A Push Into the Unknown by Caroline Moritz

Hello, my name is Caroline Moritz, and I am eager to start my TRIP@WTHS’24 journey!! To jump right into introductions and fun facts, I am currently a sophomore at William Tennent High School, and I am an avid learner and easily enthused about anything relating to science. In school, at home, or in the comfort of pages, science has always been a part of my life, and a piece of my identity I wish to never let go.  Cancer, and the unknown lurking behind it, have fed into my obsession. 

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  As children, we, including myself, are ignorant of the life outside of the walls that don’t include our loved ones, technology, and toys. When I first learned about cancer and the destruction that is left in its path, it drew me in. At the time, it was a complete mystery, and it still is. There are so many different kinds, and so many places where cancerous cells and tumors can appear in the body, and no way to stop it with a simple dose of medicine. Taking this into consideration, opened my eyes to a completely different kind of research: the unknown. This revelation became one of my newest and greatest obsessions. Learning about cancer, and the uncertainty that comes with each part of its discovery and further research has impacted my brain and given me a sense of determination to delve into its secrets, and influenced my choices, and my future career.

Outside of the science world, I am a profound lover of music. Whether stemming from 80s British rock bands like The Smiths, or to commonly known artists such as Taylor Swift, music fuels me into completing every assigned task, or writing a new story. My time spent, alongside listening to my multiple-hour playlists, would be spent with books, a pen, the tapping of keys, and frequent taps of the enter button. I cannot say that reading and writing is a hobby because, to me, it isn’t. They are tools that have helped build the person I am today, and without their guidance as an outlet, I would be lost. Personally, I find it fascinating that with only twenty-six letters in the English alphabet, so much can be created and shared. It is why I am obsessed with everything about them. Why talk, when you can write your emotions clearly and be understood completely? Is there any better way to get emotions off your chest than through writing? I couldn’t answer these questions, and it's why I’ve become so dependent on expressing myself through words on paper, and my abilities as a writer. 

Expanding toward future interests, this program has given me multiple opportunities to explore my upcoming decisions as a major in college. While this was my first session attending the program, the individuals I met, all as eager and excited to learn as I am, and the instructors who offer guiding hands and humor when needed, have encouraged me to be confident in the following weeks of this program, and the choices I make after.

Learning about micropipettes, the different kinds of pipettes, and their uses, has been an equally challenging and enthralling experience. Conducting and following my independent research question, which is based on evaluating intestinal inflammation, and whether or not it affects adult fly anxiety, was a sudden and forceful push out of my comfort zone. Going through the directions, however simplified, was somewhat testing, but that push was one of the reasons I joined this program. To be pushed, to learn from my mistakes, and experiment with a variety of different substances I didn't know would be available to me, is the most important aspect I can gain from this experience. I can’t wait to discover what challenges I face next, and what ways I come up with to overcome them.