While I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do in college during my senior year of high school, I received an email one day inviting me to join the FRI program. Interested in the idea of learning more about research, I applied. I previously had very little experience with working in a lab and was nervous as I looked for a stream that I would hopefully enjoy. As I attended multiple lab tours, DIY stuck out to me the most because it not only combined biology and computer science (which I was trying to learn more about), but it also provided an opportunity to make a difference by diagnosing different problems through different means.
As I started going to lab and learned more about different lab techniques, I began to feel comfortable due to the large amount of help offered from my peers and mentors. I felt comforted by the small community that existed in the lab and felt glad that I chose to apply to the FRI program, despite my doubts. My interest in the stream grew even more when we began to learn more about coding in HTML and JavaScript. I was very enthusiastic about coding and would show my work to my friends, who were very excited that I was starting to code. Through the stream, my interest in coding grew, and I even added it to be a part of my degree.
Learning how to print in 3D was also a highlight of the year, as I learned how to use different objects to create a large shape that I could use. Watching my object print was fascinating, and I was very excited when I retrieved it after it was done printing.
Overall, the DIY Diagnostic stream has provided a close-knit community that I can always turn to for help and helped me learn more about my interests. I learned to face challenges head on, and I am truly glad that I am a part of this stream.
