The world seems to be falling apart all around me, and yet my days still pass by all the same: a leisurely bike ride to school in the morning, some tinkering in my fume hood, NMR spectra that are either very exciting or very disappointing, a couple hours at the gym, and then another leisurely bike ride home at night.
The research is fun and always has been fun. But it feels very strange continuing on with my normal (albeit wonderful!) life as I see and hear about so many people who are suffering. It makes me wonder if I am doing all I can or even all I should be doing to help. And at times, it can make it difficult to focus on my work.
In the end of the day though, as I struggle in facing my privilege, I am always sure to appreciate all I have. Working in a lab as a part of a center right at the frontier of scientific discovery is an incredible opportunity. It keeps me humble to see how much more we have to learn, but even amidst all the craziness in the world, it excites me to know that I am a part of such a driven community of scientists and researchers. Our quest for knowledge and understanding is strong and continues to persevere through troubling times. Hopefully, we are all doing the best we can. And hopefully, we can continue to make the world a better place.
