Cool Stuff!

Ever since that bio class back in high school about genetically modified mice that glow in the dark, I have been fascinated by the idea of bioengineering and biotechnology (plus at the time I had a particular obsession with glow-in-the-dark things). I even spent the last 3 years doing chemical/biological engineering. But the shitty degree offered at UQ (which they have recently improved for future students. Jealous!), my lack of time and money plus the fact that biotech although prominent within the academic circle is not really at the forefront of the general society means I've dropped the double major.

This morning as I was researching for my prac report, I came across an article titled "Biological removal of cationic fission products from nuclear wastewater". I thought this is such a brilliant idea. And it just makes me wish that UQ had a better degree when I started. Yes, I know I complained about working in a lab in the US but I was on exchange, who wants to work when you can play (well, that is my defence anyway). Though I must say that if I wasn't on exchange, and that I had better background knowledge in the stuff we did, I probably would have complained a lot less.

Oh well, maybe sometime in the future when I have more money I might actually do a PhD. Maybe. Otherwise it's part of my Plan B2 if my Plan A doesn't pan out.

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* NB. I have come to realise that cool concepts don't always work out as nicely in reality, at least not without many, many more years of research. And cool concepts always turn out to be super expensive which doesn't help. (Unless I'm doing my project completely wrong.)

Complex, Vast but Beautiful

I have a midterm in 1 day. I have procrastinated my entire 2 days away. As much as I try to focus on the imminent task, my heart and my mind is just not here. Firstly, it is incredibly frustrating that it's taking me so long to understand these concepts and all the equations I need. Secondly, I am so over studying these days. I am not interested in what we are learning, full stop. And right now it really is not a top priority of mine, as weird as that sounds.

I'm graduating at the end of this year. That means it's time to really contemplate what I should do once I graduate (provided I don't fail anything). I have given so much thought into this over the past year and even more so the last few months. There are just so many options out there: work, travel, volunteer, more study, start my own business? After rationally (fine, sometime irrationally) going through each option I have finally come to the conclusion that the only practical option I have at this point is to work. Which brings me back to my procrastination. Because I am always worrying about hearing back from companies, I am always thinking of back up plans in case I can't find a job. The problem is that I can't do anything about this anymore because I have finished sending in all my applications so now all I can do is worry. I know I really shouldn't let this get in my head but I really think the rest of my life depends on finding this first job. (Okay, a tad exaggeration but it feels like it does.)

But that is not what this post is supposed to be about. So during one of my (many) procrastination bouts, I decided to dust off the cobwebs on my blogging world. I caught up on some of the new posts that friends have posted during my absence. I have had a blog for many years now, I have always enjoyed writing blog posts. I have always loved reading other people's blog posts because I think it's such a great avenue to get to know that person on a different level. Some people express a sense of humour that they never show in person, others take the mickey out of everything, some contemplate life in a more serious way, and some use their blog as a way to raise awareness of issues they feel are important in the world. Whatever the purpose is, it is fascinating to see the thoughts that go on in each person's head. 

Today, reading all these blog posts, it made me realise (even though it's such an obvious thing) and appreciate just how different every person is, yet how we all have the same thoughts and go through the same emotions. I like that everyone has the same vulnerable thoughts about themselves, I like that we all appreciate the same small things in life and I like that we all have the same big (but different) futures we have painted for ourselves. I realised that we are all just trying to survive, trying to make our life that much better and that much more unique. It gives me life to see there is so much life out there. Nobody told us life was going to be cruisy, nobody said it will be sunshine everyday, and certainly nobody put in a definition of life that is has to predictable. So whatever you do (or don't do), just never forget to live.