Viva La Chemistry!
Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 5:59 pm
((Melissa Li continued from Q&A))
Melissa tapped her pencil against her notebook in boredom, watching as Mr. Shikata talked about the latest experiment that they would be doing in class. The last topic they had covered were simple acid and base reactions and acids in general, so it came as no surprise to find out that today, they would be working with the great and wonderful world of proton donating and proton accepting. To be fair, it DID sound like a fun lab. It was a basic and a cut-and-dry follow the directions lab and it involved acid and using that acid on things (that weren't people). She briefly wondered why she couldn't get herself to feel interested in it though.
The whole day had been one big blaaaaah to her, even more than usual. Last night she had collapsed in bed at midnight after finishing her studies and woke up at seven o'clock in the morning. She had a terse conversation with her father over a breakfast sandwich and bid both her parents farewell as she went to the bus stop. She had gotten to school on time and on her first step inside the building, that's when it happened. 'Why am I still doing this?'
That single thought had haunted her through the whole day, her fake smile plastered to her lips as she continued to take notes about subjects she no longer cared about. She had skipped lunch again, having spent time in a secluded area of the library where she could get a little peace and quiet. Even her beloved music couldn't get her out of the spiraling depression she was beginning to find herself in.
An irritated shaking of papers broke out of her moping and she looked up to see the student in front of her shaking a sheaf of papers in front of her face impatiently. With an embarrassed blush and quick "Sorry", she took one of the sheets and handed the rest to the person behind her. 'Oh, the instructions sheet.'
"Anyway, split into groups and go to your lab stations!" Mr. Shikata said with a clap of his hands. "I'll be right here if you have any questions."
Melissa got up from her seat and walked to the nearest counter where all the equipment had been prepared. Placing her things on the matte-black surface, she sighed a little and looked outside the window. She wondered who'd be joining her today for this lovely run of chemical mystery. Hopefully someone who knew what he or she was doing. 'Remember Melissa...keep doing your best and things will get better...that's how it has always been. The greatest honor is to do one's duty to her parents.'
Melissa tapped her pencil against her notebook in boredom, watching as Mr. Shikata talked about the latest experiment that they would be doing in class. The last topic they had covered were simple acid and base reactions and acids in general, so it came as no surprise to find out that today, they would be working with the great and wonderful world of proton donating and proton accepting. To be fair, it DID sound like a fun lab. It was a basic and a cut-and-dry follow the directions lab and it involved acid and using that acid on things (that weren't people). She briefly wondered why she couldn't get herself to feel interested in it though.
The whole day had been one big blaaaaah to her, even more than usual. Last night she had collapsed in bed at midnight after finishing her studies and woke up at seven o'clock in the morning. She had a terse conversation with her father over a breakfast sandwich and bid both her parents farewell as she went to the bus stop. She had gotten to school on time and on her first step inside the building, that's when it happened. 'Why am I still doing this?'
That single thought had haunted her through the whole day, her fake smile plastered to her lips as she continued to take notes about subjects she no longer cared about. She had skipped lunch again, having spent time in a secluded area of the library where she could get a little peace and quiet. Even her beloved music couldn't get her out of the spiraling depression she was beginning to find herself in.
An irritated shaking of papers broke out of her moping and she looked up to see the student in front of her shaking a sheaf of papers in front of her face impatiently. With an embarrassed blush and quick "Sorry", she took one of the sheets and handed the rest to the person behind her. 'Oh, the instructions sheet.'
"Anyway, split into groups and go to your lab stations!" Mr. Shikata said with a clap of his hands. "I'll be right here if you have any questions."
Melissa got up from her seat and walked to the nearest counter where all the equipment had been prepared. Placing her things on the matte-black surface, she sighed a little and looked outside the window. She wondered who'd be joining her today for this lovely run of chemical mystery. Hopefully someone who knew what he or she was doing. 'Remember Melissa...keep doing your best and things will get better...that's how it has always been. The greatest honor is to do one's duty to her parents.'