That's all folks!

When I finish a class at MIT, I generally feel like I've run a marathon – a very painful marathon at that, complete with metaphorical muscle spasms and blisters. Often the best thing I can take away from the experience is "well, at least I never have to do that again."

via GIPHY

via GIPHY

20.109 was certainly a marathon – I don't think I've ever had so many major assignments in one class. I was genuinely confused as to how everything could be worth so much and still add up to 100% of a grade. The effort required in this class was on par with a marathon, but at least I felt like I got the training I needed to make the whole experience less painful.

The homework (while time-consuming) was helpful in preparing for the larger assignments. Rubrics carefully outlined the expectations for each assignment. There were extensive office hours to ask for advice. Perhaps most importantly, it was evident the 20.109 staff were invested in our success. 

via GIPHY

I think this really helped motivate me to work hard and get the most out of my 20.109 experience. The 3 modules encompassed different aspects of biological engineering, and I enjoyed getting a flavor of what's possible. My favorite module (material-wise) was the first one – DNA damage is so cool and working with mammalian cells was fun :)

I'm happy to have finished the class, but this was one marathon I wouldn't mind running again. I suppose that's a good thing because 20.109 is all about what it means to be a biological engineer!


via GIPHY