Reflection on 2016

So as much as this year has had its ups and downs (as many of us experience); here are some great things that happened this year

1.  I was published in the Salisbury Post through my work study - I love that I have gotten the opportunity to write and be published - which was something I always wanted to do since I was a little girl

2.  I got an internship at Cabarrus Health Alliance - doing vector control work - seems small but I got a good reminder where my true interests lie: environmental health (which would have explained my interest in vector-borne diseases) and field work 

3. I got the opportunity to be Supplemental Instructor for Spanish - which reiterated my interest in teaching and psychology of learning 

4. I have gotten to do some many different things with friends: winter formal (although I will only stick to that once), beach trip (what a learning curb), doing things as an organized club on campus (helping with concession stands, bonfire, an event through the science department), and so on

5. Took the most challenging course in my college career and made a B in it (Neuroscience)

6. Got an internship with pollutiondetectives.org writing and revising this coming semester! 

7. Met some amazing people!

Fall 16' Reflection

It is hard to believe I just wrapped up my fourth year here, although I still have a semester left.  These past four years have definitely shaped me as a person and taught me that I can do more than I thought possible. This semester has had its ups and downs like I never experienced before.  Part of it was taking on more than I can handle in the beginning and some of it was the typical senioritis.

First, this semester all my classes managed to be connected to other classes and life. For example, in my drawing class, I created a diorama/piece with brains - which was an amazing feat since it is the hardest thing to understand. I also created a piece with an fMRI machine and spiders - combining my interest in insects and psychology - of course.  Oddly, Hebrew Bible helped me to reflect on things that really mattered, such as morality, in the face of the craziness of last month's election.  And the topics from my neuroscience class came up often in conversations - to the point where my friends and I sat at dinner one discussing things from my assigned article reading, which included a piece about is reality real (that article was crazy).  Then there was my capstone class, where I was able to study more about the topic from my internship, mosquito biodiversity and abundance and disease ecology.  (I was even asked if I was presenting at the state conference for research by the professor - which didn't happen since I am waiting on information/data from Cabarrus County). And being in Spanish again lead to do my research paper/lab report term paper on Bilingualism.

Also, this semester I was inducted to Psi Chi (psychology honors society), got to hear Erin Brochivich (which was amazing!!!!!!), heard a talk from artist, Dianna Cohen (who is an artist who works with plastic bags and is also an environment advocate), was an officer in a club for the first time, helped out a science demo event, got to be an Supplemental Instructor, and found a new trail to explore.  I also learned a few things including: you can't help everyone (although one can wish- thanks Dr. A. H. for the reminder), don't take on more than you can handle, debit cards will not work if the machine is broken and that I should carry cash on me, and I am a person who does not explain herself thoroughly at times (ironically with the fact that I blog and write).

Now onto winter break and next semester.

November Update...

Hard to believe we are in the final weeks of the semester.  It has been a busy semester for sure, even after having to drop a class last month.

For my capstone class, we were required to go to the Students of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium (SNCURCS) - which is a statewide symposium compared to our research and creativity symposium we have every year in April.  It was in Durham and held at North Carolina Central University, which is a gorgeous campus!  And the campus was big compared to what me (and many of my peers) are used to.  The food was pretty good there that day, although it would be because of having visitors on campus.  There were so many topics though presented, from psychology, neuroscience, biology, environmental science, and chemistry, among so many other subjects.

On November 7, I got the opportunity to hear Erin Brochovich speak at Catawba.  It was through our Center for Environment, which has hosted quite a few special speakers this semester to celebrate the anniversary of the CENV.  The movie, Erin Brochovich, (the movie is based on her life) was what really sparked my interest in the different issues that are in our environment (chemicals in water, food, etc).  In her talk, I was surprised to learn that she had dyslexia growing up and was even seen as an underachiever. But despite that, she did a retrospective investigation on individuals that were directly affected by the hexavalent chromium 6 (as a secretary at a law firm in Hinkley California) with health issues, including many types of cancers.  With her work in Hinkley, she went on to continue advocating for environmental health issues (and still is) and encouraging others to do the same.  She has also created a website with a map that shows us what environmental issues are going on around the world... http://www.communityhealthbook.com/.  Also one of her quotes that stand out to me from her talk is "what is your legacy" - Erin Brochovich.  Definitely, a good quote to motivate someone toward the end of the semester.

Also, on November 10th I was inducted into Psi Chi (the honors society for psychology).  It was definitely a different experience from when I was inducted into Tri-Beta. It was pretty low-key. We went to DJ's (maybe 12-15 of us) and we all had the chance to get to know each other better and ate dinner.

These coming weeks should be slowing down...  I have my final capstone presentation this coming Tuesday, and my internship boss from the summer (CS) is hopefully coming.  And with this project for capstone I have a good foundation for my independent research for next semester. And after I only have one exam, a drawing project/oral presentation and my final oral presentation for neuroscience (and the 12-20 page paper)

Thoughts on the Possibility of Becoming an Educator (Or Teacher or Professor)

So, for most of my teenage and early adulthood, I have been complimented by many people on how much kids love me and are drawn to me.  And in recent months have rekindled my aspirations to teach, especially with the post-graduation plans creeping closer and closer.

I have worked with a variety of ages within my church, including my time substituting in the kindergarten Sunday School class (in high school), working with the pre-k (4 year-old) Sunday School class since I have been in college and through the bus ministry at my church. I have watched many of them grow up and some are looking at colleges and in high school.  

Earlier this week, my mentor, Dr. H mentioned to me that she was bringing her daughters on campus for an event.  At first, I didn't know if I would possibly swing by and see her kiddos, but I did end up going.  And when I did, I was greeted by not only her oldest daughter, but by one of the other professor's daughter, who running behind me and tackling me (which I am not a stranger to since I work with children).  I also saw Dr. Ws little one and talked to him until he went on to play with the other three kids.  (And yes --- at one point, I had all 4 of them, including Dr. H's 2 year old, all hanging on me trying to tackle me (playing soccer/basketball) and almost lost my pants!).  

And today -- I helped with an event, "Mysteries in Science," (to celebrate Natl' Chemistry Week). I didn't know what to expect, especially since this was the first time we had a STEM event, with many children of varying ages.  I helped my organic chemistry professor with an acid-base experiment using Alka-Seltzer and water in vials to create mini-explosions.  It was fun to watch their excitement the tops of the vials exploding.  I also loved watching them answer and ask questions.  

Also, I have been thinking of teaching (even if I am working as a tutor in addition to my job) after helping tutor in Spanish and leading SI sessions.  Many people struggle with Spanish for various reasons and it feels great when you can reach a person who may understand it if you present it in a way that engages their learning style.  

Also, another reason I would like to teach is to reach out to those who may not learn or have difficulty with school because of learning disabilities, autism, and ADHD.  After being in neuroscience, along with other psychology courses I have taken since I was a senior in high school, I have had a keen interest in learning styles, these disorders, and even how the brain works with processing information in everyone.  

Just some thoughts!

October Updates

Hard to believe it is halfway through the semester!  This semester has been a rollercoaster but everything is leveling out.  I have learned nothing goes as expected.  This semester by far has been the busiest; I had 16 credit hours, in addition to going to the Spanish class I lead supplemental instruction for, the SI position, and my work-study position - and the other things I am involved in (clubs, church, etc).  In addition to this, my neuroscience class has been the heaviest in terms of assignments.

I had my whole year planned out in order to graduate, that was until I bombed a couple of tests in physics.  It is funny to think how I made it through the chemistry courses, but I get to this class and things did not work out and I had to drop it.  What happened had nothing to do with lack of trying and not understanding the material but rather testing anxiety, which is never a good thing when the class is comprised of 80% tests.  However, I am thankful that my professor for the course was wanting to help me however he could and was honest with me, as well as other students.

My other courses have been okay.  Neuroscience, aside from the work we do, has been the most interesting and has helped me to prepare for going into the workforce and down the road, graduate school.   Drawing has also been my favorite class.  We have had 3 major assignments so far; leaves, tools, and now a diorama and drawing paired together.  I am doing my diorama/drawing assignment on brains, which will be different from what many other people are doing theirs on.  Hebrew Bible has been interesting, although I would prefer this particular type of class later in the day.  I have a better understanding of the Old Testament and who some of the people are that were prominent in the OT (patriarch, prophets, kings) and how the OT varies from my understanding of the New Testament. Capstone for Biology, which has some similar components to Neuroscience (paper, presentations - oral), has been okay.  I am excited that I get to my thesis paper (once I decide on what I want my thesis to be on) on mosquito habitats from what I learned in my internship from during the summer.

SI has been an interesting.  There has not been many people coming (although I am not sure why) but the ones who have come I have been able to help.  I loved helping one of the dudes, W.S., connect the grammar (tenses) to what he knows about writing (a common interest we both share) since he is a communication major.  I have been able to help a couple of other people as well.  I am hoping to tutor Spanish now that I have one less class.

I am looking forward to the rest of the semester!  I am excited for Erin Brochivich, who is coming to speak at our schools, Center for the Environment's, events.  I loved the movie which is based on her life.  She started working for a lawyer and ended up working on an environmental issue that affected many people that lived in the area close to where she lives.  She did all of this despite being a single mother, very little education, and being doubted.  I also have my induction ceremony for Psi Chi (psychology honors society) coming up, some exciting PR assignments, including learning more about FYS courses offered this year, and of course, Christmas!

Letter to college freshman (current and future)

To any current or upcoming freshman,

You made it through senior year of high school.  You have narrowed down where you are attending college, made it past SATs and ACTs, and graduated... however this is only the beginning.  

After being in college for four years, I have learned a lot of lessons, both good and bad.   As many people have mentioned,  I would go back and reconsider past decisions and do over certain parts of my endeavors as an undergrad (classes, choosing a major, etc.).

As a freshman, don't be rash with what you want to do in terms of a major.  I started off my college career wanting to be an art/music therapist for children. However, I also wanted to research genetic or mitochondrial disorders.  This made things very interesting for me when deciding what I wanted to major in.

So I took the introductory level classes for both psychology and biology and quickly found some of the courses were going to be challenging but worth it to pass in order to take more interesting courses.  I learned this quickly after taking Data Analysis for Behavioral Sciences as a freshman.  I didn't understand why we were learning statistics, especially by hand. But after taking more classes in biology and psychology, it became apparent why this was class was important before taking other classes, such as Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (the most interesting/engaging classes that I have taken in the psychology discipline). Also, many people in biology majors are intimidated by the thought of taking chemistry and physics - but you can get through them. This holds true to other majors as well. 

Also, my career interests have changed over the years.  Since I was a freshman in high school, my dream careers have changed - I have wanted to be a journalist, a tattoo artist, a nurse, a teacher, art/music therapist, geneticist, research scientist, writer, and an environmental health specialist. 

Another important thing is to not lose your passion for whatever it is that you love to do.  I have spent the last four years focusing my energies on school that it was not until I started writing again for my Public Relations work-study that my interest in writing was rekindled.  Same with drawing, which was something I never thought would benefit me in the sciences, yet my mentor told me from the beginning that I could use my creative talents in my future career in science (writing and illustration). So, keep your passion for your sport, making videos, photography, music, whatever it is you do!

Also, take advantage of getting to know a professor or two, especially in your major/discipline.  My first mentor that I have had since freshman has been there for me since day one and has given me opportunities - including being asked to help with research, finding a work-study opportunity that intertwined my interests/skills, and encouragement when I had my first internship.  With this, listen to those who are your mentors (in and out of school) that mentor and look out for you.  One of my mentors has given me advice on many occasions, and one of the recent challenges I had wouldn't have happened if I heeded her advice. 

With this, enjoy your undergraduate career.  This is the time in your life you will find yourself and will do a lot of growing up.  You will have friends that come and go, as will many people throughout your life.  You will have late nights, stress, and fun opportunities that you will remember the rest of your life!

September

So, these last few weeks have been pretty crazy... Lab reports (partial and whole ones), oral presentations, and physics homework seem to be a theme here lately... going to classes, SI leadership position things...

A few weeks ago, I got invited to join Psi Chi, which is the honors society for psychology (for those who make a 3.0+ in the first few classes).  This is pretty exciting because I will also have cords from Tri-Beta (honors society for biology) at graduation.

I like all my classes although a couple of them are very challenging... I have learned something in all of them, with the exception of one class (and what exactly a thesis paper is - but maybe that will happen in time).

Other than that not too much going on right now, other than school, SI, and other miscellaneous day to day life....

Stay tuned for more adventures!!

End of Week 2

Hard to believe that school has been in for almost 2 weeks.  This semester thus far has been a whirlwind, with classes and other commitments.

I love my classes so far this semester... although it will prove to be a writing and oral presentation heavy semester.

Physics is turning out to be easier than I anticipated - although I am super confused on dimensional analysis (even in general chemistry was this a huge struggle) but I understand how to do most of the math.  The only downfall to this course is having to remember topics from my Algebra 2 class, which was 6 years ago.  The professor is a riot (although some people would say other wise). Dr. S started off the semester having us as a class guess what PhD stood for - - - his answer wasn't one I was expecting.  He told us, "PhD stands for permanent head damage."  He reminds me of the guys on the Big Bang Theory with his dry, nerdy humor, which makes the class enjoyable.  I also got the opportunity to learn a bit more about his (k-12) education background (He is from Malaysia) - which is a lot different than our education system here in the states.

Neuroscience - is going to be interesting class with topics but also intense.  It is a upper level major course (psych) and will reinforce written and verbal competencies for psychology majors (along with cognitive or social psychology). I am able to take this class because my minor adviser knew it would be interesting to me - so I took experimental psychology a year and a half ago as the pre-requisite to taking the class.  There will be 10 lab reports (4 whole ones and the others will have specific sections (introduction, methods, results, discussion) for us to complete), oral presentations (5 per person with alternating individuals), and a research paper and presentation. - And with all of this said, if I wanted to I could go post-bac and take 2 more psychology course (personality and social psychology) and have a second degree.

Capstone - well - it also consists of oral presentations and 2 thesis papers.  The first "mini" - thesis paper will be about coral bleaching and the second, full thesis paper will be on a topic of our choice. I am going to have the opportunity to write about a topic that was interesting to me from my internship at CHA this summer - and have it count towards my Independent Research semester hours.  - I definitely was excited about that, as well as Dr. H.

My other two courses are lighter and interesting.  I was worried about Hebrew Bible - especially since I never took a history/religion course on the college level, but Dr. Sa makes it interesting with the knowledge he has and incorporated into his own textbook. I am also glad I get to take Drawing 1 (although I never took an art class after 8th grade prior to intro to art last year) to hone in what I am able to do drawing wise.

I thought it was interesting how Prof, A.P. had us start off the semester with blind contour drawings. This was a hard task because you don't know what you are drawing, yet you can train yourself to look away while drawing and gain experience with detail (or something like that). The activity itself taught me to let go when it comes to drawing - because many times I shied away from attempting any art because of the sketch not being "perfect". The same goes for writing, music, etc. My mentor, K.S.E bought me a book, "Big Magic" over the summer that goes into Elizabeth Gilbert's journey to becoming "more" creative - and in the early part of the book - she talks about just letting go and writing.

Lastly - SI (upper level Spanish - intermediate).  It has been a different experience so far.  I went to training last week - learned how to lead group activities that basically reinforce what is being taught in the course.  So for this I get to sit in during class; I plan and prepare activities, and lead the sessions - we also have meetings a few times a month.  Thursday night was the first session and I only had one person show up.  It was awkward but I was able to help him better understand conjugation and to review previous material. I like how with tutoring and SI, I can help the individual tap into different learning styles.  Last fall, I tutored a basketball player - and I would have her write on the board - for oral presentation preparation. And with doing that - along with practicing speaking - she did much better with her presentations.  Same with the guy I helped last night - he understood conjugation patterns much better after writing them on the board.

Sappy First Day Post (Well kind of)

So, yesterday was my last first day of a school year (at least until graduate school). I definitely have some mixed emotions about it!

This year was the first time that I got the chance to help in the latter half with orientation for freshmen.  It was definitely a different experience, but I am glad I was able to help. I never understood the time it took to get everyone registered for classes in the fall - both for freshmen and transfers.  

This year starting school has been so different.  I came back and instantly had different plans with friends. I am much more laid back then I was in past years getting supplies and the right books (and I always overbought supplies).  Even when it comes to decorating my dorm - I didn't feel like I had to go all out like I have in the past. Also, it was great to see everyone again - good thing about going to a small school! 

My classes are a mix of challenging and gen. eds - so the course load isn't too terrible, but time consuming. My physics and neuroscience courses will be the main ones that are time consuming.  I am also finally taking a couple of classes that are interesting (and outside my major).  I am super excited about learning techniques for drawing and hope to improve skills drawing and learning more about the origins of the Bible (Hebrew).  My professor for that class actually just published the textbook that he is using this semester. 

I also have some other things coming up this coming year.  This semester I lead Supplemental Instruction (SI - basically group review sessions) for Intermediate Spanish 1.  I am excited but nervous for the turn out (I definitely was nervous yesterday when I said my name super fast and my professor had to say it again - at least I remembered to say my name - unlike the first time I went to interview someone for PR - super embarrassing!!!!) .  I am planning on doing some engaging activities and help people with their confidence with our Spanish courses - and practice bribery. 

Also - PR. I am interviewing and gathering information on our First Year Seminars and working on getting information from psychology majors again this semester for/with one of my former psychology professors.  I also am going to write about my internship experience - which leaves me with mixed feelings. - Although I  did blog some of it - and we had some cool adventures - so it shouldn't be too bad.  And not sure what other topics to write but hoping to do some fun ones!

I am also a secretary for ECO (Environmental Catawba Outreach - or something similar) - and get to work alongside my friends. Although when we had the meeting, I never expected to offer to do it - and everyone jumped right on voting me in.  I am always apprehensive of being in a leader position but I can step up when I need to.

And working on looking biodiversity between types of habitats for mosquitoes - that will be pushed into next semester - I will do some work gathering papers on the topic and miscellaneous things - and will probably write about it for Capstone, but most of the work will be done next semester when I have more time and C.S is finished with ID'ing and trapping for Cabarrus County.

Here's to my final fall semester! Will be posting different topics and my adventures throughout the semester.

End of Summer!!

Hard to believe I am moving into my dorm tomorrow.  This summer has flew by with working at my internship and the other activities and trips.

So today was the final day of my internship at CHA.  I will definitely miss the people there, both environmental health and other departments.  

The last few weeks have been setting out light traps, permanent sites, practicing ID'ing, and passing out literature. I also got the chance to work with the data (to see what exactly I wanted to compare) and played around with some statistical testing.  I did run some t-tests (comparing two groups) for larval habitats - tires and plastics-but ended up with a large p-value (chance of there being a true difference between groups/treatments).  I think this is due to the means being similar between the groups and the fact that I used a small sample size for data.  But I will probably go and see if Dr. C can help me out with it whenever classes start. 

Also, on Tuesday I decided to wait outside for the gas to pump while T ran in the gas station. And when the gas was done pumping, I tried to put it back. However, the pump wasn't going back the way I was used to (T told me that the older gas stations have different pumps then somewhere like Wilco/Speedway or others) and I managed to get a ton of gasoline sprayed on me.  And I did try to deal with but it irritated my skin the way sunburn does and T took me back to change into some different clothes and wash the area (and it went away fairly quickly).

I also got to visit Green Mountain last week with family for the first time.  It was really nice there - although I managed to get sunburnt (although never did at the beach) - on my scalp and shoulders. I also go to Ch daughter some insects and tried to show her mosquito larvae (but it squirmed away).  I love how interested she is in seeing this stuff and being dirt and water!

Looking forward to moving in tomorrow - ready to start my final year at Catawba!!! 

Some Thoughts About my Final Year of Undergrad

The internship at CHA working with mosquitoes has taught me so much in just 2 months.

First off, I was planning on doing independent research in upcoming semesters but couldn't seem to find an area to focus on with mosquitoes and wasn't confident enough in my own abilities.  The research that takes place on campus is both field work (setting out/picking up the traps, taking larval samples) and molecular work (looking for certain disease RNA in the mosquitoes DNA).  This internship taught me to more about field work (as well as public health) and ID'ing. Also - it helped me realized that I am meant to do some type of research.

Second, the people at CHA and establishing new connections (in terms of references). I was impressed when I first was oriented to CHA how friendly everyone was and how welcoming the HR department made me feel.  I learned early on my mentor's (Dr. H) mentor worked with my boss with mosquito identification and public health, even after the funding was cut for vector borne disease control.  And speaking of my boss - she has been a great person to work for and learn under.  She is very animated and passionate about mosquitoes - and educating others. 

As for this coming semester, it will be a busy one.  I am taking 5 classes plus sitting in on one for my SI position.  I am taking physics, neuroscience, biology capstone, drawing, and intro to Hebrew Bible.  I have a feeling that the latter 3 won't be as intense as physics and neuroscience.  I do have some apprehension about physics - but I am decent at math, so it shouldn't be bad (general chemistry was a challenge because I need application to understand the material better).  Neuroscience, one of my interests in psychology, will have lab reports but I am sure it will be fine.

I am also excited to continue my work study in public relations - to continue to grow as a writer and push myself out of my comfort zone.  I also got an Supplemental Instructor position earlier in the summer - which I sit in on the classes - and basically do group tutoring sessions 2 x  a week, as well as other miscellaneous paperwork. 

What exactly is Zika?

So... my internship has been focused on mosquito collections - both ID'ing and trapping, as well as educating the public about preventing breeding of larvae and passing out literature to educate the public about proper precautions. This has been important because we are helping to contribute to data on mosquitoes, especially the species that can carry the Zika virus. The particular species we are looking for is Aedes Aegypti. 

After talking with a couple of people, one being my boss and the other a medical entomologist (who is also tied in with my school) - NC programs for mosquito control used to be funded before 2006. 10 years later, the state started funding again for mosquito control - this time because of Zika. (My boss, C.S. started with mosquito work after West Nile started, and has continued to pursue public education, collections, and control since then).

Mosquitoes carry many diseases - including both viruses and parasitic infections.  The Zika virus is an abrovirus, further classified as a flavivirus - which are commonly carried by mosquitoes (Baylor College of Medicine, 2016). 

Zika has been found all over the world, ranging from Africa, Asia, to North and South America (Baylor College of Medicine, 2016). The US has had cases that stemmed from traveling (Baylor College of Medicine) and now is occurring in Florida (CDC, 2016).

Like with most illnesses, Zika can cause ambiguous symptoms, which include: fever, malaise, rashes, and muscle aches. This leads many healthcare providers to misdiagnose the patient, unless they mention to the doctor that they traveled to another country.  On the other hand, a person can be asymptomatic (many of us carry many different viruses and bacteria on us without having symptoms of an infection - unless our immune system is under any type of stress). (Baylor College of Medicine, 2016; CDC, 2016; WHO, 2016)

The concern with this particular virus, aside from being endemic (or epidemic) - is that like rubella and toxoplasmosis - this virus can cause birth defects.  The most common one is microcephally - which is means a baby will have a smaller than normal head circumference. The other concern is that there is a probable change that Zika can lead to neurological issues, such as Gullian Barre Syndrome. (Baylor College of Medicine, 2016; CDC, 2016; WHO, 2016).

Right now, there are no treatments for these types of viruses. If a person contracts the illness, it is the same process as other viruses, to rest, hydrate, and ease symptoms with NSAIDs. (CDC, 2016; WHO 2016).

Prevention is key with this virus, as well as other vector borne diseases.  In order to prevent mosquito breeding, it is best to get rid of any standing water (tires, plastic bins, kiddie pools and slides, abandoned pools). Through this internship, I have learned there are 3 ways of treating areas with mosquito breeding that aren't able to be tipped over or gotten rid of. They include gambasia (fish), MMF (a spray with a specific molecular formula that prevents breeding), and mosquito dunks (which are Bti - a bacteria that is used to stop the larvae from turning into adults).

Other precautions include wearing long sleeves and pants, certain repellents, and avoiding certain times of day that the mosquitoes are most active.

Sources:

https://www.bcm.edu/departments/molecular-virology-and-microbiology/emerging-infections-and-biodefense/zika

http://www.cdc.gov/zika/intheus/florida-update.html 

http://www.cdc.gov/zika/about/overview.html - What is Zika?

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/zika/en/

End of July - Updates

Hard to believe school starts in two and half weeks! This summer has flown by for sure!

The internship is still going well.  I finally have an idea of what I would like to pursue in terms of research.  I want to compare mosquito biodiversity between the school's nature preserve and areas in the next county over.  Time permitting - I want to do some molecular work with the samples we had collected this summer.

We have continued to set out and pick up traps in various locations, collected ovi-traps, and went to "investigate" complaints and find new areas to trap. Last week, we got to go to a graveyard and find larval samples. It was interesting to check out the graves themselves as we looked in the urns for any standing water.  (I talked with C.S about the names and graves - and she mentioned bringing the older names back). We have also gotten to learn more about a type of mosquito treatment and been able to treat some areas with a mosquito dunk, also known as Bti (a bacteria that is used to prevents the mosquito larvae from becoming adults)

With this internship, I have gained a new mentor, C.S. I am glad that I have gotten the chance to get to know her better recently.  She really knows her stuff on mosquitoes.  She fields all my questions and has taught me so much this summer in regards to mosquitoes.

I also got the chance to help at Vacation Bible School this past week.  I was with the my normal bus route I help with during the school year and another route in the evenings.  It was great to see a lot of the kids and teens on route 5 (the normal route). The other day, one of the teens (who always seems distant Sunday mornings) - came to me when the kids were playing games - she gave me a hug.  After, I got to know her a little better.  She is about to start high school and has mixed feelings about it (I remember the apprehensive feeling about high school).

I also got the chance to work with 6 year-old boys again for 3 of the days and then helped with the 6 year-old girls the last night. The 6 year-old girls class had 5 of my bus kids - and they were super glad to see me.  During the last night, I had 2 by my side the whole night, and then 2 or 3 more during and after game time by me.

Lastly - I got to go to North Myrtle Beach with my friends.  And this was my first time booking a hotel - and there is all kinds of things I didn't realize were important in purchasing a hotel (taxes, check-in ages, and rates for weekdays and weekends).  Overall, the hotel was nice.  We got to go to the beach (although not many people were in the water - sharks, jellyfish galore, and levels of bacteria being through the roof), we swam, went to Boardwalk (a shopping and activity place), and ate at some different restaurants. Johnny Rocket will be forever my favorite place to go to in Myrtle - the staff actually stops and breaks out into song and dance!

The final leg of summer

So hard to believe that summer break is almost over.

I love my internship - I have learned so much this summer and am looking forward to continuing with this particular topic (mosquito - vectors) for independent study this coming school year.

We have been setting up traps and gathering ovitraps in different areas all over the county the last few weeks. Recently, we went to old permanent sites to deliver notices about checking for mosquito larvae.  These places ranged from Kannapolis, Harrisburg, and Concord. We had 4 or 5 places that were non-existent from 10 years ago, since C.S last visited these sites (funding for monitoring abroviruses/other vector borne diseases was cut back in 2008 and they started funding again because of the Zika virus threat).

We have also gone to check on complaints. Yesterday, we followed-up (with CS) on a complaint near CHA, and found a surprising breeding ground on the premise with mosquitoes. The person lived next to someone who put old cans of soda in a plastic bin filled with water from the recent rains,  Yet - when the larvae samples were dead - due to someone putting pertherin (not sure on spelling) or another similar insecticide in the bucket to prevent other insects.  The other complaint we went to had breeding all over - including a storm pipe, water on a trailer, and some miscellaneous buckets filled with water.

It was also interesting to learn how to control mosquito breeding - which they use 3 types (I only remember 2 off the top of my head).  MMF - is a layer of molecules that inhibit growth of mosquito larvae (Larvae stage is the stage before the mosquito is fully grown) but isn't harmful to other insects.  C.S had a bottle of this (looks like cleaner) but has told us that they stopped making this particular kind of insecticide.  The other control method is using gambusia - which are fish that eat mosquitoes (I am not sure if it is larvae or adult).  (Disclaimer: we don't do the control methods as interns).

In other news,  I was able to eat lunch and catch up with my high school creative writing/English teacher (and mentor) K.S.E. It is hard to believe that it has been 2 years since I last saw her and 8 years since I had her the first time in high school.  She was the one who went up with my graduating class in our English classes (she taught every English class except for Freshman English when I went to Carson) - so she watched me and many others advance through high school.  She also encouraged me to finish school (I questioned school as a freshman in high school) and saw the potential in me, both in life and with my creativity (along with the only time I ever got in trouble in school was her and only because she cared).

Funny to think of our conversation today and much of what she used to tell me is similar to me and Dr. H's conversations.

Internship – end of week 3 - 7/2/16

Hard to believe it is July 1st!  The summer is half way over – and my birthday has come and gone…

My internship is going well.  Basically, we are learning more in-depth about mosquitoes – both identification and anatomy/physiology of them, along with collection methods and surveying/checking out complaints.

For collections, we use several types of traps – which include a light trap with CO2 (dry ice), light trap with a lure (bait), and sentinel trap (large black trap with an inverted collection bag).  Each of these traps appear to attract different amounts of mosquitoes (and other insects) and species of mosquitoes.  We also use dippers, which is a method used to gather larvae samples to ID or send off to Western Carolina for further use.

ID’ing has turned out not to be as bad as I had originally thought.  We were taught by looking backwards for original characteristics (using the manual) and told which specific features to look for.  I definitely enjoyed how C.S has passion when it comes to teaching us the characteristics of the different species. She becomes very animated and uses sound effects when explaining it.

The other aspect (public health) is going to check out the sites where complaints are coming from – the first one we went to was at the Purdue Chicken Plant – and I only went on the first visit – where we went all the way around wood lines.  We also saw someone with a large tent set up that was very elaborate in the middle of the woods.  The other visit was a neighborhood with mixture of trailers and modular homes.  This was an interesting adventure to say the least – I ended up on the side with some questionable houses.  Tuesday, me and T left notes about checking the properties later in the week and Thursday – all of us followed up by looking for larvae, using the dipping method to collect any if found, and letting the residents know what we had found and what they needed to.  Some were quick to tell us who had mosquitoes in their yard or that they didn’t have any.

We have also contributed data and on Wednesday – we were introduced to 5 department heads and C.S. presented what we are doing and what we have found thus far (I was glad not to have to get up and present).

Definitely looking forward to what the rest of the summer has in store!!!!

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Reflection - 6/18/16

It is funny how life has many twists and turns… sometimes with where we end up living, who we date, and what we end up doing for the rest of our lives.  One of the biggest things for me is trying to figure out what I want to do the rest of my life… and it’s hard for many people my age… but its interesting to see how things work out.

Growing up I was very creative – I loved to draw, write, and sing.  I always thought I was going to be a writer or journalist (and I have done some writing for my work study and have been published in the local newspaper – something I dreamed about as a young girl.)  I also was strong in math (aside from calculus and my early experience with stats) and health related classes.

In high school I dabbled in different areas – I was in chorus, in creative writing and our school’s writing club, in honors classes, and lastly, I took some CTE (Career and Technical education) courses in health science – which if I took the last class, I could have taken the state test to get my CNA. In 10th grade, I started to realized I had an interest in science.  I took biomedical tech – which I did well in and enjoyed learning about forensics and genetic technology.  I fell in love with biology when I took honors biology and learned that we were going over genetics – I actually went home and told my mother, “I really love biology {class}” and heard “I always feel asleep in that class.” My other favorite class was psychology – both general and AP.

When I got to college, I anticipated that I was going to major in psychology, and eventually become a art/music therapist. But when I took my first biology class, I fell in love with the subject.  My first biology professor, Dr. H., was really enthusiastic about mosquitoes and biology.  I had not seen passion like that during my first semester of college, so it was different.

For two and half years, I went back and forth between doing biology or psychology.  So – this meant I took a variety of classes for my major and minor- including behavior modification, environmental change and human health, parasitology, etc. By the time I graduate next May – I will have a BS in biology and psychology minor – which I am only 2 classes short of a major… (and env science and chemistry)

During the moments of not knowing what I am meant to do – I had several opportunities in both areas.  During spring break of my sophomore year (2014), Dr. H offered to take me for coffee (we both may have a slight love for coffee) at Panera Bread. While we were there, she asked if I would be interested in helping with her research.  I didn’t know whether to be super excited or surprised.  She knew I was insanely curious about thing and understood more difficult concepts and topics. Well – I ended helping some but it didn’t count toward anything until I became a junior.  At that point, I became super anxious about school and the opinions of those around me that did the research (honestly not the smartest thing).

During my junior year – I took experimental psychology – (I thought I was going to combine majors – again it didn’t work out) – although I struggled in that class, I learned so much.  My favorite part of the class was being allowed to create my own experiment.  I chose to do my experiment on faces (thanks to interpersonal relations).  It was cool to run the experiment (and everyone showed up that participated) and do the statistics. I even got to present the research to my biological research methods class – and everyone was interested.  This past semester I was able to take a TPS (topics course) that combined health psychology and behavior modification into aiding one of my professor’s research.

Lastly, almost 3 years ago, I had Dr. C. for an introductory biology class (Ecology and Evolution) – one of five classes I would have with her.  She brought in black widows the first week of class – and I remember thinking, “that is soooo different.” She occasionally showed my intro bio class pictures of her macro photography of spiders – and she had similar passion I saw in Dr. H. I was amazed with how pretty a lot of the spiders were when I saw the pictures and she would always answer my questions about them.  Taking entomology with her this past semester was something memorable and I am glad I took it.  I never in my life would have imagined being interested in insects and spiders (even those who have known me for 5+ years never would have guessed)

With this said – I have contemplated public health for my masters. (with an overall goal of becoming a professor).  OR if that doesn’t work out – look into environmental health positions with my 4-year degree.

So far, my internship has sparked my interest in learning more about the behind the scenes of  mosquito control and disease vector research.  Sometimes, the best thing you can do is go for what you had a passion for…

Internship Week 1: Vector Control technician 6/17/2016

It is hard to believe I have been at my internship for a week now.  I found out about this opportunity from another source back in late April and I am glad that I took advantage of it.

The ironic thing is that I am planning on working with my professor/mentor this coming school year on her mosquito research. I had shadowed and been a part of her research in the past, but I took a break from it for about a year.  Partly because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do and was a bit apprehensive of the people doing the research. BUT… I had the experience, interest, and knowledge that helped my application stand out.

This internship is a grant based one due to the Zika virus concern and its connection to cases of microcephaly.  We are doing mosquito collection and ID’ing. Essentially, we are looking for Aedes Aeygti - which is the species responsible for causing Zika virus, along with other mosquito-borne diseases. (Other species cause disease as well)

The place I work at is very interesting.  Interning here will give me a feel for public health and if I want to pursue that avenue after graduation. They have a medical and dental clinic (to help those who can’t otherwise afford medical care), WIC, international travel health, environmental health, and wellness programs – including exercise, cooking, and others.  So far, the environmental health seems very interesting to me.

The department I work for is very nice – the head of the department is laid back and very understanding,  The person I work under reminds me a lot of my entomology professor (who I had for my environmental science courses) and of course, my mentor.  She can identify mosquito species really fast!!! I work with two other guys – who are very nice – and will be doing mainly collections and ID’ing.

So far, I tried ID’ing while waiting the other day and have shadowed and helped with collection – setting out traps and retrieving them, I hope to become decent at ID’ing and bring some of what I learn this summer to my Independent Research this coming school year.

First day at the Internship - 6/9/2016

Today was my first day at my internship.  Starting a new career, job, or internship feels like the first day of school.  I couldn’t seem to fall asleep last night and was up early this morning.

I got the chance to explore the city that the internship is located at.  I have lived in this general vicinity for half of my life and have never really stopped and visited these places.  I feel like that is the case with a lot of the local areas.

Today was general orientation, I had to take an IT test and a Safety test online – which took an hour.  I also had to sign a lot of papers, and couldn’t keep the dates straight (I had to write my birthday so many times and today is my sister’s birthday, so I kept mixing those up).  I also got a tour of the building – which has many facets of public health, including the physicians, dentists, WIC, and environmental health.  The HR person working with me on the paperwork and then showed me around was super nice.

We have a major research center close by my school and home that ties together different colleges known for their research.  I am hoping this summer I can talk to someone at the research about touring the different buildings, but I am unsure of how likely they will be open to me shadowing. However, I will have the opportunity to shadow other departments where I am interning at, which also happens to be affiliated with the research center.

My goal with this internship is to see if it will be a career path I can take.  As of now, I am thinking of taking the GRE’s, and applying to graduate schools OR ideally working at the research center for a year and applying to graduate school and finding a job working as a lab technician or in environmental health. I would ideally like to go to a school in another state, but it will be cheaper to go in-state. I think Western or UNCC might work for either a Masters in Biology or Public Health (UNCC).

Thoughts on Body Image - 6/4/2016

Today I went shopping with one of my long time best friends.  We went to two malls and visited many different stores, including clothing stores.  Up until recently I felt very uncomfortable with my own body.  This happens to most of us because society expects a person to look a certain way (everyone has different builds, circumstances), including some medical professionals (The BMI chart was created for life insurance policies – which was used to determine people’s risk of other health related issues (hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, etc).

I remember as a pre-teen I was embarrassed because my calf muscles were large, yet the rest of my body was small – slim (I remember being a 10/12 girls in my shirts and 16 girls in pants).  That led to me being conscious about my body and contributed to my symptoms of OCD prior to treatment.  Throughout my teen years I had the typical fluctuations in weight, due to being on certain medications and of course, the natural process of puberty. BUT… I never was called fat or struggled with my health. (I was very active and very picky)

Now – flash forward to my first year in college.  I finally was able to drink soft drinks (I never was allowed to have them as a child/teenager) and junk food.  On top of that, my first year living on campus I was on Vyvanse (Stimulant for ADHD) and Zoloft (used to treat anxiety).  Vyvanse caused me to never eat during the day – and by dinner I would eat like I hadn’t seen food.  The other medication, Zoloft, slowed my metabolism down – which from what I understand serotonin is tied in with metabolism/appetite control. This lead to me avoiding pictures and ultimately absolutely hating clothes shopping.

The last year and a half  I have worked hard to lose weight.  The first change happened due to the fact I couldn’t afford the medications and insurance didn’t cover the cost of them (which is hard to swing when you are a college student).  And in January of 2015 – one of my best friends’ friend offered to work out with me  - and little did I know how much that would change my life.  I knew early on, I wasn’t going to check my weight – which I knew my heaviest – but I didn’t want to focus on the number. My friend kept tabs of that for me and she only let me know the total weight loss. The first change I made was cutting out soft drinks (and thankfully I was in behavior modification, which diet and exercise were common topics that related to the concepts and I applied them to this particular experience) and things like ice cream, milk, etc.

Other changes happened to during that time – I learned how to push myself at the gym (I was scared of running because of the extra weight and having exercise induced asthma since my teens). I also paid a bit more attention to portions and be more mindful of what I needed nutrition wise (protein and iron were two huge ones).  I noticed when changing my diet around – it was so common place to hear other women I know and love talk about starting a specific diet (low-carb, high-protein, vegan, etc.). Thankfully through my behavior modification and health psychology classes I learned it is okay to splurge every now and again, rather than cutting everything out and then caving in to temptation.

Throughout this process, there were certain points I still saw myself as the same size I was at my heaviest – and with the help of my friend I learned to set small goals and try to meet them, along with looking at little victories.  I remember the excitement/confidence I had when I could run 10 mins, 12 mins, and 15 minutes on the treadmill without stopping.  Or when I could finally lift 75 lbs on the arm machines at the gym. The biggest thing has been seeing how I went from being on the border of plus sizes to finally being able to fit in 12/14′s in pants and going from an XL to a M/L in shirts and dresses.

From this I have learned it is more important to focus on health rather than a number on the scale.  You can lose a dramatic amount of weight, but it won’t last if you don’t make permanent changes. It took me a year before I saw a change in the number on the scales – yet during that time, I was able to tolerate more at the gym, my skin cleared up some, there were less stomach issues, and lastly more confidence.  Health should be put first rather being expected to wear a certain size and look a specific way – not everyone will look that way.

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

1 Corinthians 15:10 (KJV)  - one of my favorite Bible verses!!

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May – Mental Health Awareness - 5/29/2016

Before this month ends, I want to take time to write on the topic of mental illness.  Many people are affected by a mental illness(es) or know someone who has a mental illness.  Having a mental illness can be seen as a stigma by society and can affect someone reaching out for proper help and receiving the appropriate treatment. But what many people don’t realize is having a mental illness isn’t a bad thing.

Aside from my interest in psychology, I have been affected by mental illness, both my own and others I know.

I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).  These don’t define me but they are just a part of my jourrney.

OCD is disorder where a person has obsessions and compulsions (although I did see a The Mighty article that talked about OCD- that can manifest as solely obsessions). A common myth about OCD is that a person with OCD is super meticulous and hate disorganization. I have had symptoms of OCD since I was in elementary school. It started off as an obsession with contamination (I had the classic hand washing symptom) but as I got older I started to obsess over other things including streaks on things around the house (I would clean something over and over), checking locks, and re-doing assignments (I went through notebook paper like crazy).  In middle school, I started obsessing over my weight, leading to skipping meals, checking weight repeatedly, and exercise.  I was 13 years old when I was put on Zoloft, which changed my life.  I was on Zoloft for 7 years, but stopped taking it a year and a half ago.  I am more stable than I was as a child.  However, I do have obsessions, but compulsions are very covert and manageable.  They include numbers (GPA, weight), repeatedly asking for reassurance, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufqFO5B1vQY

GAD is chronic low-grade anxiety with physiological symptoms.  These physiological symptoms include increased heart rate, increased urge to go to the bathroom, sweating, increased blood pressure, fatigue, irritability, and the list goes on.  I was diagnosed with GAD my junior year of high school.  I was constantly running to the bathroom, I would sweat through my clothes, had muscle tension constantly, and fatigue so strong that I would come home from school and took naps on my bedroom floor. This tends to be under control (without medicine – although I took it short -term my senior year in high school) except for during times of high stress.

Having these two disorders has taught me a few things.  The first thing it taught me is to take care of myself. I struggle more with anxiety when I am hungry, overtired, and when I have an illness. So remembering to eat, sleep, and be well is very important in managing the disorders.  Second, catharsis is very important.  I have a few people that I can vent to when I am upset or something is bothering.  I also write and draw.  Third, having a support net is always a good thing.  My close friends/a couple of professors that encourage me during the rough times and genuinely love me.

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Reason behind the title “Uncensored Musings” - 5/26/2016

I am a person that believes a person’s writing should reflect their voice – tone and style. After doing work for Public Relations (PR), I saw that writing for a website or other media is quite different than writing a thorough lab report, research paper, or free writing. There are instances where what you write (paper, essay) will be completely butchered and changed when edited, which is devastating when you worked hard on writing a piece. Or you have to keep a word or sentence limit to keep the article flowing and short.

This blog will be varying lengths and cover different topics. I will incorporate my voice into my writing, which is very important to me. Especially since writing is about creativity and expressing yourself, important for blogs. 

End of Semester and Summer 2016 Post - 5/25/2016

To start off, I am relieved for a break from school for three months (minus the online summer class I will be taking).  This semester was one of the most challenging semesters to date, but I learned so much and have grown as a person.  I took microbiology and immunology, organic chemistry 2, entomology, health psychology, and TPS: health behavior modification.  Those classes were very heavy on the assignments and projects, but I learned how to manage my time better especially since I juggled different classes assignments and projects. The other learning curve this semester was how to deal with difficult people.

I got to continue with my work study for Public Relations.  I never understood how a non-communications/writing major ended up in the position but I am glad my mentor decided to recommend me. (Even though I may or may not have kicked and screamed about being placed in a work study out my comfort zone.)  In the end, I honed in on my writing skills, along with gaining skills in interviewing, media, editing, and writing articles that catch peoples’ attention.  With this work study, I got to interview 17 professors (about first year seminars), have 2 articles published in the post (along with others on the school website), and establishing rapport with new people.

This summer will be interesting to say the least.  I landed a paid internship at Cabarrus Health Alliance as an environmental control technician, which will entail of collecting mosquitoes, ID’ing them, and educating the public about the diseases that they carry.  I also will be blogging, searching for graduate schools, helping at my church, teaching myself physics, and taking world music online.

About this Blog - 5/25/2016

I am a senior at Catawba College.  I am a senior and majoring in biology, with minors in environmental science, psychology, and chemistry. I plan on going to graduate school for my masters in either biology or public health along with doing some free lance writing.  The overall goal is to become a college professor with an eclectic approach to teaching.

I will write about some of my research interests, my thoughts as I face new challenges, life, and opportunities, along with any thing else interesting.

*These blogs have been transferred blog.com