A Quick TRIP Through My Life by Daniel Johnson

To the student/parent/instructor/applicant/alumni/community-member/otherwise-titled-observer-now-reading-this-post: Hi! There are a lot of reasons you could be reading this, and I have absolutely no idea which yours is, but I hope this serves its purpose. 

My name is Daniel Johnson, and I’m currently in my first week of TRIP, so let me tell you more about me. I’m a rising junior at Methacton High School, and my interests are in a variety of places. I play piano constantly, whether it be by myself, in my school Jazz Band, or sometimes at restaurants. I’m an active member of my school Electric Car Club, Multicultural Club, and Medicine and Science Club. I’m also on our tennis team and I do kickboxing. In my free time, I read everything from fantasy to history. As for school, my favorite subject is science (surprise surprise, considering the fact that I’m in this program), which should probably have a paragraph of its own.

I’ve always been looking to understand the world around me, and I’ve found so many answers in science. Each field offers its own unique look at the world, seeing different insights and layers in the same phenomenon. There is an ocean, but the physicist sees the crests and troughs of the waves, the biologist sees (or, well, metaphorically sees) the microorganisms giving it life, the chemist sees its continuing acidification. As they come together, these fields reveal a fascinating world at both the large and small scale. 

I’m investigating the small scale at TRIP, learning about the surprisingly complex nature of fruit flies, but also examining the large scale applications that come from the research. The concept that these findings we make with the flies could hold true with the human body is truly incredible, and the applications are almost limitless. We’re learning very quickly (I’ve just learned to use a micropipette and prepare fly food samples) and it has been lots of fun. I’m looking forward to the weeks to come, which I’m sure will be full of new relationships, newfound skills, and an all-new TRIP of learning.