For first-year Biochemistry students at the College of Science, KNUST, their maiden laboratory session marked a defining transition from classroom theory to hands-on scientific practice.

Clad in lab coats and surrounded by sophisticated equipment, the freshmen encountered laboratory work on a scale far removed from their senior high school experience.

“The experience here is quite different from senior high school,” said Jeshron Opoku, reflecting on the session. “We have so much advanced technology in the labs and chemicals at our disposal that make it easier to understand the processes. Some of the chemicals we are using are ones I never even saw in senior high school, but they are readily available here.”

For many students, the shift was not only about access to better equipment but also about the intensity and realism of the work. Kwaku Asare Adutwum said stepping into the laboratory brought a rush of excitement.

“Entering the lab and experiencing first-hand laboratory work was something else,” he said. “It’s far more advanced than senior high school. We work with more concentrated chemicals here back then everything was diluted. It’s an adrenaline rush. The labs are perfect, advanced, and it’s just really nice.”

Beyond the chemicals and equipment, students highlighted the emphasis on accuracy, precision and repetition, hallmarks of scientific training at the tertiary level. Rebecca Elsa Teye described the scale of the facilities and the attention to detail as striking.

“The number of labs alone is amazing for a first experiment,” she said. “It’s mind-blowing. Even though the experiment itself may be similar to what we learned before, here we work with a high level of accuracy and precision. A lot of the equipment we only saw in textbooks back in senior high school are now right in front of us, and we get to practice using them.”

Support from instructors also featured prominently. Natashia Larkai said the teaching approach helped demystify complex procedures.

“The lecturers and teaching assistants go over every step we take in the experiment so you really understand what you’re doing,” she said. “Everyone gets a chance to participate, and we’re given opportunities to try again and again until we get it right.”

Small-group supervision further enhanced the learning experience, according to Everlina Yaa Asantewaa Boateng, who contrasted the setup with conditions in senior high school.

“Back in senior high school, one teacher handled classes of 40 or even 50 students, which made it difficult to grasp some concepts,” she said. “Here, we have lecturers supported by graduate assistants, teaching assistants and lab technicians. We work in groups of about eight to ten with a dedicated tutor, and everyone gets to be actively involved.”

As the first laboratory session concluded, the consensus among the freshmen was clear: the experience has affirmed their transition into a more demanding and immersive scientific environment, one that prioritises precision, practice and participation.