My name is Erin, and I’m a 21-year-old chemistry student. I’m originally from South Jersey, where I lived my whole life until August 2008, when I started my first year at Syracuse University. I am now in my fourth and final year of undergrad, and in May 2012, I will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and a minor in math. Until then, I will be preparing for and applying to graduate school, where I hope to do research in physical chemistry to earn a PhD and, ultimately, become a professor and teach and continue to do research.
That’s the plan for the future right now. I mean, if I could do anything, I’d be a rock star/stand-up comic/game show host/competitive cyclist/physical chemist1, but I think it’s only reasonably attainable for me to achieve the last one. So I’m probably going to get the hell away from the Northeast and venture somewhere new—Westward, Ho! I’ve also decided that I will become a hermit in the mountains if grad school doesn’t work out. I’ll just leave the lab, drive into the mountains, and never come back. And maybe then I’ll pursue my dream of writing a novel or publishing my mediocre poetry. Hopefully, no matter what I do, I’ll achieve this thing called happiness.
Aside from chemistry, I also have interests in physics, mathematics, and art history. Since January 2009, I have worked for the SU Physics Department as an undergraduate TA, or “physics coach.” It’s such a fun and rewarding job, and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to make grocery money throughout my college career. As for math, it seems that the higher I go up the ladder, the less I can do basic arithmetic. It’s kind of embarrassing. The art thing came about because I liked drawing when I was a little kid2, and AP Art History was one of the best classes I took in high school. I’ve taken three upper level art history courses in college, all of which I enjoyed, and I’m taking one more my final semester.
When I’m not meeting the demands of college life, I also enjoy writing poetry and running long distances. I’ve been writing poems as a hobby since I was about 12 years old. I’ve found I’m best suited to writing poetry primarily because I am terrible at completing longer works3… I have ambitions of writing a novel or a musical about physical chemistry, but I can’t commit to them. Maybe one day. As for running, that’s a new passion for me. Not much more than a year ago, if you asked me to run more than a mile, I would have been like, “Hell, no!” Now, I try to run three to five days a week for fitness and relaxation purposes. I’ve done six races so far, and now I want to work on speed and hill running in preparation for my second Mountain Goat Run in May.
- Yes, I’d still be a chemist! [↩]
- I even took art lessons from 1998-2006. [↩]
- I do have a history of writing fan fiction, but those are the longest things I’ve written. [↩]
