Author | Lightnews

Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · 23d

As we get ready for sukkot, I’m grateful for the time with A as we celebrate the chaggim together.
And for nature for providing us with the mini pumpkins for our front yard from the ones that decomposed last year.

‎וְשָׂמַחְתָּ בְּחַגֶּךָ וְהָיִיתָ אַךְ שָׂמֵחַ

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · 24d

Dear Apple Watch, I’ve been up since 6 am shopping, baking, cooking, and putting up the sukkah. Please give me way more credit for all my fitness goals.

Thanks.

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · 25d

I think this was my favorite technical challenge on the Great British Baking Show / Bake-off

Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · 26d

There is not enough caffeine to help the recovery from the Yom Kippur fast for #nerdytshirtfriday

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 26

For this Shabbat Shuvah and #nerdytshirtfriday I present the elemental model of the universe. To quote Carl Sagan: “The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff”
We are all capable of reflection and teshuvah and are worthy of being recipients of the same.

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 26

For some reason, my students did not find my Family Feud of beakers vs flasks nearly as entertaining as I do. 🤷‍♀️ #ITeachChem

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 26

In a stressful 6 hour weeks that included
End of an engagement/LTR
Rough transition back to school
Dropping A off at his dorm (also he got clipped by a car, lockdown, etc)
Potential glaucoma diagnosis
Cancer scare

I know that I’m healing b/c I can finally enjoy reading again.

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 22

Shana Tova! My favorite pre Rosh Hashana dress from @superdesignershop ! A bee-utiful way to get ready for a sweet new year.
May we have and health and renewal this year.
(And yes, there are sugar molecules right near the bees)

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 21

Note to self continued: chocolate chip cookies will taste better when you decide to add sugar.

Yes, I noticed this in plenty of time

But not until after I tasted the batter

Moral of the story:

Always taste the batter

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 21

I’m making challah for Rosh Hashana and I tried twice to get the psyllium husk to gel and it didn’t work.

Then I realized I was using teff flour and not psyllium husk

#glutenfree #roshhashanah #chemistswhocook

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 19

Trying to voice text my kid at the grocery store and somehow Rosh Hashanah became Russia in China which is something else all together

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 19

May 5786 be much more Bohring than 5785. Looking forward to peace, quiet, and reflection.

Looking forward to continuing to move forward.
Shana Tova Tikatevu
#nerdytshirtfriday

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 14

How are things going you ask?
I wanted to take my usual allergy meds and instead took a melatonin.
At 8am

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 12

Trying to Be Like a Proton and Stay Positive for #nerdytshirtfriday

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 5

Stand Back; I’m going to try science. The 1st official #nerdytshirtfriday of the 2025-2026 schools year. Definitely not the transition to school that I would have expected/wanted for my 25th year in the classroom, but here we go.

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 4

wcvb.com/article/umas...

UMass Lowell shelter-in-place lifted as investigation into armed man continues

A shelter-in-place order was lifted Wednesday as an investigation into a report of an armed man on the campus of UMass Lowell continued.

wcvb.com

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 3

In case you are curious. This is why my kid was in lockdown imgur.com/a/uml-9-3-20...

UML 9/3/2025

Discover the magic of the internet at Imgur, a community powered entertainment destination. Lift your spirits with funny jokes, trending memes, entertaining gifs, inspiring stories, viral videos, and ...

imgur.com

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 3

Update:lockdown over. Didn’t catch the guy but he’s not in the vicinity so e all have to be content with extra police on campus and by the residence halls

Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 3

Let’s go over the past 3-weeks, shall we
•broken engagement
•terrible Back to school PD
•drop kid off at college
•testing for glaucoma needed
•kid gets clipped by a car biking to archery
•kid currently in a lockdown at UML b/c guy brandishing an AK-47 style rifle
So, no: not really ok.

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 2

Back to school in three pics.
Before school day
After school day
Surviving a stressful school day with a black raspberry frappe, though this time I had to do it w/out the kid

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 2

One of these years I’ll be able to sleep before the first day of school.
This was not one of those years. #EduSky

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 2

I’ve noticed in all the mandatory meetings and events this year that it’s way too loud for me and I shut down. If it’s that way for me as an adult, I’m wondering how some students are managing.

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Sep 1

I’ve been thinking a lot about group work in class -something that I stressed for years. How are we accommodating for introverts & those for whom all the busy noise of classroom dynamics are very deregulating? Ideas? #ITeachChem #EduSky 🍎

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Aug 27

I have a really hard time with someone who was last on the classroom in 2011 and there are many problems with how he presents the “right” way to teach

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Ariel Serkin @aserkin.bsky.social · Aug 27

Was my t shirt choice for mandatory back to school PD intentional?
I don’t know what you mean.

Grey t shirt with a white text box saying “what’s your evidence” with a large orange question mark.

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