As
we come to the close of another semester I can’t help but to look back through
the weeks of taking this course and feeling accomplished. This immunology
course has broadened my horizons on a branch of biology that is key to working
in the healthcare field. I believe that everything that happens under the sun,
happens for a reason. My academic journey has humbled me extensively by
constantly reminded me that God is ultimately in control. I am a senior who is
having to do an extra semester, outside of the normal 4 year curriculum. I have
wrestled with God when it comes to my academic journey and my future and there
are many questions I still don’t have answers to. I never saw myself having to
do an extra semester because my goal from the beginning of my college journey
was to finish on time and graduate as young as possible. However, my journey is
not everyone else’s and in the midst of wresting with God, He convicted me in
switching my major from Health Science to Biology. This switch set me back a
bit but I was determined to embark this harder road with the goal of being a
better candidate in the future when applying to graduate school. However, making
this decision gave me the opportunity to take this course, which caught my
attention since last year when some of my colleagues were taking it. Two of the
most important concepts I have learned about include the MHC complex and
antigen presentation along with the functions of antibodies. Taking
biochemistry simultaneously with this class has enriched my learning tremendously.
In biochemistry we recently had an entire chapter that gave an overview of the
immune system and the major roles of B cells, T cells and immunoglobulins. It
was amazing to see how much background knowledge I obtained in the field of
immunology as I explained the content to my study group colleagues who have not
taken the course. Overall, I am thankful for the knowledge I have gained which
has allowed me to have a new perspective when dealing with diseases, colds and
allergies. I now can't help but to think about the functions of the immune system when I encounter scenarios such as someone having a cold or listening to a conversation that ties to the immune system. I am in awe when I see how God has created an “army” within us whose
sole purpose is to protect us.
