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March 19, 2008
It's a beautiful day
Today was such a lovely day, and an unproductive one at the same time. The weather was beautiful, nice and balmy with lovely sunshine. Stuffed my face with onigiri (x2), miso soup, tekka maki, and tempura eel maki, before trundling back home for a sleep. A friend handed in his dissertation today, so to mourn the loss of his 10,000 word baby, we drowned our sorrows in Bonsai goodness. If that place ever closes down, I will die a slow and painful death inside.
Got 92% for my in course problem (the "ass" problem, as Ula and I dubbed it, as historically they have name assessed problems). Well chuffed, as I worked hard on it, so it's good to reap the rewards. I had a nice chat with a tutor today, who is a researcher for some genetics project, and she was chatting to me about future courses for third and fourth year. The conversation went along the lines of:
Tutor: Have you decided your courses choices?
Me: I knew before I enrolled here (lols)
Tutor: That's good, what honours are you aiming for?
Me: Biochem of Molecular Bio
T: Aah, my husband is a biochemist
Me: *thinks to self...what...there are people out there that do biochem and not genetics!*
T: It's a different way of thinking. The analytical side etc...
Me: I know, that's why I like it. I mean I like genetics (I was in the genetics tutorial), but it's....
T: Just not you? I understand, my husband cannot accept an explanation that this happens because of that, he needs to know the interactions at a molecular and atomic level. Just that a protein binds, doesn't explain anything, he wants to know the interactions.
Me: Exactly! *glees to self as a geneticist, of all people, actually understands me*
So, feeling a bit more focussed and happy with myself at the moment school wise. Did bugger all today study wise though =( I managed a page and a half out of four. Maybe I'll trundle along with it, and finish it tomorrow night when I arrive island side.
More positivity ("What!?" I hear you exclaim "Has she had too much sugar again, been hitting the bubbly goodness of cola, did she get hit on the head!?" - Nay, I say, I just get happy when things go well for me in the science world) - I was looking up careers, partly for Kyle, and stumbled upon a very interesting career prospect. A few months ago I was reading up on Clinical scientists, and it seemed you had to do a specific degree, pretty much not what I was doing. This left me somewhat disappointed, as the job profile really sounds like exactly what I want to do on a day to day basis. No research involved (thank the Lord Almighty), and completely analytical. I heart analysing. Anyway, I read up on it, and it looks like they have a trainee scheme. So, with this is mind, my future looks as follows:
2008 - Second/Third year
2009 - Third/Fourth year
2010 - Fourth year, Sept - begin MSc in Drug Discovery (I need something to keep me occupied, lol) Nov - apply for trainee position
2011 - If accepted, study and work as Trainee Clinical Scientist, and get second MSc
If I don't get accepted, I alway have drug discovery to fall back on. Isn't life just dandy =D Those who know me well enough, know that I like to plan things. It makes me feel complete, and like there is no uncertainty. I do acknowledge that things don't always go as planned, but it does give me that little glimmer of hope to hold on to.
I had a discussion with someone (and this just proves my craziness), how I would do a PhD for fun. I enjoy studying, I love learning. It is my passion, and if I had all the money in the world, I would study forever. I don't want to go into research, so the only motive to do a PhD is for fun. An MSc makes sense, it gives me experience, gives me a 1-up (I know it isn't like that, but I though I'd bring in some geekness) on the other graduates, and if I'm not going into research, it doesn't really matter. I've been looking at a few companies, looking at the graduate schemes, seeing what I need to do now to get the upperhand.
Anyway, one Kyle has arrived back home, and that is my cue to get off the internets!
Posted by kat at March 19, 2008 11:30 AM
