Gel Electrophoresis. DNA Litigations. Lifelong friends. Some of the most intelligent scientists I will ever meet. And I can't believe all this happened in just four weeks of my 2009 summer at the University of Chicago.
I vaguely remember the first day -- shy, awkward, and deathly afraid of making mistakes. We all sat on the edge of our seats that humid Monday, gathered like college students in a lecture hall as we hung on every word of Professor Schonbaum's. With a friendly, warm smile, he reminded us that RIBS (Research in Biomedical Sciences) was a strenuous course, dedicated to our acquiring of lab skills and biomedical knowledge, something that all of us timid teens shared in our common goals. Julie, Emily, Taylor, and Brent, our TAs, seemed just as nervous as we were, reflecting our very emotions on their complexions. Little did we know that in just a few weeks, we would all grow to adore them.
The first and second week whirled by in a flurry of lab notebook entries (a plethora I guarantee), intriguing experiments, and numerous lectures. Buffer after buffer, centrifuge after centrifuge, the 9-6 lab hours passed quickly, almost too quickly. I fell in love with gel electrophoresis at first sight, seeing my DNA ladder successfully travel across to display an array of colors made all the hard work worth it. After just a few days, I quickly learned that perseverance was the true gift of a researcher. Believe me, I had my share of mistakes and imperfection, but in the end, time, teamwork, and practice led to the ultimate success of reaching a conclusion whether it be a perfect DNA sequence for the PTC receptor or mourning over a failed attempt at creating a roller gpdh: GFP hemaphrodite.
The last 2 weeks dwindled down to long hours of peering down an ebullient microscope in a shaded lab room. Oftentimes, I looked forward to that hour long lunch break during which my sore hand could rest from the tedium of worm-picking. But, with the love, companionship, and mirth of my fellow group members (Emily, Ford, and Vikram), the once-intimidating prospect of the "FINAL PROJECT" soon wore off. After settling down and finding ourselves working around the clock, crossing hemaphrodites and males, knocking down all kinds of genes in the protein pathway like dumpy-10 and unc-43, humming Lady Gaga as we plated a variety of nematode strains, I blinked just once, and we'd already arrived at the last day. Consumed by printing out all our research findings, pictures of pooting (our new scientific term) as well as our successful crosses, and slathering our fingers with glue in a frenzy of putting together our poster minutes before presentation, farewells had barely brushed our minds.
The next hour, we presented our findings to the very TAs who had helped us along in every little step for the last 4 weeks, to Professor Schonbaum and Professor Zaragoza who taught us everything from pipette tutorials to lab technique, and lastly, crowds of numerous parents visibly impressed by just how much we'd learned in a month. After the hour-long exhibition, I collapsed against the whitewashed walls in pure exhaustion before looking over at the equally-tired countenances of my fellow researchers and realizing that I'd never see their faces again.
For the next 15 minutes, we savored our last hugs, tearful goodbyes, and dear promises to always keep in touch no matter what. As I embraced my professors and TAs, I recalled Professor Schonbaum's first few words of how we'd all learn so much in his class, and I finally understood what he meant.
RIBS wasn't a class just to experience the life of a college student and researcher, but also to learn what it takes to succeed in life. I got my first taste of independence, my first taste of self-motivation, my first taste of making something of myself. Not only did I affirm that research was what I'd love to do in college and in the future, but also, I made lifelong friends and mentors who'd be with me every step of the way.
In 60 years from now, when I flip back and reread my younger days in transient reflection, I know I will love every minute of my chapter at UChicago.
