Work, work, work

Another week that seems to fly by. I really can’t believe that I am now a part of the working force, and as a chemist too.
I work in a laboratory environment, so there isn’t really much difference between what I do now compared to my lab practicals in uni. Sometimes I even forget that I am working. However, obviously now I can’t do things according to my own pace. And I don’t have to rush for chemicals. In the university lab, there are 20 students doing the same experiment, so naturally everyone will be rushing to weigh their chemicals. Those slow ones..ahem..like me(cough cough) will have to wait for their turn.
At least here I am allowed to use equipments such as FTIR, UV, GC and HPLC. It’s funny. I learned mountains of theory about these machines in university and yet when I have to operate one myself, I would be going…duh.
Seriously, theory and practical are worlds apart. Frankly, I didn’t even know how these equipments look like until I started working. Textbooks and pictures can only tell so much. I felt kind of dumb when I failed to calibrate a simple pH meter.
Last week I learned to operate the FTIR and UV instrument. I still have to learn how to use the HPLC, which I feel is the toughest to grasp. There are so much buttons that it gets kind of confusing to remember which to press, and in which order.
I was also taught how to order chemicals for the laboratory. I filled on my first purchase order form, bought four bottles of reagents. Didn’t know that chemicals and reagents are so expensive. Other than that, I did the usual raw material testing.
Dying to catch Batman returns. In fact, there are tons of movies that i have missed. Here is where the good old neighbouthood DVD guy is much appreaciated :p