Ode to Ochem Lab

So on Wednesday, like every other Wednesday, I found myself stuck in ochem lab without any good results and long after most of the other lab groups had left. I had to go to work after lab, I had a volunteering opportunity that I had just missed, and everybody else’s product was yellow while ours was . . . gray. We had restarted our experiment twice because the first time, it had turned green. The second time, it turned green again, but this time we KNEW it wasn’t because any of our glassware was unclean. Our TA, who now understands our overall lab inefficiency, allowed us to keep the second trial running, hoping our product would turn yellow-orange. And it turned gray.

Now you’d think that in a lab like this, I’d be utterly miserable. You’d think that I was watching the time slide away from me, seconds into minutes into hours. Believe it or not, this isn’t the case.

I actually enjoy organic chemistry lab! The lab is long and sometimes the results don’t turn out, but I know when I get there, I have a lot of fun. Our lab “team” is comprised of two different lab groups, and we have a ton of fun rescuing each other from potential dilemma. We’re always nearly the last ones to leave but I honestly don’t even notice how long it’s taken until I see that we’re the last ones left. My lab partners, Gino nd Karthik, are entertaining through and through and working with them is always a great time. Our TA seems to think so– even if he’s stuck in lab ’til the end, he seems to love hanging out with us as well!

(Here’s Gino working hard and Karthik . . . .chilling. But to be fair, as Karthik says, this picture isn’t representative of the actual work they do in lab!)

Organic chemistry lab, above all else, does teach you the essential skills involving team work. I personally have learned a lot from my two lab partners and the other kids in our lab “team.” I’ve learned how to work together smoothly, how to not take control in every situation, and most importantly, how to troubleshoot (aka make it up as we go along!).

(The three of us and our TA Lee in the last stages of last week’s experiment)

So this is my ode to organic chemistry lab– trust me, it’s not as bad as you think. You might actually . . enjoy it. =)