Connecting past knowledge and concepts to form a cohesive understanding of issues, seems to be a constant theme in Biochemistry. At times, it feels like that is Biochemistry's main function for me: to construct bridges connecting past concepts out of new information and increased details of earlier topics. I go to class wondering what topic from past courses will come up today in a new light which helps me better understand underlying principles.
The connections are everywhere, and have symbolized the value of this course for me. So for example, as we study replication, DNA, RNA, translation, and transcription, I feel as though I am able to better grasp what we discuss. A "phosphate sugar backbone" used to just be a "thing" to memorize as part of the structure of DNA. Now for me, it is a molecular structure which I could easily draw and explain how and why bonds form and why certain 3D conformations of structures are dictated by chemical properties. I learned about the presence of the backbone in earlier Biology classes. I learned about bonding properties and stereochemistry in Organic Chem. But now, in Biochemistry, the two previously independent ideas have been connected in a way that has enhanced my ability to grasp their individual roles in the big picture.
The previously mentioned example is just that, only an example. This has been occurring weekly, chapter to chapter, class to class. And at the risk of calling myself out as a "nerd," I love it. It is refreshing and engaging to be able to understand things at such a different level. I think in earlier science classes we have all had times we had to just accept things presented to us. We might have asked "how?" or "why?" certain things were the way they were, but the fair and truthful answer at times, was just to accept it; it might have been outside of the scope of the class to delve into that level of detail, or more simply, it just may have been over our heads.
I feel like this is exactly where Biochem has come in. It's continually providing answers to my former questions of "why?" or "how?" which used to be over my head. Instead now, the "hows" and "whys" are explanations I understand due to lessons learned in Biology, Chemistry, or Organic Chem. Whether it has been amino acids, DNA replication, Vitamins, or any other concept that has come up, Biochem continues to bridge previously studied ideas to allow me to better grasp the big picture.
