Health Science Reviews

By Anela Cengani

I have never thought I would do research in my entire life, until this year. From high
school to my final year of my first degree, I always thought research was demanding, the
thought of having to read papers, endless writing, and studying that does not stop
always made me think I would hate it. You may ask, why did I then apply for honours if I
felt this way? Well, I thought I should give it a try, challenge myself, and not box myself
in. I did not want to close oƯ a path that I had never even walked.

This year has opened my eyes into a new world that I never thought I would be part of, a
world so demanding, yet necessary, a world that seems small, yet so big. And
surprisingly, I have fallen in love with it.

In high school, I loved maths so much because, no matter how complex a problem
seemed, there was always an answer to it; the process of struggling through it, trying
again and again, and finally getting it would bring me immeasurable joy. How does this
relate to research? Research is a world of problem-solving, where at the start, it may
seem like there is no answer to a question, but deep down, you know there is always an
answer to everything. There is fear combined with excitement, because what if I do find
the answer?

It may sound like I instantly fell in love with research; however, my honours journey
started with uncertainty, fear, and self-doubt, questioning whether this is what I’m
supposed to do, and whether I will be capable of seeing it through.

“What have I gotten myself into?” I would always ask. But I kept going. Having friends to
lean on pushed me forward. Sharing struggles with friends would always remind me
that I’m not alone in this. Having support forced me to keep moving, keep showing up
for class, and always try to do my best.

I would not trade this experience for anything.