Back from Iowa

This weekend, I accompanied the Hunsen lab to a carbohydrate symposium held in Toledo. Somehow my mom heard about it third-hand and thought that we were driving to Iowa. We did end up whizzing past a "Welcome to Michigan" sign after I forgot to tell Kelly which freeway exit to take. Sometimes I forget how cheerful the state signs appear.

We arrived at the hotel unscathed. It's great that Kenyon students get to know their professors well, but I think that I would have little to say if I actually shared a hotel room with one of mine. Or I would remain relatively disconcerted for the trip.

The symposium was interesting. I know little about organic chemistry synthesis, but I enjoyed getting a taste of the field. It is cliche to say that you learn something new everyday. However, I did learn that I will not devote my life to worrying about ppm shifts on the NMR spectra.

Chris, Dave, Kelly, and I did exhibit our bias as liberal arts students as we read U of Toledo's student newspaper. A useless education:

"I'm a biology major, and to be honest, I absolutely love and adore my biology and science classes.... However, on top of those classes, I have to take literature courses, multicultural courses, foreign language courses, humanities and social science courses.... These classes can be interesting and fun, but when it all boils down, how much will they help me in my career?

The way I see it, every hour I spend studying Latin is one less hour I'll be studying for biology.... Some people argue we take these courses to be enriched or well-rounded individuals.

I'm under the impression that it's just a money making scheme...."

That and the yuppie-left article. Ah, student newspapers.

On the way home, I remembered why Kelly and I take crazy road trips across the Midwest. Imagine driving on country highways. Golden-colored cornfields line the road and the truck in front of you is going at a wholesome pace: 50 mph. The truck is also large enough to interfere with your radio signal, thereby allowing karoake to bad pop music (as that and country music get reception) to be interrupted. Of course Lee Greenwood's "I'm proud to be an American" comes on the radio.

Now, I'm back on campus and enjoying peace and quiet. Maybe a movie, Harry Potter, or sleep.