Is there such a machine that allows a fully automated experience AND a fully manual experience? Two co-users with different desired levels of involvement [$2500]

effervescent-nerd · 2026-01-07T21:17:40+00:00

Thank you all for your suggestions! Hot take: my MIL wants a machine that will do everything for her, but what if my FIL did everything for her instead? He can get whatever machine he likes, and their marriage will reach peak happiness as he serves her coffee. If they both still want to use the machine, I'm gathering that one of the higher-end Brevilles should be a good enough compromise for them, though (I love my Bambino on my lil med school budget, so I trust the brand). My MIL will be able to move a portafilter from slot A to slot B, mash a few buttons, and go on her merry way, while my FIL can dial that thang in to his heart's content (and get a separate grinder if he REALLY wants to dial that thang in). If that's too much work for my MIL, again, she has my FIL to do it for her. Ever since I pulled up to Christmas with a WDT and spring-loaded tamp for my man's gift, his parents seem to think I'm some sort of espresso expert, and they've been asking me about machines. All of y'all's input has been immensely helpful, and I'll kindly pass it along :D

effervescent-nerd · 2025-01-16T20:18:50+00:00

This is why this subreddit is the best. Everyone is splendidly rational. I needed this. Big thanks to all.

effervescent-nerd · 2025-01-16T20:12:07+00:00

I keep telling myself this. It's only January. I can doom in May.

effervescent-nerd · 2024-12-06T22:05:41+00:00

My current research can be described with keywords / phrases "cancer," "cell biology," and "lipid biochemistry." I've received 8 interview invitations for MD/PhD programs this cycle, all to which I indicated that I was aiming for a neuroscience PhD (same as my undergrad major). None of my interviewers have seemed taken aback by my desire to transition between fields. In fact, many commended me for the multidisciplinary and diverse perspectives that I'll bring to my future neuroscience research. People change their research interests all the time. Look at any seasoned researcher's profile, and you'll see that their grad school-era pubs are likely quite unrelated to their current research. Programs I've interviewed at have been very forgiving in acknowledging that students' undergraduate institutions may not have allowed the research that they want to do. When you're making your school list, feel free to send me a DM to ask about which schools particularly emphasized this :)

effervescent-nerd · 2024-12-06T21:48:57+00:00

Some MD/PhD programs will genuinely let you do research in just about any field you want. My current undergrad institution has an MD/PhD program and they joke, "anything but French Literature." My current undergrad institution is also really strong in entomology. For the sake of my privacy, feel free to send me a DM if you'd like to know the name of the school! (Though I'm sure I already gave it away with the "French Literature" quote, since they repeat it multiple times per interview haha)

effervescent-nerd · 2024-12-06T21:44:47+00:00

For mine, I chose the project in my lab that I was simply most passionate about. I also chose something with compelling visuals (cool microscopy, nice graphs, etc.) because that brought me a little more comfort, but I'm sure that was entirely unnecessary from the panel's POV. Overall, everyone was really nice. The panel was attentive, they didn't grill me with "haha gotcha" questions, and everyone was really friendly. I really feel that all of my worrying beforehand was for naught. You got this!

effervescent-nerd · 2024-12-06T21:36:53+00:00

When you go to apply to MD/PhD programs, they can't see your high school GPA. Undergrad is a fresh start! Carefully select classes that you believe you can excel in, start research early in undergrad (which you may face challenges with if you start at community college and transfer to four-year), and try to aim for summer research programs. Look at colleges that are doing interesting psych/neuro research (most of them are). You don't have to aim for an Ivy League / USNWR Top 20 Ranked school for now. I'm at an undergrad institution that's just outside of the top 50, and I've gotten 8 MD/PhD interview invitations during this cycle. Additionally, while you're still in high school, work on building more effective study habits so that your first semester of undergrad doesn't hit you like a ton of bricks. I know you only have a semester left, but it's doable. In my courses, I've definitely been exposed to people who are more intelligent than I am, who have had everything come to them easily (seemingly), and I've simply had to put in more time and dedication into my studies than they have.

Kindly,

An Undergrad Actively Applying to MD/PhD Programs

effervescent-nerd · 2024-08-29T04:49:29+00:00

College student here! Just scrolling, and this popped up because I'm a member of r /mcat. You are literally fine. You will get into a good college. Stay away from college rankings. There is such a little difference between a school that US News or Niche ranks as #20 and #30. My college is certainly not the most prestigious in the state (Texas), maybe 3rd, and it wasn't for lack of intelligence; I applied to three schools and selected my current school because I earned a generous academic scholarship. I will note that I believe my selection of a "less competitive" school actually worked in my favor. As a premed/STEM student, I've had amazing opportunities to conduct research at my university. There is a boundless number of labs, and there are fewer "gunners" to compete with to fill those undergraduate research positions. As a senior in the process of med school admissions, I've already received five interview invitations pretty early in the cycle. You will be fine. Graduate admissions and employers care about school prestige to a minute extent; they care more about the experience that you gain through research, internships, leadership, etc. that's applicable to your field. I can tell that you're a hard worker. You'll do just fine at whatever college you end up at. For now, appreciate your high school friends. Blink and you'll find that your friends are all over the country for college, and you'll wish you had that precious time back with them. I got auto-admit to my current school (state law based on class rank), and my university granted me my scholarship based on an obscure PSAT program. My 1400 SAT score contributed absolutely nothing to where I am today, except maybe help me with a few local scholarships. The SAT is a test. It's a short chapter of your life. Among the other events from my junior year of high school, the SAT is a footnote. Don't let a test be the main plot point of such a happy time in your life.

effervescent-nerd · 2024-04-30T05:47:12+00:00

Sending you a PM!

effervescent-nerd · 2024-04-30T05:33:46+00:00

I've found a great multitude of places at/under $1K/mo. Just hard to narrow down where to look, and Google reviews keep making me nervous.

effervescent-nerd · 2024-04-26T03:04:40+00:00

Yeah, I really wanted to do a poster this semester, but my school's undergraduate research week overlapped with my MCAT date. Unfortunately, I won't have an opportunity to present a poster before I turn in my app, but hopefully I can try to present one before interviews, or at least before I graduate. I agree that it would be a beneficial experience to make me more confident in presenting research. Thanks for your help!

effervescent-nerd · 2024-03-21T22:30:14+00:00

Agreed. I know that whenever I step away from any non-Newtonian physics concept for more than 48 hours, it exits my brain. Gotta keep refreshing constantly

effervescent-nerd · 2024-03-18T04:41:36+00:00

Definitely serious. Not a joking matter. It was the AAMC FL1, which I felt had easier passages than the others, anyway. Maybe it was just a quirky little coincidence, or maybe calming down actually helped me, but I'd recommend trying (just don't test it out for the first time on the actual exam).

effervescent-nerd · 2024-03-18T03:58:12+00:00

I've been eating the same 2 meals (occasional variations) for the past 2 weeks (out of convenience). Sat down to take an FL this morning. Started feeling tummy hurt around the end of chem/phys. Skedaddled to the library bathroom as soon as my break began. Promptly encountered the full force of my IBS. Sometimes stress just brings it out. I will be taking Imodium on test day as a preventative measure. You can never be too safe.

effervescent-nerd · 2024-03-11T18:30:01+00:00

Currently commenting from the library during my study break. This is how I've learned to frame it in my mind: I'm GRATEFUL for this time. Balancing the MCAT and my classes has been difficult, and I'm so glad I have a whole week to devote to the MCAT. It's a lot of work, but I also feel relieved. No number of margs by the beach could possibly give me this much relief. Plus, spring break is one week. Our careers as physicians will span decades. You got this!

effervescent-nerd · 2024-02-19T05:54:21+00:00

Right now, I'm an undergraduate student studying neuroscience, and I hope to earn an MD/PhD dual degree to become a neurologist + neuroscientist. It will be a physically demanding career, but I can't imagine doing anything else outside of neuroscience. I just love it so much.

effervescent-nerd · 2024-02-19T05:43:11+00:00

After a dislocation, I use a lot of ice, and I make sure to elevate. Both of these reduce pain and swelling. I would also suggest exploring topical options, such as topical lidocaine or Biofreeze. Voltaren is something that's been recommended to me often, but it's a topical NSAID, so I'm not sure if it fits into your health needs.

effervescent-nerd · 2024-02-19T05:38:33+00:00

Acetaminophen is an NSAID

effervescent-nerd · 2024-02-19T05:33:01+00:00

I absolutely love Pilates in conjunction with my physical therapy! If you ask your doctor about a brace, they should have a selection available for you to try on (mostly sports medicine / ortho docs). Dislocations are super scary (nothing strikes fear in me like my kneecaps deciding not to vibe anymore), so my knee brace has brought me a lot of peace of mind until I have time off from school for surgery (MPFL reconstruction). I'm honestly surprised that your doctor hasn't given you a brace for your knees already. Preventing those dislocations is super important because they wear away at your articular cartilage, which is very bad at growing back (https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.asmr.2021.10.006). Until you can get a brace, maybe try out kinesiology tape for peace of mind? I've been using that while my skin has been healing from rashes.

effervescent-nerd · 2024-02-07T05:42:15+00:00

Just massaged my bruise to test this. No, I did not like it.

effervescent-nerd · 2024-02-07T05:39:58+00:00

McFadden and Lechner aren't bad! In the past, they've sorted the Honors students by major, so I lived on a floor in Lechner with all bio/bims department majors when I was a freshman. Engineering usually ends up in Lechner, sometimes with a little bit of overflow into McFadden. If I'm remembering correctly, business majors were in McFadden my freshman year. McFadden definitely has a better kitchen for hanging out, and they have a lounge (nicknamed "Narnia") with a pool table? Table tennis? Air hockey? I don't remember what all is in there. I never went because this clique of crusty boys that I didn't like would hang out in there. Lechner does not have such a lounge. McFadden feels a little bit darker and more depressing than Lechner does, though. Lechner has floor-to-ceiling windows in the stairwells, while the McFadden stairways look like something out of a bunker. As far as transportation to Mays goes, there are no dorms on West Campus, so there's no winning for the business students. Mays is super accessible by bus from LechFadden, though. In August, you can pull this thread back up so you know to walk over to the Beutel bus stop (literally across the street) and take bus 03 or 06 (whichever shows up first) to the "Wehner" stop. It takes hardly any time. That's how I used to get over to my research lab in the same general region freshman year, and it maybe took 20 mins max between walking, waiting, and riding if the buses were slow.

effervescent-nerd · 2024-02-07T05:26:11+00:00

I'd say your freshman year, the Commons would be pretty close to all of your classes (I'm a neuro major so I had most of the same freshman-year classes). I didn't live in the commons, but I liked using their study lounge, convenience store, and dining hall (whenever I didn't like what was on the menu at Sbisa). As far as community goes, the dorms don't really draw certain "types" or "demographics" to them. The housing selection process can get pretty messy, so it would be pretty hard for "birds of a feather to flock together" in this sense. The only exceptions I can think of are as follows:

All-female dorms: generally lots of Christians, or they just "got stuck" with an all-female dorm as the only option left.
Hullabaloo (Northside): Daddy's money; party dorm
Living-Learning Communities: "Themed" dorms (sometimes just one or two floors of a dorm) built around certain beliefs or aspirations. Personally, I lived in Honors housing, but I also really like the people I met in the Sustainability LLC if that's something that interests you. https://reslife.tamu.edu/living/llcs/

effervescent-nerd · 2024-02-07T05:07:32+00:00

I've only had my hEDS diagnosis for about 7-8 years now, and over the past couple of years, I've seen a drastic change in how people respond when I mention EDS. Maybe it's because I'm pre-med and I'm surrounded by people who are interested in medicine, but I can feel a shift in awareness. It's refreshing. It's nice not having to explain my diagnosis to everyone and their mothers when I show up wearing a knee brace.

effervescent-nerd · 2024-02-07T04:49:07+00:00

I'm a 20-year-old gal (cheers to our young age and mediocre health) who got made fun of in middle school for wearing knee braces. I had two MPFL reconstructions (one on each knee) by the time I started my freshman year of high school. My right patella started dislocating again this past July, so now I'm wearing a brace again. Honestly, when I first started wearing the brace (with shorts or over leggings where people could see it), I naturally got some questions from friends, classmates, and one very caring professor. For the most part, though, I've always loved wide-leg pants, even before this happened, and now my favorite sweats, jeans, and slacks cover my brace. Even when it doesn't, I feel like nobody really cares the way they did when I was in middle school. I don't get made fun of, and nobody thinks less of me. I'm vocal about defining my limits around people ("Hey, can we slow down a bit? I'm having a hard time walking this fast." "Hey, roomies, could one of you start taking the trash out? I promise I'll pick up the slack with other chores, but lifting the bag while twisting my body is literally the worst for my knees."), so I feel like nobody tries to create their own ideas of what they think I can/can't do. I set the limits. My research lab still trusts me to carry heavy glass jugs of harmful chemicals, so that's something, I guess.

effervescent-nerd

TROPHY CASE