Hi everyone, my name is Rachel Waite and I am a sophomore supply chain management major also pursuing a minor in psychology.  Throughout my academic career my interests in school have always been math and social science related.  To me there is nothing more satisfying than finally cracking a calculus problem I have been struggling over or learning about the psychology of why people are the way they are.  However, whenever I was met with balancing chemical equations or memorizing the process of cellular respiration I always struggled.  The key to academic success for me has always relied on my interest in the subject, which is proven time and time again through my poorer performances in classes I am not mentally intrigued in.  What I look for in a class is knowledge that is applicable to my everyday life, and my disinterest in previous science classes I have taken is the emphasis placed on memorizing countless facts for no discernible purpose other than that information was going to be on the exam.

My passion for psychology is rooted in my appreciation of theories that attempt to help us understand the world around us.  I feel that this class will truly play into that same mindset and will force us all to think outside of our comfort zone, but in the end provide us with a stronger appreciation for the world we live in.  At the end of the day science in the real world is not memorizing formulas or processes, it is the living, breathing interactions of everyday life that are constantly being questioned by new theories and research.  Another reason that lead to me choosing this course is my uncle Garrett.  He was born with an extremely rare medical condition called firbodysplasia ossificans progressiva which you can learn more about here.  The rarity of his condition and the controversy that the disease brings is something I was never able to discuss in a high school classroom, but this class provides me with that opportunity.  He is someone who’s positive outlook on life I aspire for because despite the physical struggles he had to put up with every day, he always kept smiling.  I feel that this class will allow me to honor him for something other than just his disease.