STEM Coursework
Accelerated General Chemistry: CHEM 143
In my first quarter at UW, chemistry felt like the titration before the color change, everything looked steady and clear, but I wasn’t sure when the understanding would “click" and I would notice a shift. I often sat in lecture unsure of whether I truly belonged in such an accelerated environment. But as assignments and exams passed, I started to see small changes in my thinking and confidence. When I finally saw my performance reflected in my grade, it wasn’t just validation, it was the first “drop” of clarity that showed me I could do this. It marked the beginning of building both college-level study skills and a real sense of academic belonging in science.
But just as important, Chem 143 was also where I met people who would become some of my closest friends, my support system and my family for the next four years and beyond. Those relationships became the part of my experience I didn’t plan for but now see as integral. It was the first time I started to realize that connection, not just content, would shape my four years in college. That sense of belonging outside the classroom began to matter just as much as the academic one, and it reframed how I understand learning itself: something that happens through people, not in isolation.
Organic Chemistry Labs
Organic chemistry, in general, often felt like stepping into a space where I could follow procedures but not always see the bigger picture. In lecture and problem sets, I learned to draw molecules and read NMR, and it was like piecing together puzzles without fully understanding how they connected.
The unknown experiment brought that uncertainty into practice. I had to rely on everything I had learned so far and apply it to a situation without a clear answer. It tested my patience, attention to detail, and ability to stay grounded in the process even when I didn’t know what the outcome would be.
In the end, identifying the unknown wasn’t just about getting the “right” result, it was the first time I experienced how the skills from organic chemistry could be used in a real, tangible way. More importantly, it taught me that sitting in uncertainty is part of scientific thinking, and that persistence through that discomfort can still lead to meaningful discovery.
Biochemistry: BIOC 405
Biochemistry felt like the culmination of everything I learned from my previous stem coursework. It shifted the way I understood science from memorization to meaning. Instead of isolated reactions or mechanisms to remember, I started seeing interconnected systems and pathways that explained how life actually functions. While organic chemistry sometimes felt like solving puzzles without a clear larger connection, biochem gave those pieces context and purpose. That shift helped me realize I was more motivated by understanding “why” and “how things connect” than simply recalling information.
