Curiosity that asks "Why?" is the driving force. I want to master organic chemistry at the Keio Faculty of Pharmacy.

I have always loved chemistry and belonged to the chemistry club in junior high and high school. I still remember being moved by the experiments of the upperclassmen, thinking they were just like magic. By the time I was a high school student, I was doing organic synthesis experiments myself, and I felt an irreplaceable joy when I could combine molecules with my own hands and synthesize them exactly as intended. Organic synthesis might look plain on the surface. To someone who knows nothing about it, it might seem like, "I mixed transparent liquids and performed various operations for hours to get yellow crystals," and they might wonder what is so interesting about it. However, through the joy of creating something myself, I gained a sensation like casting a magic spell, and I awakened to the fun of organic chemistry. The textbooks I read every day gave me a sense of excitement, like reading a fantasy grimoire.

When I thought about wanting to study organic chemistry and organic compounds, there were various options for faculties besides the Faculty of Pharmacy, such as the Faculty of Science and Technology or the Faculty of Agriculture. However, I believed that the place where I could deeply study the properties of organic compounds was the Faculty of Pharmacy, where it is necessary to understand molecules in terms of their three-dimensional structures in order to utilize organic compounds as medicines that are recognized and metabolized within the living body. Furthermore, I thought that at Keio, which is well-known and active in research even among pharmacy schools, my future options would expand, so I enrolled in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Keio University Faculty of Pharmacy.

Before entering the Faculty of Pharmacy, while I was looking forward to being able to study organic chemistry, I had one concern. That was the rumor that the Faculty of Pharmacy involves a lot of rote memorization. However, what I realized after entering was that although the Faculty of Pharmacy is often said to have a lot of rote memorization, the connections between subjects are surprisingly strong, and if you have a deep understanding of a subject, you can greatly reduce the amount of rote memorization and the interest increases. Therefore, I recommend finding one subject you like in pharmacy. In my case, it was organic chemistry, but organic chemistry in particular is the foundation of each subject and is connected to almost all subjects, so it is interesting to be able to utilize the knowledge gained in various ways, and the efficiency of understanding also improves.

It is true that there seems to be more to remember compared to other science faculties, but after studying for two years, I feel that it is something that can be managed depending on your ingenuity.

One piece of ingenuity is how to remember the names of medicines. Since medicine names are also words created by humans, they naturally have etymologies. If you break down the name and research the constituent elements one by one, you can understand the origin and meaning. Then, even for a medicine you see for the first time, you can somewhat imagine its effects and efficacy from the constituent elements. Ever since I heard this story from a professor in a lecture, memorization has felt much easier.

I think the effort to memorize is important. But it is even more important not to forget the intellectual curiosity that asks "Why?" If you look at a medicine for the first time and think, "Why did they give it this kind of name?" instead of just accepting it blindly, you will gain new learning. It is precisely in the Faculty of Pharmacy that the attitude of always asking "Why?" and researching independently pays off, and I think you can grow significantly.

Another thing I noticed after entering the Faculty of Pharmacy is that the professors are very cooperative toward students learning independently. For example, when I told a certain professor that I like organometallic chemistry, the professor selected and lent me a recommended book, saying, "You should read this book." Also, there was a time when a professor's lecture got heated and the topic expanded, and I asked a question that was different from the original content, but the professor researched it properly by the following week and prepared an answer. I feel truly grateful for an environment where professors provide full support for student learning in this way.

  In extracurricular activities, I belong to the Faculty of Pharmacy Kampo Club. In the Kampo Club, as the name suggests, we study Kampo (Japanese herbal medicine) and visit botanical gardens. During our training camp, we stayed at Akakura Sanso, a Keio facility, and observed plants in Myoko Kogen. Not only that, but we also delve into other areas of Oriental medicine. The other day, we held an acupuncture experience session. Among the crude drugs on which Oriental medicine is based, when analyzed from an organic chemistry perspective, connections can be seen between structural formulas and actions, and they also become subjects of organic synthesis, which is very interesting from the viewpoint of organic chemistry.

Now that I am a third-year student, I have become the vice-president and am responsible for the academic side, such as creating materials for the club's study sessions.  

I am sure that all of you preparing for entrance exams probably don't have the luxury of enjoying your studies right now. But once you successfully enter university, I want you to pursue the things you wonder "Why?" about, rather than just trying to efficiently improve your scores or grades.

At the Keio Faculty of Pharmacy, there is a library called the Information and Media Center for Pharmaceutical Sciences where you can read a massive collection of books, and even books not in the Media Center can sometimes be read online. I am often at the Media Center until closing time. It is an attractive place both in the sense that you can immediately research things you find questionable, and in the sense that you encounter various books in the process of searching, deepening your understanding of surrounding knowledge. At Keio, the environment to pursue "Why?" is well-prepared, including professors who support learning and excellent facilities.