![]() I’d never been in a lab before coming to college, because North Carolina public education is just okay, and as a result, I never learned to differentiate the equipment. But in that moment, I was reminded of everything I didn’t know. This isn’t to say we didn’t finish the lab, or that I was totally incompetent the entire semester, or that I still don’t know the difference between a beaker and a flask (because I do). In my defense, it’s not exactly intuitive. And even if I knew what I was talking about in terms of the procedure, I knew I had lost any credibility in our outstanding disagreement. Beakers are cylinders, with straight sides. My enthusiastic lab partner piped up, eager to point out that what I had been referring to was, in fact, an Erlenmeyer flask. ![]() Then finally, “Do you even know what a beaker is?” Sensing her unease, I timidly gestured towards the almost-triangular piece of glassware with the tapered neck. “Kenzie.” She seemed confused at first, then just disappointed. Most students’ opportunity for a more diverse, hands-on learning practice. In explaining my confusion, I referenced something we had in the “beaker,” a mistake I won’t ever make again. I think I was in disagreement with my lab partner (disagreement being a strong word, back then I was pretty passive in more than just lab), and decided to consult our lab instructor. It’s not the context I remember so well, because I’m unclear what exactly preceded the incident. But there was one day that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget. I can’t say I remember too much from Intro Chem lab, aside from thinking I could all but be a pharmacist after an aspirin synthesis, and that filtration had entirely too many steps (unclip and then suction, or the other way around?).
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