Sayonara USM 🎓

Morning peeps! Peace be upon you. Although I have been rubbing my eyes a few times, I just can't believe that I have finished my 3 months internship at School of Biological Sciences, USM Penang.

I told you before, that I'm counting days to end this as soon as possible. Alhamdulillah mission accomplished 😂💚 I'm a bit free for a week without any lab works. *Feeling free and relief 😁😁😁 I'm on cloud nine (jumping)

Anyway, there must be a hikmah/lesson learnt from this journey. I think Allah gives me the taste of "FYUP" (final year undergraduate project) so I do now know how am I supposed to face my final year which will start this early September 😰 He trains me to prepare mentally & physically before I enter my next phase.

3 months full of tears. I cried almost every week because of stress. I hope I can handle stress for FYUP after this in Shaa Allah. Well, that's because I learnt something new which is not that exactly related to Biology but more towards chemistry. My supervisor is expert in Nanobiotech therefore, I helped my mentor(master student) to synthesise nanoparticles. Besides, Dr is trying to do research on application so I got a mini project to test the real sample from industrial fish waste & the aim of the study is to study the adsorption of protein on Cellulose nanocrystal/ magnetic nanoparticles.

I remembered Dr Yazmin brought me to a fish factory & we collected the samples there. I met a few of her friends that collaborate with her project & they are from materials engineering department. I tend to think that if I study Biology, I will be a biologist forever but this changed my mind 360 degree. You will learn a lot of new things which is out of your comfort zone and of course different fields. (Tiba2 masuk engineering weh 😭) So can you understand my feelings now? Why am I so stressed?

Moreover, almost everyday, if I have to synthesise Cellulose nanocrystal, I must walk to School of Industrial Technology with my mentor to do the lab works. I usually don't stay at SBS's lab 😅 and the process is too long. Almost 2 weeks that finally you can freeze dry your sample from 20g isolated oil palm trunk that has been treated with mechanical treatments.

I am stress but I know my mentor is facing the problem too. I feel blessed to have her as my mentor . She is being so tolerate with me. I am not a quick learner. My lab skill is so-so. Because of anxiety & stress sometimes it is hard to handle the equipments. (Hopefully, I don't have essential tremor) I will remember you, Yee Ying Chuin 🌸 All the best for your master journey 🎓

This is a thread I have made before & posted on Facebook/Twitter. I hope it helps especially for my juniors.

A thread for pure/industrial Biology students who secure their internship placement at School of Biological Sciences, USM 🎓

1)First of all, it's a government Institution hence there will be no allowance provided.

2)Training is mainly focus on research works. So there will be tons of labworks. Tbh it is very tiring 😅.

3)SV chooses you.(UTM students) you will meet & recognise them for the first time meeting 😂.

4)Project given is based on SV's expertise. As for me, Dr Yazmin deals with Nanobiotech. What I did is synthesizing nanoparticles.

5)you will help your mentor's project work (master/PhD) it depends on your SV to give a mini project. I got a mini project too.

6)mini project won't be completed in 3 months 😂 serious talk. Because time is limited & too many things need to be done.unless you're GENIUS.

7)Mini project is like FYP. You need to study at the same time planning experiment with your mentor. Indeed it's stressful(haven't done FYP).

8)ex:Dr plans, CNC production,immobilised & desorb GOX, Bradford assay, ABTS assay, SDS PAGE, FTIR. I did only:CNC, MNP,SDS PAGE & Bradford.

9)instead of studying enzyme GOX, I did the real sample testing (fishwaste water) to study the adsorption of protein on nanoparticles.

10)your work will not only related to Biology.As for me, this project is more towards chemistry. So you can imagine all the calculations etc.

11)If you get a project related to chemistry, make sure to revise your analytical chemistry/biochemistry/bioorganic during 1st year.

12)only chemistry students know about adsorption kinetics ( Langmuir & Freundlich) I don't understand this 😂.

13)Every week, there will be a meeting for your progress report hence please prepare slides, be ready & deliver your presentation 😎.

14)SV will ask you weird questions. Don't freak out! Your mentor will be there to defend you 😂.

15)A farewell party for you is a must at the end of your internship day. SVs and mentors will make a lot of surprises for you 😍.


Warm regards,
Badik Chan Qowiyyyy 💪