Why I Do What I Do January 6th
I realize I blogged earlier, but I’m kind of in a writing mood, and I don’t really know what to do with myself tonight. I suppose I could think more about what my specific goals are in a research lab, since Dr. Yu doesn’t have any bench work that I could do—but he is willing to refer me to others in the hospital. So I’ll give him a call tomorrow and see what happens. I may not do something that exactly tickles my fancy, but I’ve said before, if I were to go into research for realz, it would be in oncology. Whatever happens, it should be a good experience.
You see, I care about people. Sometimes I think I don’t; I have to remind myself that I’m not totally heartless, as if I’m really heartless at all. Anyway, that’s why I do the things I do. True, I love writing and this is a great outlet for me, but I also love making connections. I love to give back and share my time, just as you all are sharing your time with me right now. We’re a human network, and I like to believe that the little things we’re doing for each other online—sharing our stories and listening to others—really makes a difference. It does to me.
It’s also why I’m a scientist. I would never do well as someone researching alone for something that people can’t relate to. That’s why I said I would go into oncology; cancer can affect anyone and everyone. With chemistry, maybe we can create new compounds to treat it. Or maybe we can find new ways to detect it sooner. Chemistry isn’t just that shitty class you dread going to every day. It is the central science, and with science, we can do wonders.
And that is why I’m a teacher. Hopefully, fewer people will think of the sciences as useless and irrelevant—have you ever whined, “When am I ever going to uuuuuuuse this?”—once I’m done with them, and hopefully, just hopefully, I will change people’s lives just as many of my teachers have changed mine. I’m out to make a difference. And this complacency that has plagued me for the past… couple years, even, hasn’t allowed me to do that to the best of my ability. I teach kids physics. Do they all hate it at the end? Yeah, most of them. Do any of them appreciate it any more than when they started? Maybe one. And what about the kids I advise? What about them? What have I done?
So I’m out to make a difference, because I care about people. That’s what I’m doing here.
erin@killerjewels.com
oh what a meaningful blog – I’m pretty speechless. But I sure am glad there are people like you in this world, if there weren’t.. then I’m sure we would be a massive fail.. somewhat. For all those science haters I guess it really depends on what kind of science the people are learning. I absolutely hate learning about the body because it just seems too complicated and not very interesting for me.. well I guess it’s interesting – but not really my thing. I love learning about optics and chemistry (like you I’m guessing). I seriously hope I don’t sound like a complete dodo ): Especially talking to someone super smart.. Have you been a teacher for long now? And are you just teaching chemistry.. or all different units of science? So.. I hope you have fun with the rest of your studies, good luck
– bahha – I know, eh? Dangly earrings seem so fun ^^ Yeaah, i pretty much did discover FF like 5 days ago – But from my sister which is probably about your age.. I’m just a little girl going through junior high and I find it really hard to find good music =.= gosh, all that Kesha and Owl City is pretty annoying to me, all the older people (like 20yr olds) seem to have the best music in their itunes. All my good music like Calvin Harris and Franz Ferdinand are from my wonderful sister ^^ I’m glad your break is going good – have fun in those last days..
D: Sorry for the super long comment =.=
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=O
HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!
Ugh I need to get back into the blogging world! I’ve been meaning to buy myself domain and hosting for– what—2 years now? I think when I head back to school after my winter break I’m just gunna go ahead and buy it even if I don’t have a site ready to put up. That way, since I spent the money, it’ll encourage me to work on it instead of spending my idle time on unproductive things. By the way, I stumbled across this site: fadingkiss.com. Apparently you get 70GB (yes, that’s GB) and a domain for $10/year. It seems unreal. I feel like I’m going to find out that there’s something wrong with the site after I order my hosting. =|
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Being a scientist sounds fun with all the research and labs. It sounds exciting. Mixing stuff as well. I’ve always wanted to be in the science field, but my mind has not set on becoming a science major nor do I have the abilities to. Math and science is not my thing, but it does sound great.
Good luck!
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We definitely are a human network and writing is a strong tool in keeping the links together. Teaching is such a rewarding career
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That’s such a nice blog.
It’s amazing because I think so few people actually want to help others these days. Everyone’s so concerned about money. I think that to truly make a difference though, will be wonderful. 
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Besides the fact that my science teacher has a bit of a spitting problem, science is my favorite class at school right now. (Well, algebra and science are.) Since I read My Sister’s Keeper oncology has been interesting to me. It would be great to make it stop and give people a chance to live.
I’m actually doing a science fair project with physics at the moment. I’m experimenting if the mass of a can effects the speed it rolls down a ramp. I haven’t actually started the experiment yet. It seems like I’ve been doing background research FOREVER.
Haha, thanks ^.^ I find the internet so distracting .. I just want to go code something instead of doing history homework. I guess some people could find it more difficult to code something than read a text book… but, it’s probably just a preference.
History is also my least favorite. I could fall asleep just reading the text book and taking notes out of it. I would rather knit a sweater than do that (I have no knitting skills, period).
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I love your website
It’s so personal, but there’s some professionalism in there 
I especially like your layouts – I’ll be using the one called Simplicity on my site 
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You sound like you know what you want to do with your life. I don’t think I’d ever be a scientist, except maybe forensic scientist – that’s the only science thing I’m good at in science, pretty much. But I do find research fun, though not a lot of people would say so.
UGH everything has a use, even though you think it’s dumb, if you don’t learn it, you won’t be prepared. I’d like to change or at least help someone’s life as well. I don’t really know what I’d like to be though but I’m thinking lawyer, web-designer, or a physiologist.
You write such good blogs – they have a lot of thought put into them.
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Good luck with trying to get into research!
Doing what we do on the internet with sharing stories and listening, it does help a lot. I mean everyone knows I don’t really have anyone to talk to around here, so I get on here and write about whatever it is. And I think sometimes it effects people to read whatever we write because there might be a truth in that which they pull out.
Well you know cancer has effected Ryan and I for now 2 years. His mom passed and now his dad has it. Something needs to be done.
Youa re going to effect those who you teach. You’re so driven and you’re going to reach everything you set out to do.
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Hey! It’s been a while… Yup, I’ve done that. More for math. Sometimes I see what we’re doing and I’m like “we’re never going to use this except if you’re a nuclear physicist”. And most likely I’m right.
I can understand why you should know most things, but yea, every now and then, I’m like what’s the point. lol.
I be you make an excellent teacher. There are many teachers who teach yet they don’t like kids. >.> There’s a quote I remember. “To learn and never be filled, is wisdom; to teach and never be weary, is love”
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