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spirituality
Choosing Chemistry:
>I considered studying many things: biology, engineering, earth science, or even pure chemistry, so I chose chemistry because it applied to all of them. I wanted to keep as many doors open as possible. As I've continued studying chemistry, it's progressively more interesting.
>If you're asking "why study chemistry?" I must tell you that only chemists really know what things are made of.
When people think of a mad scientist, they don't think of the "mad physicist", or the "mad biologist"; no, the picture in their mind is really a chemist or an MD. You too could one day be a "mad scientist" if you study chemistry.
>The not so fun part of chemistry are quantum mechanics (even the prof's don't understand it) and the yield labs (no guarantee that you'll get an ample amount of product).
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Jeff's Advice for Chemistry Students:
>Be able to understand and explain concepts. Understand the overall reasons for what's happening so that you can explain why a reaction you've never seen happens and how. Don't just memorize specific mechanisms and steps.
>Make sure that your first year lab Teaching Assistant speaks English or is really graceful. They are more helpful than anyone else in the lab. Choose your lab partner carefully (avoid engineers).
>Most lab manuals have a reference for where the professor got the reaction; look it up, as it has proved invaluable to me, and many students fail to do it.
>And when you're in the lab, remember to wash your hands before and after you go to the washroom! This one is very important!
>Oh yeah… Do co-operative education. It's the best way to get experience, and to test the waters to see if it's what you really enjoy. Try lots of different things.
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A little bit 'bout Jeff:
>My life is like a childhood adventure story with interesting characters, strange lands, and new discoveries on every page, like Dr. Dolittle or the Chronicles of Narnia. Right now, I'm still working on the first chapter, and the story gets better with every page.
>The most difficult thing I've ever done is go to Africa to be a missionary for six weeks. I gave up a great job, risked disease, and went somewhere completely new and different. It was worth it, to follow God's lead in my life, and to see people's lives there impacted by what I did.
>I'd hate to be without my compass, my Bible, and my friends -- all three give me a sense of direction when I am feeling lost.
>I have a book of sketches and other pictures that I've been working on in my spare time. I'm proud of my drawings. But the strange thing is that I'm usually too embarrassed to let anyone else see.
>I think that the sign on my door says it best about my room: "WARNING: Entropy at work." It seems to be a constant up hill battle fighting the forces of disorder to keep it clean.
>I enjoy hiking, canoeing, inline skating, cycling, and swimming - anything outdoor oriented, but also indoor rock climbing.
>I enjoy alternative rock (Jars of Clay, Barenaked Ladies, etc…), swing, ska, classical, and most other types of music. Music that feeds the soul, music that relaxes the body, and music that you can dance to.
>Food I would consider dying for: D. Dutchman Dairy "Triple Chocolate" ice cream - think of a rich chocolate ice cream, with some solid chocolate flakes, plus a healthy dose of thick chocolate fudge. Best served on a hot summer day. I lived on the stuff for nearly a month one summer.
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My Life in university:
>I've most enjoyed all the choices university brings. What classes will I take? What will I do today? What am I going to make for dinner? Not that I was ever deprived of having a choice in anything, but all of the sudden, I had to choose everything, and it was kind of neat.
>University has made me a more relaxed person. And I've learned to live beyond what I used to consider 'normal.' I'm trying things I would have never considered before. I've learned that I really can do whatever I want, and that the only limitations are those that I make.
>It was a difficult adjustment finding really good friends. Past relationships I'd built weren't here anymore when I got to university. A friend can't just be replaced. Making new friends that will last, ones you can trust, takes time and effort.
>In the process, I've learned the incredible value of my friends. I discovered how an old proverb is so true: "two are better than one, for they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can pick him up."
Other most valuable lessons I've learned so far:
- Chocolate chip cookies are, when shared, the quickest way to meet people and make a few potential friends.
- Friends are essential to your survival as a human and as a student.
- Study as if your life depended upon it.
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The kind of person that I am:
>When nobody's watching, I'm a guy who thinks and dreams. In spare moments, you'll find me thinking about questions triggered by things that happen or things I've read. My brain has its own tendency to go off on various tangents.
>I have always dreamed of being an explorer -- to discover new things and ideas in the lab, or to go places I've never been.
>My Mom has been the biggest overall influence in my life. I learned a lot from watching her. When I saw her triumphs, I knew what I needed to emulate; when I saw her failings, I knew what I needed to do differently. She also showed me when I was wrong and supported me when wrong was done. I really respect her for that.
>Joseph is a friend of mine who's left the deepest impression on me. He took the time to talk with me about life's really big questions -- all of the things that really mattered most. Being around him, I saw how different his life was because of a different perspective of life he was living.
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How a canoe trip started Jeffrey's spiritual journey . . .
Related reading:
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