Name: Ann
Year: Senior
High School: United South Central
Hometown: Kiester, MN/Scarville, IA
Major: Chemistry, Forensic Science Certificate
Hobbies: Reading, Knitting, Volleyball, Softball, The Beach, Shopping (when I have money ... rarely), People, Napping, Trickery, Student Activities.
January 22, 2007
Wow, I am not sure where this month has gone! J-term is definately my favorite time of year at Hamline. I have a lot more free time, the classes are more intense and I can focus solely on the topic, and of course J-term Bowling.
Some of you may not know a whole lot about J-term, but it is a condensed semester of course work in a one month term. The class is free and you get to dive very deeply into the subject matter. I have taken a class every J-term of my four years, and I would highly recommend anybody do the same. Hamline also has a great option of studying abroad for the month of January that many of my friends have taken advantage of. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to do so.
The class that I am taking this J-term is called "Contemporary African American Religious Thought" with Professor Deanna Thompson. This class has been simply AMAZING and I am sorry to say that the term is coming to a close. We have learned a lot about racism and thought about how we as a country should be working toward equality and how religion plays a part in how we procede. We also were given the opportunity to go to the Statewide Martin Luther King Junior Day Celebration and participate in the activist march. It was a life-changing experience for me, and I encourage all people to go at least once and experience it. My favorite part of the day was hearing Keith Ellison speak. He spoke with amazing passion and conviction that could not help but move a person.
J-term also brings about the intramural J-term Bowling. Students can comprise a team of 4-6 people who get to compete for the bowling championship. My team, not being professional bowlers, compete in the unofficial costume contest. This "contest" has really no prize, we just pick a theme and our team dresses up and struts our stuff. If you aren't going to win, you may as well have fun, right?
Also this J-term I have been laying the ground for my internship at the Tri-County Lab in Anoka, MN. I was supposed to get started this month, but time flew by and the lab is a bit behind, so I will get started on that in the spring along with my job at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and an Honors Project, I will be very busy. I have also started job searching and so far I am keeping my fingers crossed that my internship will cross over into a job; however, I have also applied for a criminalist position in California and submitted my resume to Monster.com.
Ann's Advice #I've Lost Track:
FILE YOUR FAFSA! Do this as soon as you get your W-2 forms from your employer. This will help you budget for next year and/or help decide where you can afford to go to college. (If you don't know what the heck I am talking about, call the Financial Aid Office, Like Yesterday.) :)
November 28, 2006
So, since my last post a lot has happened! Time seems to be on a different scale when you are in college. It literally feels like a week ago was homecoming. Now, winter sports are starting and Dave Dahl is threatening SNOW!
I had a fantastic November...minus a few exams and papers...I am finally at a point in my college career that I appreciate all of my classes, even the days agendas aren't as exciting. I now realize that these are subjects and material that will help me in the not-so-distant future.
My job search has EXPLODED! It started by attending the Hamline Job and Internship Fair put on by the Career Development Center (CDC). I really didn't find anything that I was dying to do next year, but I did get some great practice on handing out my resume and schmoozing. I then had an assignment in Organizational Writing to find a job posting and use it as a sample to send a letter of application and resume to. I actually sent my resume to the posting and I am currently in the second round of interviews for a Criminalist position for the Department of Justice in California! I also just got an internship through one of my Forensic Professors at the Anoka County Crime Lab. I am hopeful that this internship will turn into a full-time job in May!
Two of my friends are taking the GRE today and I am very greatful that I have decided to wait until the spring to take it. It is just too hectic to take the GRE right now for me! They both have told me that studying is key and to make sure to take a few practice tests. It is a lot harder than the ACT.
Ann's Advice #13:
Double check application deadlines this week. Some of the schools you will apply to have an early action deadline (Hamline's is December 1) and it will allow you to know sooner and make it easier to make decisions regarding your college choice.
October 15, 2006
I would just like you all to know that I have found my theme song for life. It is Weird Al's "White and Nerdy." Every little pun he makes in the song strikes at the very heart of my existence...chemistry majors of the world unite: we have finally been recognized. :)
In other happenings on campus, fellow blogger Nick and I are featured on the Hamline home page on one of the pictures. I was very excited. It took me four years, but finally, I have arrived ... on the home page. Also in the Hamline buzz is the great job the men's soccer, cross country, and volleyball teams are doing! To check-out their records and schedules, go to www.hamline.edu/athletics. Go out and support the Pipers in their amazing seasons! This afternoon, as a matter of fact, I am going to cheer on the men's soccer team as they take on Gustavus.
Tomorrow evening, open to the public is a Hurricane Katrina program being put on by the HU Katrina Response Network at 7pm in Sundin Music Hall. Students who went on the trip to New Orleans last year as well as local survivors will be speaking of their experiences and all that is yet to be done. It seems to be a program to see.
Ann's Advice #12:
This weekend is MEA, GO VISIT COLLEGES!!!! Even if you haven't pre-registered to come look at Hamline on Thursday or Friday, PLEASE COME! You can come and visit classes and get a good look into our Hamline's community. If you have already visited, come again or do some work in your college search over this weekend...applications due dates are fast approaching. Trust me as your Senior year dwindles, you will want to spend more time with activities and friends than on college applications...DO THEM NOW!
October 10, 2006
What a BUSY week!
As I referred to in my last blog, Homecoming week was a great time. Fellow-Blogger Nick and I had a Spirit team that was composed of 10 of our friends who competed in various homecoming competitions to win not only a dinner for our team at President Hanson's house, but more importantly bragging rights for an entire year.
The first competition was called "The Amazing Race" and we competed against the fraternity on campus (Theta- Chi) in 6 small challenges that ranged from feeding a spoon on a string through our clothes, to a scavenger hunt, to digging through a vat of spaghetti looking for a lapel pin. Unfortunately, our team lost the mini-challenges giving Theta-Chi a 15 second advantage at looking at a final clue as to where a Hamline medallion was hidden. Lucky for us, we made up the 15 seconds and came back to win the first competition!
On Tuesday night we had a sand volleyball tournament in which we took first place and had a healthy lead. Wednesday was our night off and on Thursday we played a heated game of Pictionary in the Student Center. We eeked out another win on Thursday and stuck around the Student Center to paint a window and chalked a side walk.
The results for the Spirit Competition are not in yet, but I am feeling good about it! I will keep you posted if we got the win.
Also exciting news from Friday night...Blogger Nick and I were both on Homecoming court and we both entered the 2nd Annual Lip Sync Competition with 1st prize being $150. My group got 1st place with the Saved By the Bell anti-drug commercial "Go For It" and Nick and his brother melted the crowd with "Ain't too Proud to Beg" got a close 4th.
Ann's Advice #11
Start thinking about YOUR lip sync entry for next year...I will have graduated which will make the competition a lot less steep :)
September 23, 2007
We’re Going To Win TWINS!
Hello all! I just wanted to take this opportunity to make you all jealous that I will be attending the Twins/Royals game tonight to cheer on the home team and bring all of my good luck to the dome as we chase the Tigers to a division championship.
Unrelated to this, I have decided to sign-up to take my GRE’s (ACT’s for graduate schools basically) for November 4. This means that I will have my scores in time to apply to graduate schools if I so choose or that I can hold the scores and release them later if I decide to hold off on grad school.
As of late, I have been putting a lot of thought into taking some time off between Hamline and graduate school. I have had some great talks with some of my professors, and the unanimous decision is that I will know what is right for me. I am not 100% sure what field of chemistry I would go for at graduate school and with a little work experience, I could get a better idea. If I continue at the crime lab, I may even look at graduate schools for Forensic Science.
More on that to come! Homecoming week is coming up fast. I plan to do a recap regularly on the events that are going on here. For prospective students, it would be a PERFECT week to come and see what Hamline Spirit is like!
Ann’s Advice #10: Come on a campus visit and attend at least one class and one campus activity. Do that at every school you are looking and go to the one that fits you best ... just like me and grad schools, YOU WILL KNOW!
September 18, 2006
So Much to Catch Up On!
Classes are back in full swing and I am busy as ever. Orientation went very well and I (as always) had a blast. My class load is a lot lighter this semester, though I am enrolled for 20 credits! I am taking only one chemistry class (Advanced Inorganic Chemistry) and three other non-major classes that I am interested in (Intro to Music, Forensic Anthropology and Organizational Writing). I am also continuing my summer research into a senior honors project.
The honors project will continue on my work from the summer and I will defend it in the spring to a jury of professors. I am excited for it and I hope to eventually get it published in a forensic science (or possibly chemistry) journal. Either way, it will be a great experience to put on my resume ... which I will be composing in my Organizational Writing course.
I am thinking a lot about my path after college, and we have decided to focus my Piper Blog on that for the year. As of today I am torn in 27 different directions from Graduate School to Teach For America. Each blog from here out will be on my senior year trials, tribulations and ultimately my destination ... I am as excited to figure this out as you are! Ok, maybe more.
Ann's Advice #9
I've lost track on how many pieces of advice I have given, so here is just a random piece of advice: It is never too early or too late to look into graduate schools. It is a simple process that can be started at www.gradschools.org; just go there and find out how many programs are out there!
August 13, 2006
Making My Travel Bug Stop Biting
So after I returned from San Antonio, I really have put a lot of thought into graduate school. I have not decided if I will go immediately after graduation in the spring or if I will wait a year or two...it will probably depend on what type of job (with good experience) I can get post-graduation. The people in TX were incredible and I thought, "hmmm, I could spend a few more years in Texas." I also met people from all over the country at the conference and thought, "hmmm, I could go to the east coast for grad school or the west coast or Alaska...how about Hawaii?" So last night I just sat down and requested info from gradute schools from all over the country so that I could look at programs that would help me on my way to my career in Forensic Chemistry. I simply went to www.graduateschools.com and they had a list of Graduate Schools in Chemistry that I looked over.
Most applications require a score from the GRE which is comparable to the SAT or ACT for undergraduate colleges. My grand plan was to study for this over the summer, but in standard Ann form I was over-involved and have not had a chance to do so. But I do have a study book from a friend that I will motiviate myself to look through and study just a little bit each night. There are two tests that I will need to take to apply to grad school in chemistry: the general GRE as well as the Chemistry Subject test that will test my knowledge of what I have learned in college and in my subject.
Ann's Advice #8:
This actually has nothing to do with Hamline, but for your own sake...learn from my mistakes: go to a computer or a piece of paper right now and write down your cell phone contacts list. Last weekend I was on my bike talking to my aunt on the phone and I dropped it. Not only did it fall about 6 feet (I am 5' 11" tall) but it fell down a sewer grate. I know, I know this stuff only happens to me. It makes for a great story (even better in person, so if you see me around I will reenact it for you) but I have been telling everyone to back up your contacts! It is soooo hard to get all of those phone numbers back! Now who knows, my old cell phone may be being used for a greater cause...perhaps ordering pizza for a certain mutant crime fighting team
August 9, 2006
San Antonio--We will meet again!
To all ye faitful subscribers to Piperblogs, I am very sorry for my slacking on BLOG updates. I just got back from a long weekend in San Antonio, TX...which was not long enough! I went down with 3 other members from the Hamline community: Molly Glewwe, Ivy Catone, and Phil Brondyke. We are all members (Molly being the advisor) of Student Alumni Board. It is a fairly new organization on campus that I will be the president of next year and I am sooo excited after coming back from this conference.
The four of us took off from MSP airport early on Thursday morning and arrived in San Antonio mid afternoon. I love flying and it was a beautiful day to do so! We were attending a conference for all student alumni groups across the nation. It was a lot of fun to meet everyone! We stayed in the beautiful Merrit Hotel right on the river in downtown SA. That evening the four of us went out along the famous Riverwalk and had a pleasant evening which included stuffing ourselves full of wonderful Tex-Mex cuisine. We then went out and enjoyed the night life of SA and visited the Alamo which happened to be occupied by some photographers for some travel brochure or something, so we couldn't get too close. We did see several cops out and about with cowboy hats on (part of the uniform) and I thought it was very cool!
Day two was a long day inside, the highlight of which was an amazing, heart-wrenching, eye-soaking presentation from the U of New Orleans about rebuilding their home, but we did get to go out on the town early (about 5pm). It was stifling at over 100 degrees even at that time in the evening. We walked around the beautiful old city despite the heat and all found wonderful treasures. Ivy and I got matching sunglasses (hers are red and mine are brown) and Phil got two of the largest, sparkliest, gaudiest belt buckles I have ever seen...a successful night. We turned in after some more sight-seeing and dinner.
Day three was early and we were ready to go back to St. Paul. We heard some great speakers and went to some more great sessions and got out of the city a little after 5pm. I crashed at home at about 11pm and slept through the morning.
Hamline has sent me on some great trips (Europe 2 summers ago and now San Antonio) and now I definately have the travel bug!
Ann's Advice #7:
See how you can work study abroad into your schedule! I didn't do it soon enough and I do regret it! Go talk to Off-Campus Programs in the basement of Robbins Science or call them at 651-523-2245...ASAP. Just get the info just in case you too get the travel bug!
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
~Maya Angelou
July 26, 2006
Is Summer 1/2 Over or 1/2 Beginning?
I heard this on a commercial and I am not sure how I feel about it. July is almost gone and August is charging through.
Today was the last day of collaborative research seminar [tear]. I thouroughly enjoyed every presentation we had and learned more this summer than I have in a long time. The one regret I have is not applying for the collaborative research grant sooner. For all of you incoming first year students, I highly encourage all of you to apply for the grant. You will grow leaps and bounds ahead of your classmates and learn a lot about research processes at the same time. It is important to know what you like and even if you spend the summer not enjoying the research aspect, this is still an enlightenment. I think it is a great way to see what avenue in a career you want to explore. From summer research, I have learned that I am an applied scientist. If I cannot see the research I am doing applying to real life, I do not have the drive or the vision for it.
ORIENTATION IS ABOUT A MONTH AWAY!!!!!!! YIKES! The Orientation LEAD Team is busy at work making final preparations for our 3 day orientation. In being an SOS leader for my 3rd year, I feel like I have a good grip on what is exciting and ... well ... ahem... not so exciting about orientation. We are working really hard for orientation, as Mr. Kelly Krebs (Director of Student Affairs) would say, to be "Edutaining." Which of course means educational and entertaining all in one. I am confident that you all will find at least one aspect that you like. I am excited to meet you; all ye loyal subscribers to PiperBlogs! So don't be afraid to come up and introduce yourself to me during orientation since I won't have a group this year ;(.
Ann's Advice #6: In a week you will be able to go to www.hamline.edu/orientation and find out who your SOS leader is. We will have bios up and pictures so you can feel like you know at least ONE person here on your first day!
July 11, 2006
Summer Receptions
So, I am not one to say I told you so, but "I TOLD YOU YOU SHOULD HAVE COME TO SUMMER RECEPTIONS!" Tomorrow is the last day for the receptions and we are having one heck of a time! They are a total blast. Students who have come to them have been really cool and seem excited (and nervous as I was too) about coming to Hamline. Some of them have read Kite Runner (if you are wondering why I am naming some random book, please contact your admissions counselor) and some have liked it some have said it was a downer. My favorite part is in the end when Assir gets abducted by aliens! I didn't see it coming! Ooops, I hope I didn't ruin it for any one. Some first years haven't read it yet (I hadn't at this point in the summer when I was a first year) but I would recommend getting on it ASAP. Aside from the book being one of my new favorites and an eye-opener, you are running out of summer to read it. It does have 400+ pages. And if you think you will have time before classes start when you get here, you have another think coming. We (the orientation staff) will run you all day and all night with activities and you actually have your first class the first day you get here, so have it read. I would also like to put in a plug for reading the novel critically. Take notes in the book or on a separate sheet of paper. It will make your essay from the book a lot easier to write later on.
Today in Summer Research seminar we had 3 presentations from the areas of Communications, History, and English. They were very good and had us all thinking in very different ways. The Chemistry department went over to St. Thomas to hear what their students are doing this summer as well. We had Divanni's pizza and got to tour their labs. They are very nice. Though not everyone knew eachother's names like we do at Hamline, that made me really happy I am here.
Ann's Advice #6: A student asked me at the last summer reception which kind of computer we would recommend. And first off I would like to say that nobody needs a computer. There is access in Bush Library and a new 24 hour lab in Sorin. I have a PC, but if I were to do it all over again I would get a laptop. It does give you more freedom to do work if there is a lot of noise in your room or you just want to get outside and enjoy the weather! Plus, Hamline is now wireless so you can take your computer any where on campus!
July 5, 2006
Summer Days
So this weekend I had planned on going home to spend a normal 4th of July with my family (my hometown has an Independence Day celebration that I haven't missed since I was born). However, my car broke down and I was "stuck" in the cities. I had a great weekend any way. On Friday I got to reconnect with an old friend and we had dinner together and a sleepover. Saturday was a lazy day and I started my latest knitting project with the help of our Hamline Knitting club founder. My friend Katie came down to visit for Sunday and Monday and on Sunday three of us girls went to the Mall of America and Ikea which is only about 15 minutes from Hamline. It was my first trip to Ikea and it was needless to say, overwhelming. I had fun any way! On Monday, I went into work at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension but Hamline was closed to observe the 4th so I had a nice short day. Then on Tuesday, the 4th of July, I went to Long Lake Beach with my roommate and her cousin. It was about a 5-10 minute drive and it was a beautiful day! We then grabbed some food at the local Old Chicago, grabed a nap and then rented Finding Neverland with Johnny Depp and Kate Winslett and finally got it watched. It was a great movie! Though anything with Johnny Depp is a winner in my book!
On Monday I started "The Kite Runner" (also known as the required reading for the first year seminar) and I LOVE IT! I am almost done with it! It isn't my typical read, but the writing is amazing and the story completely pulls one in! I cannot sing enough praise about it!
Ann's Advice #5: In being a former SOS Orientation Leader, I loved hearing from my future students. So when you get our postcard in the mail coming up in the next month, please get in contact with your SOS Leader. Ask them one question so they know a bit about you in the Fall. You will instantly become one of his/her favorites and they will help make your transition that much easier!
June 29, 2006
An Ol Pro
I am beginning to feel like an expert in my field of my collaborative research. I gave another presentation this week on Wednesday to the Chemistry department summer researchers from Macalaster and St. Thomas. I was nervous again, but the presentation went well and we all got free pizza to boot!
Monday night I went to a St. Paul Saints game at Midway Stadium with Hamline Student Alumni Board. The Saints are a minor league baseball team whose home is less than a mile from Hamline’s campus. We walked to the stadium at about 5:30pm where we met our advisor, Molly Glewwe, and her fiancé in the parking lot for a tailgating party. We went to the 7:05pm game and had a great time at the outdoor stadium! There is so much to do at those games and you can win tons of prizes. We even won!
Ann’s Advice #4: This week I have been thinking a lot about my future and what I would have done differently. I have started applying for outside scholarships every night this summer from fastweb.com. If you just complete an application every week for the rest of the summer it totally increases your odds to get loads of money and tiny loans!
June 23, 2006
A Fun Filled Week
This week has been so busy I haven't had a chance to update my blog! On Monday, when I got off work at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), the weather was so beautiful that I couldn't let it go to waste. I called up a few of my friends and we got a game of sand volleyball going. We played until we couldn't see the ball any longer...my team won (woot!).
On Tuesday I got up around 7:30am and went into the lab to work on my lipstick project. From noon - 1pm I worked at Student Administrative Services (office of Financial Aid, Student Accounts and Registration). Then I went back to lab until 4pm at which time I walked back to SAS, worked there until 6pm and finally went to work at the library until 9:45pm. YIKES! That was one busy day! We actually needed to close the library early because there is a lot of construction going on at Hamline this summer. The Library is getting a face-lift, and there is something going on (having to do with electricity apparently) by the Heating Plant...so the campus will look beautiful when you get here in the fall. Also on Tuesday we ran into a speed bump in my research. My advisor, Dan Besemann (who may be your FYSEM instructor), and I were checking settings on the instrument that I was using and we must have gotten soap in it. We spent most of the morning and afternoon trying to figure out what was wrong. I was worried (I later found out so was Professor Besemann), but we (mostly he) fixed it and I was off on my research again.
On Wednesday I had one of the highlights of my week...Collaborative Research Seminar. I love it even more when I don't have to present! 2 other researchers presented on what they are examining this summer: Brian Rochel is looking into the origin of races and racial subordination to see where racial discrimination began to see what can be done to stop it. We had a long dialogue about it with Brian facilitating with his research thus far. It was amazing and I am still formulating my response to his presentation. Davu Seru also presented an inspiring report. He is researching Afro-Caribbean Literature examining how people from African descent are viewed through their eyes. Researching through literature is something that is completely new to me and it is very intriguing! His laid-back presentation was full of information and made me do some stepping back and examining myself. On Wednesday night we had another late night "Summer Solstice" volleyball game...my team lost (wha-wha).
Thursday I worked at the BCA and am calibrating a new refractive index measuring instrument. It is a great project! Then my roommate Rachel and I went up Snelling a few blocks to the Har-Mar mall where there is an AMC theater and we used 2 free movie passes we had won for various achievements at Hamline. I got mine for helping with the Emerging Leaders Retreat (a retreat for first and second year students who want to hone his or her leadership skills and learn how to use them at Hamline and in the real world) and Rachel won hers from an SOS leader competition. We saw The Break Up with Jennifer Anniston and Vince Vaughn...I would not recommend it. I almost feel ripped-off and I went for free!
Friday was the weekly research barbeque and volleyball afternoon. Every week one discipline (Chemistry, Physics, Collaborative Research, and Biology) cook the food at a picnic for researchers and their advisors and we play volleyball all afternoon after that. It was a great day for food, fellowship, and getting a tan.
This weekend I went up to my friend's cabin on Lake Ida near Alexandria. One of the best parts about being at Hamline in the Midway area (midway between St. Paul and Minneapolis) is that nowhere in the state is very far! It was only a couple hours out there for some great time on the lake and games!
Ann's Advice #3: Student Administrative Services and Bush Library are my work study jobs. Be sure to get a resume put together and fill out the Hamline Student Worker Employment sheet as soon as you get it in your Financial Aid Award Letter and send it back to us so you can get a good job too. You don't want to be stuck working at our cafeteria...SORIN!
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June 15, 2006
Another Full Day
I would first like to say WELCOME to the students who are going to be attending DIVE into Hamline this weekend! I am very sorry that the program did not exist when I was a first year student. The program consists of a bunch of great activities, coordinated by my friend Julie Karre, that incoming first year students signed-up for to help give them a feel for Hamline and how to become an active student here. For those of you attending this weekend, I will expect each and every one of you to apply to be an SOS Leader in the spring :)
My presentation went very well yesterday! I received some great feedback from my peers. The feedback ranged from tips on better presenting skills to ideas that I had not thought of to apply to my research. The entire experience was great. I was relaxed for the most part and actually used part of Hamline's own culture to describe chromatography (an advanced chemistry concept). I compared chromatography to EOSP which is Hamline's End of the Semester Party that is held every year in December with tons of free stuff from henna tattoos to Chipotle. If you would like to hear about my analogy, just drop me an email (aengebretson01@hamline.edu). The room was packed for the presentation (and by packed I mean about 20 people. My advisor had invited my peers from the chemistry department to come and watch. At first I was a bit nervous as I could no longer fill in the blanks with "Ann's Chemistry," because I figured the non-majors would believe everything I said about my discipline. It turned out well and I was confident about my information and nailed it all. WHEW!
Today I am working at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) as a student worker in the Drug Chemistry, Trace, and Arson labs. It is an amazing job (that I actually get paid for!) that has allowed me to put my forensic and chemistry training together. It is a very interesting job as I get to hear about cases that aren't released to the media and are just plain interesting. Today I learned that I maybe just maybe get to be on the crime scene unit which would mean that I would be on call a few nights/days a month and would get to tag along to crime scenes. I hope it all works out because what a great experience! I got this sweet job thanks to Hamline. The former student who had this position graduated and her supervisor told her that they wanted a Hamline chemistry student who was interested in forensic science...I fit the mold and came in for an interview and was offered the job that day!
It is going to be a great summer. It is kind of funny when I look back to the summer after my first year at Hamline when I thought, people are nuts to want to stay here for the summer when they could go home and see old friends, pick up where we left off...now I understand. That summer people had changed at college, myself included and things were just different at home. I have grown for the better and become much more independent and love being at Hamline over the summer because it is really the only time I get to have fun around here...during the school year I just have too much to do to really enjoy life. SUMMER AT HAMLINE IS GREAT!
Ann's Advice #2: Come to the summer receptions! I do not know the dates off of the top of my head, but there are 3 days in mid July where new students are invited to come to campus and learn about the few things they should do before they get here. I think it is a great opportunity to potentially meet your roommate, SOS leader, future BF/GF, and/or people in your orientation group that you will get to know very well...so capitalize on meeting Hamline in general and it will make your first couple days here A TON easier! And plus, I will be at each and every summer reception...signing autographs.
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June 13, 2006
My First Blog
I am scheduled to give my presentation in Collaborative Research Seminar tomorrow morning at 9am. It seemed like a good idea at the time to get the presentation out of the way early. I have worked on the idea of this lipstick database for over a year and a half so one would think I could go on and on about it...wrong. I am simply not sure how to convey my chemistry research to students from other disciplines. I have many good friends in my group that I know will forgive me if I go to fast or assume too much, however I would like to make a good first impression...set the bar, you know? I’m sure this isn’t making much sense right now is it? Let me start over.
One of my favorite things about being a part of Summer Collaborative Research is the opportunity we are given to hear what other students are researching and the struggles each are having. We have these dialogues during the research seminar every Wednesday morning at 9am. We arrive, have breakfast (Professor Mike Reynolds buys), and listen to respective students present on his or her findings and the obstacles they are facing during research. I am very excited to learn about what all of my peers outside of the natural sciences are researching. Last year, I did summer research through the chemistry department and we had a similar seminar only it was amongst the natural science departments. Every Tuesday afternoon for an hour or so we would listen to students present on the progress of his or her research in chemistry, biology and physics. While that was interesting, I am more excited to see what research is like in other disciplines.
My presentation will be about 30 minutes long (typical of the seminar) and I will give my listeners a goal that I am trying to achieve by the end of my presentation and each student will give me feed back on my achievement of that goal. The floor is also open for questions throughout the presentation so time is left for that as well. Prior to each seminar, the ‘audience’ is to have gone over each presenter’s (there may be up to 3 each week) proposal and come up with a few questions or uncertainties to ask the presenter on. I am nervous as to what those will be. I will report back in the next entry on how things went!
In being an orientation leader, I love to help students get ready for the fall so it is my goal to give you all a little tid-bit of information that I would have love to have had before I got to Hamline. So, here is Ann’s Advice #1: Contact your roommate sooner rather than later and talk to him or her about who’s bringing what and maybe arrange a quick face-to-face meeting if you are relatively close...you will not regret it!
