The Eye of the Tiger

A few days have passed since the publication of the article in TechMed , and although the excitement is still lingering, we have something much more immediate on our minds: final exams. Olivia, as always, has taken the reins of our preparation with her "Master Plan for Academic Success." And, of course, she's taking it to the extreme.

"Team Genius!" she announces one morning as she enters the library carrying a portable speaker, three red bandanas, and an endless list of tasks. "Today is the day we activate our Rocky Balboa mode. From now on, every study session will begin with the official anthem of success: Eye of the Tiger ."

Sack and I exchange an incredulous look.

"Seriously?" I ask, trying not to laugh. "Eye of the Tiger ?"

"Exactly!" Olivia replies, tying a red bandana around her forehead. "It's scientifically proven that this song boosts motivation and improves cognitive performance. Plus, we need to go full epic if we're going to survive finals. Now, put on your bandanas."

Sack raises an eyebrow.

"I'm not wearing a bandana. This is ridiculous."

Olivia glares at him.

"Ridiculous? It's strategic! If Rocky could defeat Apollo Creed with this song, we can conquer final exams. Now, put on the bandanas or you're out of the team."

With a resigned sigh, Sack and I reluctantly tie on the bandanas. Olivia smiles triumphantly and turns on the speaker. The library, which had been a sanctuary of silence until that moment, transforms into some kind of improvised boxing gym. Students stare at us with expressions ranging from awe to absolute horror.

"Turn it up louder, Olivia!" someone sarcastically shouts from a nearby table.

"Thank you, but it's already perfect," Olivia responds, completely ignoring the ironic tone.

When the song ends, Olivia gives us an energetic clap.

"Alright! Now we're ready to conquer General Biology. Let's review everything about mitosis, meiosis, and genetics. Apply the spirit of the tiger!"

Days later, the first final exam arrives: General Biology. We find ourselves outside the classroom, waiting for the doors to open. Olivia is in her element, pacing back and forth with her speaker in hand and humming Eye of the Tiger . Sack, on the other hand, looks like he wants to disappear into thin air.

"Olivia, please put the speaker away before someone takes it from you," I whisper, feeling my cheeks burn with embarrassment.

"Relax, Lindsay. I'm creating a motivational atmosphere. Everyone should thank me for raising the energy level here."

Just then, the professor opens the classroom doors. Olivia walks in first, still wearing her red bandana and holding the speaker. Before anyone can stop her, she presses play, and Eye of the Tiger echoes throughout the room.

The students look at us as if we're aliens. Sack covers his face with his hands, muttering something about moving to another country. I just want the floor to swallow me whole.

"Miss!" the professor exclaims, pointing at the speaker. "Turn that off immediately, or you'll have to leave the exam."

Olivia quickly obeys, though not without performing a dramatic little bow.

"Thank you, Professor. I was just warming up the engines. Now we're ready to give it our all."

Sack whispers to me as we sit down:

"This is going to be a disaster."

The exam begins. The questions are technical and demanding, just as we expected. The first question reads:

"Explain the differences between mitosis and meiosis, highlighting the key stages of each process and their biological importance."

I smile to myself. We've reviewed this hundreds of times thanks to Olivia. I pick up my pencil and start writing:

"Mitosis is a cellular division process that produces two daughter cells identical to the parent cell. This process is crucial for growth, tissue repair, and asexual reproduction. The main stages are prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. On the other hand, meiosis is a specialized type of cellular division that produces haploid cells (gametes) with half the number of chromosomes. This process is essential for sexual reproduction and ensures genetic variability. The stages include meiosis I and meiosis II, each with phases similar to mitosis, but with specific events such as crossing over during prophase I."

The next question is even more complex:

"An organism has a heterozygous genotype for a dominant trait (Aa). Explain what proportion of the offspring will show the dominant phenotype if crossed with a homozygous recessive individual (aa)."

This time, it's Sack who responds quickly, drawing a Punnett square on his sheet. I lean toward him and whisper:

"Are you sure about that?"

"Of course," he replies quietly. "50% will be heterozygous (Aa) and show the dominant phenotype, while the other 50% will be homozygous recessive (aa) and show the recessive phenotype. It's basic genetics."

I nod, impressed.

The final question is a challenge even for me:

"Describe how advances in genetic engineering have revolutionized modern medicine, providing specific examples."

I take a deep breath and begin writing, recalling some of the discussions we've had during our study sessions:

"Genetic engineering has transformed modern medicine by enabling personalized treatments and innovative therapies. One example is gene editing using CRISPR-Cas9, which allows for the correction of mutations responsible for hereditary diseases. Another significant advancement is the production of recombinant insulin using genetically modified bacteria, saving millions of lives of people with diabetes. Additionally, gene therapy has opened new possibilities for treating diseases like cystic fibrosis and certain types of cancer."

When I finish, I carefully review my answers. Looking up, I see Olivia handing in her exam with a radiant smile.

"How did it go?" I ask when she returns to her seat.

"Easy. Too easy. I don't know why everyone made such a big deal about it," she replies, crossing her arms.

Sack and I stare at her, mouths agape.

"Easy?" I repeat, incredulous. "Did you study a different book than the rest of us?"

"No, I just applied the spirit of the tiger. You should try it sometime," she says, winking at us.

Sack shakes his head, laughing.

"I think the only tiger here is your ego, Olivia."

As we leave the classroom, Olivia is still humming Eye of the Tiger . Despite everything, I can't help but smile. Maybe her obsession with the song and the bandanas isn't so bad after all.

"Well, Team Genius, that was just the beginning," Olivia declares as we walk toward the cafeteria. "Now comes the real challenge: Advanced Mathematics. But don't worry, I have a foolproof plan."