My Experience in the Lab - 30 Day Blogging Challenge (Day 22)

I have found that, no matter what the context, I will click on nearly any article with a type of experience in the title. I enjoy reading peoples different views in what they work in, if its working on their PhD or working in a company or their undergrad studies. 

Maybe you’re an ordinary person, not a scientist, and you've just clicked here for some light lunchtime reading. But if you’re a scientist, perhaps you can relate  to my experiences in the laboratory. 

If you personally know me you'll know that another hobby I have is cooking. I feel like the kitchen is like a laboratory except you make edible items. I think this is the basis for loving the laboratory, even if things go wrong its still a great place to work in. So here's a list of prominent things from my experience from working in a laboratory...

1. You don't know where time goes or what time it is...

You can easily forget that time goes by in the lab. When I was working on my project I would be shocked to look at the clock seeing that I had entered the lab at 9 am and what felt like 2 minutes later it's already 12pm! (That's also when I realise I've been standing there for ages and I'm really hungry)

2. You have a favourite laboratory...

Inorganic chemistry wasn't my favourite subject at university but it was my favourite subject to work in the lab for. The products you could make were physically appealing; one product we made almost resembled red glitter.

3. You break some things by accident... 

I like to think I'm an organized person and very cautions of my surroundings, especially when it comes to the lab. but sometimes you can't help but break something, if its the glass stirrer your using (I'm guilty of this one) or a conical flask or the tip of a titration burette.  

4. Sometimes you have to work with dangerous things.

I think this section can also be connected with number (2). As much as I could enjoy working in a lab I hate working with dangerous things, such as radioactive chemicals and things like caustic chemicals, infectious agents, highly electrified instruments, and other similar dangerous and stress-inducing things.

5. Sometimes it get a little bit too much...


Working in the lab is great but it can be tough because most of the time your experiments might not work and it makes you stress out and loose focus but there's always possibility that it will work and that what kept me going.

_____________________ 

What's your experience in the laboratory? Join the 30 day blogging challenge, I'd love to read your experiences and responses to the challenge - M :)