the international biology olympiad…what started out as merely a dream somehow became reality. after the nationals, twenty of us had been selected for the two week training in cluj. this intensive studying was followed by an exam, probably the best i have ever met regarding biology. for once, there wasn’t only single choice subjects, but also questions requiring a written answer. and here comes the best part – the questions were actually based on thinking, not memorizing!
i was quite relaxed after the test. i had only taken this training as an experience useful for the year to come. almost everybody around me was staying up until 2 or 3 in the morning, while the classes started at 8. so imagine my surprise when seeing my name on the list of four international olympics. it was a pleasant yet – i believe well-deserved – surprise.
to start with, many of those twenty were interested in medicine alone, not so much in biology. i met very smart people, who knew well what they needed – the anatomy and physiology of human body. not plants, or small insects, and i think that this is just fine. the important thing is to be on top of your game, not someone else’s. what is more, many of those who had very well memorized biology lacked an enormous amount of knowledge on subjects like math or literature. i consider biology to be my passion, it’s that special thing that makes me tick. but it is not, nor will it ever be the only thing i know about. lastly, it was the understanding and not memorizing of phenomena the one that helped me get where i am – and in my opinion, that is one of the most important things not only in biology, but in everything.
so this is it – ibo. starting the 12th of july, in japan… i couldn’t be more excited, really. there is a lot to learn, and we still have to go through 2 weeks of practical training. but i’m looking forward to it 🙂
simplicate 