.HEIC)
The last two weeks of HYRS truly arrived way faster than I could
have imagined. There’s a lot to cover, so I’ll cut this introduction short.
The PD session on August 1st was
remarkable. Dr. Hemmelgarn was so accomplished, and her story so engaging. The
lab that followed was, well, both intriguing and horrifying. Doing
microbiology-related activities, such as restriction enzyme calculations and gel
electrophoresis, made me feel extremely smart (in all seriousness, I do find
this subject fairly interesting). However, we also had the opportunity to look
at a plethora of parasites, including tapeworms, fleas, bedbugs, and more of
that good stuff. I still get chills thinking about them… imagine those things
living inside your sheets!
The next week (of August 4th) was spent
frantically finishing my project and poster. On Wednesday, we had a poster peer
review session, and let me tell you, I felt behind. Everyone else was already
focusing on how to best design and put their findings on the poster. I was
still figuring out my methods and getting accurate results; I don’t think
choosing a #BetterPoster helped my case, either. It was half empty space. Still,
with a 7-hour workday, I reminded myself that I had time. The week flew, and my
Starbucks streak grew. It was Friday. The PD session involved an admissions
presentation, a HYRS alumni panel, and a tour of the university’s AceLab.
Soon, it was officially the last week of
HYRS. The Celebration of Research was coming faster than ever on Thursday,
where I would be presenting. To my surprise, my poster and project were
essentially done; I felt like I had nothing to do on Monday. All that work on
the weekend was for nothing… but work is still work. So, on Monday morning, I
undertook the gruelling task of double-checking my poster at least ten times.
(At that point, I guess you could say it no longer counts as
“double-checking.”) So that was it, right? Not exactly. I spent Tuesday writing
up a research report with all my findings (just in case an attendee at the
Celebration of Research thought my #BetterPoster was somewhat lacking). Did I
have to do this? No. Did I want to do this? Also no. But with how smart this
could make me look, I went for it anyway. All 15 pages, in 12-point Times New
Roman, double-spaced, in American Medical Association format. Delusion is truly
the solution. Wednesday was a poster presentation practice day. I thought of a
quick framework for what I was going to say and how I was going to tell my
story. It reminded me of how much I hate memorizing things. Did I mention that
we also had an ice cream party that day?
The big day arrived. Our events started at
9 AM, so I got an extra hour of sleep (a true blessing). I might’ve banged my
shin on the bus ride there (which might’ve hindered my ability to stand during
the day), but that’s a trivial detail no one really cares about. The morning
had quite a few wrap-up activities, including a real-life version of Gartic
Phone. We got our HYRS certificates, drew a bit for memories, and listened to
closing remarks. Truthfully, half of us were preoccupied with the presentations
looming later that day. Lunch arrived; I ate while practicing (I was also still
sleep-deprived). The food was outstanding, thankfully. Then, the attendees
began filing in.
To be honest, I thought I practiced well,
but I didn’t realize how fluent you have to be when presenting. The fact that
my biology teacher was one of my first guests didn’t help. I fumbled a bit; the
Notes app on my phone didn’t help either, especially since I forgot I set my
Auto-Lock to only one minute. However, it eventually got better. My poster was
buried in the middle, so I didn’t have many listeners at first, but with more
practice, each new person became easier and easier to explain my research to.
As 3 PM arrived, marking the end of the
HYRS program, my voice was drained, my legs hurt, and my eyes were heavy. But I
made it. I spent six weeks becoming an expert (well, maybe that’s an
exaggeration) in a topic that maybe only a few people worldwide know about. It
felt surreal. If this experience has taught me anything, it’s that I now
empathize with all the graduate students out there. Research is by no means easy.
Even if it feels like a tedious and slow process at first (and trust me, it
is), focus on things one step at a time. After all, that’s what I’ve heard over
and over again in everything I’ve done, from chemistry to badminton. Now, I can
assure you that this saying is 100% true. The goal isn’t to get it done as fast
as possible. It’s an iterative learning process. Deadlines are often flexible.
Getting it right from the start, on the other hand, isn’t.
Alexander (Alex) D., a student from Sherwood Park, is an avid sports fan and competitive badminton player—which takes up most of his time. He also enjoys playing piano and watching movies or TV, and channels his love for quantitative subjects, like math, into analyzing fantasy NBA leagues to win.