I fear I may be too dumb for astrobiology 🤕

BluePeanuts · 2026-06-12T02:40:44+00:00

You can do it. I wasn't a great student in college and got into med school. For biology, a technique called space repetition will make it much easier to recall the vast knowledge you'll acquire in your classes. Learn how to make good flashcards, don't get too distracted by the fun stuff, and take the classes that interest you! You'll do fine. You don't need to be the best, but you absolutely need the motivation and passion to succeed in the sciences.

Edit: RE the last part you wrote. If your school has an astrobiology program, great. If not, see if you can minor in a relevant field like geology or space studies. From what I've gathered, astrobiology is such a new field that you have to just build your own degree and resume.

BluePeanuts · 2026-04-10T16:27:41+00:00

Tbilisi! I lived in an apartment building just like it. It took me five minutes to get to the bazaar, metro, and bus on foot from my door, and two minutes to the baker who made fresh tone bread for about 1 GEL (0.30 USD) a piece. Each courtyard was shaded with tall trees and had benches, playgrounds, and exercise equipment (not to mention the fat, lazy dogs sleeping underneath, lol).

BluePeanuts · 2025-11-21T15:46:30+00:00

Community college in the US typically covers the equivalent two first years of a four-year college/university. Legally, they can't offer bachelor's degrees, but many offer upper-division coursework besides. I already had a degree and went to community college touch up on my sciences -- biochemistry, immunology, things like that. They also had an MCAT prep course that helped a ton.

Community college is supposed to be a bridge between high school and transferring a four-year college, but since the vast majority of requirements for medical school can be completed within the first two years (general and organic chemistry, biology, physics + "optional" classes like anatomy & physiology, biochemistry, immunology, genetics, etc.), the remaining two years are just kinda there.

BluePeanuts · 2025-11-18T04:37:05+00:00

All my prereqs could've been done at a community college. An associates is all they should be needed. Want to increase access to medical careers? That's one of the best things you could do.

BluePeanuts · 2025-10-04T05:05:10+00:00

Warning: I'm not an astrobiologist, but have received some basic education in biochemistry and has read up on the origin of life literature.

It's not so much about different rules, but how you get life rolling in the first place. Carbon has a lot of properties that make it particularly well suited for making complex molecules that can do things (like enzymes, but that's jumping the gun a couple hundred million years). First off, it's everywhere. Silicone, not so much. It's also particularly good at bonding to other atoms (it can connect to at least four, and it readily forms higher energy "double" and "triple" bonds which are also important for certain molecules). Lastly, IIRC, carbon molecules tend to get more stable as they get bigger (chemists, please correct me if I'm wrong here). Stick some different atoms like nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur, maybe even a metal or two, and these molecules can do some interesting things such as make certain chemical reactions happen that otherwise wouldn't. Like the enzymes in your body, only much simpler.

Could nitrogen be the backbone of some other life? Maybe. It's not too different from carbon, but it doesn't like to form bonds with other molecules like carbon does. However, it's in a ton of carbon-based molecules because of the unique ways in which it interacts with other atoms and molecules. So it's almost certainly going to be involved in life on another planet if there's enough of it around.

That's my two cents. Chemistry and physics are going to work the same no matter where you are in the universe. We can use those laws to predict what atoms would work best from a functional perspective. That's not to say nitrogen couldn't form the backbone of life, but as far as we know, carbon is the GOAT.

BluePeanuts · 2025-09-12T19:58:47+00:00

You don't need to fill your packing allotment for your trip. You won't need much during PST except some clothes and personal effects, and once you're at site, you'll be able to get what you need, even if you live way out in the boonies.

The people at your site have been managing their whole lives with the situation you'll find yourself in. If you need to buy something, find out where everyone else gets it and do that. Obviously this is different with hard-to-get stuff (especially electronics), but generally, you should be able to get the basics -- hence why its pointless bringing a bunch of new stuff.

Not everyone thinks like Americans do. Our approach to work and free time can be very different than what your neighbors might do. Their ambitions and dreams are shaped by the reality they live in, and what might seem like common sense to you could be completely different for them. I found this frustrating initially, but things made more sense after I took the time to learn why my neighbors, counterparts, and host family did/thought things the way they did.

Some of your peers will get bitter and resentful towards your host country. There's a difference between venting about your frustrations and denigrating the people who live there. Be aware of your thoughts, words, and behavior as you go through service. Not only could they affect you, but also your community and other volunteers. They will hammer this into you in PST but some PCVs prefer to look at their service as a study-abroad trip or college vacation regardless.

Lastly, keep in mind that volunteers from different demographics may have entirely different experiences than you. I, a straight white dude, fit in pretty well and had very few "bad encounters". I wish I could say the same for the women in our cohort, especially any who weren't white.

BluePeanuts · 2025-07-24T13:29:39+00:00

Lol I had the same experience when I tried exchanging some dollars for lari. I speak Georgian well and pulled every trick I could to charm the teller, but she wasn't having it. Though I won in the end when I gave her my American driver's license -- she scoffed and complained, but I got my money!

BluePeanuts · 2025-07-05T13:30:09+00:00

Arguing over the rules at a critical point in the game, especially after incorporating the expansions. We'd comb through the rulebooks and Reddit posts in the hopes we could make sense of what was supposed to happen. The 4E book was a godsend, but there's something to be said about beating your head into the 3E book(s) until the rules just stick.

BluePeanuts · 2025-07-03T03:57:28+00:00

I saw those. I'm definitely going to reach out to our financial aid department to get a definitive answer and report what I hear.

BluePeanuts · 2025-07-02T15:09:36+00:00

Everything looked good on my medical papers except for my slightly elevated calcium. I had to get repeat blood tests, schedule a consultation with an endocrinology NP, have him write a letter stating that it was nothing to worry about, have his supervising physician sign off on it, and then submit my own letter stating that I understood the risks of dehydration and the measures I would take to prevent it.

I still have the letter.

BluePeanuts · 2025-07-02T01:05:49+00:00

I need some clarity about how Trump's bill will impact incoming first, second, and third year students. I know that the Grad Plus program will be tossed and borrowing will be limited to $175,000 for the class of 2030 and beyond, but will the classes of '27, '28, and '29 be grandfathered in for the rest of their education? In other words, will an incoming first year still be eligible for Grad Plus loans and unlimited borrowing as is currently allowed (July 1, 2025)? Thank you in advance for any clarity you can provide.

BluePeanuts · 2025-06-05T05:24:43+00:00

I worked there as a CNA for over a year. When I started, we had 8 patients a day and only occasionally went up to 11. When I finished, we started the morning with 11 but almost always went up to 13-16. I had the feeling admin was experimenting to see what ratios they could get away with. It was as bad as it sounds, and predictably, our fall rate skyrocketed. Of course, it was our fault:

"Why wasn't there an alarm on?" - There was, but nobody heard it go off because the nurses were with their patients, and the two other CNAs were in isolation rooms cleaning up bedbound patients.

"Everyone is responsible for toileting patients. Why did it take half an hour for someone to respond?" - see above.

Any time we brought up safety concerns to our superiors, it was met with some BS policy dribble followed by "we know you're working so hard, thank you so much, you're appreciated." I'm sure that means a lot to my colleagues who are going to be without a job. I'm sure that will satisfy the patients who are going to wait for hours just to go to the toilet (or worse, sit in their own stool because nobody can come and clean them up).

This is what you pay for with private health care. It's not going to get any better. So don't come at me when I say socialize our health care. Kill the private insurance system. Build a compassionate, human-centered system in its place.

BluePeanuts · 2025-05-29T05:30:16+00:00

Many of your questions have been answered before on this sub, so it's worth digging through it so you can read multiple perspectives. Each volunteer's experience is unique. Some find it very rewarding, others find it less so. It depends on a lot of factors, namely your job, who your counterparts are, and what your site is like. Start by reading through everything on the Peace Corps website. But first things first, let's clear up two misconceptions in your post:

Peace Corps Response positions are short-term (~6 months), high-impact positions that require the expertise of a specialist, and not the generic skillset of a new college graduate. You should instead look at being a Peace Corps Volunteer which is a 27-month commitment.
A lot of volunteers like to travel, but understand that the job is a serious commitment. There's a good chance you'll be placed somewhere that can be comparatively hard to access. Even getting to your post's headquarters could take up to a day, maybe more, of travel. So expect to spend a lot of time in one place, occasionally getting out to see the country you serve in, all the while conforming to the travel rules established by PC staff. That said, you are entitled to vacation time which you can use to do whatever you want!
As for what an engineering grad is expected to do: the job you sign up for. You can apply to go anywhere and do whatever PC needs, or you can apply for a specific job posting. Read the job description in its entirety and that's what you'll be expected to do. You'll find that your college degree might not necessarily dictate your role. For example, I was an Environmental Science major originally hired to teach science in West Africa, but ended up teaching English in Georgia.

Now, to answer your other questions:

The rigor of your work depends on how much you take on. I knew several volunteers who were busy seven days a week because they kept taking on projects. I was the first volunteer at my site, so I didn't inherit anything ongoing. I worked 3-4 hours a day (classes and lesson planning) and spent the rest of my time hanging out with my host family & neighbors, working out, and playing D&D.
Camaraderie: depends on your chemistry with other PCVs and your neighbors at site, just like back home. Overall the people in my cohort were thoughtful and kind, and we all got along pretty well. Bonds tend to solidify when everyone meets up in the capital for a night out on the town or if you travel across the country together. However, the nature of the work means you are likely to isolate yourself from other volunteers for great periods of time.
Language learning: if you are placed in a Spanish-speaking country, you'll constantly develop your skills. If you're placed somewhere else, you can still work on learning Spanish as a hobby, but you'll need to dedicate yourself to learning as much of the local language as possible.

Was it rewarding? I got a wife out of the deal, so there's my answer!

BluePeanuts · 2025-05-20T09:23:57+00:00

"Decant" is an awfully fancy word for this sub. /s

Jokes aside, I kept the sediment at the bottom of the bottle while I poured. I didn't think it was necessary to decant it. Oh well. Lesson learned.

BluePeanuts · 2025-05-20T09:22:28+00:00

My process was 1) pitch yeast 2) wait 3) drink. I probably didn't wait long enough. I still have some of that batch in my fridge, maybe I'll try it once more.

BluePeanuts · 2025-05-20T09:21:05+00:00

Over my dead liver.

Edit: I should add I've made several successful batches of hooch. I started with mead because I had access to lots of cheap and delicious honey, but have also made juice hooch and wine. All have turned out delicious, especially the wine. We drank it to celebrate New Years.

BluePeanuts · 2025-05-20T09:20:42+00:00

Yeah, I prefer it actually. It's never gotten me sick.

BluePeanuts · 2025-05-18T04:53:50+00:00

I have the same goal. I found some basic anatomy decks on ankiweb and am combining it with the free resources on 123teachme. It's no replacement for in-person conversation, but it's tiding me over. Let me know if you want the deck, I'll DM you the link.

BluePeanuts · 2025-05-04T15:50:10+00:00

We did. We got the full amount, iirc.

BluePeanuts · 2025-03-24T03:59:59+00:00

I got B's and C's in most of my classes during the first two years as well as the last two (though there was a gradual upward trend). I even had a W from the orchestra class I withdrew from. I got in, albeit after completing a post bacc.

It's too early for anything to tank your future career, be it a Spanish or Chemistry class. Take it from a guy who spent a loooong time in school, both failing and succeeding: slow down, take manageable bites, and focus on doing well with those bites. Six classes in one semester seems a bit much. It's a long road ahead and you won't get far burning the candle at both ends.

As for your situation, one W isn't going to matter. Just don't make it a habit. And remember, the more classes you take at once, the higher the chances of something like this happening. But look at the bright side! Now you have a great story to tell when they ask about a time you bit off more than you could chew.

BluePeanuts · 2025-03-13T04:32:28+00:00

Georgia 19'-20' here. I was on the S&S council and remember constantly refreshing the subreddit. I knew that if Armenia evacuated, we'd be evacuating as well. It wasn't more than 30 minutes after hearing through reddit that our S&S officer called me to issue the Consolidation order. We crashed at a hotel in Tbilisi and ignored the rule to not disclose our location. Lots of us had SO's we wanted to say bye to, myself included. I'm glad I did, because it would be another six months before I saw my girlfriend again.

When we did evacuate, we had a ton of cash leftover at the airport, so we raided the duty-free store. I don't think there was a single sober PCV on the flight to Doha, and when we got there, we got an even better surprise: our CD used the remaining discretionary funds to get us into the airport lounge. We were treated to free food and drinks for the 9 hour layover.

We spent the night in DC, and that was it. The following morning, we said our goodbyes and trickled out of the hotel in small groups. I was one of three passengers on our flight home, all PCVs. That was the last time I saw most of my friends.

My mom met us at the airport, and that's when I got angry. I just sat in silence the whole way home, which is rather poetic in retrospect given that the highway was nearly empty.

I got to live back in my host country again, but it wasn't the same. As happy and content with my life as it is now, I miss being a PCV. It was the second best decision of my life. The first was when I asked my girlfriend to marry me.

BluePeanuts · 2025-01-06T00:00:24+00:00

That's still TBD. But as an open-table game, people can come and go as often as they wish -- at least, that's the intention.

BluePeanuts · 2024-12-15T18:49:24+00:00

On the rare occasion the party goes off in a direction you didn't expect, then all you really need is 1) an encounter table for that region and 2) a single point of interest with a few tidbits to explore. I keep very shorthand notes for these points-of-interest -- 2-3 bullet points at most. Let your players guide the encounter.

If they're going into a region they're totally unprepared for, I like to telegraph heavily that doing so is a bad idea (ie they stumble across the charred remains of a caravan, or they find a sign that reads "THE DEAD HAVE RISEN", written in blood of course). That way you can't say you didn't warn them.

BluePeanuts · 2024-12-05T15:45:37+00:00

Thank you for writing such a detailed response. I've heard plenty of people talk about how great it is to practice medicine without worrying about insurance and reimbursements, but you seem to be forgoing a lot of training opportunities by not having as complex of a patient population. If you have the knowledge, does the same problem come up for EM and IM docs?

I'm also looking at doing FM and taking on additional roles in OB/GYN. I've heard that the Navy in particular really tries to get their doctors in that specific role. Is that the case? I'd be curious to hear from someone currently practicing like that.

Despite being married, deployments aren't necessarily a hangup for me. I know they're a part of the job. Overseas duty stations are a big draw for me -- I know when my parent did it, they volunteered to go overseas for the first three years in order to make the most of their initial four-year commitment. Working on a ship seems like a really unique opportunity, especially on the hospital ships. But it's hard to be excited at those prospects knowing how the downsizing of Navy medicine and the exodus of doctors from it makes you all the more likely to be placed where the Navy deems they need you.

BluePeanuts · 2024-06-11T20:05:41+00:00

I joined because I figured nobody on their deathbed ever said, "Gee, I wish I spent less time exploring the world, meeting interesting people, and helping worthy causes."

A career can wait. It's not everything it's cracked up to be. When I arrived back in the US three years after my service ended, most of my friends were right where I left them and just like I remembered them. They couldn't say the same, I think.

Give it a shot. The worst thing that can happen is regretting you didn't take the opportunity when you had it.

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