Interview with a 2nd year Chemistry major

Daria is a 2nd year international student from Ukraine majoring in chemistry (and maybe mathematics in the near future). She’s an undergraduate researcher with Trader Lab and when she finds spare time, (although rare for her) Daria looks for different art projects to do, rewatches Gilmore Girls, or is out thrifting! 

What made you choose UCI?

 I chose UCI because it seemed to be more laid-back. There was no air of competition between the students, especially in the S.T.E.M field, but all the students are more academically driven here. Although I’m from Ukraine, I went to high school in San Diego but I never actually came out to Irvine and visited the campus to get a feel for what the school is like. Overall, the main deciding factor in choosing UC Irvine was the research opportunities that were offered for S.T.E.M. students here.

What made you decide on your major?

Surprisingly enough, when I was a kid I was really into art and wanted to be an artist when I grew up, but around the 8th grade I grew to love science even though I hated studying for it. I ended up choosing chemistry as my major because I want to become like a behind-the-scenes doctor, finding ways to help people in the world but not having to come face to face with the patients.  Right now I’m also thinking about double majoring in mathematics. Shockingly, one thing that might be a surprise to non-S.T.E.M. majors is that the field and the students in it aren’t that competitive. Personally I feel like the students are all high achievers and want to do well in school but they’re all very supportive of each other.

So you’ve finished all of your GEs within your first year at UCI; how’d you manage that and stay so motivated?

So I basically started planning out my college schedule back in high school. I took 6 AP classes during high school so a lot of my credits were able to be transferred over to UCI, which definitely lessened the load of courses I had to take. I also took advantage of summer classes, even though it’s kind of a bummer to take classes during the summer, they are cheaper so it’s both financially and scheduling-wise a very smart idea. I also looked into which classes overlapped in requirements so I wasn’t taking unnecessary classes to fulfill my requirements when I’ve already taken them.

In terms of staying motivated, one main way I motivate myself to stay on top of my studies is the reassurance of all this hard work paying off and having a good career in the future and not having to worry about the things I worry about now. Also the professors we get to learn from are all so accomplished and some have even won Nobel Peace Prizes before. I’m so excited to be able to take their classes in the future and that motivates me to do well in my current classes so I can meet those professors in the future. Overall the classes are all pretty interesting to me and I get to learn how to help my community in ways that I might not have thought about before. It’s not too hard for me to stay motivated thanks to these things.

What kind of tips and tricks do you have to keep up with all your schoolwork?

The main thing necessary to stay on top of everything is to have a good support system and know how your classes are structured. I take the syllabus and use Notion to plan out my schedule for the quarter so I know what to generally expect. You also need to give yourself some wiggle room. I’ve noticed that I seem to get burnt out during week 8, so I typically take account of that when I plan out my weeks. There’s going to be some days where you can’t function at 100% and I want to make sure that I have time to destress but not fall behind. I also seem to focus better when I’m studying somewhere that’s not my room or at my desk, so I go to the science library to study. I think having a designated place where I know I’m only there to study helps me get into that mindset. One resource that I do use are the “Study with Me” pomodoro technique videos on Youtube. They’ll play music for a certain amount of time, usually about 25-45 minutes, then you’ll get notified to take like a 10 minute break, and you’ll repeat that cycle however many times you need. That technique definitely helps me get started on homework and stay motivated.

What are the pros and cons of being a chemistry major?

The main pro as a chemistry major is that I personally find it extremely interesting. Also with a chemistry degree, you have a pretty secure career in the future. There’s multiple options on what you want to do and what you can pursue in the future. In the chemistry field, even the entry level fields are high paying, so financially you’ll be secure. 

As for cons, it’s so hard. A lot of the students are introverts so it’s kind of hard making friends, and even if you do have friends, you barely have any time to hang out with them because of the course load. 

Do you want to share your favorite professors for future students to take?

Dr. King is an amazing and inspiring professor. She’s really dedicated to students and makes studying organic chemistry, a class that’s famously hated and failed, actually enjoyable and understandable. For me, any professor can be great and influential if you dedicate time to the class and go to office hours. 

How has UCI shaped you into who you are today?

UCI has definitely made me more confident. I used to be socially awkward, but UCI pushes you to be more social. Professionally, UCI offers different ways to grow as a student. For example, I knew that I wanted to get a PhD and I took a research opportunity with the anatomy department and during that time I learned that this was not for me. It helped me narrow down what I want to specialize in in the future. UCI has a lot of different opportunities like this that helps students understand themselves better and what they want to do in the future. 

Any last work / advice for in-coming students or even your past self?

Put yourself out there and be more social! This is for my past self but it can also apply to students who are also introverted. Being more open to people makes the college experience more exciting. I also would like to tell my past self  to not regret doing all the academic ventures I’ve taken over the years, even if it doesn’t apply to me anymore. I got to experience different things and found a role for me that’s become more fulfilling than I’ve imagined. I get to experience things that are exciting to me and I get to meet new and interesting people.