Butterflies in my stomach?

I’ve found that sometimes not everyone attending the same lecture is necessarily equally as passionate about the subject as you. When it comes to Biology, some are there only for the diploma, others want to go to medical school and have a stable career. Both of these are really good reasons to be in class and attend a university. I also can’t wait to have my diploma in my hands and receive my first salary! A few, though, are truly passionate about how the cellular machinery of photosynthesis work or the molecular pathways of gene regulation have evolved in eukaryotes. To me, passion is a curiosity that comes naturally and is developed through hard work and time. From what I’ve gathered this first week, everyone in BSURF already has a curiosity in Biology—otherwise, we wouldn’t be spending our summer here. I’ve had the opportunity to talk to a few of my colleagues (and hopefully friends in the future!) about their research interests and was surprised about the way they talk about it. They’ve embraced their projects and already have their own niches. During these chats, I’ve realized how much I missed this sense of community where we can talk freely about Biology and have the other’s acknowledgment and equal curiosity. I hope that throughout these weeks we can develop this interest into someth11ing truly great that can then be called passion.