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Well, then.
Apparently I didn't learn my lesson.
Bit of background: I'm at a six-week summer research program for high schoolers. We are now halfway through week four and I have a rough draft of a legitimate research paper due today. It is sort of ridiculous to expect an actual research paper in six week because research is rarely that quick and easy, but it's not as if we are getting them published--it's just a great experience in general.
I'm sure many of you have read the opening to a few similar entries and have left in disgust, but have at it if you want, haha.
Anyway, I still somehow have a nagging feeling that I do not completely understand the process of this research, and I have to prepare a presentation for my lab meeting (Friday), write the aforementioned research paper, collect a massive load of data, and prepare a presentation for the program describing my research project.
Worst thing: I still feel as if I'm acting on protocol (i.e. just following directions) rather than principle (i.e. understanding the process--why I'm doing x task and how it works)...and I'm afraid to ask my lab mentor because I've already spoken to him on several occasions but never ended up really confirming the entire principles and processes even though I emailed him asking if I could do so. Bleh.
Well, it's really time to work. In the words of MightyAtom:
I AM A MACHINE.
 
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Six weeks is more than enough IMO. As your thread title indicates, you procrastinated and now are screwed because you waited to the last minute to do RESEARCH. Use it as an experience and next time start research early.
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My research topic involves a protein, gp140, which is based on the envelope protein of HIV. I'm trying to characterize the degree of flexibility of hypervariable regions on said protein.
There's quite a long process involved, and as I mentioned in my entry, I still feel like I'm acting on protocol and not principle as far as the process goes...the process also involves a ton of data collection which I will have to finish before Friday at the latest--hence, the procrastination.
@Horuku: I admit that there was a great deal of time-wasting involved, but you cannot be serious in believing that research can actually be conducted and papers published in a 1.5 month span. I'm a high school student doing grad-level research, and while it's true that 6 weeks is enough for the type of paper we're doing, true research is very rarely this quick... I spent the first half of the program even learning how everything works, and this is upper-division biochem.
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United States11308 Posts
I fully expected the OP to be less complete, with more to come eventually.
Although it's doable. One time I wrote a 4 page paper for a roomie in 3 hours, in exchange for using his car that weekend for a date. He got a B+.
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On July 21 2011 07:45 JingleHell wrote:
I fully expected the OP to be less complete, with more to come eventually.
Although it's doable. One time I wrote a 4 page paper for a roomie in 3 hours, in exchange for using his car that weekend for a date. He got a B+.
That actually would be more conducive to getting my work done quickly ;;
And that is pretty beast of you. Our papers' grades don't particularly matter, but I'm a crazy perfectionist so I'm compelled to do it well.
Okay, I'm getting off of the Internet.
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United States11308 Posts
On July 21 2011 07:46 Z3kk wrote:Show nested quote +On July 21 2011 07:45 JingleHell wrote:
I fully expected the OP to be less complete, with more to come eventually.
Although it's doable. One time I wrote a 4 page paper for a roomie in 3 hours, in exchange for using his car that weekend for a date. He got a B+. That actually would be more conducive to getting my work done quickly ;; And that is pretty beast of you. Our papers' grades don't particularly matter, but I'm a crazy perfectionist so I'm compelled to do it well. Okay, I'm getting off of the Internet.
Well, I had a house edge, it was for a sociology class, and it was about changes in the school system due to Columbine. I had studied the incident overall a good bit because I was sick of hearing the skewed religious point of view on the whole thing from my parent's church when I was younger.
So I did a typical paper topic switcheroo and gave them 4 pages about the incident itself, with maybe 2 paragraphs about metal detectors and security.
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What's the program? Not RSI is it?
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So are you a regular procrastinator? You sound awfully relaxed about the situation you are in.
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My first post!
I had to register and make a post as I felt EXACTLY the same when I did my summer research program in high school.
Don't get off the internet!
Your best bet is to:
1) google enough information to form an introduction that substantiates your experiment (HIV characterization and mechanism of infection is probably something you need to include)
2) if you really don't understand what you are doing based on prelim info that you gathered you can always check out www.pubmed.com if you are really confused. (type in gp140 and hypervariability). Not recommended though unless you want to give yourself a headache OR you have someone who can explain it to you.
In the end, the high school experience is really just the top of the iceberg. I talked to my PI TWICE during the whole summer, and mostly spend talking with my lab techs and other students. At that time I figured the lack of attention was due to the small significance of my project =(. I remember my friend only did PCR the entire summer lol, glad I didn't get that project.
All in all try your best! Assuming you are going for a science related degree, most of the things you covered in your research will makes sense.
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Three advices:
1) You're in high school so a lot of the info about HIV cannot really be explained to you as you lack the core science knowledge like biochemistry, immunology, cell biology, human physiology, organic chemistry, etc. And no, a million AP classes or being smart will not help you. Your grad student can explain the concepts, but it'd be like building a house with no foundation. Of course it's great you want to know more about HIV and definitely learn as much, but don't pressure yourself too much. I'm a 3rd year med student and frankly HIV still confuses me... And if it makes you feel any better, I did a number of research projects and rarely did I feel that I adequately understood the principles.
2) That mentality of procrastination is best lost as soon as possible. You're still young so it's understandable, but just know that it will not get you far in life. You will one day realize that suddenly everyone is just as smart as you if not smarter and they work 5 times more than you. Again, you're in high school so no biggie but just telling you cause frankly I was just like you. And no, getting good grades while procrastinating does not make you cool and smart at the same time.
3) If you don't have a girlfriend get one. If you do then good job!
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Keep reading this blog for advice, that's what I'd do!
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On July 21 2011 07:46 Z3kk wrote:
...
... Our papers' grades don't particularly matter, but I'm a crazy perfectionist so I'm compelled to do it well.
...
It probably could have been done even better over a longer period of time. Just some food for thought, since I assume you must have gotten cracking on your research by now.
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United States10328 Posts
On July 21 2011 07:27 Z3kk wrote:
Well, then.
Apparently I didn't learn my lesson.
Bit of background: I'm at a six-week summer research program for high schoolers. We are now halfway through week four and I have a rough draft of a legitimate research paper due today. It is sort of ridiculous to expect an actual research paper in six week because research is rarely that quick and easy, but it's not as if we are getting them published--it's just a great experience in general.
I'm sure many of you have read the opening to a few similar entries and have left in disgust, but have at it if you want, haha.
Anyway, I still somehow have a nagging feeling that I do not completely understand the process of this research, and I have to prepare a presentation for my lab meeting (Friday), write the aforementioned research paper, collect a massive load of data, and prepare a presentation for the program describing my research project.
Worst thing: I still feel as if I'm acting on protocol (i.e. just following directions) rather than principle (i.e. understanding the process--why I'm doing x task and how it works)...and I'm afraid to ask my lab mentor because I've already spoken to him on several occasions but never ended up really confirming the entire principles and processes even though I emailed him asking if I could do so. Bleh.
Well, it's really time to work. In the words of MightyAtom:
I AM A MACHINE.
WTF ARE YOU AT RSI?
On July 21 2011 08:14 Muirhead wrote:
What's the program? Not RSI is it?
ohai muirhead. haven't gotten starleague emails recently... 
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was anyone else expecting "il do this later?" from the title?
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No, it is not RSI. I wish it were. I'm going to be a junior.
You go to MIT and you're an IMO qualifier so I can't begin to compare.
I would say something to stir the pot, so to speak, but at the moment there's not much to say and I have it under control provided I work crazy overtime--which I will of course.
Yeah, I should have done it over a longer period of time... I sort of didn't express that much interest at first because I was too busy fooling around and also I will not be particularly involved in biochemistry in the foreseeable future. It's nonetheless very interesting stuff and I hope to continue it after the program ends. :3
The process of learning the process took about the first three/four weeks, so I couldn't actually start my data collection until well into the program; the slacking is still my fault, though.
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I'm in my research lab procrastinating right now too!
This blog seems like the right place for me.
The first procrastination story that comes to mind for me is, I had a literature class (boring as hellllllllllllllllll) that required that we write 2-3 page papers, twice a week. What I ended up doing the entire semester was to wake up at 6am (class was at 8) and write my paper in that time. Got a B in the class with minimal effort, so I was satisfied.
I wouldn't quite call this next story procrastination, but it's in the same vein:
I was sleeping in my Calculus class (I slept in every class in high school, some more often than others), and my teacher decided to call on me. after my friend woke me, I stared at the problem for a couple seconds and answered it correctly and went right back to sleep. This happened a couple times throughout the year, I think that teacher hated me, but I can't blame her (but her class was easy like sunday morning)
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EPT
