Post by Camila Mouteira

This May, I was elected President of the Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society (National Office) Omicron Alpha Chapter at the University of San Francisco. I joined the organization in my first year and held Executive Board positions as Co-Social, Publicist, and Secretary. Now, the members have entrusted me to lead the organization, which I will do with full commitment and enthusiasm. Biology, biotechnology, and every STEM major are very time-consuming and difficult. Many of us had to cancel plans with friends as we needed to study, and we have spent countless nights sacrificing our sleep to study, which, after some semesters of doing this, I do not recommend. These fields are also very competitive, making us constantly compare ourselves with our friends and peers. However, it doesn’t have to be that way; we should feel proud of others' achievements and help everyone to achieve their goals. This is what TriBeta stands for: providing a community for all its members, where we feel comfortable sharing our best and worst moments and celebrating each other. I want to thank our professor and advisor, Mary Jane Niles, who has helped the organization for many years, allowing us to grow as an organization and as individuals. I have met many incredible people in TriBeta, who have marked my undergraduate experience: Sofia Birchenall, PSM, Jia Li Chen, and Catalina Do. Thank you for all you have taught me, and I promise to keep those ideals growing and developing in our organization. I couldn’t have made it to this place without any of you.