Perseverance
Summer
Life got really hard after sophomore year...
My junior year proved to be challenging in many ways. My grandfather passed away at the end of the month of September, I turned 21 (I feel so old!), my first dog Kisses passed away in June, we got a new puppy named Truman (pictured above), and my studies are proving to be increasing in demand and intensity.
I spent the summer before my junior year working at a science camp that proved to be an educational yet extremely emotionally and physically demanding job. I lived at the camp for eight weeks, teaching campers from all of the United States about science. I taught Pond Study, Frog Catching, Chemistry, and Physics courses. I learned a lot and gained great experience and hours for my Biology Senior Seminar. For my senior seminar, I will be doing research on limb malformations in amphibians.
My junior year proved to be challenging in many ways. My grandfather passed away at the end of the month of September, I turned 21 (I feel so old!), my first dog Kisses passed away in June, we got a new puppy named Truman (pictured above), and my studies are proving to be increasing in demand and intensity.
I spent the summer before my junior year working at a science camp that proved to be an educational yet extremely emotionally and physically demanding job. I lived at the camp for eight weeks, teaching campers from all of the United States about science. I taught Pond Study, Frog Catching, Chemistry, and Physics courses. I learned a lot and gained great experience and hours for my Biology Senior Seminar. For my senior seminar, I will be doing research on limb malformations in amphibians.
Academics and the Fall Semester
The theme for my junior year was perseverance.
Halfway through my junior year, I decided to change my major again. However, this time I am 99% sure it will stick through undergrad graduation! I decided to drop my Communication minor and switch from a Biology Bachelor of Arts major to a Bachelor of Science. The BS route is better for people going into the medical field, veterinary field, or graduate school. I decided that graduate school is probably the best path for me to take.
This marks the 5th time in my college career that I have changed my major:
1: Undecided to Elementary Education
2. Elementary Education to Biology BA and Communication and Theatre double minor
3. Switch Comm minor to a double Comm and Biology BA majors
4. Switch Comm major back to a minor
5. Drop Comm altogether and switch from Biology BA to BS
While it all sounds pretty crazy when I lay it out, I fell very confident about this.
Halfway through my junior year, I decided to change my major again. However, this time I am 99% sure it will stick through undergrad graduation! I decided to drop my Communication minor and switch from a Biology Bachelor of Arts major to a Bachelor of Science. The BS route is better for people going into the medical field, veterinary field, or graduate school. I decided that graduate school is probably the best path for me to take.
This marks the 5th time in my college career that I have changed my major:
1: Undecided to Elementary Education
2. Elementary Education to Biology BA and Communication and Theatre double minor
3. Switch Comm minor to a double Comm and Biology BA majors
4. Switch Comm major back to a minor
5. Drop Comm altogether and switch from Biology BA to BS
While it all sounds pretty crazy when I lay it out, I fell very confident about this.
The primary reason why I decided to switch up my majors/minors once more is because of my Advanced Microbiology course that I took this fall.
It is the first clinical, upper-level biology course I have taken that really struck a chord with me. I struggled quite a bit at the beginning of the semester, but I really appreciated the challenge that the class presented to me. I studied very hard and have thrived in the lecture and the lab! To the right is a photo (through a microscope at 100x magnification, sorry about the quality!) of a bacterial Gram stain that I did. The skills I learned in that class peaked my interest in biology-related lab work and research. To further enhance my interest in biology-related lab work and research, I completed a research paper about the 6-legged frogs (pictured above) for my Senior Sem 1 class (which I talk about on the Honors Courses page) Additionally, I was very fortunate this semester to play the role of Little Sally in the Drury Theatre's production of Urinetown. It was a wonderful experience to share with my 24 other cast members! We had 5 shows during mid November. Throughout the rehearsal process, my love of theatre was rejuvenated with the help of my fellow cast members, and I will never forget the "teachings" of the philosopher Malthus that I learned in the play. Many people were surprised that we did Urinetown what with the current political climate in America, but I don't think we could have done a better show! |
Spring (What Could Have Been)
Well... so we all know COVID happened in the spring of 2020.
The semester started out pretty great sans the inevitable global pandemic. I was taking great classes and the Theatre Department had an incredible schedule planned between 7 main-stage shows and several senior seminars. I was so incredibly privileged enough to play the role of Deb in a student-lead production of the musical Ordinary Days in March before Drury went online for the second half of the semester. I was also the property master for a one-act play called 2917. Unfortunately, I spent quite a bit of the spring semester in casts and braces because I bruised the bones in my foot while dancing in Peter and the Wolf and discovered that the source of my wrist pain was damaged ligaments which I needed a brace for as well. I also spent an uncomfortable amount of time at home on my porch doing homework for several hours a day until the semester ended. We were unable to finish the theatre season and the academic year on campus because Drury shut down its campus after spring break due to COVID, which was scary and disappointing. Life was so uncertain for song long. However, during our end-of-the-year celebration, I received a Technical Award, an award for Best Actress, and I was hired by the Drury University Theatre Department as a shop supervisor for the next school year, I am so thankful and I can't wait!!!
Despite the scariness and uncertainty, I had the extreme fortune of seeing my baby sister GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL Summa Cum Laude and I couldn't be more proud <3 (peep the show photos, boot photos, grad photo, and photo of Truman just because below)
The semester started out pretty great sans the inevitable global pandemic. I was taking great classes and the Theatre Department had an incredible schedule planned between 7 main-stage shows and several senior seminars. I was so incredibly privileged enough to play the role of Deb in a student-lead production of the musical Ordinary Days in March before Drury went online for the second half of the semester. I was also the property master for a one-act play called 2917. Unfortunately, I spent quite a bit of the spring semester in casts and braces because I bruised the bones in my foot while dancing in Peter and the Wolf and discovered that the source of my wrist pain was damaged ligaments which I needed a brace for as well. I also spent an uncomfortable amount of time at home on my porch doing homework for several hours a day until the semester ended. We were unable to finish the theatre season and the academic year on campus because Drury shut down its campus after spring break due to COVID, which was scary and disappointing. Life was so uncertain for song long. However, during our end-of-the-year celebration, I received a Technical Award, an award for Best Actress, and I was hired by the Drury University Theatre Department as a shop supervisor for the next school year, I am so thankful and I can't wait!!!
Despite the scariness and uncertainty, I had the extreme fortune of seeing my baby sister GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL Summa Cum Laude and I couldn't be more proud <3 (peep the show photos, boot photos, grad photo, and photo of Truman just because below)