator TI-85T my son gave me.)
So today, a bright, sunny Weds, I am thrilled yet again, to be in school, meeting new people, learning about new lives, and becoming engaged in conversations with other non-trads pursuing their own dreams.
Make it a great day!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
And Then, The Doctor Called
Wrote me a little email actually: "Wanna come shadow?"
Three little words spoken by someone carrying two little initials at the end of his name.
Three little words and a smile crosses my face.
Three little words and I remember why the chemistry exam matters.
Three little words, two little initials.
I really am on this path, aren't I?!
My response was just a big grin with a thank you and "Of course!!" This doc is awesome. His patients love him, the city loves him, and I can only imagine how his wife and child feel. What a great man and with three little words:
he made my day! :D
Three little words spoken by someone carrying two little initials at the end of his name.
Three little words and a smile crosses my face.
Three little words and I remember why the chemistry exam matters.
Three little words, two little initials.
I really am on this path, aren't I?!
My response was just a big grin with a thank you and "Of course!!" This doc is awesome. His patients love him, the city loves him, and I can only imagine how his wife and child feel. What a great man and with three little words:
he made my day! :D
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Got Volunteerism?
A few weeks ago, a young student just having decided to try and apply to medical school asked the medical school symposium members when he should start volunteering.
I was slightly aghast.
Start volunteering?
To me, volunteering and/or giving back to the community is not something one does to fulfill a check mark on an application for med school, it is something one does because it is something one feels compelled to do. I think the med school adcoms probably see beyond the check mark mentality and I would hope, subsequently, give far less credit for it on an app than those who truly give of themselves.
My own volunteering started when I was about 9. My parents were heavily involved in our local church whose philosophy was give unto others as that group had so much to give.
It started out with used dresses to very sick girls in the terminal ward at the hospital. There were no hospice care facilities so these young daughters stayed in hospitals until their death. Any small token of happiness was greatly appreciated by them, and their parents. My parents made sure I was part of that.
From the young women getting dresses, my young life took me into being a vacation Bible school teacher for the church in the summer, and then into serving the poor as part of Job's Daughters operating mantra. By the age of 15, I had been well entrenched in giving back.
In high school there was not a lot available to help in rural North Dakota. So, I took care of others people's dogs while they were on vacation, mowed their lawns, and helped build a camp for recovering youth.
Later, in college, I joined the national service sorority Gamma Sigma Sigma which had the sole purpose of service to others and service to the community. My wild side in college was always prevalent but even then, I volunteered (hung over or not!!) to help the elderly, those with various health challenges, and sometimes, just those needing a good hug.
As I moved into my "real" adulthood, volunteering took many other forms: helping inner city kids forget their horrendous lives if only for a day, gathering up shoes for kids with cleft palates in foreign countries, training a therapy dog for cancer patients, and now, I'm applying to work in hospice care facility.
For those of you reading this as pre-meds, I am hoping what you gather is that the time to act and help is now. Don't wait until you are close to applying, help now and make it part of who you are.
Read that again:
make it a part of WHO you are, not something that you do
In tribute to one of the greatest celebs that I've had the pleasure to meet and become acquainted with, a man who you will NEVER hear how much he gives:
I was slightly aghast.
Start volunteering?
To me, volunteering and/or giving back to the community is not something one does to fulfill a check mark on an application for med school, it is something one does because it is something one feels compelled to do. I think the med school adcoms probably see beyond the check mark mentality and I would hope, subsequently, give far less credit for it on an app than those who truly give of themselves.
My own volunteering started when I was about 9. My parents were heavily involved in our local church whose philosophy was give unto others as that group had so much to give.
It started out with used dresses to very sick girls in the terminal ward at the hospital. There were no hospice care facilities so these young daughters stayed in hospitals until their death. Any small token of happiness was greatly appreciated by them, and their parents. My parents made sure I was part of that.
From the young women getting dresses, my young life took me into being a vacation Bible school teacher for the church in the summer, and then into serving the poor as part of Job's Daughters operating mantra. By the age of 15, I had been well entrenched in giving back.
In high school there was not a lot available to help in rural North Dakota. So, I took care of others people's dogs while they were on vacation, mowed their lawns, and helped build a camp for recovering youth.
Later, in college, I joined the national service sorority Gamma Sigma Sigma which had the sole purpose of service to others and service to the community. My wild side in college was always prevalent but even then, I volunteered (hung over or not!!) to help the elderly, those with various health challenges, and sometimes, just those needing a good hug.
As I moved into my "real" adulthood, volunteering took many other forms: helping inner city kids forget their horrendous lives if only for a day, gathering up shoes for kids with cleft palates in foreign countries, training a therapy dog for cancer patients, and now, I'm applying to work in hospice care facility.
For those of you reading this as pre-meds, I am hoping what you gather is that the time to act and help is now. Don't wait until you are close to applying, help now and make it part of who you are.
Read that again:
make it a part of WHO you are, not something that you do
In tribute to one of the greatest celebs that I've had the pleasure to meet and become acquainted with, a man who you will NEVER hear how much he gives:
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