Week 8 in the US — Toward the Perfect Setup
Next week is already my second exam.
First-semester coursework is split into three parts: Proteins, Genes, and Cells.
The second and final Proteins exam is next Monday, and right after that, on Tuesday, the Genes lectures begin.
Maybe because I’ve already been through the first Proteins exam once, I’m far less nervous this time, and the prep seems to be going a little more smoothly.
I just wish I’d get used to English faster..
Day 1 — Sep 21 (Mon) · An Ordinary Day
It started like any ordinary Monday. Except I hadn’t shaken off going into the lab the day before, so I was much more tired than usual.
There’s something I saw on YouTube in passing that I want to note down here. It was about what people who’ve achieved solid results in their own field — sports, business, whatever — have in common.
First, they don’t overperform. They draw a clear upper limit for themselves, and even when they still have energy left, they have a habit of saying “that’s it for today” and resting.
Second, they’re certain about what to take on. Out of 25 different areas you’re interested in and want to be good at, you pick the 5 you most want to focus on, and you practice ruthlessly letting go of the other 20.
This is also something that stuck with me from a conversation with a younger friend I really like, back when we met while he was serving in the Air Force. He’s now achieving exactly what he wanted in the field he loves most, investing. I always knew his potential would explode someday, but he really is amazing, and someone I want to learn from.
Anyway, back to the point: the previous day’s overperforming ended up hurting me on this day. I need to keep my balance as well as I can and prepare for the long run.
So: I snacked on chocolate in a corner of campus, got a message that the RRL piece was ready at the store, scrolled through used listings looking for a desk, and had bulgogi for dinner.
Day 2 — Sep 22 (Tue) · Experiments, and More Experiments
It was a day like any other. Except for the fact that I went home at 9 p.m… Just as I was recovering from the previous day’s overperforming and finding my rhythm again, it got stolen away by experiments once more.
The start was ordinary. I had a Bibigo bulgogi rice ball and a potato corn dog for lunch in a campus lobby, and since keeping a separate keyboard and mouse for the iMac was annoying, I managed to link it with my MacBook so the two are recognized as separate computers but share the MacBook’s keyboard and mouse. (So convenient.. the Apple ecosystem really is great.)
Then my supervisor arrived late in the afternoon, saying they’d just seen their family off and were only now getting to work, and we started an experiment together.
Since the last experiment kept giving bad results, this was the day to pull new cells from the cell bank and test them. The problem was just that we started way too late.
Luckily, I had pushed my English conversation session to 9 p.m., so as soon as I got home I wolfed down some dinner and was able to start the session.
- Your current work : Explain it to someone who have less backgrounds
- Is ignorance sometimes better than knowledge
- Cultural difference you’ve encountered in the US
The very first question was a bit challenging, but analogies really do seem to be the most intuitive way to explain things. Once I compared immune cells migrating into an organ to a person walking through a door, it became much easier to explain.
Also, one thing I’ve noticed since coming to the US is that a lot of people always walk around with a smile on their face. In Korea, nobody walks down the street smiling like that, and it made me wonder what shaped such different cultures.
Day 3 — Sep 23 (Wed) · Is It the Cells, or Is It Me?
Just like last week, I analyzed yesterday’s experiment right away today.
Fortunately the results came out well, so it looks like the cells were the problem, and we decided to move straight on to the next analysis.
And next week is finally the day we apply the experiment I’ve spent about two months setting up to patient samples. Depending on those results, this project either ends here or moves on to the next step.
My guess is there’s about a 5% chance of getting a positive result. Let’s see if luck is on my side again.
Dinner was fried rice and dumplings from Trader Joe’s, with some Korean kimchi on the side.
Day 4 - Sep 24 (Thu) · Nature’s Typo
Since the Casanova group I belong to moved to UT Southwestern, several groups have been brought together under the big theme of inborn errors of immunity, holding a seminar every other week.
That’s Nature’s Typo — about the typos that nature itself makes. Today, Sonja from our lab presented on the connection between autophagy and viral immunity, and I listened hard to something new over some delicious pizza.
I also saved a Texas Roadhouse tip for whenever I end up going. Dalsaram.com, a Korean online community here, occasionally has useful info like this, so I’ve been saving them one by one, not knowing when I’ll need them.
Dinner was Trader Joe’s fried rice and coconut shrimp, which I tried for the first time. The coconut shrimp was decent, but maybe because I left it in the air fryer too long, it wasn’t quite crispy enough. Next time I’ll try a shorter time.
Day 5 - Sep 25 (Fri) · Mouse!
Probably not the mouse you’re imagining. It’s a computer mouse!
Like last Friday, I spent the day cleaning up the lab with everyone. When a huge lab moves in, the organizing never ends.
But in return, we were treated to a lovely curry lunch.
And the mouse! The MacBook trackpad is nice, but it gets a bit hard on my wrist over really long hours of work, so I ordered a mouse.
I used to use a model called the MX Master 3S, and it was so comfortable that I looked it up again — turns out the MX Master 4 just came out, so I ordered it. ($130 for a mouse, but let’s keep that between us..)
Money really is nice.
Day 6 - Sep 26 (Sat) · Exam Prep, Part One
Finally the day to start the studying I’d been putting off. Oh wait, before that, there’s one more thing I ordered.
A TV! I had a sofa but nothing in the living room, so I never really used it, and I finally made up my mind and bought a TV.
A 65-inch Samsung mini LED, for about $450 including tax. It seems way cheaper than in Korea.
I’d originally been browsing Facebook Marketplace for a used TV, but there were so many things to consider that I kept putting it off.
I started to think that at this rate I’d never buy a TV, and then, seeing myself debating whether to spend $400 on an RRL jacket and pants, I took a moment to rethink what I actually need right now.
There’ll be another chance for RRL someday. This time, I decided to put that money into a TV. And it really was the right choice.
I bought the TV on Amazon, and there was a delivery option where they unbox it and set it up on the TV stand, which I picked — super convenient! Now all I need is a desk for the living room and it’s complete.
In a good mood, I went to the Starbucks near my place and knocked out the studying I’d been putting off, bit by bit. And wow, I found an all-time favorite menu item: the Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew.
When I try different drinks and find one that’s exactly to my taste, it really lifts my mood.
Day 7 - Sep 27 (Sun) · Exam Prep, Part Two
Yesterday’s studying went pretty well, so I got further than I expected. (Though maybe I’m just stuck on the peak of Mount Stupid.)
Anyway, because of that, I lazed around at home, had In-N-Out for lunch, and headed to Knox Street, one of my favorite spots.
This neighborhood is always bustling with Americans. That’s how loved it is.
It’s over by Uptown, and if I get the chance someday, I’d like to live around here too. Of course, since it has such a great vibe and is so popular, rent is 30–40% higher.
The parking lot was packed, and I barely managed to find a spot — that’s where I’m writing this. All that’s left now is to go home, have dinner, finish the cleaning I put off yesterday, and do the final, final, last-last review for tomorrow’s exam.
Oh, and while browsing Facebook Marketplace I found a lift-top table that looked pretty good. It’s quite far away, but it seemed like a good enough deal to be worth it, so I’m picking it up sometime next week. The day my living room is finally complete isn’t far off.
Week 8 in the US. My watch still hasn’t been delivered, so no review yet, but I’m counting on getting it next week for sure.
And I want to write briefly about routines.
Routine - Eat breakfast and take my supplements. - No caffeine after 12 p.m. - Eat lunch and dinner on time, within ±1 hour. - Go to bed before 10 p.m. - Go to the gym or run at least 3 times a week. - Clean every weekend.
It’s all about nutrition, sleep, and keeping things in order.
If I can keep these habits up well this year, that means I’ve adapted well to this life, which in turn means I can focus on my research and get results during my PhD.
In other words, to have a successful PhD, all I have to do is stick to this routine! Such a simple calculation.
Anyway, I’ll cherish the routine that protects me from all sorts of dangers, and keep sticking to it.