[hayhay33]

I'm a freshmen undergrad and have not done any research or worked in a lab. I feel far behind where I should be if I want to get into a really good grad school. Do you have any tips or encouragement to what I should be doing at this point to develop good experience?

I already feel overwhelmed planning for the future. All my semesters will consist of at least 18 credits for me to finish my two degrees on time. Along with intensive courses over this next summer and studying abroad next summer.  I'm planning on getting a BS in Chemistry and Physics and then moving on somehow to further my education...

How do I find the time to do research or work in a lab?

[Corribus]

One: calm down. You're a freshman. You have plenty of time.  At this point, laying a knowledge foundation is most important. Focus on your grades and coursework while you're taking classes.

Two: Over the summer try to find a job that has something to do with science.  It doesn't need to be in a university lab or even a research position.  If you want to stay in your home town, see if your local hospital has summer internships for premeds - even if you aren't thinking about being premed, they still look great on your CV and graduate schools will like it.  (This is what I did, by the way, as a freshman - my local hospital had summer internships.  I followed some doctors around and even spent a month doing research in the hospital's research division. Nothing fancy, but it was a great experience.) Are there any industries nearby that have a research division? Many of them also hire summer help.  You'll probably just be scrubbing dishes or something menial like that, but it's still good to have the experience of working in a lab.  As you get closer to your junior year, you should think about staying at your university/college and working in a lab there.

Three: Most chemistry curricula include independent study as an option, where you can work in a lab as a "course".  Often this labwork can extend into the summer as a job, killing two birds with one stone.  Definitely you'll want to do this.

Four: If you have spare time, offer to tutor.  Some universities have structured programs, or you can just put fliers up and do it independently.  This might not be a realistic possibility until you're at least a sophomore, but again it's something useful to put on your grad school application.