Let’s face it: During those long, boring hours in lab, there’s not much to do. You can only monitor the temperature of your reaction for so long. After a while, you let your eyes wander to the cute guy two fume hoods away, but when he catches you looking you quickly turn away. Still, your reaction is going to take another 45 minutes, so you think about who this chem cutie is behind those hideous goggles. Here are a few tips to help you determine whether this one’s worth your time.
1. Consider how he handles things in lab. If he’s the guy who is always forgetting lab protocol and breaking things, you might want to reconsider. If he spills hazardous chemicals on the regular, it could be a sign that he doesn’t quite have his life together.
2. Does he look like he knows what he’s doing? If he is always asking questions without referring to his own notes and resources, run away. He’s the kind of dude who will ask you the same questions over and over again during a conversation, and will probably tune out halfway through anything you say.
3. Watch how he interacts with others. Is he helpful? Quiet? Arrogant? These traits are important to notice before you start fantasizing about your lives together as the med-school power couple.
4. Does he respect the TA? This is an important one. If this guy disrespects authority figures in such a casual setting, just imagine how he’d be in real life!
5. Ask him to be partners. Now that you’ve assessed chem cutie, ask him if he wants to be your lab partner! You can chat while preparing reactions, and you’ll learn much more about him this way. Good luck!
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