What Its Like To Be a Guinea Pig

To be a guinea pig…

Any university student knows that one of the most “interesting” things about being at university is the constant experimentation. Lecturers changing things, trying something new, adding “revolutionary and fascinating” personal research into their lectures and generally fiddling around. Students, as the perennial guinea pigs, often have no choice but to be subjected to this experimentation, but then again why should they? After all there is very little difference between a student and a guinea pig. Students are always told to make sure they get enough vitamin C just like guinea pigs have to. Students often burrow under layers to escape the cold and go to sleep just like guinea pigs. Students are not found naturally in the wild just like guinea pigs. Students feed continuously just like guinea pigs, and we are also quite hairy, you guessed it, just like guinea pigs.

It is right then, that we should embrace our guinea pig status and participate in as many experiments as possible. Taking this attitude I recently decided to participate in the gait analysis study going on in ECS. I did this because 1. They were giving me vouchers and free is never bad and 2. I really had nothing better to do. When I got there I proceeded to walk through the biometric tunnel ten times, and then I had to fill in a series of forms.

Not the most exciting evening in the history of the world the universe and everything.But you know what, it was probably worth it. I can say to my kids that even if I never get my doctorate, I was part of someone elses. I participated in cutting edge research and that really is something to be proud of. Thus I encourage everyone to get involved in the research going on at the University, help the PhD students, who are admittedly slightly mad; but they are students, just like you, trying to finish one day and get a certificate (or maybe an e-certificate if another piece of research I was recently exposed to is successful).

On another note I have recently found myself in the unfortunate situation of having to do work, while not unexpected, this is not in any way welcome. It has in fact affected my gaming schedule greatly. Then again I suppose that is the beauty of life, learning to balance the work and the play while not going mad (like PhD students). Since this is the last communique from me before the break, I wish everyone a happy whatever it is you celebrate, spend some time with the people important to you and come back to school ready to panic, freak out and run yourself ragged for exams, after all guinea pigs are good at running.