I can support anyone who claims that your first year at a university as a freshman is new, confusing, and can be very daunting. When I entered my first semester here at UT, I immediately looked for something that I can be a part of so I could fit in somewhere. I knew I wanted to join something that would give me the opportunity to benefit others, to be able to discover new things through research, and use research to develop something that I can call my own. Through the UGS research methods class, I was taking at the time, I was able to learn about the Freshman Research Initiative.
After finding out about this great opportunity to get into the lab and begin research, I immediately filled out the paperwork needed to join. I then began to look into the many streams I could become a part of, and that is when I came across this brand new stream known as the DIY Diagnostics research stream. As I looked into what the stream was going to offer, such as being able to research new methods for diagnostics that you can develop for society, I just felt that it was the stream for me and I was luckily accepted into it after making it my first choice on my application.
I don’t regret my choice of stream at all till this day because of all it still has to offer. I’ve learned so much from this stream in just a semester, and much of it will stay with me as I continue on through my life. Perhaps the most important things to me that I’ve learned from this stream are the tools needed to research in a lab and how to code apps. I feel I joined the ranks of other researchers and scientists on campus, even if I don’t have the same amount of experience as some of them. The pride I can take in myself when I explain to others about this stream and the research I do is just incredible. The one part of the stream that I enjoy the most has to be the coding for the applications. In the beginning I didn’t quite like coding, but as soon as I got the hang of it I really started to appreciate it. The feeling of cracking the code and getting the app to work is just a great feeling for me. Continuing on my app work and advancing in my coding skills are the areas of the stream that I look forward to the most. I can completely recommend this stream to anyone who is interested in being in a fun environment while they learn the necessary skills to become a researcher, innovator, scientist, and app designer.