How did you fare when you first got into research?

[TheMagician17]

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I'm currently a freshman undergrad and have been in a research lab for about 2-3 weeks now. At first, it seemed to go relatively smooth but the past week, I've been performing poorly to the extent that my supervisor (a grad student, who's a really nice guy) even seemed to get frustrated.

I do fairly well in academics but when it comes to labs, I just feel extremely clueless and stupid. I feel like I get extremely nervous/tense and consequently forget about common sense at times. Like I said, the grad student, who rarely gets upset, even implied that I wasn't using my brain. I ended up delaying about 2 hours worth of his time.

It would be nice to hear everyone else's experiences. Did you do just as bad, or were you just always good in the lab environment and had hardly any trouble?

EDIT: I just also wanted to add that there's another freshman undergrad in the lab with me. We started relatively the same time but she's way ahead of the game than I am. She rarely makes mistakes (or far fewer less than I do) and it's clear my supervisor prefers her over me in terms of competence.

 

[goldenwest]

I can imagine myself being frustrating as a freshman. A lot of the lab environment makes more sense as you take higher classes in my opinion.

 

[bucks2010]

There's a learning curve for everything. For the first procedure I learned, I think over time I eventually made every mistake in the book. There is an element of human error in every experiment - the trick is to minimize it to the extent that is practical.

I think the thing you don't have going for you is that you're a freshman and thus haven't done much in the undergraduate labs yet. Some more class/undergrad lab experience should help you build some general lab know-how.

Just do your best to learn from your mistakes. i.e., find out what you did wrong and correct it.

 

[CaptainZappo]

I can speak from personal experience that the first few months spent in a new lab with new people can be intimidating. To be honest with you, my PI basically gave me a couple of choices, told me to pick one and get started. There wasn't really any guidance, save for a few research papers he tossed in my lap. As such, the first two months or so were spent familiarizing myself with all the new equipment and trying my darndest to not look lost.

Now, a year later, I'm working on a first author publication and wish I could've spent more time in lab.

It will all work out. No worries.

 

[MedIsInMyBlood]

I can imagine myself being frustrating as a freshman. A lot of the lab environment makes more sense as you take higher classes in my opinion.

This is true.

If I had been in a research lab as a freshman, I would have done terrible and likely would frustrate my supervisor as you are OP.

I think I would have been fine in a research lab after maybe my sophomore year, and after I at least had taken about 4 labs (gen chem 1 and 2 lab, orgo 1 and 2 lab).

 

[Signifier]

I started research as a freshman, but it was computational and theoretical. I did not begin hardcore lab research until my junior year, and I made quite a few mistakes in the lab. I think I would have made a lot more mistakes freshman year, because I sucked tremendously in organic chemistry lab sophomore year (I remember the first few labs, I did everything wrong-everything).

As my lab research went on, I became a much better technician, freeing up time to actually do research - that is, face and solve the many microproblems that arise in trying to solve a larger problem in science.

If there's some person in your lab who is more popular with your PI due to greater technical abilities, don't sweat it. Sometimes someone else carries the lantern, sometimes we do. (If she is that much better than you, then learn from her.) You'll gain the skills if you keep at it.

 

[NickNaylor]

Don't worry OP, everyone starts out in derp status during research, if only because everyone has to physically learn the techniques and execute the procedures. It's not like class where you just need to know concepts. You'll get better with it over time.

 

[Charles_Carmichael]

The only way to get better is with practice. You'll be terrible starting off but will (hopefully) improve. You're not the only who experiences this OP. 🙂

I'm sure I frustrated the hell out of the grad students and postdocs I worked with when I was first starting out.

All in all, don't worry in the beginning. No one's expecting you to have mastered the techniques!

 

[zonapellucida]

I was also in a lab my freshman year but I ended up leaving beacause it was a crappy lab and i felt like I was wasting my time

I waited til my third year and I am in a better lab where I can really do experiments such as western blotting etc

I think you'll get better you just need to learn the techniques and methods in your general molec bio classes etc

 

[HamidNia101]

I'm currently a freshman undergrad and have been in a research lab for about 2-3 weeks now. At first, it seemed to go relatively smooth but the past week, I've been performing poorly to the extent that my supervisor (a grad student, who's a really nice guy) even seemed to get frustrated.

I do fairly well in academics but when it comes to labs, I just feel extremely clueless and stupid. I feel like I get extremely nervous/tense and consequently forget about common sense at times. Like I said, the grad student, who rarely gets upset, even implied that I wasn't using my brain. I ended up delaying about 2 hours worth of his time.

It would be nice to hear everyone else's experiences. Did you do just as bad, or were you just always good in the lab environment and had hardly any trouble?

EDIT: I just also wanted to add that there's another freshman undergrad in the lab with me. We started relatively the same time but she's way ahead of the game than I am. She rarely makes mistakes (or far fewer less than I do) and it's clear my supervisor prefers her over me in terms of competence.

Listen buddy, don't be rough on yourself. I've been a undergrad, now masters student in my lab for almost 2 full years, so I can give you a little advice.

First of all, congrats for getting into a lab as a freshmen. Competition is fierce for getting any sort of real hands on research as an undergrad, especially a freshman like you. So for you to be in the lab shows something admirable about your character.

Second, you don't know any science yet, you have never taken a biochem techniques course (i assume), so you are inclined to get lost, and that is fine. As time goes on, pick up what you need to know, and be confident to ask your superiors. No one will hate you for asking a good, sincere question.

Third, think of this as opening a portal to the alternate dimension known as biological research 🙂. It is a stage where all the actors are mature, intelligent, and experienced. You, sir, are a noob, and along with your freshman friend, are the youngest person in the lab (I assume there are no high school kids). So just try to imagine how capable you will be as a senior doing research. I will bet my left testicle you will publish something before you graduate, which is by the way the most important part research

When I started out, they had me operating on live rat spinal cords, and I had a terribly low success rate. I was receiving cruel criticism and was on the edge of being kicked out, unlike the way you are describing your awesome boss. So chill, handle the stress in a healthy way, and know that you are in the right place doing the right thing. And come application time, there are going to be a slew of people that will recognize your work, especially if you do research + hospital volunteering all 4 years.

best of luck

 

[mtbtx]

I didn't get started until the end of my sophomore year. I had zero research experience outside of gen-chem/o-chem/bio lab so there was a definite learning curve. Just practice, pay attention, and focus (even though most of what you do is boring). Two years later and I'd say I'm pretty experienced in general lab techniques and practices...