After a frustrating few weeks with no luck on the job front -despite close to 20 applications- I finally might have a possible summer job as a pollinator for corn research through Ag. Reliant. Although working outside in a field six days a week in July and August isn't necessarily going to be fun or easy, at least it is better than nothing, and I'll be busy instead of dusting shelves or waiting to assist customers- hey, and I can't forget mentioning the farmer tan! Looking at it now, I am actually really lucky that I didn't get a job while in my organic chem. class. Although it is elementary organic chemistry instead of regular organic chem., it has been a challenge especially since it is only an eight-week summer and at a faster speed with four to five chapters in two weeks. Today we had our second test, and there are only four more weeks to go. To celebrate, I am going camping this weekend with one of my roommates and her material engineer friends.
In the chem. lab we have twice a week, I think I am holding the record for the most breaks and spills, but there might be one other guy who is trying to catch up. I sure do write and awesome lab report, though! Some of the labs we have included isolating caffeine from beverages to see which one had the most per volume, hydrogenating vegetable oil into margarine, and turning corn oil into soap. I guess our soap was pretty basic on the pH level, so washing with it could have been a little painful for the skin. Hey, who said beauty was pain free? Anyway, I think I'll leave saponification up to the professional soap makers, but I did find the chemistry behind making soap and how it works to be really interesting. Who knew so much happened with that little bar of soap?
If you are interested, here are some links about soap that we used to aid our lab reports. I know some of you are teachers or interested in science and might find it helpful.
www.cleaning101.com/cleaning/history
www.pharmj.com/editorial/19991218/articles/soap.html
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