[srnrxn]

☤ 06.25.26 // Thursday

Hello.! My name is Prodigy; welcome to my digital journal.

Posted material will primarily consist of accountability/"what I did today" check-ins, to-do lists/reminders, student/professional development resources, research discussions/topic organization, and other similar content.

A little about me: I am a 22 year old undergraduate senior pursuing dual degrees in chemistry and biology. I plan to PhD in organic chemistry, with a research focus of drug design and development. My primary interests include pharmacognosy and herbalism, which I hope to expand on within my PhD research.

I am also strongly drawn to teaching and the creation of accessible materials for student/professional development. I am still exploring this side of myself and want to promote such on this blog.

Read below for further personal information, tag organization, and alt accounts, and so on. My fiancé is on studyblr as well, you should check them out .!

☤ Tags // Info

#srn.tdy - "what I did today" / daily photo dump

#srn.try - to-do list / accountability check in

#srn.txt - rambles / misc.

#srn.abr - ask box response

☤ Interaction Insight

Communities: studyblr, stemblr . . .

Content: misc. STEM & research stuff, student life / higher education; lab work / experiment insight; motivation, self-care, & student support focused quotes, book content discussions / recommendations, . . .

☤ About Me

Research interests: pharmacognosy + herbalism, drug synthesis / alternative development pathways, . . .

Personal interests: Elasmobranchii + Molidae, marine life / the ocean in general, Hermeticism, communication / teaching, astronomy + astrology, . . .

Study desires: be able to complete multi-step reverse synthesis problems with ease, learn how to identify multiple different medicinal plant species in nature, learn multiple languages (curr. list: Greek, Spanish, Arabic, German), . . .

☤ Alt Acc's

@nicetricacid - studyspo / mutual content reblogs

[srnrxn]

Haven’t been active with posting recently; trying to figure out how to keep my blog enjoyable without taking excessive time from my work.

If anyone has any advice let me know.

[srnrxn]

☤ 06.10.26 // Wednesday

This morning was so hot in the lab; I thought there was a slow drip from the ceiling since it’s also been rainy but no, just sweat . . . (ᵕ•_•)

Next week is going to be fairly busy [for summer standards] because our school is holding a science camp for high scholars to learn and interact with STEM; this means we have our typical labs to set up and so on, along with the experiment set ups for the camp. I’m very excited!

Today we set up an entropy lab for gen chem II, and a copper experiment for survey chem I. The survey chemistry lab is for non-STEM majors; they always surprise me with something unexpected to work with . . .hahaha.

We finished off the safety checks and such for another building, so we have one more to check tomorrow.

[srnrxn]

☤ 06.09.26 // Tuesday

Today was fairly busy.

The lab oven in one of our advanced labs hasn't been working properly, and a few weeks ago I reconfigured it but it stopped working again after. Now the panel wont work at all AND it overheats if I try to make it work for too long !! (ꐦ¬_¬)

For orgo we cleaned up and put away the previous recrystallization lab and, in it's place, set up an extraction lab. For gen chem we set up a flame test lab.

We check all the satellite accumulation areas, safety showers, and eye wash stations each week; today I finished 1/3 of the buildings areas.

[srnrxn]

☤ 06.04.26 // Thursday

Today's workload has been pretty light so far.! Later I plan to go through and reorganize the chemical storage, primarily the organics.

I still need to start my research on Mitragyna speciosa leaf extract, so I may be able to get that in today.

[srnrxn]

☤ 06.03.26 // Wednesday

This summer has been off to an amazing start.

I get to work in the lab Monday - Thursday, my classes are online and going well, plus I have finally started redefining who I am. I hope everyone is doing well themselves .!

[srnrxn]

Please ! Excuse the sudden MIA .!

I am tidying up the blog and adjustments will be coming soon.

[srnrxn]

05/07/26 | 08:35 am

Final Days

I hope everyone is doing well this week.

I have two exams left: instrumental chemistry and evolution. I feel fine for the chem final, so I’m really focusing my study on evolution.

My grade for that lecture is sat at at 89, but with how the course work is weighed I have to get a 90 on the final to get an A. ( 〃．．)

[srnrxn]

You were made for this.

You can take a break, but you must try again.

You are destined to succeed.

[srnrxn]

04/14/26 | 10:10 pm

Tired But Trying

We have to submit a draft this Thursday that is supposed to be the almost completely finished version of a really big project for comparative vertebrate anatomy.

My taxon of focus is Molidae, which I have been really enjoying researching about. So much so that I lost track of time and missed 30 minutes of my evening lecture because I was so focused in on my reading (ᵕ—ᴗ—) . . .

[srnrxn]

To believe that academic sucess can occur without self-care is self-deceit.

[srnrxn]

03/15/26 | 02:32 pm

End of Break Revelations

The break is coming to an end; I am here again, starting, again.

I try to look back on the time I spent relaxing outside of studies as personal growth rather than another ‘could have been’ moment.

Growing yourself is just as important as growing your mind, and with that takes time, patience, and a commitment to self understanding.

[srnrxn]

Failure is inevitable and monumental. Without failure, there would be nothing new to learn.

[srnrxn]

03/05/26 | 08:23 pm

Pre-Exam Review

I couldn't sleep much last night, I struggle with allowing myself to sleep when tasks need to be completed -> which causes me to get in a cycle of 'too exhausted to work' but 'too fearful of failure to fall asleep'.

I was in lab/lecture from 8:15 am - 5 pm today and it was hard for me to focus; I really want to start sleeping better.

Anyways, we are finishing off the week with our second Genetics exam.

I hadn't delt with Punnett squares since high school before this course, so seeing them again so often feels a little nostalgic. I always loved the pattern and number involvement in solving them, it is very satisfying.

[srnrxn]

02/25/26 | 12:15 pm

Lab Brain, Low Battery

Cleaning flame test lab wires, which has been on our to-do for a short while now. The one in the picture might’ve had residual copper on it, but our lab manager said it could’ve been barium too. We clean the wires through a cycle of flame heating and dipping in 6 M HCl.

We set up next week’s Orgo I TLC lab, refreshed a few other lab setups, and dealt with some full waste containers -> pH testing, weighing, extra documentation, + storage for later transfer.

We also got through our weekly check ups (satellite accumulation area + eye wash and shower station check).

Beautifully busy day today; I'm still adjusting to working again so I think that's why I began feeling very tired in the evening.

[srnrxn]

02/24/26 | 05:00 am

Early Morning Study, Early Morning Exam

It's hard to break out of the 'to succeed, I must stay awake all night' mindset. Even with multiple location changes and cold-air refreshers outside -> I found myself dozing off mid-study many times.

The learning I achieved was disproportionate to the time and sleep I gave up. If I had slept for even 6 hours, I would have gotten through my studies much faster. I'll keep reminding myself of this until the sentimant sticks.

Anyways, get your rest.

[srnrxn]

02/05/26 | 8:45 am

Dissection

Dogfish shark (Squalus spp.).

[srnrxn]

Identification

Shark external anatomy -> skinning for muscle [ID Req's]

External: pectoral, pelvic, anterior dorsal, posterior dorsal, caudal fin (dorsal lobe, keep, ventral lobe) ; rostrum ; incurrent, excurrent aperture ; Ampullae of Lorenzini, spiracle, gill slits, cloacal opening, clasper

Internal (muscles): horizontal septum, myomere, myoseptium ; epaxial, hypaxial, dorsal fin muscle(s)