Before I arrived at Swarthmore, my experience with anything science related had been relatively limited. I had taken some honors courses in high school, but had less of an overall foundation compared to peers at this institution. Knowing that my first semester was pass-fail and wanting to complete some of my distribution requirements early on, I decided to enroll in BIO 1: Cellular and Molecular Biology. In full transparency, starting out, I found myself enjoying the content, but struggling with the pacing. I had yet to master the art of note-taking, so my instinctual move was to simply mimic the motions of those around me. Therefore, after a couple of days, I realized that I needed to take advantage of available resources in order to succeed.
I was incredibly fortunate to have found support within my lab group. There were four of us, though I was the only first-year student, and we met before exams and papers to walk through content and ensure a mutual understanding of the work. We constructed a nook in the back of McCabe Library and surrounded ourselves with whiteboards covered in course-related diagrams and doodles. Through these sessions, fueled by mutual support (and lots of sushi from the Science Center Cafe), we were able to better grasp the material and, collectively, perform well within the class. Additionally, this group made lab sessions incredibly enjoyable. We worked on a project where we observed pea plants: looking at how and why gibberellin, a plant hormone, affected plant development. My group took creative liberty in giving all of our plants distinct identities: my favorites being Chet (after the musician) and William Zabka. After that lab concluded, we were able to take the plants home, so we divided them amongst ourselves: a tragic parting, but nonetheless very necessary for the overall sustainment of the plants’ lives (I believe 5/7 are still flourishing to this day, though not the one that I took… RIP Chet).
The “Catalysts,” who are the peer assistants (or TAs) for Bio 1, hosted weekly study-help sessions that I took advantage of. They served snacks—chips, candy, fruit, and so on—and helped students work through various problem sets. I became close with many of the Catalysts, and they did well attuning their assistance to individuals’ learning styles: helping everyone learn to approach the content comfortably.
Additionally, the course was taught by an extensive network of professors: three for the lecture and two for my lab. Swarthmore is unique in this regard. The Biology Department is deliberate in its choice to have introductory classes taught by several different professors because it exposes students to a variety of teaching styles and helps them become connected to a number of experts within the field. Each of my five professors hosted office hours, replied to emails, and discussed content with students after class. When I had a question, I had the ability to consult any one of them based on their expertise in a particular topic (ex. one professor might specialize in microbiology, whereas another may have published in neurobiology).
When it came to the genetics lesson, these professors had the joy of indulging my endless questions about the subject after lectures, which they always seemed thrilled to do. Cornell Library of Science & Engineering became my second home, as I was able to easily locate friends taking the class and join them in completing homework. There were numerous occasions where, in my studies, I realized that I was struggling with a particular subject, texted a friend or classmate to help, and inevitably would find them rushing over to the library to come to my aid.
Concluding my Bio 1 journey, I left with immense satisfaction. I was able to perform well academically, to the point where the pass-fail was not even necessary, and genuinely enjoy the course material. Most of all, I fell in love with the community forged within that class. I was able to make so many incredible friends & connections and find support in innumerable places. Before taking the course, I had assured myself that this was to be the only science class I take during my time at Swarthmore. However, after taking a break in my second semester, I found myself really missing the environment fostered within that course: leading me to sign up for CHEM 10: Foundations of Chemical Principles for this upcoming semester. So, whether you are a STEM major or not, I highly recommend taking a science course at Swarthmore. It presents a new perspective and approach to learning that you are unlikely to encounter anywhere else.
