♫So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu♪

It seems like just last week we were learning how to culture cells, and I was holding my breath in the tissue culture room because we shouldn't breathe in the carbon dioxide the cells are kept in (plus lab incubators smell weird).


But now... I still hold my breath when I open fridges and incubators, and it's the end of 20.109.

I'm going to miss this class for a lot of reasons. First, it's been one of the Course 20 classes to show us outside of our UROPs that sciences fails us sometimes. Pink team CRISPR didn't work, and our batteries were nowhere near theoretical capacity (in our dreams) or Jifa's magic batteries. Yet, I am leaving 20.109 with a lot more than I've gotten from other experiences that I think(?) were supposed to teach me how to do these science things.

I want to say, the modules where things did not work most were my favorites (2 and 3) because they unveiled different sides of bioengineering that make me feel like I chose the right major (which is super reassuring in juxtaposition to 20.320). Mod two was where I realized a lot of my weaknesses in presenting and started getting a little more comfortable being in lab and not frozen by question of the right way to do things. Module two also finally taught me how CRISPR works so I can be savvy in the biotech of the decade.

Then, module three showed me on-your-feet troubleshooting and how to become an expert in anaphylaxis in two weeks but left me with lots of good feelings.

These good feelings come from a lot of things. One, the support system of classmates was great, and I had a good partner who I communicated well with. We all were facing the same course 20 struggles, and we could commiserate when we needed to and snack together. Second, leaving with a souvenir that we produced gives us a fond memory as we struggle through another 1.5 years in the major. Lastly, the staff was friendly, approachable and supportive which just makes everything easier. I never felt like I couldn't ask for help when I was lost (many times), and I can't begin to imagine how many prep and post hours were spent through the whole course on our experiments.

(I also learned how to make my own gifs and memes through 20.109 - effectively communicating in other ways!)

Merci et Adieu to the 20.109 group!