With the easing of the pandemic restrictions, our school was back with the competitions that we had missed out on for the past two years. Our science teacher organized a “Science Fair”, and we were tasked with designing a product or presenting research to solve any real-life problem, big or small. We were allowed to select our group members (THANKFULLY!!). It was part of our science enrichment program, so me and my team members cut to the chase and began to brainstorm.

Well, we thought that finding an idea would be easy, as we researched on some interesting and unique experiments that we could make. We zeroed in on ideas including a glow-in-the-dark lava lamp, a Newton’s Cradle, solar panels and more. We were unable to define a clear aim for the products we were planning to design but at the same time we were in a tearing hurry to set the ball rolling. Since we all had ambiguity in defining the aim, objective and the availability of the materials for our experiment, we decided to sleep on the matter and look into it with a fresh perspective the following day.

Each one of us conducted our own research. I had recently come across the word “sustainability”. To further dig into this concept, I discussed the possibilities of basing our experiment towards sustainability with my mother. In further research, I found that several industries were working towards reusing food waste to create eco-friendly products. When my mom suggested that our team members could also develop products from kitchen waste, initially I was a little reluctant. I mean, waste, according to me is nonsignificant. Parallelly, I felt that our product would be trivial as compared to the ideas of everyone else. A lot of my classmates were focusing on physics, as we had found out by spying on them (I’M SORRY TO ALL OF YOU, BUT IT WASN’T JUST ME☹. BESIDES, WE DIDN’T SABOTAGE YOU ANYWAY😊).

I thought of texting my friends and gathering their viewpoints, and surprisingly my group members were extremely excited and stated that even their parents had suggested products in a similar vein. By the end of the day, each team member was asked to research on the products that could be created using fruit and vegetable peels. At the end of the day, we had a completely different topic, with an entire change in research and planning. The next day, roles were assigned clearly, the list of materials required for the experiment were illustrated and we started compiling ideas on designing the poster board.

Over the course of the next few days, we rapidly tried to design our products, a kitchen cleaner created out of orange and lemon peels, compost soil from vegetable peels and potpourri from fruit peels. We had to make and test the product based on its usability. We had to complete our posterboard as well. A lot was on the plate, and hence our group decided to meet at the library to finish off the pending tasks.

Or so it seemed.

What our “dedication to finish our work” concluded with was nuggets and French fries at one of the member’s houses, chocolate sundae ice-cream, and just the bordering of the posterboard with decorative tape. SO MUCH HARD WORK ALIGNING TAPE YOU KNOW? I’m sure all of you understand me!

I went home with an empty posterboard and a craving for more French fries. I DIDN’T GET THEM. I JUST GOT MORE WORK.

So it went on that way, us transferring that gigantic piece of cardboard that nearly doomed us, from one person to another like a game of Pass the Parcel. The day I HAD TO lug that thing home, we forgot it at school. We had to run all the way back to school to get the board. Nearly everyone was staring at us as we ran back, wearing baffled expressions on their faces.

OK, so we decided that we would meet again to put a final stamp on the poster board. My group members came over the next week. We had finished the research and were supposed to print it out, paste it on the posterboard, and FINISH AND FINALIZE IT TOO. So, we printed and pasted the contents of our research onto the poster board. We thought we were done.

Until.

WE REALISED THAT THE FONT WAS TOO SMALL

The font glued on the posterboard could hardly be deciphered. We did not have the time to buy a new posterboard. So we decided to….you know…take a break and grab some ice-creams to cool our heads. And then we chatted, and then watched a movie. The posterboard lay helplessly on the table waiting to be completed. My mother was in utter disbelief at what little success we had achieved and still teased me about it☹.

So, the next two days went in constant discussions, approvals from my teammates, and completing the poor, hapless posterboard. Finally, it was over. Our kitchen cleaner had turned out well, the potpourri had a fragrant smell and was successfully warding off ants and the compost was making the plants go greener and healthier than ever. (Well, we worked hard so I have every right to exaggerate.)

Even though there were impediments(Huge understatement), it was a great learning experience. Working together as a team made me lose my mind, but then again, return it to its original place as well. The competition was fun and engaging and I look forward to more in the future.

Signing off…