Author Archives: Milie Fang, Biological Sciences / Pre-medicine

It’s March. Can you believe it? I sure can’t. Do you know what March entails? Absolute insanity! I have recently been very jittery and can’t sleep, constantly feeling happy and sad, nervous and hyper–like a hummingbird! I can’t tell if it’s my hormones, the caffeine from the pain reliever or me just being me in a new situation. Whatever it is, I don’t like it at all.

It’s happening so fast. Time! I wish I could stop it. I need so much of it but how can we do all of the things we want to in a day, a month, a year or four? Maybe this is why people choose to stay longer than four years so they can do more, but at the same time they can do more by pursuing higher education sooner, too! Ahh, there is a flurry of things going through my head.

The most obvious that comes up is going to Clemente High School soon! I finalized the schedule with my committee members and we’re all set and ready to go! I wish I could go for every single day, but I am planning on taking my MCAT on the first day of spring break. I was even considering cancelling it, applying to medical the following year, just so I could be with my peers! But they strongly preferred that I did not cancel it and so here I am, freaking out about everything. I have much faith in their presentation skills, but it’s almost like watching your baby grow up (not that I have one, although my turtle Chompy counts in some respects)…you just want to be there throughout the whole process! Ah, I must keep focus though. The MCAT is around the corner and I need to get at least a 30+. Is it out of reach? Perhaps…I’ve been taking two full-length practice tests each week and trying to study as much as I can for the MCAT on other days. It sucks that I have two other exams to study for before my MCAT, as well as receiving allergy shots and going to research twice a week for 6 hours each. Maybe I should ask my PI if I can just come in once until my MCAT is over…or maybe I’ll have to cancel it and really just apply next year!

Ah, no no. I need to be confident. No more “we’ll see” or “if it happens it happens.” You decide your own fate and you get there if you believe it and actually do it. Being passive about these things will never get me anywhere.

So, here’s to all of you MCAT-takers + super pre-meds who do everything and deserve all the best!

In order to succeed, there must be sacrifices. It is unfortunate, but that’s how the world works most of the time (for those who are lucky…well, lucky you!). I have never pulled an all-night for college (nor do I plan on that), but I’ve begun to average 3-6 hours of sleep each night just to study for the MCAT and finish homework or studying for my UIC classes. It’s tiring, and my eyes are becoming like that of a panda’s.

So my grades for biochemistry and homeostasis came out….if you recall I had both of those exams on the same day! I had a couple of other students in the same position as me, but I think they put in more time for homeostasis than biochemistry, whereas I did the opposite with the assumption that studying for the 4-credit hour class would be better than studying for a 3-credit hour…

But I should have probably studied more for the 3-credit hour because my grade was quite poor (most of the energy I had in me that whole week was biochemistry), and even though I did review the few first weeks of the material before the rest for homeostasis, it obviously wasn’t enough. I think the overconfidence prior had been superseded by the fact that the sample exam the instructors posted online was incredibly easy (I answered every question correctly), but when it came time for the test it was completely nonidentical. While the content may have been the same, the questions and answered were worded so obscurely that I almost didn’t have time to finish the test! It was almost as bad as MCAT questions (but the MCAT people don’t want to trick you as much as you think, whereas this class definitely wanted to make sure you were paying meticulous attention to every detail). The instructors even said to not worry about the test because “If you came to class every day and took notes, you’ll be fine! It’s not a hard test.” Can you believe the average was 66.9/102? I personally would not be proud of a score like that. I only scored a few points above average and I’m probably at a C right now.

On the bright side, biochemistry rocked! I got 10 points above the average so I’m probably at an A or super incredibly high B! I’m very happy I did well, so all of my work probably shows the correlation between amount of studying and actual performance on a test.

I’m curious about how people are studying in these kinds of situations. My roommate’s boyfriend had three exams last year on the same day (a Friday) just one after the other: biochemistry, anatomy and physiology, and genetics. Talk about STRESS! Thank god he’s naturally smart but of course he still had to study a great deal. Thankfully, the most I have ever had to deal with was two exams in a day in any circumstance (be it during the year or during finals week). Exam piling is so unrealistic.

Well, there’s a month until spring break at least! Before that happens, I will have taken my first genetics exam and my second biochemistry exam (in addition, I will be with HAC presenting health presentations to nearby high schools, yay!). I hope to improve my homeostasis grade by infinity for the second exam that is post-spring break.

March and April are always the most intense months of the semester, so gear up that hyperlearning switch in your brain because you’ll need it! Even though we might have to lose a few hours of sleep, you can use the weekend to recover (it’s been proven that this does help a lot) and take micro-naps in between the day if possible. Some people may rely on caffeine or smoking, but I just eat a banana in the morning to get me awake and ready for the day! Of course, the afternoon classes tend to make me sleepy…but that’s why we have to push ourselves to keep our eyes open, our ears alert and ready.

I’ve finally picked out my date for the MCAT. I knew everyone was telling me to hurry up and pick it, “Otherwise, you’ll have to go to Indiana!!!” But for a few months now my mentality was, “If I’m not ready, then I shouldn’t take it…” I was scared that if I picked a date and wasn’t ready for it, then it’d be a waste of money to cancel.

But then I thought about how my attitude towards MCAT studying was currently, and even though I have been keeping up with the readings and attending classes with Kaplan, I was behind in a few assignments and had my focus more towards my UIC classes (especially since I had two exams last week!). Well, that’s all gotta change. After finally taking a full-length test, I was amazed that I went up 7 points higher than my diagnostic score. Can you believe that? It’s only been one month with Kaplan! Seeing such big improvement really made me happy and I’m a lot more motivated and confident now than ever!

Here is the new priority list (not that I had written one out before which I should have):

1. MCAT studying
2. Other studying (includes biochemistry, homeostasis and genetics)
3. Research (qPCR qPCR qPCR!!!)
4. Health Activism Committee (we’re going to Clemente High School right before spring break and hopefully in April too!)
5. Getting my medical school application together! (:

So, I hope all of you have your own priority list. I might have to make a poster out of mine (not that I have time though…so maybe I’ll just write it down on a post-it note repeatedly all over my walls…). I’ve decided to get rid of my Facebook app on my phone, my Twitter app too…and all of my game apps. I threw in all of my educational apps on my home screen so I can quickly use them. No more socializing via phone or computer! I need to pour all of my energy and heart into studying for this test. It’s a hermit/recluse time for the next few months!

I wish anyone who is taking a standardized test this year the best of luck! WE CAN DO THIS!!! :D

The weather in Chicago never ceases to amaze me. What looked like snow was really rain in disguise! I don’t understand the weather, although I probably should. Not sure if other people feel this way (to those whom it applies), but every time the weather changes, my allergies go NUTS. I am stuffy and sniffling and can’t sleep. I haven’t gotten much sleep the past two weeks because I’ve been staying up studying for the MCAT, going into the research lab very early in the morning and working on HAC (I can’t wait to go to Clemente High School in March and April!).

I have two exams on Valentine’s Day, one in biochemistry and one in homeostasis. I’m not too thrilled, especially since I haven’t studied the material very in-depth or had time to catch up with the reading. There are so many demands every day! :(

But nevertheless, the lack of sleep and crummy allergies/bad skin will hopefully just be a minor bump in the road for my success this semester. I know that I will have to work even harder in the next coming months, but with every assignment or thing to do, I know that the end goal will be worth it! So, for those of you who are not “feeling” the good prospects for the semester, don’t fret! We can all do this and indeed, hard work will pay off.

Enjoy your Valentine’s Day! This past Sunday was Chinese New Year for those who were not aware. It’s the year of the snake! :D Any snakes out there? Born in 1989 perhaps? Wishing everyone the best.

It has only been two weeks or so and my brain has been jam-packed. I do not recall having such an intensive beginning compared to last semester. Perhaps I went a bit overboard when I did my pre-reading and extreme note-taking before classes, only to later realize the instructors were not going to cover any of that and all of the books that I had gotten were not to be read in-depth compared to the presentation lectures/slides that will be tested. Let me tell you, I wanted to flip! I think I’m still in the “getting used to” phase, but I really need to snap out of it!

I had dinner with Alaina at Kohan! We were both craving some yummy sushi. I should probably keep that off my diet since my eczema has been going nuts, but I couldn't resist! I honestly don't know where my self-diligence has gone. It was lovely catching up with her on things and hearing all of the new opportunities that await her in her graphic design career!

I have been finding myself more prone to sleeping in as much as possible until classes start. The original plan was to wake up early and do homework or study like a good, diligent student does. Why is that not happening?

It's been crazy cold lately! I took this picture when I was coming out of my genetics class. The quad and snow...

Last semester, I was super on top of it. I always woke up early and did everything right (hence, my grades improved tremendously!). The only thing that is different this semester, I’d say, would be that I am not working my bazillion part-time jobs…and MAYBE that’s the reason I’m being such a slacker! I’m always ready and on time for work because I have to be…but when it comes to school and studying…I just can’t treat it in the same respect as a part-time job and it really bugs me. All of this free time just to study…it’s almost wasteful! But I know it is not because the investment is to score well on the MCAT and get good grades (hoping to aim for straight As and actually get that at the end).

Of course, no one can do that on their own unless they’re an absolute genius (grrrr I want your brain!). But, it’s not a bad thing! I’m completely dumb and never thought about it before, but the people in my pre-med club are taking the exact same classes that I am! STUDY BUDDIES? I think yes! It’s been proven on many accounts that studying with others is effective. I just haven’t been doing that method of studying because I’m so anti-social and busy…but now I do have time! And, you wouldn’t let down a friend as you would let down yourself, at least in my opinion. I feel that right now what I need is someone to keep me in check, and likewise many of my peers seek that extra “push” to get things done. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship!

So far I have asked people in my Health Activism Committee if they would like to form study groups (for classes and MCAT) and so far the response has been very high. I’m very excited to get started because I know we are all going to learn a lot, build friendships along the way and hopefully all attain our life goals! Haha.

Optimism is key! ^_^

While it’s still early in the semester, go and make friends in your classes! See your TAs and professors. I know I haven’t been doing that but maybe you will (and you should). Make everything count this semester. =)

After previewing all of my classes for the first week, all I can say is WOW! As most of you know, this is the most crucial semester of my entire undergraduate career (actually, from what I hear it’s everyone’s most crucial or at least the most difficult/craziest). Even though I’m only taking 13 credit hours, it feels like I’m taking 18+! Even my roommate feels the same way about her classes and she is taking the same amount that I am. As a quick reminder, here’s what is on my plate:

1. Classes – BIOS 220 Genetics (3 hrs), BIOS 240 Homeostasis (3 hrs), BIOS 452 Biochemistry I (4 hrs), HON 201 Current Perspectives in Diabetes and Treatments (1 hr), ASAM 105 Are you Doctor-Author yet? (1 hr), and a Kaplan MCAT course (3-6 hrs per week)

2. SFP/HAC – We’re going to high schools again! Clemente High School has welcomed us back and I am very excited to send over the finalized presentations and teaching aids to them soon. Next stop, training my members in their public-speaking/interacting with an audience skills!

3. Research – I am limiting myself to one time a week, even though I would love to go in at least three times…but all of the reading and homework and studying I have to do for my classes is very intensive! And the studying….ahhhh! I’m excited to work on a new project soon after I finish qPCR-ing one that was done over winter break. I hope out of my crazy busy schedule I can do a poster presentation at the UIC Undergraduate/Graduate Symposium in April!

Imagine if I did not go on hiatus for my other jobs…oh man. I don’t think I’d be sleeping ever! I love sleep so much.

So, I’m not sure how crazy everyone’s schedule is, but always look to the end goal! I need to also start writing my personal statement for medical school, collecting letters of recommendation from professors and employers that I have had a pleasure of knowing, and continuously studying for that MCAT! I am hoping to work incredibly hard to get a 4.0 this semester so that I can prove that without part-time jobs (just one if you count research) and only one club that I can succeed!

Wishing the best of luck to everyone! :D

The syllabus for any biology class is typically very long and thorough, leaving people like me with no questions to ask because all of the information is there. The real action that must be taken is simply to heed their warnings and sink in the advice. After calculating how many pages of reading I have to do before class, I came to the sad conclusion of 100+ pages. That was just ONE class and out of two required textbooks, and it isn’t fun to know that it’s only for one semester. I still have two more classes that I didn’t add up yet but it’ll most likely be another 50+ pages. Now, normally I try to be a week ahead of the readings at the beginning of the semester, but this is ridiculous! I also have to complete assignments before my Kaplan course so that’s probably another 30+ pages to read and then complete some preview assignments.

And so, I figure it’d be good to let everyone who is contemplating the major know what the pros and cons are:

PROS:

• If you’re a pre-medicine student, you’ll have to fulfill your pre-med requirements. Conveniently, the biological sciences major requirements overlap well with the pre-medicine trek. This could possibly mean that you could graduate early to save a year’s worth of tuition (although why would you want to graduate early when there is no rush when deciding what it is you want to do with the rest of your life). Thus, half of UIC is a bio/pre-med major (haha).
• The faculty are almost always very interesting. My freshman year ecology and evolution class had a professor that did her research on Galapagos Islands…and she likes marine iguanas. Because of her, I attended Reptilefest when it was at UIC’s physical education building! (:
• The labs are pretty fun (unlike chemistry labs, ewwww) and you actually learn something.
• The major only requires 36 credits…and you need 120 to graduate. You know what that means? More elective classes!!! :D It’s important to take classes that you probably will never have the chance to take again and to really enhance your liberal arts education. I’ve taken the liberty of taking Polish last semester and it was awesome! Can’t wait for 102! I’ve also taken higher level English classes, Asian Studies, Jazz History…etc.
• In general, there are a lot of class sections to choose from to make your schedule more flexible.

CONS:

• I don’t know why, but almost every biology class that I have taken required two textbooks. That’s at least $90 just renting on Chegg. Imagine if you wanted to own them! Shelling out that money isn’t very fun, especially when you can barely afford tuition! :( At least when you purchase a chemistry book, you can use it for a whole year rather than just one semester.
• The material is very challenging. It’s biology, of course.
• Lectures are very big. There are discussion sections where you’re with the TA and there might be 20 other people or less…but the lectures have about 150 people…that means if you want to be in the front…you better run there!!! Those spots fill up really fast. I don’t think I’ve ever sat in the front because they’re always packed!
• You have to pay a lot of tuition differentials and fees…
• Getting a B or C is easy, but getting an A is tough. Literally every single point or percentage counts when it comes to the final calculation of your grade! To get As in these classes, you need to really push yourself and make every point count. Otherwise, if you just depend on what you “usually” do…you might either just barely get an A…or be borderline and end up with a B by only a few points away from an A!
• Because you have to put a lot of studying and reviewing each day, you probably have less time for part-time jobs and other arrangements. To succeed in a biology class means making some sacrifices (unless you are a genius)!

Happy spring semester! :D I hope I can survive! I’ve happily ceased all of my part-time jobs except for research and blogging. No excuses to do poorly this semester!!!

A new semester approaches, which means the usual creation of goals that entail earning a 4.0 while doing amazing things! I have got lots of things to dread as well as look forward to. The feeling of dissonance is never an old friend of mine when it comes to examining my emotions and their effect on my academic performance.

Classes – I’m taking three biological sciences courses (genetics, homeostasis and biochemistry), in addition to two seminars (ASAM and Honors). While I am looking forward to all of my classes, I am also mentally giving myself pep talks that perpetuate the ol’ “You got this. Confidence is KEY. No pressure. Just do what you always do but cut out ‘Say Yes to the Dress’ and all those wedding shows you love on TNT. Oh, and please eat more. Your brain needs at least 200g of carbohydrates just to function decently! Get that glucose!”

MCAT – Here’s the kicker! I have been slowly studying for this test, but it definitely won’t happen until school really starts. I took the Kaplan diagnostic test online and that was a fail, haha. While I like to pride myself in time management skills, I tend to put more time to club meetings and research and less on actually studying until a week or two before. Why? Well, in the moment you think, “Ahh, but if we don’t do this now then…” and while that conversation should be about studying, I procrastinate. It’s never on purpose, of course. This is where your “gear” comes into play.

So, I figure it’d be good suggest some methods that you can motivate yourself to do awesome this semester!

1. Stock up on Post-it Notes. I absolutely LOVE Post-it Notes. They are the bomb. They’re easy to carry around, and you can drop messages left and right! I use them mainly to write down my to-do list. Even though I can put it on my phone, I don’t find myself diligent enough to ONLY look at my to-do list. Sometimes things are better when they are separate (ex. my beef with tablets and their capabilities). Things are more organized. It’s nice to have things all in one place in theory, but then I think about my dresser and how I put EVERYTHING on top of it during the semester. When I’m trying to look for something, I’ll find it eventually…but it’s more beneficial to either clean every day, or put things in designated places. Anyway, that was a long tangent but basically Post-it Notes can be a great asset. You can put them on your walls and write your own “morning routine” pep talks or confidence boosters like “Hey beautiful!” What’s even better? Having your significant other write them about you. That’ll put a smile on your face.
2. Do it old-school. Loose-leaf notebook and binder for note-taking. Take notes this way, unless the class has powerpoint presentations that the instructor uses (you should really download them…but if they’re like 100+ slides maybe do without them and write the slide number next to your notes as a reference…save paper!). I have always thought about bringing my netbook to class and taking notes on it like 1/3 of my classmates I see, but then I see them continually fall under the temptation to check Facebook or play Minesweeper (I don’t know) and honestly I’d probably do the same. Besides, I can do that stuff on my phone (which I lock away in my backpack during classes). Distractions, obviously, will distract you. So, if you’re like me and unable to concentrate when there’s so many exciting web apps to play with (although go ahead if you’re into computer science and programming), keep it away from the classroom. Also, I think there’s some psychological thing where your brain works better when you’re physically doing something too (note-taking while writing the words rather than typing). I’m not sure if there is research on typing versus writing in terms of retaining information, but do share if there is! Of course, we all have different learning strategies so do what has been working best for you. :) I personally fear that my computer will just die one day or get stolen if I bring it out so having my notes in paper form is best (unless a fire happens…oh no!). Hmm, well if you take notes with your computer, at least do it through a cloud system so that even if your computer explodes your information is accessible from anywhere!
3. Download EverNote. Man, this app ROCKS! I make study guides for myself with my netbook and then it gets synced onto my phone. Once it’s on my phone, you bet that I’m reading and studying on my bus rides and breaks! It’s so wonderful. I honestly have to say that was how I had success this past fall semester in most of my classes. And this case, retyping my hand-written notes helps me a lot with remembering the information. If it had been already typed, I don’t think I’d remember as well…I don’t know why.
4. Do something that you used to love doing every day. For me, it’s drawing, playing my erhu or violin or piano, dancing to my Xbox, etc. For you, it could be anything! Think back to when you were a little kid, fascinated by everything. What was it? Taking pictures from an instant camera? Crafting? Sewing? Fishing (I guess you can’t do that every day unless you do it virtually)? Video games! If you ever feel like you just can’t study, go blow off that steam and regain that confidence to work hard because it really will pay off. It might seem like a time-waster to indulge in these activities, but I think you waste more time being frustrated if anything. Being focused is tough, but if you’re in a good mood and have the right attitude then it is not an issue.
5. Start early. Here comes the calendar. D: I use my phone’s calendar obsessively to plan, but you might find it better to write on a paper type of planner (like those desk-sized ones) to see everything very clearly. My motivational interviewing professor for a nutrition class I took last semester said that whatever goal he had each day, he made sure to document its completion by drawing a smiley face! My quota for each day is to study the MCAT at least 3 hours a day. So, here’s my plan. Get a calendar that I can draw smiley faces on after studying at least 3 hours a day! Try it for any long-term goal you have, like working out or something…(that’ll be my next goal). Heck, you can get a separate calendar for each goal you have. That’ll decorate your wall quite nicely, haha.

Anyway, I’ve been spending the past week going into research and seeing old friends as well as spending it with my family. I saw “Django Unchained” and “The Hobbit.” The first one was not my cup of tea, as my friend Piotr suggested to me…and he was right! I really enjoyed “The Hobbit” and I can’t remember a single thing from the book when I had read it in 6th grade! I vaguely remember the end where Bilbo is drinking tea with someone, I think…but I didn’t see that in the movie at the end so I was confused with my memory. It’s been a very nice winter break and it has helped me see the light at the end of the road. ^_^

‘Til then!
-Milie

I think it is always important to never lose touch with things you used to enjoy. One of the main reasons I had pursued many jobs that dealt with graphic design and the web at UIC is because I was incredibly in love with coding my eighth grade year. In high school I never got a chance to continue that interest, but I did get to explore my love for basketball (it’s a shame I didn’t keep playing because I was getting really good!). I also took a lot of art classes in high school, for the reason that I thought I was going to do architecture before changing it altogether to medicine.

However, within the past month I was finally hit with the realization that art was not something that I wanted to pursue as career. The main reason I had all these jobs was not only to have that creative outlet in my life, but also to have that possible switch back to what I had originally wanted, a career in art and technology. The purpose of the jobs, for me, was to ultimately confirm that my past interests in them did not outweigh my interest in medicine. The struggle I have had in the past two years was, as you may have guessed, keeping a strong balance between the two sides of me: the artsy, free-spirited one…and the thinking, realistic one (I guess you can equate this to left vs. right brain fighting each other, haha). You’d think having both of the worlds would be nice, and it is, but it’s incredibly difficult deciding what you want! To be a doctor, you really have to devote your whole life to do it. And honestly, if I want to be there, I’ve got to start devoting more time to studying harder in my science classes and the MCAT exam. I am also considering the MD/Ph.D., but I think I will have to do some more research myself to really understand what it is to be a Ph.D. candidate as well. These things take time, but in the overall span of our lives, it is not much. The first week of my winter break actually consisted of commuting every day to the research lab to conduct qPCR and I did that and RT so many times that my PI called me a “qPCR queen.” XD I tweeted about it and got some new followers from biotech companies. Funny!

My Canadian co-volunteer teacher requested a drawing from me in the form of mail, but I'm kind of lazy and really bad about sending mail unless my life depends on it so I just sent this through FB. At first I wanted to draw her doraemon because I know she loves that character but it started to look really terrible and then a light bulb appeared in my head and BAM! Really silly cartoon versions of us in our bright orange AID Summer shirts. I miss her!<3

The grades came out for this past semester and I did well! I got a B in organic chemistry lab, but it’s only worth one credit so it didn’t bring my GPA down too much. I was expecting an A until halfway through the semester my TA got a lot stricter with his grading and then the lab practical was an absolute fail. :( BUT YAY! I’m done with organic chemistry forever (except for what I need to know for the MCAT). I am super happy that I received an A in biophysics and it’s given me a super confidence booster for next semester when I take on biochemistry, genetics and homeostasis! I am also taking an Asian American Studies seminar led by Karen Su from AARCC and we’ll be reading about the “super” model minority of Asian American doctors from their own books. Exciting! I thankfully did well on all of my other finals (abnormal psychology, Polish and nutrition assessment). I also completed my honors activity by translating a short story from Polish to English titled Chcę Być Koniem, which means “I want to be a horse.” My Polish instructor said I really captured the sense of Mrozek’s sarcasm! Woohoo! (:

So I’m not sure if I had confirmed with everyone about my plans for next semester, but here it is! After going through my dilemma and contemplating my options, I have made it clear to almost everyone affiliated with me and my “art outlet” what it is I want to do with my life and that’s medicine.

• Classes: ASAM 105, BIOS 452, BIOS 220, BIOS 240
• Jobs: Research, blogging, possibly tour guiding and web designing at campus housing (still debating)
• Extra: Health Activism Committee, MCAT Kaplan prep course
• GOALS: Straight As and at least a 30 on the MCAT.

I’m hoping for the best! =)

I guess I kind of went off topic from the title, but basically I wanted to remind everyone that they should do something they love! <3

I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and will enjoy a wonderful new year! :D