A TRIP Down Mahi’s World by Mahi Patel

​Hello fellow scientists! My name is Mahi Patel, and I am a junior at Bensalem High School.​

I am an incredibly bubbly and energetic person who loves talking.  I love journaling and list-making in my free time.  I am always “busting” a move to my groovy playlists, which feature Bryson Tiller, Chris Brown, and Big Time Rush (my guilty pleasure).  I am a cereal enthusiast and prefer to enjoy my cereal as soggy as possible. ​

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At school, I partake in Mathletes and the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS), in which I conduct experiments and present my findings at a science fair-like competition.  I am also on the Reading Olympic team; I love reading realistic fiction, especially novels heavily infused with romance.  My favorite book at the moment is “It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hoover.  I am a member of my school’s Mock Trial team - Elle Woods is my main source of inspiration in life, thank you Legally Blonde!

​Outside of school, I am a third degree black belt.  I have done karate (Tang Soo Do) since I was four years old and have come to think of the art as a lifestyle more than an activity.  I am an instructor at my karate studio and love working with the younger students.  Additionally, I tutor elementary students, and working with  them forces me to think outside the box and use my imagination.  I also spend time volunteering at the hospital, and doing my favorite thing - talking! - with all different types of people. 

​So, why am I choosing to spend my Saturday mornings scrutinizing fruit flies?  To me, the answer is quite simple: science is exhilarating and rewarding.  The thrill of being able to ask my own questions, answer them, and then talk about my findings sounds like a blast.  As a teenager who is about to enter the college application process, TRIP will either affirm or negate what I believe to be true about my relationship with science.  On the other side of these eleven weeks in the lab, I hope to come out with an even stronger passion for a STEM-based career.  Ultimately, TRIP will be an eye-opening experience, scientifically and socially!  After all, they say that time flies when you are having fun!