The post Siya’s Blog first appeared on SSP International.

As the fabled time finally struck, acts were performed, laughs rang through the Great Hall, and smiles were all alight. 

All jokes aside, the SSP Talent Show was truly one of the funniest and memorable experiences I’ve. I loved each of the serious and silly acts each group and individual performed. People would dance, sing, play instruments, and perform stunts. 

Just when I thought the show, the fun, and the energy was to end, the show transformed into a sudden karaoke night. No one was afraid to sing their heart out, and even our faculty sang with us. We were all comfortable and familiar enough with another that we didn’t hesitate to sing to our heart’s content.

As SSP comes to a close with only 3 days remaining in the program (from the day that this blog was written), I am constantly reminded of how much I will miss all of the people, experiences, and memories that I have accumulated at this program. While SSP is an educational experience, I feel that the part of SSP that I will never forget are the relationships that I have made. 

When I first researched SSP, all of the alumni always described their experience as life changing. I always thought that they exaggerated it too much, thinking that no program could possibly be “life changing”. But I was proven completely wrong. SSP changed me as an individual, and I hope that once I come back home to my hometown back in Ohio, I will bring back the same mindset and outgoing nature I developed at SSP. I hope to keep contact with all of the people I have met here and even encounter them in college. I sincerely want to thank all of the participants of SSP Biochemistry Purdue I for making my experience one of a kind. Thank you.

The post Miranda’s Blog first appeared on SSP International.

SSPers work hard and we play harder. In addition to the (trauma) bonds that we
form from struggling together through we labs, MOE, and class activities, we also
hang out during weekly field trips, play board games until 5 minutes before the
dorm curfew, share late night snacks, and explore the nearby college town on the
weekends. In just 6 weeks, I grew closer to the talented peers at SSP more than I
ever did with my high school friends back home. To some people, having a group of
friends to hang out with and to talk to is a very normal thing; but to me, an
introvert, being at SSP was the first time I got to experience the joy of having a
group of friends who are super-duper smart and nerdy yet extremely kind and
considerate. Being at SSP was the first time I got to experience what it feels like
to be accepted for who you are. I didn’t have to worry about not being able to fit in
with others because at SSP, everyone is connected by their shared passion for
science and their endless curiosity to explore new topics. Besides, SSP gives you
many opportunities, such as weekly field trips, weekly game nights, and daily group
dinners, to meet new people and “networking.”

Before I came to SSP, I expected the program’s prestige was built from its
rigorous academic curriculum. After 5 weeks of being in SSP, I realized that it was
the people who made SSP “the educational experience of a lifetime.” So, some last
notes to the future SSPers, be scared but don’t be discouraged. You’ve made it so
far by being accepted to SSP, and trust me, you’ll be fine. Enjoy the next best 6
weeks of your life!!!
Eve’s signing out

The post SSP: Super Stupendous People first appeared on SSP International.

The post Blog 7/14: Inhibitor Insanity first appeared on SSP International.

The post Samuel’s Blog first appeared on SSP International.

Until today, I finally realized why people said SSP was the experience of a lifetime. I have met so many lifelong friends, and they were all so funny, silly, kind, and altruistic. I love them all <3. Purdue Biochem I is the best!! I woke up at 8:30 today because Dr. Das announced the good news on the bus yesterday as we returned from the Aviators’ baseball game: we would not start working on our final report until 9 in the morning The Lafayette Aviators won!! Yay! A few days ago at the dinner table, Jazzy asked Mrs. Rochon if we could go to Greyhouse Coffee to work on our final report. Today, that wish came true. We walked there without Katherine’s sprint pace because she wasn’t with us (which was very chill); she headed to the coffee house on campus instead. Julia, Jazzy, and I walked too slowly without Katherine’s help, so when we arrived at the coffeehouse, there were no seats left. However, we found a tunnel that led to the other side. We sat at a circular table, and our computers formed a triangle. It made me feel like we were a team. In fact, we are. From the first day to today, we’ve gone from strangers to teammates, from friends to intimate friends.

We grind for about two hours and finish the methods, results, and discussion parts, and the
research paper ended up becoming about fourteen pages long. Jazzy has been so addicted to the
inhibitor design that he said when he closed his eyes, he could see the active site of the enzyme.
While he was in addiction, Julia and I went “boondoggling” and bought Gelato ice cream. I
ordered mint chips and sadly it was almost the same as the one that I had in Ford.
After working in the coffeehouse, we walked to the boba place. Almost everyone went in to get a
drink to prevent the Indiana heat stroke. We stayed outside instead because, as Julia said, “I have
too much sugar and feel like I’m gonna get diabetes at a young age.

Team 5 took a 0.5 together and Marcy has become one of our teammates.
We walked together as a group back to the dorm and changed for dinner. Then, we had our last
game night in this program. We played Kahoot first, and learned more fun facts about others.
Next, we played the tag game, which was extremely hot (typical Indiana weather), tiring and
intense. Julia’s face turned so red that she said it was the Italian gene effect.
I’ve been so grateful that I’ve had the chance to join this program and be able to meet these
amazing, wonderful, and most intelligent peers. Although we only stayed for 39 days, 36
students, the supportive and funny TAs, and the kindest, smiley professors have become a big
family, filled with love and support that I will not experience anywhere else.
By Sophie

The post Sophie’s Blog first appeared on SSP International.

After Saturday’s College and Career Fair, my friends and I found a field (??) with free lemonade.
It was really good, until it got too sweet near the end (read: after the first three sips). I drank the
whole thing anyway (I definitely regretted it afterwards).

During extended boundaries on Sunday, we got matching bracelets!! I thought this couldn’t
possibly be a bad decision, but the red coating on mine is already rubbing off onto my wrist.
Oops?? (There’s not a lot of options in West Lafayette.)
Then Pragathi and I practiced our talent show act (for the first time in a month). I think we
practiced too hard, because I woke up the next morning and I couldn’t move my neck or my
back ￿

“You 100% sprained your neck,” Pragathi said. “I sprained my neck at gymnastics once, and
that’s how I felt.” Now she’s trying to diagnose me with a pinched nerve (apparently I tested
positive).
I was very adventurous at Au Bon Pain today (a berry pomegranate smoothie instead of an iced
Americano)! I got the same sandwich I’ve gotten for the past three weeks. I should’ve just gotten
the Americano.

You can’t see the smoothie in this picture. That’s because I used it to prop up my phone. It was
a better investment than drinking it.

Today was also the last day of wet lab. I didn’t take any pictures of wet lab. So here’s a picture
of our contaminated samples from weeks ago!
I hope I’ll think a little more critically during my last week at SSP, but knowing me, the chances
are pretty low…

–Sophia

The post A weekend (+ Monday)’s worth of bad decisions first appeared on SSP International.

During extended boundaries, I got some stuff from Von’s (and realized the hard way that there
were no returns…). For food, I ate both at Blaze Chinese BBQ and Malatang which were nice
breathers from the weekday Ford dinners.
I stopped by Mango Mango and Target and left with some to-go desserts to-go. When I got
back, I had the bright idea of working on our presentations which are on Tuesday, but so did
everyone else so the computer lab was full. I did get some work done later in the night though.
To end off the day, we had some Pur Biochem 1 bonding time

Today was a well-needed break from our packed weekday schedules, and I’m looking forward to
finishing up our final wet labs (so bittersweet) and continuing on our research paper (time to lock
in). These past weeks have been extremely eventful and memorable, but even then it still feels
like it’s flying by…
-Andrew

The post A Nice Sunday Off first appeared on SSP International.

Leyu: shopping at the petting zoo souvenir shop
Marcy: starting over lab, putting on music despite everything, and making it through
Miranda: playing the taco slapping game in the basement in week 1
Nassar: spending time with his teammates in lab and learning from their mistakes
Paul: Ulee getting the boys bathroom clogged
Peyton: Dr. Korie Grayson’s inspiring keynote speech on college and career day
Pragathi: talking to everyone after her speech and everyone was very nice and sweet
Ricky: Ryant throwing up from his bed
Rohan: singing the U.S. national anthem to a British guy on Trail 4 at Turkey Run
Ryant: Ricky using laundry detergent to clean the floor and making it slippery
Ryanz: beating biochem 2 in basketball at Turkey Run
Samuel: SSP as a whole is a moment in life, a transformative phase, like a caterpillar turning into
a butterfly, isn’t it?
Siya: hanging out in the basement, playing taco cat game and spoon game
Sophia: Xinyi starting the dryer while Sophia’s laundry detergent was in it (Xinyi heard clunk
clunk clunk noise and thought it was “natural”)
Sophie D: getting soaked with Jazzy and Julia because they all shared the same umbrella
Sophie L: weekly Mango Mango trips
Torin: gaming with the homies
Ulee: late night carrots
Xinyi: hiking on Trail 3 at Turkey Run, the feeling of dying and never returning, when she got
back there were snacks

Surprise content!! Our faculty shared their favorite SSP moments as well!
Dr. Das: his surprise birthday celebration at game night and jeopardy questions about his dog and
his research
Dr. Fantin: Pragathi calling out machine vs. instrument in her speech in front of all Purdue
cohorts
Dr. Reeves: field trip to the state museum and zoo, it was also her birthday that day! (she cried
when seeing the dolphins and received a very cute pink gift from the participants)
Mrs. Rochon: dorm meeting games
Favour: getting to know everyone’s meme
Jada: the team quiz game and charades game at game night
Hassan: Jazzy on the floor after getting gutters back to back at bowling (Jazzy became a popular
term used for indicating that someone got a gutter)
Martin: spending time with the baby goats at the petting zoo
It was so fun hearing about everyone’s unique SSP experience! With one week left in the
program, let’s finish strong and create more amazing moments together! That’s it for my blog,
see ya
By Leyu

The post Leyu’s Blog first appeared on SSP International.

We listened to Jada’s lecture on success. I think it was one of the best lectures we’ve had, not
because of how interesting the science is, but because of how much it inspires me to reflect on
myself and focus on my own journey in life.

We went to the farmers market, and the picnic finally made it out of the group chat! (Also the
bundt cake at the farmers market was 10/10)

The guest speaker we had presented a very interesting talk, her career as both a pediatrician
and as someone who served in the military is so inspirational!

Timmy is very excited for the basebal game!!

The post Exciting Adventure: Xinyi’s Blog first appeared on SSP International.