Neurosurgery is one of the most difficult and demanding careers in the world. The act of cutting into and repairing someone’s brain takes years of dedication and hard work. There are only around 49,000 neurosurgeons worldwide, representing just 0.00000595% of the population, of whom only 8%-11% are female. I interviewed Dr. Elizabeth Liptrap, MD, a neurosurgeon at UAB, to gain a perspective on women in the male-dominated field of neurosurgery.

Discovering Her Love for Medicine

Dr. Liptrap’s father influenced her love for medicine and her decision to pursue neurosurgery. A refugee in the Vietnam War, he dreamt of becoming a physician but could not afford it when he came to the U.S.  Growing up, her father encouraged her to consider a path in medicine; she felt the calling and decided to answer. While going through medical school, it was difficult for her to choose a specialty, as she loved every aspect. It was during her neurosurgery residency that she discovered her love for neurosurgery, especially aneurysm and skull base surgery. Though there was a moment when she pursued a career as an ENT (ears, nose, and throat) medical professional, she ultimately switched back to neurosurgery in her 4th year of medical school.

Pathways for Success

“Neurosurgery is a notoriously difficult field requiring significant medical management and surgical technical skills.” Being able to keep going is a struggle, and persevering is a skill. Dr. Liptrap always approached her endeavors, whether it was medical school, residency, or other challenges, with the expectation that they would be difficult. She comments that it was usually not as bad as she expected. She says that whenever she starts feeling sorry for herself, she remembers all the sacrifices her dad made for her and all the people who would pay to be in her position. Lastly, she likes to remember that “all things are finite, nothing lasts forever, and all bad times will eventually end.”

Dr. Liptrap made many significant achievements during her medical schooling and career, including being awarded membership in the Gold Humanism Honor Society and the Faculty Gold Medal for Outstanding Qualifications for the Practice of Medicine. Dr. Liptrap credits some of her success to her stubbornness, noting that she was not the most intelligent person, but she worked hard and stayed on task despite the hardships. She also says self-help books helped her identify principles to live by. Some of her favorite books are: Principles by Ray Dalio, The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday, Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, Good to Great by James Collins, and Grit by Angela Duckworth. I really recommend reading some of these if you have the time.

The Difficulties of Being a Female Neurosurgeon

As mentioned, neuroscience is a challenging field, and the number of female neurosurgeons is relatively low. Dr Liptrap says she was the only female during her residency program and the third female to graduate from it. Additionally, there were no female faculty members either. Dr. Liptrap found it fascinating to meet other female neurosurgeons. She felt that she needed to work twice as hard as her male peers to get the same credit.

After she became a senior resident, she faced challenges in leading male residents who were not used to having women as superiors or in the field at all. She mentions that there were many cases of sexual harassment that her male colleagues did not have to deal with during residency. Dr. Liptrap remarks that there is a significant number of female faculty at UAB, who are all very supportive of each other. Dr. Liptrap believes that female residents can be successful anywhere, but it is beneficial to go to a place with fellow female faculty and mentors. 

A Little Bit of Advice

Dr. Liptrap suggests you consider what you want your life to be like if you are interested in neurosurgery. Consider whether you want to have children and be able to spend time attending all of their activities and events. Neurosurgery is a tough specialty, and it can put a strain on your social and family life. You can still have children, get married, and build a family; you will just face a few more challenges along the way. Additionally, she suggests thinking about your ability to handle stress. You have to manage multiple patients at once, and since medicine isn’t linear, things may not go as expected. Neurosurgery is unpredictable. You may have plans outside of work, but if a patient has an emergency, plans will change. Dr. Liptrap recommends shadowing multiple neurosurgeons to get a feel of the field, as there are variations in practices at different institutes.

Dr. Liptrap is happy to talk to anyone interested, so feel free to reach out to her.

The post Women in STEM: A Deep Dive into the Brain of a Neurosurgeon appeared first on GirlSpring.

The preset mindset remains that grades are essential for any student who wants to go to a top university and take an educational path to success. This narrative is chanted by so many people around us who technically do speak from experience. Careers evolve overnight, industries are born on social media, and self-made opportunities often outweigh the prestige of a degree.

The Old playbook

For decades the formula has been

Study hard + good grades = success!

This path cannot be labeled wrong as it has helped decades of people land stable, secure jobs; just when credentials were essential and a degree was the marker of intelligence. The same scientists with the degrees have gone on to define new types of intelligence and prove that not everyone’s path has to be so mundane. This outdated formula is also worse for women as academic excellence was fundamental to outperform co-workers to merely “prove” that they even deserved to be there. This short-sighted definition ignored so many qualities such as creativity, leadership, adaptability- the unique strengths that could never fit on an exam paper.

The Big Change

Degrees can also mark economic disparities in society so they cannot possibly define human ability. It is an epiphany that is slowly but surely becoming widespread in society. This is why more and more jobs omit the requirement of a degree, preferring well-skilled and creative workers.

In addition to that, learning in its nature has become different. Just the understanding of the different kinds of learners and the skills people excel in expand the horizons of success and its metrics. Moreover, the accessibility and availability of the internet has made the process of consuming knowledge nuanced: knowledge that cannot be verified on a test if known.

Furthermore, the fall of menial jobs has caused a spike in the frequency of self-made careers. Online businesses, social media and even self-employment like freelancing and publishing allow success to be achieved. The world’s evolution and shift towards acceptance notes the strive for passion which allows creativity to thrive over the few careers that many in the past considered “appropriate”.

Women Who Have Done It

This journey has been walked by many women before you. Notable people include:

• Rosalind Franklin: A ground breaking biologist whose work was part of the foundation that helped us understand DNA structure.
• Marie Curie: The only person to win two noble prizes for her work in radioactivity originally did not have a degree and succeeded in spite of the many gender-based barriers in academia.
• Emma Watson: From a young age she was a talented actor and speaker. She starred in notable roles such as Harry Potter and Beauty and the Beast but also went on to get a degree in Language. Aside from that she is a famous activist for women rights and owns an alcohol brand by passion.

Famous names aside, there are countless women closer to home that have achieved extraordinary things. From friends that are home bakers to those who sell crafts online, there is no shortage of greatness all around.

Everybody and everything is an inspiration: you merely have to find it.

SO… do grades still matter?

The simplest way to put it is that they don’t not matter. This is not a sign for one to drop out of school. Grades are great for opening some doors, especially to technical fields. BUT they do not define your self worth or your ability. Today, success is multi-dimensional: it’s about mindset, approach, skills, confidence and so much more with the biggest variable being you.

Success at the end of the day is the definition you choose to give it and not what people dictate it to be.

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Dalip Singh Saund: Indian American Congressman

Saund (1899-1973) is the first Sikh, Indian-American, and Asian American to serve in Congress. He was born in British-occupied India in Punjab. Despite their own lack of schooling, his family supported his education. He earned his bachelors’s in mathematics from the University of Punjab in Amritsar. His family sponsored his trip to California, where he continued his education the University of California at Berkeley.

Although he earned a master’s and a Ph.D. in mathematics from Berkeley, he could not find a suitable job. He faced this challenge because he was an immigrant, and the high-demand jobs were reserved for whites. So he farmed until he gained citizenship in 1949. As soon as he earned his citizenship status, he quickly gained interest in American politics, and in 1950, he was elected as local justice. Six years later, Saund proudly became a member of Congress. His hard work is a tribute to all Sikhs, Indians, and immigrants who had to work against all odds to be treated as equals to white citizens. 

Indra Nooyi: Indian American CEO

The Indian American CEO of PepsiCo, Inc was born on October 28, 1955 in Chennai, India. She studied chemistry at Madras Christian College in Chennai. Later, she earned a degree in business administration from the Indian Institute of Management in Calcutta. When she moved to America, she attended Yale University to earn a second master’s in public and private management. Upon graduating from Yale, she worked as a consultant for a few years. In 1994, she joined PepsiCo as the senior vice president. In 2001, she was crowned the fifth CEO of  PepsiCo, Inc, becoming the first woman of color and the first immigrant to head a Fortune 50 company.

Jerry Yang: Taiwanese American Co-Founder of Yahoo! And Tech Investor

Jerry Yang was born in Taipei, Taiwan on November 6, 1968 . Unfortunately, when he was just two years old, his father died. In hopes of getting support from her parents and extended family in the United States, his mother, an English professor, relocated her family to San Jose, California. Yang attended Stanford University, where he pursued a bachelor’s and master’s in electrical engineering.

During his graduate studies at Stanford, he met David Filo, his future business partner. The two enjoyed internet surfing in their spare time. However, they disliked the lack of organization on the web, as it was hard to find the site they were looking for. So the two men co-created a map for the internet called “Jerry and David’s Guide to the World Wide Web.” As it gained popularity, its founder named it YAHOO, a backronym for “Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle.” According to Famous Entrepreneurs, the boys created a “search engine by which people could find their desired website simply by typing in the right keyword.” Yahoo became highly successful and made Yang a very wealthy man. In 2012, Yang resigned from all his duties at Yahoo so that he could focus on his new project: AME Cloud Ventures. 

Tammy Duckworth: Thai American Army Veteran and U.S. Senator

Duckworth was born on March 12, 1968 in Bangkok, Thailand, and later relocated to Honolulu Hawaii. After attending the University of Hawaii for her bachelor’s and George Washington University for her masters, she served as a helicopter pilot during the Iraq War.  She was one of the few female pilots for Operation Iraqi Freedom. The brave US army veteran unfortunately lost two legs and some mobility in her right arm. She sustained these injuries when Iraqi insurgents fired a rocket propelled grenade into her lap while she was in the helicopter. This incident made her the first female double amputee from war and earned her a purple heart.

The disability did not stop Duckworth from serving the United States again in the Illinois Army National Guard for ten years. According to her campaign website, she is a champion for “working families, civil rights, environmental justice as well as all of our Veterans and military families” (tammyduckworth.com). Tammy felt displeased by America’s systemic faults that negatively impacted Veterans and military families. When she won her seat in the Senate, she focused on supporting programs and laws that help those serving in the military and their loved ones.  

Haing S. Ngor: Cambodian American Surgeon, Actor and Author

Ngor (1940-1996) was born in French Indochina and began training to be a surgeon and gynecologist at an early age. Unfortunately, he was captured by the Khmer Rouge. Upon capture, he denied being an educated doctor to avoid extreme assault or execution. His hands remained tied even when his wife and unborn child, in desperate need of medical assistance, died in labor. Despite hiding his intelligence, he endured four years of inhumane treatment. Fortunately, he was able to escape to a refugee camp in Thailand and later immigrate to the United States.

He could not continue practicing medicine in the United States, so he started writing about his experiences in the Cambodian genocide. He published a book titled Haing Ngor: A Cambodian Odyssey. His book caught Hollywood’s attention and a few years later, he was cast as Dith Pran, an Asian-American photojournalist capturing the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia, in the Killing Fields. Despite having no acting experience, he performed well and won many awards for his role in the movie. He positively impacted the Asian-American community by being one of the few Asian-American actors, and for receiving amazing feedback for his works in movies. 

The post 5 Influential Asian Americans You May Not Know appeared first on GirlSpring.

What is Epithelial tissue? Click here to find out more!

Pseudostratified Tissue

Simple Squamous Tissue

Simple Cuboidal Tissue

Transitional Tissue

Click the link for more information on what you can do as a woman pursuing STEM!

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Why Are AP Classes Important?

A.P. classes are taken during the school year, just like your regular subjects are. The only difference is that towards the end of the school year, in the first two weeks of May, you will need to give an exam to possibly receive credit for the classes taken. On the A.P. Exam, you can get anywhere between a 1 (lowest score) and a 5 (highest score).

A score of 3 is a passing score, however, many private universities only accept 4s or 5s. If you plan on attending a public school, then it is likely that the school will grant you credit for a score of 3. No university will give credit for 1s or 2s, as those are considered not proficient.

Don’t feel overwhelmed by College Board’s extensive course offerings, as no one, not even Harvard, expects you to take all thirty-eight A.P. classes. Let’s discuss some commonly taken A.P. classes to help you understand which class will suit you.

Humanities

A.P. Human Geography 

If you’re interested in a less challenging A.P. class to ease your way into rigorous coursework, I highly suggest taking A.P. Human Geography in your first or second years. Not only is this class lighter on the course load, but it’s also fascinating and applicable to the real world.

In this course, you learn about how humans imprint on the planet; from culture, to language, to globalization, to economics, and even urban design, this course explores the complexity of our modern world. It explains how the world came to be the way it is today. My tip for success in this class would be  purchasing the AMSCO book and practicing vocabulary frequently, as the test is cumbersome on terminology.

A.P. World History

This class requires a lot of reading and note-taking, so only choose it if you can commit time every day after school to do homework. The class spans more than 800 years, as it starts in 1200 C.E. and continues to the present day.  Heavy on writing, this class requires strong writing skills.

You will write short-answer, document-based, and free-response questions throughout the year. In fact, on your A.P. exam, the writing portion is worth 60 percent of your score, while the multiple choice is worth 40 percent. My advice for taking this class is not to procrastinate on the notes, as a lot of content is covered rapidly. If you stay caught up, catching up will be easy.

AP US History 

If you were successful in A.P. World, then I recommend taking AP US History because it is easier since less content is covered. Firstly, you are only studying one country instead of covering world history, which includes all the countries. Moreover, the course only has about 500 years of history, starting in 1491, one year before Columbus landed in America. Even if you haven’t taken A.P. World, I recommend taking this class, as most colleges require U.S. history as part of their general education requirement. Therefore, this class is worth the effort if you want to save time and money. Moreover, it is essential to know the history of the country you live in.

English Language

A.P. Language and Composition

In this course; usually taken in  your junior year, you will learn how to write three types of essays: rhetorical, argumentative, and synthesis. First, the rhetorical analysis essay asks you to explain the author’s choices and why they made them. You will be given a text, after your first read-through, you will thoroughly analyze the reader to look for rhetorical choices and devices. Second, in a thorough paragraph, you will establish the author’s choices significance, impact, and meaning.

Third, for the argumentative essay, you will be given a prompt and will be asked to argue a side. Unlike the rhetorical essay, you will not be provided with any text for this prompt. Thus, the evidence must come from prior knowledge. Therefore, I encourage you to frequently read to develop a toolbox of knowledge that you can utilize. The last essay will give you six to seven sources, so must synthesize the sources to create an argument.

A.P. Literature and Composition 

While A.P. Language and Composition is focused on writing, A.P. Literature is focused on reading. Seniors usually take this class, which focuses on analyzing texts such as poetry, short stories, novels, and plays.

The text is mostly composed of complex fiction, requiring multiple reads and excellent reading comprehension skills. The format for both english courses is the same, as both have a multiple-choice section and three free-response essays.

Mathematics

A.P. Calculus AB 

Two Calculus exams are offered – A.B. and B.C. You may take B.C. without taking A.B. Think of them as different difficulty levels rather than a sequence. A.B. calculus explores one semester of introductory college calculus in two semesters.

On the other hand, B.C. calculus teaches two semesters of introductory college calculus in one school year. I recommend A.P. Calculus AB for students who like to take more time to process information or want lighter coursework, as A.B. goes slower than B.C. does.

A.P. Calculus BC 

For students who excel at math and have earned As and high Bs in previous mathematics classes such as trigonometry, pre-calculus, geometry, algebra 2, and algebra 1. Or for those students willing to try to keep up with the rigorous nature and fast pace of this advanced math course.

A.P. Statistics 

This course is more of a writing than a mathematics class. This course is suitable for those good at memorization and following a format. It is less heavy on math and more heavy on the application of it.

Science

A.P. Physics 1 

I recommend to those good at Algebra 1 and 2 to take A.P. Physics 1, as it requires mathematical skills. I recommend using Khan Academy for success in this course, as their curriculum is easy to understand and aligns with College Board’s standards.

While many people say it’s a challenging class, you can succeed in any course if you pay attention and do your homework on time. You will mainly focus on 1D motion, kinematics, rotational dynamics, angular motion, work, and energy.

A.P. Biology 

A.P. Bio is the study of organisms, evolution, and scientific principles and theories that govern how living organisms function. While you have been learning about living things since elementary school, this course is challenging because it teaches these processes in depth. Thus, this course requires a lot of reading and memorization. You can also expect to spend time at home taking notes.

A.P. Environmental Science 

This course has a reputation for being one of the easier A.P. classes, and is also the most accessible advanced science class since it’s easier for most people to understand than chemistry, physics, and biology are.

Environmental Science focuses mainly on our ecosystem, biodiversity, human impacts on the earth, and how to prevent man-made environmental problems. It also has a lab component, so you can expect to conduct experiments throughout the year.

Good luck on your course selection!

The post All About AP Classes appeared first on GirlSpring.

A while back, I reached out to Amy Jason wondering if she would be interested in doing an interview as a woman in business. She is the owner of the delicious company Cookie Fix. If you don’t recognize the company name and find you live around one of their locations, I highly suggest you change that and try any of their cookies.

I thought, how does someone become the master behind a life changing product?, And Mrs. Jason was more than willing to answer my questions! Here are some key takeaways from a successful woman in business that may interest you!!

How it Started

Mrs. Jason detailed how growing up she and her family always had a little sweet tooth. With the support of her parents, she continued to bake for them as a fun activity and for her own experimentation. After having kids, she picked up the hobby again as a way to gift friends and family, but never really considered expanding her baked goods for profit.

However, after trying numerous recipes claiming they were the “best,” Jason always came back to her own cookies and realized that other people might agree with her. Starting with her oatmeal toffee chocolate chip cookie, she started to grow her business by selling cookies for pickup from her house. Amy said it was the push and support of friends and mentors that got her to finalize her decision and open up a cookie store.

With some guidance from Andy McMakin, husband of the Ashley Mac, Mrs. Jason was reassured in her expansion into the business world. She details that the help of experienced mentors was crucial to her opening this new chapter of her life. With their encouragement, Jason became happy to provide for the community the perfect pick me up treat: cookies!

Inspiring Women

Moreover, Mrs. Jason advises girls to continue what they love in life. Instead of doing something that feels like work, she says to just follow the energy of whatever you are naturally passionate about that can make you happiest in life. She suggests striving to be the best you can at your favorite thing, and it will all work out!

She had a passion for cookies and she was able to combine this with other things that brought her joy like organizing, decorating, and meal prepping to make the business that was true to her. Whether you have to create it yourself or it is already out there, a place for your passion is waiting so go after it! With help and support from those around you, finding a job doing what you love will steer you away from the stereotypical dread of work. 

Cookies!

Cookie Fix is a staple in Alabama and has locations in Cahaba Heights, Homewood, Twickenham Square, and coming soon to Franklin, Tennessee! They’re known for having tall cookies stuffed with goodies that are still crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.

Their menu rotates every week with different flavors options on each day that can be found on their “cookie calendar” on their website. Go check them out and support a delicious, woman owned business!

Here’s more on how you can consider starting a small business just like Amy Jason!

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Since the ratification of the Constitution in 1781, voting and elections have changed over time. Voting rights and representation in office have been scarce for women, people of color, and the LGBTQIAP+ community. For minority groups like these, it can be hard to have your voice heard.

The 15th Amendment has changed to include the rights of more than just straight white men. These men have never had to fight for representation in their own country, so it was important that minority groups got the representation they needed. As time went on, minority groups are more open to elections and voting than they had been before.

Representation in Congress

In 2020, at least five LGBTQ+ politicians were elected to office. Of these five, two were Black and three were women. Sarah McBride was the first transgender state senator of Delaware. This made her the highest-ranking state legislator in the country. Ritchie Torres was one of the first Black gay men in Congress, and also the first gay Afro-Latino in Congress. Now, he is one of the first Black gay men to be in the House of Representatives. It’s sad and shocking that these firsts have not come earlier in history.

On November 3rd, the number of Native American women in Congress reached a new record. The three women who broke this record are Deb Haaland, Sharice Davids, and Yvette Herrell. Haalan and Herrell are both part of the House of Representatives, and both of them represent New Mexico. They are the first state to have two Native American women as Congress delegates. Eighteen Native American women were running for spots in Congress in 2020, which is 2.6% of all women that ran that year. This was the highest percentage since 2004 and though this is still a small number, it is definitely progress.

African-American Voting

The 15th Amendment was passed in 1869 so that African-American men had the right to vote. Specifically, it says that the right to vote will not be affected by race or color. Some states still had measures to prevent them from voting, and it was only after years that these barriers were overcome. Hiram Rhodes Revels became the first African-American in Congress in late 1870. However, at the same time, Southern states revoked the 14th and 15th Amendments, which took away some rights of African-Americans. The government overcame this with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 so, African-Americans finally got voting rights.

Women in Congress

In January 2021, there was a very diverse set of Congress lawmakers. Two congresswomen were Native American, two were Muslim, and two were Black. Arizona and Tennessee had their first female senators, as well. There is finally more representation in Congress than there has been before. It is a good sign of representation for future elections. Also, if certain people are unsuccessful in running for office, others will be inspired to run. The world is looking towards a Congress with plenty of representation.

The Constitution was ratified in 1787. Voting and elections have come a long way since then. These changes are particularly important within Black, female, and LGBTQIAP+ communities. Many firsts were made recently, including the first gay Black men in Congress and the first female senators for several states. The 15th Amendment was ratified so that African-Americans could have voting rights. When it backfired, the Voting Rights Act showed a solution. The American government has had a lot more representation in voting and elections.

Click here to see why we push so hard to fight for equality! Your vote matters!

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This past summer, I had the opportunity of interning at a law firm. The solicitors in the firm were predominantly male, and I was only one of the four girls working there. I instantly felt an overwhelming, odd sense of Imposter Syndrome – a psychological phenomenon of feeling undeserving in some aspect of our lives.

Most of the time, we feel like we do not belong, as if we are outsiders, and we constantly question if we are deserving of accolades, thus prompting a detriment in our self-esteem. We ask ourselves questions like, “Why am I here?” and “What gives me the right to be here?,” constantly downplaying and sabotaging our own successes.

This experience has also been known to be primarily focused on females, as gender inequality still very much exists and women are not as respected as males in their fields.

Women with Imposter Syndrome

Very successful women have also admitted to experiencing Imposter Syndrome, ranging from our former first lady Michelle Obama to Hollywood actress Emma Watson. In professional workplaces however, the notion of who is most accomplished is known for being culturally unreliable and biased.

There have been enduring systems of “the white man” being superior.

However, it’s still unclear what’s causing Imposter syndrome, but it’s an extremely widespread issue in cultures that, “value overworking and individualism.” In fact, those with the personality traits of perfectionism, low self-efficacy, and a higher level of anxiety, have a higher risk of feeling inadequate, especially in new environments with a lot of pressure to succeed. 

Individuality & Independence

Solutions to this problem are not definite, but we can take baby steps to mitigate these effects. For example, we should not compare ourselves to others, otherwise, we will find ourselves spiraling into a dark hole of, “I am not good enough for this world.” Additionally, our use of social media truly plays a huge role, as many portray themselves on social media in ways that do not match who they actually are, covering up the hardships in their lives, which will make the audience believe they are inferior, exacerbating the feelings of being a fraud.

Most importantly, do not let our experience of Imposter Syndrome hinder us from achieving our true potential. This message has been repeated countlessly, but it is true. I sincerely urge you not to stop because you are where you are meant to be. 

Female Empowerment in the Workplace

Company leaders and leaders in general must foster a supportive work culture so we can mitigate Imposter syndrome experiences and help girls channel self-doubt into motivation. If you feel like you do not feel competent enough, and that others feel the same way about you, even if you keep working hard, others will eventually uncover the truth about you.

Moreover, we must keep in mind that as females that feel like an imposter, this signifies that we have some degree of success in our lives to be feeling this way, and we should be grateful. Let others see the true you.

Click here to check out ways to stay positive and true to yourself. Don’t let work weigh you down!

Here’s some more information on Women in the Workplace.

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1. Understanding the test format 

It is important to familiarize yourself with the format of the exam. Each subject has a different format and allows various amounts of time. For example, the AP US History exam has a multiple-choice section that is 1 hour and 35 minutes and a free-response section with 3 questions that is 2 hours and 15 minutes. However, the AP US Government exam has 4 free response questions that are 1 hour and 40 mins and a multiple choice section the same length as the APUSH. Make sure to review the structure for your exams and the timing. 

2. Practicing 

Try to find past AP exams from the College Board website. Doing this will allow you to understand the structure and content of an actual test. You will be aware of the type of questions that will be asked. You can find other practice materials from online websites, the official AP Classroom, or prep books. 

3. Finding an effective study method 

Find a study method that works best for you and stick to it. Make sure that this method allows you to perform the best. It is also helpful to create a schedule and set a goal for the day. Use various tools to see which helps you the best, just don’t stick to flashcards and memorizing your notes. 

4. Using resources 

There are many resources out there to prepare for the exams. 

Online: Khan Academy, Quizlet, and Study.com

Prep Books: Barron’s, Princeton Review, and Kaplan

College Board also has an official AP Classroom with videos about the content and practice problems

You can also ask your teachers and fellow students for help!

5. Taking care of yourself 

Make sure that you take care of your mental and physical well-being. It is important to have enough sleep and eat properly during the exam. Take breaks during studying to help avoid burnout. 

Preparing for AP exams takes time and effort, but you can succeed with dedication and hard work. Remember to stay positive and focused. Don’t get discouraged by certain areas. Make sure to reach out to others in case you need help!

For more study tips and tricks for different types of exams, click here to see what our GirlSpring contributor has to share about the SATs and ACT tests!

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Early Childhood-College

She was born in the Aichi Prefecture during the year of 1933, where she later graduated from high school. Tsuneko studied her undergraduate degree at Nagoya University in the school of science, where she also got a PhD. Later, she worked with her husband Reiji Okazaki to study frog eggs and DNA in other animals. They were able to study in Washington University and Stanford University, where there were much more research options available for them. While this may seem like nothing special, she has contributed greatly to biology, especially in her writing of Okazaki fragments. 

Her Scientific Career

She worked on studying frog eggs to perfect her scientific theories. Okazaki fragments are named after Tsuneko, who discovered that there were small stretches of DNA that had gaps in them. DNA contains several steps that eventually leads to its formation. It is surprising that during a time of post-war era, she was one of the first women to attend university alongside men. Women had little chances in the scientific community, but she was able to jump off her husband and explore research. In the post-war era she did not have enough resources to buy her own equipment or labs, yet she still uncovered key components of how DNA polymerase copies to create its model. While scientists found the leading strand, they never figured out how the second (or lagging) strand was copied. DNA polymerase made short copied pieces, which later were called Okazaki fragments. 

Recognition

She continued to work even till her 70s and 80s. After the passing of her husband, Tsuneko kept up the difficult job of raising their two children and managing the laboratory. She always kept a keen focus on her work, remaining humble and not wanting to be arrogant in her studies. At a time when many male scientists were earning Nobel prizes, Okazaki never received a nomination for it – although she was a very worthy candidate. She modeled working for science and the betterment of it, so that society could use DNA to find other new inventions. 

To read more about women’s contributions in STEM, click here for more inspiring women’s stories.

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