S1 Ep 2: Undergraduate Chemistry Explained with Malwina Kossowska

Malwina gives insight into choosing a college course that's right for you and how to organise yourself in order to achieve. With tips and tricks for studying in COVID times and discussing all the pros and cons of online vs in-person learning.  A must-listen for any undergraduate chemistry students or prospective students! 

Transcript

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Welcome you guys. I hope you had a good week. I'm delighted to welcome our very first guest on the show today apart from myself, Malvina will be talking about all her advice that she has from her undergraduate degree that she just completed in May and has graduated in October before she starts her graduate job in September. So, Malvina completed her undergraduate degree in University College Cork, completing a degree in chemistry with forensic science. And in this podcast, we talk about tips and tricks that she has from her own time and undergraduate studies. And we also talk about different ways for students who are in school to really educate themselves on what an undergraduate degree or their course that they've chosen will actually lead them to, or how they will benefit from it personally, as we know, it's very difficult to tell from online things. And she has so many good tips and tricks to make sure you stay on track for your studies, as well as are fully educated before choosing a college course. So welcome to the first interview episode guys. Hey, Malvina Harry, you and welcome to the show. Am I supposed to get started with the first question straight away? And the first question I have for you today is What is your definition of success? Um, so basically, for me, being successful means that I'm happy. So I do have a lot of goals that I want to reach, but in my opinion, there's no point you know, just reaching them if I can't be happy, I suppose what you're saying is you kind of want to work life balance that you want the happiness in both your personal and your professional life to get started with the rest of the kind of interior stuff. If you'd like to just walk us through your career thus far in school for my Leaving Cert, I did chemistry and biology as my two subjects. And I knew I wanted to go into science. So this is why I chose to do those four leaving thurs I knew I wanted to do chemistry in college, but I didn't just want to do chemistry, I kind of wanted to apply it in a more interesting way per se. So I decided to do forensics. You know, the you always see CSI on TV, and it just looks so cool pharmacy and forensics. But in the end, I just thought forensics would be more of my kind of pain. I applied for chemical sciences in UCC. And then in second year, I got the choice to do the friends experience. Brilliant. So that's funny actually, that you say that? Because that was my co for him as well. I was firms really chemistry. Yeah. And I just couldn't decide. And I suppose it's funny now because I kind of work as a pharmacist with my chemistry degree. And my boy, yeah, that was my CEO as well. But I actually took pharmacy off I think it was like the college days before. Yeah, did you because it was too high points. And I knew I wouldn't get it. Yeah. And I was kind of like, maybe I want the lab. Maybe that's what it is that I want the lab and the industry as opposed to working in a pharmacy every day. And also working Saturdays did not appear to me. Exactly. I was also quite scared of for exactly. I was also quite scared of pharmacy. I was like, will I be doing exactly the same thing every day. You know, that kind of scares me. So I was like, You know what? forensics? That's that's just sounds so interesting. Probably a bit, you know, influenced by TV. But sure, like, that's why the TV's there. Enjoy. Your plans are to go and do a friend's ex masters, isn't it? Yes, that's true. So I was looking at two courses. One of them is a year long Master's in Glasgow, and the other is a two year long Master's in Amsterdam. I'm going to go with the one on Amsterdam because in your second year, you get to specialise in a specific field and forensics. And I guess that's like really appealing to me because it kind of puts you on a specific track. career track. And also Amsterdam, of course. And also the two years are significantly cheaper than the one year in Glasgow. Okay. And cheap was an area in forensics. Do you know what area kind of tickles your fancy at the moment having done your undergrad? To know what I think I'm still unsure about that. But lately, I've been kind of thinking about maybe arson. I don't know why, but I really found the lectures interesting on that and the interviews and everything. So yeah, now I'm gonna say that but who knows? I would say that's also like the most chemistry of anything that we covered in undergraduate as well. So maybe that's your drawl? Exactly. I kind of want to stay away from like, the biology part of it because I'm more Interested in actual chemistry, like paint and whatnot and tracks, kind of want to stay away from the body body? part is not for me. Next question is, what is the biggest challenge you've faced thus far in your career? Or your path from school or within school to? And how did you overcome it? For me, that would definitely be moving from Leaving Cert to college, like the amount of work and just the higher standards, the difference between the two is just massive. And you really don't realise that until you hit secondary. I think, for me, in order to get past that, you have to get organised, you really do. So I basically started with a simple planner. I know it sounds silly, but I mean, it does wonders. I basically had written every single day, what needs to be done out of like, college work, let's say and then what notes need to be taken, what needs to be studied for when and stuff like that. And that literally just saves you so much time when it comes to exams, and so much stress, just staying organised. And on top of it, and by doing that, you know, you're not suddenly like bombarded with work at the end of the semester. That's such good advice. And I think it's something that's really at the moment too like to do list is really in and goals of the day. Yeah, so it's quite topical, I suppose. Like how many journals right there just do that like bullet? Like it's kind of exciting getting a nice new journal, you know, get into writing a new can. I don't know, I just love those things. So yeah, it's who doesn't love new stationery? I think, stationery shopping is the highlight of college. No, I'm joking, it's not. But I do think it's important to highlight that transition, that everyone thinks Oh, college is so much easier than the Leaving Cert. And like, easier is not the word it is different. By like, you don't have as many hours like that you're not committed, like it's not nine to like half for it like you were in school. Or if you didn't have to study it was like six o'clock, that college is like you have to decide to do those hours or an hour in church completely. And this was the only thing that might be easier in some respects is that you don't have to do the subjects you're not interested in. And I suppose for most of us chemists, that's like, Irish, English, maybe even maths for some deeper languages, those kind of things. So in that sense, it is easier because you should be more naturally drawn to your subjects. But yeah, I do think people forget the college is the hard part. I do think it's it is quite difficult. You know, when you're doing your subjects for Leaving Cert, people think it's, it is difficult. I'm not gonna say it's not, but you are really just grazing the subject. Whereas when you go to college, oh, my goodness, the depth you go in, it's crazy. And that difference is what is what makes it really, really hard. Like the transition completely. I think it's like demanding is the word for leaving. So where it's challenging and difficult is college. Yes. And I know for me anyway, whenever I went into first year coming from leaving search, we're used to getting like, I suppose it was A's and B's for me. I think it was like which ones and stuff for you. But it was the 70% like to the basket upgrade and you were like getting 70 something and you're like all that's so bad. Why is my average so low? It's so different, like they don't care. And by the time you get to 40 you're like I got 65 Oh my God, I'm doing so good. Yeah, it's just like that. The bar has changed so much. It's just so much more difficult to reach the ACS and 19 now completely and I think difficult yet very, very few do it. And I suppose on that in that sense, like you're not failing getting a two one like that Android second basket. There's a reason it's like 10% for all the other grades on it. Yeah. 30% for a one one, like there's a reason that exists. What was the highlight I suppose of your study so far? Or what are you looking forward to in your future studies and career I love the forensics labs so much. I love being in the lab in general like this is why I love chemistry, just lab work is great. But then getting to do forensics lab like that's just something that you don't get to do in a lot of colleges. So for that you should see was great. You know, it was just so interesting. And you literally felt like you were on your own episode of things. was so interesting. So for me, it would definitely have to be the Friends of clouds like that was just so cool. Like another world I think and I feel like most people listening won't have done forensics and considering where to forensics graduate. Maybe we're like biassed towards that but like even teaching those forensics labs it's just didn't feel real like it didn't feel like you're part of knowledge or anything like that is just if at workshops, like it wasn't like it was your actual education. Exactly, because it's not something new would people would study. So, so cool, like the outdoor crime scene, indoor crime scene. Oh my god. So cool. Yeah. And I suppose another perk of those labs is that you really get to know your classmates to being a small court. Yeah, do you have any tips and tricks for students who are leaving school or hoping to go on to college? First of all, I'd probably just say, to not rush into anything like, if you're unsure of what you want to do, that's completely fine. It's not very fine, I think to take you out and think of what you want to do and then go into a course instead of feeling pressured, because everyone else is going to call it Another thing I would say for maybe studying for the Leaving Cert is also organisation now, colour coding during your notes, during exam questions, which literally helps so much. And it's also a really good skill to develop for college being organised folders, colour coding notes. And also maybe when you're choosing your SEO courses, what you'd like to do in college, do a lot of research, like, get to know your likes, get to know your dislikes. When you find a course that sounds really cool, make sure to read into it, like what it actually involves, not just in first year, but all the years, maybe you can find a contact of someone who did that course before and email them or something. Or if you go to college, open day speak to that person. You know, I think that helps a lot just getting real life feedback, I suppose, a real life feedback about it. And I think like you said, speaking to the students who've gone through it, or currently in it, I think they're the ones to talk to you. They're the ones I suppose you and I know, the academics and college are designed to love their course that they wrote that they were on. So for I suppose any students who aren't aware that anyone who's not in college yet, that it's the students who are actually completing the course that you want to talk to you enough, the director of the core undergrad experience, you want to try and find a student or an ex student. Exactly, exactly. Because like, the directors of the course, don't have the same experience as you do completely, especially now with COVID, you know, online learning, like, you know, students who experience both on campus and online learning, like Yeah, and that's like, that's going to be the future the integration of there's two of those, like, we'd see benefits of online learning. Of course, it can't be the only method of learning but I do think we'll it'll be incorporated into learning from now on. So it's important to choose a course that does well as teaching methods and I suppose teaching methods that suits you because some people are visual, some people are just not able to do books at all. So like choosing courses suits, all your intelligences is super important. But you know, I kind of another trick that's going to sound so nerdy, but do you know the way sometimes you have to learn like definitions and concepts. Yeah. I used to look up songs about it on YouTube, like science songs. And I mean, it sounds so nerdy, but it actually really helps because it gets into your head. And it helps you learn the basics. And, you know, learn from it. It's not Saturday, because whenever we were in like French or German or Irish, we listened to the tape. And lo Yeah, your accent would be 10 times better, because you just been listening to the tape. I remember my French teacher and I was in school is like, whenever you came in now you couldn't speak French at all. And I was like, Listen to the tape, because like I'm quite musical, I play a lot of instruments. And I just used to listen to the tape in the background that I played when I was doing my French homework. And then by the time I was finished, it was like it's the best French accent. So if that works for languages, it has to work and I suppose all of us know lyrics, how many songs without even trying to learn them? So does or even if you're quite creative, you can think of a maybe movie theme song. I thought about Star Wars. I don't know why. There was I did a physics course. And first year, there was this definition that I just could not get. And I literally just made up a little rhyme about it using the Star Wars team and it is still in my head. Or like Ryan's I'm the same like even like I know my times tables from primary school based on rhymes. I still have chemistry definitions in my head from leaving so that I could just do knowing the right. Exactly. So I mean, there's so many different methods that you can learn if, if just writing notes doesn't work for you. That's fine. There's like 100 of other methods. Definitely. And I think that's probably like the biggest tip to take from that for any student of any age is you need to find your method of alertness. Exactly. And invest time in that. Absolutely. And I think first year is the perfect time to do it, if you haven't already done so for leading search. Definitely Because first year is designed to try and get you through and try to experience as much as possible, whereas the everything is more fine tuned after first year, you need to be working harder after first year. So take the opportunity, you have found you're exactly right and everything. Yeah, exactly agree. I think that's a great advice. So what are your future plans, my future plans involve my masters. And after I finished my Masters, I would like to go possibly to America, and work as a forensic scientist. I would love to be kind of both in the lab and underseen. I see that would depend on the company or wherever I would work. But ideally, I would like to be kind of blended like lab and then the scene. Yeah, I completely understand that. And I suppose that must be your dream job, too. That kind of answers my next question. Completely. I've wanted to be a forensic scientist for years now, literally since fifth year. And it hasn't changed so far. Well done. I ended up in forensics, I didn't exactly choose it. I had a really naive mindset on okay, I've decided to do chemistry. I don't want to choose modules. I don't want to do work placement in Yes, I know. In hindsight, that is ridiculous to say that. But I accidentally chose her index because of that. And it worked out for me like it went really well. I liked forensics, but yeah, I suppose your angle on forensics and a lot of my friends angle on forensics, because that's what they wanted to do. They went to UCC to do forensics versus I went to TCC to do science ended up in forensics, and it worked for me. And I've now ended up in analytical chemistry because of that, where do you see yourself in five years time? in five years time, I would ideally be on a plane to America to my dream job. No, but in five years time, I would like to see myself at the job, you know, will take me a little bit to finish the master's degree and everything. So hopefully, by five years, I'll be on my way to actually starting the job. Fantastic. So what is your day to day look like? Whenever you are in college? What did your day to day structure look like? How did you set up your day and your timetable? pre COVID, it used to be pretty simple, I would roll out of bed, maybe half an hour before the lecture, have some breakfast, go to my lectures, they will usually last until one o'clock. Okay. After that, I will get some lunch. And then I will try and go into the library to like, get my notes done for the day from the lectures that I had in the morning. I found that doing your lectures, lecture notes straightaway, on the same day, oh my gosh, it's such a time saver. And you don't have to think about it the next day, is when you're doing notes, you're retaining information as well, which is really, really good new topics. I would done you know, have a break for some dinners and gym time, friends time, go out some days. And that would be pretty much it. I would also do path sessions where I would kind of have first year students with like, first year chemistry material, I would do that. over a week or so which was kind of fun. It's a great way to kind of improve your own understanding on the basics of chemistry. Um, so yeah, I would definitely recommend doing that if we ever get back on campus. Yes, exactly. And then I suppose after COVID that was quite different. Yeah, I found online learning quite difficult, even though I had way more time. Yeah, I would get up for example, before I would just roll out of bed whereas now I would have gotten up like two hours before lectures at least. Okay, like, do more notes, do more reading, you know, just kind of stressing out about the whole situation. I then do my lectures, which again, would be until one or so. And then I would spend the whole afternoon and evening just studying, doing notes trying to do questions here trying to make for sure no, I think being in final year and going through the COVID Online Learning added so much more stress. And while it's usually like a tiny group of people and it did see us tiny group of people research has showed that it has improved certain people's grades, particularly those with specific learning difficulties because like really recorded lectures, and they can rewatch and rewrite notes and I suppose the capability to intake information in on it is easier because you're not allowed to record your lecture on the day but if it's online, you can watch it 20 times if you want to. But it definitely you lost this was the whole fun aspect of college you couldn't go out you couldn't meet your friends, you couldn't have a coffee you couldn't even play sport. And I think and then also you kind of I suppose dictate Iran study day and how much I'm sorry, versus how much you're studying by who you meet on campus and who you see studying and who you see in the library. And the opportunity for that just wasn't there. So everyone was just in their own head competing with themselves and saying, I could do more, I could do more, I could do more. Absolutely, I found that I was like, sitting at my desk during college work for way too long. I just completely got in my head and did college work like almost 24 seven, to be honest, I only let myself have one day off and stuff like that. It's just a really stressful time. And I guess, you know, it was my first and last, hopefully, year of doing online college. So like, I didn't really get that time to adjust to it. I just did it as best as I could. Whereas if I would have maybe one last year of college left, and it was all learned, like all online again, I think I would do things differently. I would definitely put aside more time for like, relaxing 100%. I wouldn't do college work past six. For example, if I got up two hours, like at 7am, for example to do work. I wouldn't do it passing. Yeah. To my dinner scheduling fun time and relaxation. Absolutely. Absolutely. Like online learning is great in the sense that, as you said, you can rewatch lectures and everything, that there's more material available to you to revise itself. But I guess, yeah, the whole point of no funding there at all that that makes it quite difficult, you know? Yeah. And in a lot of cases, I suppose a lack of a timetable that very few lectures actually took place at 10am. They were just all available online. And it could be nothing for three days and do nothing for the rest of the week. Or you could tune in and make a schedule. And I suppose you signed up vigilant on making a schedule, but you overwork. And there is an in between? Yeah, there was no in between. For me, it was just full on very full on, probably because of the added stress of it being you know, my last year, we want you to get that one one and stuff like that, you know, completely Yeah, completely. And all your online learning from the end of third year and all of final year and fourth year, like it was all that counted all of those exams. You had no room for error. Of course the pressure was on. And you had no one to say. But look, I'm doing 10 times more study than everyone else and saying I don't need to do as much. Yeah, that gauge. And I'm sure then other people had the opposite problem. They couldn't timetable themselves. They couldn't set themselves to sit at a desk. And I suppose sitting at a desk all day was your coping mechanism versus someone else's coping mechanism was run away from the desk. And I think it all comes back to the importance of timetabling and even your to do less than a planner, it all actually comes back to that which I think is such fantastic. It's literally like having a to do list of not just things you need to do, like college wise, but literally like oh, scheduling in, like, it sounds funny, but I was literally scheduling and dinners, lunches, exercise time, TV time, I was literally writing out everything because that's what kind of helped me just following a list. And I think also it makes you see that, oh, I met that friend for lunch. Or I did watch that movie. Like I've even gotten in the habit of scheduling when I'm meeting people so that when I look at my calendar, it's not all work exactly. Just like you're so used to following a to do list that you don't think about, like the things that are not on it. For example, such a great idea, especially in COVID times when you're working from home and your whole day can feel like work is your only name. Exactly, exactly. So scheduling whenever you're actually having fun. So you don't forget you have that fun. Important. It sounds silly, but I mean it works. Suppose a more normal question for you like how do you let off steam? How do you reset on a personal level? What do you do after work that like replenishes that drive? Probably a lot of Netflix. I do like to just you know lay down and just chill have a snack. I also love driving so I love going for drives to the beach. Like I don't care if I have to drive an hour after work like I'll do it because it's just I find it very relaxing. And then you know, just I love beaches as well, like Same as me so. And I also love baking. Well, thank you so much for your time today. You're a fantastic guest really delighted to have you on. And a fantastic worker might I add, especially for someone who did their fyp desk based even though they didn't want to be at the desk having to do an FTP on top of all your modules must been incredibly difficult. I can't even imagine that you need the lab as an outlet, especially as a science student. I think that's where we all breathe. So I can't imagine how difficult COVID has been but I hope for I know you're starting a job in September. Yes, that's true. So I'll get to be in the lab all the time now. Exactly. A grind time lost in UCC completely and that also gives you the a couple of years I suppose to make sure that you're Amsterdam learning is not online. Exactly. See, even if I didn't get that job I was going to take a year out anyway, this is how determined I am not to never do online college again. Yeah, these experiences do like make you realise that kind of stuff, though. But hey, you've come out on your site of COVID. The better you have a degree which you didn't have at the start of COVID. So at least some productive true true