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First Semester Update

I survived my first semester of Graduate School!


And what a semester it was! I have lots of things to tell you all about, and lots of updates on my life. But first, I want to apologize for being gone for so long! This first semester of school was DEFINITELY an adjustment and a true test of my time management skills. To see all the new things happening in my life, continue reading :) 

School

This past semester, I took two classes: Biochemistry and Mechanisms of Organic Chemistry. Both of these courses were very different. My biochemistry class was very writing intensive and required a lot of research skills. I had to write 6 papers, take one test and 1 quiz. That doesn't sound too bad right? Well, each paper was at least 5 pages, single spaced, with justified margins! It was a lot of work. My organic chemistry class was an entirely different story. This class only 3 grades: 2 tests and the final. Being as though my background is in biochemistry, this class was a lot harder for me than some of the other students. I realized pretty early on that my organic chemistry skills were not as high as they needed to be in order to be successful in this class. So I studied nonstop, began attending the sophomore organic chemistry lectures, and even taking those exams. I went to the tutoring center and just focused all of my energy on organic chemistry. 

Of course, I had a few breakdowns before I came to the reality of my situation (The whole, I need to re-evaluate my life and study habits thing). But once I was completely honest with myself, I noticed such a change in myself and my routines, and study habits. 

All of this is to say that I managed to finish the semester off with a good GPA for my first semester.


Teaching

I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed being a Teaching Assistant this semester. There were a few hiccups, as I'm sure there always is....but it was such a learning experience. I had to make sure that I was prepared to give the lesson and fully understood the material each day before I went in. And I had sooooo much fun with each student that came into my room! 

Something that I learned from being a TA is how to grade really quickly. I learned how to say no...and mean it. Which is no easy feat when everyone wants you to curve their grades, but you already dropped their lowest grade. And I learned how to manage my time very well!!

Research

Because this is what graduate school is all about right? Well, research is going. I have one big surprise in this department that I can't wait to share! And honestly, Instagram will probably hear about it first. So make sure you're following me over there (My handle is: @12bre45). I have been thinking more about my ultimate career goals. And I do believe that I want to go into Cosmetic Chemistry. I can expound on that in another post (in fact I plan to). But I really look forward to conducting more research and seeing where my work takes me.

Personal Life

This past semester, I have learned a lot about myself. That is the simplest thing I can say. I have been working on finding myself and understanding who I am as a person. Moving to Oxford, Mississippi by myself has been one of the biggest challenges for me this year. I took a risk by dropping everything I had in New Orleans and taking a chance here at Ole Miss in this program. After many sleepless nights, losing and regaining touch with friends, and many other issues, I can honestly say that I made the right decision. 

Although I still don't see my family as often as I would like, I feel a lot closer to them. I'm also a lot closer to my amazing boyfriend. And I don't mean this in reference to my physical location (although that is true), but I mean that emotionally and mentally, I am closer to them. And that is something I am truly thankful for. 

To-TEA-ly Bri

Unfortunately, this blog has sort of fallen by the wayside as I've begun to embark on my graduate school journey. As cliche as it sounds, one of my New Year's Resolutions is to change that. I hope to put out more content, way more consistantly. I have some awesome posts planned for you guys and I am going to start working them into my weekly schedule. Set up deadlines for my blog like I do with all of my other tasks.


How did your Fall Semester go? Did you face any obstacles this semester?

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