The Silence Between: Part 1

I admit it, I'm guilty. I have broken the cardinal rule of the blog--no posts in over a month. May the fates be kind to me.

So, what could make someone suspend their writing for so long? Why do so many blogs pop up with a few closely spaced entries and then fizzle out? The answer of course is simple: Life is hectic. I would like to share with you what goes on in the silence between my posts; it may give you an idea of what life is like as a working college student. Since there is so much to cover, this post will be made in two parts.

Part 1: School

I am an Environmental Science major with a strong leaning towards early education and conservation (environmental science is a broad term that encompasses a variety of fields; to learn more check out Wikipedia and the related links). I am a non-traditional student; I've returned to school after a hiatus, and it has given me a different perspective than my younger classmates. It also means that I face different challenges than they do, not the least of which is working full-time on top of the demands of my studies. I'm frequently confused and sometimes a bit cranky from the lack of sleep, but I am determined and have a strong drive to succeed. It was the strong desire to see this through that led me to work an overnight shift (science majors everywhere can attest to the fact that they don't teach certain courses in night school), but work is a subject for another post.

The courses I am taking this semester each have their own set of demands, making free time a precious commodity. Generally speaking, when I'm not inundated with schoolwork, I try to spend time outside. I could carry my laptop along and write drafts to upload later, but that would defeat the purpose of communing with nature (if you've read some of my earlier posts, you understand just how vital that connection is for me). I see the computer as a tool first and as a distraction second. To put it simply, I spend so much time writing papers, reviews, and laboratory reports that I often grow a bit frustrated in front of a monitor.

The bulk of my study time is devoted to one course: Cellular biochemistry. The material is very difficult, but I have moments where there are flashes of intuition and the information just clicks. Those moments come at a heavy price; I have piles of flash cards with definitions for terms like “allosteric interaction” and “eicosanoid.” I have fallen asleep reading about protein folding and enzyme interactions (it’s not exactly best-seller material, after all). Beyond the difficulty this course presents, it has genuinely deepened my respect for doctors and pharmacists. Life at the molecular level is far more complex than we tend to consider it, and new studies continue to reveal intricate detail in the everyday cellular processes we take for granted.

Cellular biochemistry provides a solid platform for the understanding of the effects that environmental contaminants have on the body, which brings us to Environmental Analytical Chemistry. I love this class; I had completely forgotten how much I enjoy laboratory work. Standing in front of an analytical machine and watching the readout is not everyone’s idea of fun, but it can be a rewarding experience. We have used a variety of techniques including ICP and AA. Analytical chemistry is vital in detecting and quantifying contaminants in air, soil, and water.

Ah water, the elixir of life… and the source of previously unknown levels of frustration. Along with Cellular Biochemistry and Environmental Analytical Chemistry, I am enrolled in Hydrogeology. I am learning about the characteristics of groundwater movement. The material may be about water, but it is very dry (sorry, I couldn’t help myself). Much of it is theory and modeling, and the labs are not labs in the traditional sense, but hours of drawing flownets and churning through mathematical equations. The material has really only just begun to interest me because we are finally discussing contamination in groundwater systems. I know that an understanding of the earlier material laid the foundation for this, but I find the workload for this course to be unreasonable. I like the instructor; I just don’t like having to write formal lab reports on what amounts to a worksheet.

The last course I am taking this semester may seem a little outré, but it fits in the grand scheme of things. African Tribal Religions is an enjoyable break from the sciences. I attend a Jesuit college, so religious studies are among the core requirements. A lot of students complain about this, but I feel that it helps balance our perspective when we look at another religion or take a new look at our own. I chose this particular course because my “knowledge” of African religious systems was limited to the stereotypical images of the noble savage or the barbarian. I knew these ideas were wrong, and now I am learning in the classroom instead of through the glimpses offered by documentaries. Don’t get me wrong, there are a number of documentaries that do a great justice to these religions; it’s my own personal preference to learn in a setting where I can open up a discussion on the material.

All of this is roughly half of what goes on in the time between my posts (my resposibilities at work and at home will be discussed in a later post). If there is a message that I want the reader to take away from today's post it is this: It is not impossible to succeed, but the most rewarding achievements are those that we must work for. I'd like to think that I can inspire others to strive to be their best.

--Gaia_song