BROWN• ACADEMIC
INTERESTS:
BIOCHEMISTRY
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Academic Schedule:
• Bioscience Development • Principles of Economics
• Metaphysics • Cell
Biology • Organic Chemistry
• Bioscience Lab Independent
Study
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Fortunately for Marc, he is sure of his major—so
sure, in fact, that the Latrobe, Pennsylvania, native decided
to stay in Houston this summer to work in Professor Yousif Shamoo’s
biochemistry lab. He enjoyed his experience so much that he pursued
an independent study in the professor’s lab this semester.
Says Professor Shamoo, “Marc has a natural passion for
science that can’t
be taught in a classroom.” Marc can frequently be found
cloistered in the lab several hours each day, and he feels that
he and Professor Shamoo share an intellectual curiosity. “As
an undergraduate, Dr. Shamoo found himself spending too much
time in lab, believing
real work to be of more benefit to him than regular course work.
I share this sentiment, and I hope that I will be able to succeed
as he has.”
And this Brown College member does have plenty of regular course
work to tackle. Like Jennine, he has a heavy academic load, which
he describes as “hectic.” “
I usually have enough work to warrant planning the entire week
beforehand so that I can be sure I won’t waste any time.
In fact, it’s often hard for me to look back at a week
and remember any specific day, because they all seem to flow
together with the repetitiveness of classes, lab work, and homework.” And
like all the students profiled, he seems to suffer from a pretty
severe lack of sleep. “I don’t usually get enough
sleep except on Friday and Saturday nights,” he laments. “The
lack of sleep can’t be good for my health, but I assume
I’ll get used to it,” he says, seeming unconvinced.
There are some bright spots for Marc in this torrid pace of academic
achievement. “I’m more pleased with the pace my classes
are taking this year as opposed to last. The four 300-level classes
I’m taking keep me busy enough that I don’t have
to worry about trying to be social. Prioritizing between homework
and friends has become less of a problem for me than it used
to be.”
Marc did manage to find time to attend a few social events this
semester. He attended College Night festivities at Brown and
went to a
friend’s birthday party. He got a chance to visit
with his parents, who flew in from Latrobe for a visit during
Parents Weekend. And he also participated in a campuswide social
event where students choose blind dates for their roommates.
But with Marc’s bedtimes averaging around 2:00 a.m. every
night and his alarm clock set at 7:45 a.m., one wonders if he
was able to keep himself awake for the event.
