POSTSCRIPT
Title: Letter To My Lab Members Lab Members: Theresa Nguyen (print editor-in-chief), P643, P623, P667 Discussion: To all the lab members I’ve worked with: thank you for making my high school lab experience such a joy (or hell) and for giving me a chance to work with such amazing people (or to get annoyed each time I step into the classroomjust kidding). Each lab member is different in their own way, but there are trends for types of lab members. Here’s what I’ve noticed… To the one that does nothing at all: Why? I get that you might be busy with other classes, or maybe the lab just slipped your mind, but how?? I’ll try and make up excuses on your behalf, but I’m running out of answers. The peer review form is your worst enemy. Your lab members can’t find your edit icon on the lab doc, even if they scroll through the doc’s version history. It seems like you haven’t even opened the lab doc yet, and it’s due tomorrow. To the one that does everything: Why? How? Do you not have other classes to worry about? Maybe you’re trying to get it over with as soon as possible so you can get it off your mind? Either way, you’ve already filled out the abstract, all 15 chemical descriptions and the results table. Just letting you know, Google Docs marks the last person who edits the doc, so your lab members know who to question next time you work with them in class. To the micromanager: You’re constantly looking over your group members’ shoulders during class, pointing out minute details that the TAs probably won’t even care about. Your lab members are grateful, but it’s starting to get a little overbearing (and I say this in the nicest way possible). To the one that does their part last minute: thanks for the unnecessary heart attacks! You’re nowhere to be found as the clock ticks closer to the deadline, and four of the reminder messages in the lab group chat are for you. That final and totally non-passive-aggressive “friendly reminder”? Definitely for you. If you’re reading this instead of working on your lab due in an hour, please put this down.
28 | DESIGNED BY EVAN LU
To the member that is a godsend: teach me your ways. Please and thank you. You know who you are. If you don’t, your lab members definitely do. You’re the type to willingly do the most laborious parts of the lab, but not take complete control and instead make sure everyone gets their fair share of work. When the teacher assigns lab groups, your members are ecstatic to see their names next to yours. To the one that cares a bit too much about visuals: the lab doc you’re working on right now probably doesn’t look like a lab doc anymore! You’ve spent so much time fussing over fonts, font sizes and spacing that it seems like it could fit in some colorful section of a magazine (maybe one like this). Nothing on the lab doc is left untouched by your color-coding frenzy, not even the figure captions. And lastly, to the one that everyone nominates to ask the teacher questions: thank you. Asking the teacher questions is always intimidating, but you make it look so easy! You’re constantly making the trip to and from the teacher’s desk, with your members piling on more questions for your next round trip. If you haven’t encountered at least four of these lab members, you most likely will in the future. Otherwise, good luck with your lab!
