Lately I've been thinking a lot and trying to figure out what I'm going to do after graduation. While it seems like the future is lightyears away, it's not. Soon we'll all have to make choices about what we want to do with our lives. That's pretty scary. However, I've come to conclusion that the University of Michigan is where I want to be.
I've visited quite a few times and it seems more like home every time I go. While I do love this class, it's made me realize that science isn't really for me. It's interesting and fun but I don't think I can make a career out of it that I'd be happy with. While I have my mind up about which college I wish to attend, I haven't made up my mind about my major. I'm going to go into my freshman year undecided and then declare when I feel comfortable with what I'm doing. It's a big decision to make but I feel good about it. I might as well get my gen eds out of the way and then settle down into a specific field. I think I'll double minor as well. Maybe do a foreign language as one of my minors? I'm not quite sure yet. What I do know is that I have some big decisions ahead of me but I'm glad I still have some time to figure it all out.
Vote Ribosomes for president of the cell! Recently in our AP Biology class we had an "Organelle War". We were all partnered up and were assigned an organelle to campaign for. My partner and I were assigned Ribosomes! Ribosomes are incredibly important because they make all the proteins which are vital to all organisms. They work through a process called Protein Synthesis. Ribosomes are responsible for translating the DNA from the nucleus into the amino acid sequences and then pairing up the amino acids to form the proteins. There are many specialized proteins that do really important jobs. For example, enzymes help break substances down. Without these enzymes processes such as digestion wouldn't be able to happen. We used mediums such a twitter, our blogs, and word of mouth to get our message across. We had a campaigning day in class in which we were able to hop out in to the pod and set up a station. All groups were present and our only goal was to garner as many votes as possible. My wonderful partner, Emily, even ended up rapping to get people to come to our station! We had some videos playing and a poster with which we could present. We even ended up having a mini debate with the Nucleus and Mitochondria. We made a campaign video as well. Overall, this project was a fun way to learn about the relationships between different organelles and about some of the traits that make the organelles important.
If I had to be a macromolecule I would choose to be a nucleic acid. I think nucleic acids are really important because they are the basis of all genes. Nucleic acids are normally found in the nucleus but they are also present in both living and nonliving organisms. Nucleic acids are pretty big macromolecules. As far as structure goes they are usually a single helix (RNA) or a double helix (DNA). However, there have been instances of some organisms forming up to 3 or 4 stranded nucleic acids. The information stored within nucleic acids is crucial to all organisms because it contains the "instructions" for making proteins and these proteins go out to do various jobs including catalyzing enzyme reactions and transferring information for gene expression. The nucleic acids and proteins work together to set the foundation for the rest of the cell to do work.
For my free write I've chosen to write about how this class has influenced my career plans. I honestly really enjoy this class. It's one of my favorite classes of the day. I love the rigor and the material we cover. However, I have been thinking about my major and I'm no longer sure that I want to major in biology. I do still love it and I definately have a soft spot for it but the more we get into topics and experiemnts the less I feel like I can keep doing this for the rest of my life. It's pretty unfortunate. I don't really know what to do now with my college plans. I think I'm going to go ahead and apply to the colleges I had in mind but as far as my major I think I'm going to be undecided. It's hard to have a plan all figured out and then have it fall through. Hopefully this will be a step in the right direction though. Maybe by going into school with no specific major in mind I can focus on my college experience and really nail down what I want to do. The class is still one of my favorites and I love everyone in it and what we do, but as a profession I've come to the conclusion that it isn't for me.
There are always new discoveries in the world of Biology. This field is literally an ongoing odessy of discovery. One issue that is scrutinzed regularly is global warming. Arizona State University has recently created a model that can estimate greenhouse gas emissions on a specific level. This new model, named Hestia, is able to estimate greenhouse gas emissions coming from a street or even a single building. This is revolutionary because until now greenhouse gases emission have been reported on a broad level. This model is simple enough for authorities to use and the public to understand. It is now easier for groups to assume responsibility and take action to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
An image of Indianapolis' greenhouse gas emissions.
This model has been applied to Indianapolis, IN and will soon be implemented in Los Angeles and Pheonix. The developers of Hestia hope to have it in major cities all over the US. This model will not only help keep emissions under control but also provides evidence in favor of global warming. It's hard to argue with the data presented by this model. Not only could this change the outlook on this topic in the US but it can also influence other nations to clean up their act. Hopefully we can see a reduction in GHG emissions soon!
Homecoming. Such a simple word yet it encompasses so much. Homecoming is a great time of the year. Spartan pride is demonstrated in every facet of the community. In the high school, student council works hard to ensure every aspect of the day goes well. All four committees are in charge of a different event/activity. We begin working on everything in the spring for the fall. It's a lot of work but it's totally worth it. We have an overall theme for homecoming and then each class picks a subtheme. For example this year our theme was musicals. My class, the Senior class, chose "Rock of Ages"!
We begin the week before the Friday of Homecoming with dress up days. It's just a way to amp up the student body and get some points for your class. It's really fun when everyone participates. On the Friday of Homecoming we don't have a typical school day. We have festivities all day. In the morning we attend homerooms for attendance and then head to the gym for the formal assembly where all the candidates for homecoming king and queen give a speech. We then move on to games! It's such a fun part of the day. We literally play games for about 2 hours to earn points. We try to keep the games bigger so we can involve as many people as possible. One of my favorites is the Caterpillar. I don't really participate in the games but they're fun to watch. I get tired out just from cheering my class on! It's a great display of sportsmanship and team spirit.
After games we split off into classes to eat lunch and practice our mock rock. Mock Rock is a choreographed dance that we present. It should relate to the theme we have chosen. It takes a lot of rehearsal to get our routines done but it's one of the coolest part of our homecoming. After everyone presents their mock rock we move on to our parade! It's small and consists of the marchign band and all of the floats made by students. Each class must make a float for this parade and it too must relate to the theme. once at the field the marching band performs some of their show and we have our pep assembly in which we get pumped for our homecoming game.
In the evening we have a community parade and finally the big game. SAturday night we have our homecoming dance and that's a whole different adventure. It's a long two days but there's so much that goes into it that makes it so great. I love the feeling of pride and energy that comes with homecoming. This year was my last homecoming and it was extremely bitterweet. I'm glad that I'll never have to deal with the stress of all these activities but I will miss it. It's one of my favorite spartan traditions and we hit it out of the park every year.
Favorite musical character day! My friends Jonathan and Nokomis were Cathy and Don from "Singin' in the Rain". I was Eponine from "Les Miserables".
This week we were asked to post about something that humans do that harms the environment. I've chosen to post about carbon emissions and the mass production of beef. Many people don't think that the food they buy can affect the environment but the particular type can make all the difference in the world.
We live in a society in which we seek the most convenient way to go about things. Whether it be driving ourselves to work or buying a burger for lunch, the decisions we make affect the environment. When it comes to mass food production, the amount of carbon emitted is staggering. Meat production accounts for 14-22% of greenhouse gas production. The amount of energy we obtain from our food does not compare to the amount of energy we put into producing, processing, and transporting it. . In order to raise cattle, you should let them graze. When they graze, they eat. When they eat, they produce waste. Pretty straightforward, right? The only problem is that the waste is not taken care of. It just sits there. This wouldn't be such a problem but because we have so many cattle that this causes a great amount of CO2 to be emitted repeatedly everyday. Also, the cattle on concentrated feed lots (CAFOs) don't normally graze. They are fed a special type of corn that has been scientifically altered to grow quickly, in large quantities, and that makes the cattle bigger more quickly. Growing this crop on a massive scale also contributes to the carbon footprint. After the cattle has been raised it's taken to the slaughter house. The slaughterhouse is full of machinery that butcher the cattle and process it. These machines all require fuel and therefore emit large quantities of CO2. Finally, the meat is taken to grocery stores all over the country. Transportation within the United States will most likely be semi-trucks which use diesel. There are millions of grocery stores in our country which means a lot of semis operating to deliver these products. When you stop to think about the entire process you realize how much harm is being done to the environment just for a burger patty. For all we know, majority of the stuff in your patty probably isn't meat. If it is it has most likely been treated repeatedly with chemicals.
However, there are things you can do to lessen your impact on the environment. Buying local is a great way to help the environment. Not only do you help your local businesses and economy, but you minimize food miles. Food miles are the distance food travels from production to your dining room table. Obviously the farther food travels the more carbon is emitted. Buying local means your food is fresh and not processed too. It's a win-win. You get fresher, healthier food while helping the environment. Another thing you could do would be reducing the amount of beef you consume. It's a pretty safe bet that those in developed coutnries eat greater portions of food than they really should. If we cut down our portions we could also improve the health of those aruond us. Also, you could support better farming practices. Just because we need food doesn't mean we need to be abuse the environment to get it. The higher the demand is for meat the more companies will produce. That being said, couldn't we change that if we cut back on our consumption or bought local? Would companies take into account that the demand is going down? Would they change their ways in order to get better business? Maybe, maybe not. We'll never know until we try.
I know this may not seem like a huge issue to some people. However, the solution is so simple: be mindful of what you eat. Just because it's convenient doesn't mean it's the best option. Yes, I know local food can be expensive but think of the "food" you're eating right now. Healthier, more environmentally friendly food or processed foods that degrade the environment? The choice is yours.
If you want to learn more about how to make wise decisions about your food, check out Michael Pollan.
I am most looking forward to evolution! I love the topic and I find all of the different perspectives fascinating. Being Catholic, this topic has always been a more difficult aspect of science for me. I am really looking forward to learning more about it and really being able to understand the controversy. I also really like what we're doing now with ecosystems. I also really like biodiversity. I like topics that relate more to the environment and the animal kingdom. Another topic of interest is global warming and alternative energy. We worked a lot on this while I was at Calvin and I loved our ethanol unit. I find cellulosic ethanol to be an extremely likely option. Especially if more research is done with algae.
I would have to say that I am least looking forward to any medical unit. I am not really a fan of the medical sciences. We did a lot on this at Calvin as well. I've never wanted to be a doctor so these kinds of topics don't really interest me. Plus the terminology always trips me up. I think I personally am too sqeamish to be involved in medicine and bacteria and such. It's definately not my cup of tea. For those out there going into medicine, best wishes! Personally, I'll stick to my ethanol and fish.
Random, but I just wanted to share that I FINALLY got an internship! I will be interning with the Land Conservancy of West Michigan! I am so excited! They are a group set on protecting the environment in West Michigan. They are really great. I worked with them over the summer. We went out to a field and picked native species and then spread the seeds in a dried up lake. Our efforts will help reintroduce native species to that area and restore the land left by the lake's drying up. I can't wait to start! If anyone wants to volunteer or just wants to learn more about the group, you can visit their website: http://www.naturenearby.org/Home.tab.aspx.
Hello there! I'm Jacky Saldana and I'm really excited to be in this class. In the future I hope to become a marine biologist and eventually enter the United Nations (the UN) through the environmental branch. I've always had a passion for the environment and a thirst for knowledge. I also have an interest in social issues and current events in regards to international politics. I also really love cultures and languages. I'm fascinated by the idea of different lifestyles coexisting and the beauty of each way of life. I hope to learn as many languages as I possibly can. I would really like to go into the Peace Corps for a year between graduation and grad school. I LOVE to travel. I've been to Australia, Mexico, Canada, and most of the continental US. I hope to study abroad in college. A friend once jokingly told me that the perfect career for me would be a "travelling marine biologist". To be honest, that sounds absolutely wonderful to me. Some schools that I am currently looking at are Michigan State, Duke, Rutgers, and Brown. I really enjoy volunteering and am really involved in theatre. I am the president of the SHS drama club and Interact club. I am also an executive officer in Student Council, a member of NHS, a Spartan Mentor, a section leader in marching band, and a member of wind ensemble. Outside of school I participate in community theatre, the Sparta Historical Commission, and my church. I'm a workaholic but I don't deny it. I'm always busy but I love what I do and I find it extremely rewarding.
I'm taking this course because it is incredibly applicable to my career. A big component of marine biology happens to be...biology. I took the freshman biology course at Calvin this summer so I'm hoping to reinforce what I learned with this class. So far it's been great and I'm really enjoying it. Apart from reinforcing what I learned over the summer, I'd also really like to make up my mind about majoring in biology. While I do love it, I am just like any other Senior...lost. I do have some doubts about my decision. Hopefully this course can give me a better idea about what exactly I'm getting myself into and if I do want to follow through with my current career plans.
