Quite the TRIP by Michael Liu

​Welcome back! With the punny title aside, it truly is weird to think that this is the last chance I’ll get to chat with you guys.
It’s unreal to think back to the fall, as I sat at my table with my parents looking over my shoulders, mulling over my application. I recall being so nervous during the interview that I was praying that the instructors interviewing me couldn’t hear my chair aggressively rattling as I shook. I remember having the dumbest smile on my face for a solid hour after hearing that I was accepted into TRIP. I remember being really, really conscious of how loud my pencil case was as it was jostled around in my bag as I hastily made my way to the classroom on the first day. I look back and see how far I’ve come- how much I’ve changed from the scared kid looking through the classroom windows at students and instructors I’d never met, and worrying about how many flies would scatter out of my hoodie if I dared take it off. I would say it’s hard to believe that I’m the same person, but truthfully? I’m not.

---

I developed my own research project! While unheard of in something like my high school chemistry class, the opportunity to ask and answer my own questions was amazing, to say the least. I immediately knew that I wanted to look into the benefits of goji berries- these little red fruits had been floating around in my bowl for as long as I remember, and I needed to know if they were any good. To sweeten the deal (pun not intended), I wanted to look into how the berries’ impact differed between adults and teens. I mean, do I really need to eat all of this stuff all the time? Turns out I don’t really need to. The positive effects of goji berries only really extended to adults, barely affecting teens. Furthermore, I found that only about 10 grams of berries was ideal- I suppose there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Not to stop you from indulging in a few extra, of course. 

---

My project would have never existed, were it not for the immense support I received. I figure that it’s only right to thank the instructors who found time to help me as nine other kids asked for the same, my fellow TRIPsters (I refuse to refer to them as merely my ‘labmates’) who I worked with to navigate the program, and the teaching assistants who guided me (and filmed my first Instagram reel) for putting so much time into making this program something that I’ll recommend to everyone I know. Possibly too much- one classmate asked me if I was being paid to advertise for TRIP. If only…

---

As this program comes to an end, I will forever hold the invaluable memories and crochet fly close to my heart. Although TRIP is now over, my journey has only begun. Sorry, I had to end this off with a good line.
I’ll see you later down the road.

---