Hello everyone!
I can’t believe that my summer research at Wellesley is over. It has been such a wonderful summer, far more educational and fun than I had anticipated. Through all of the thought-provoking lectures, swim lessons, dimsum meals, Wednesday and Sunday night dinners, readings, excel documents, Haymarket trips, Cirque du Soleil outing, NYC trip (that was this Sunday—see all the pictures :)), tutoring, AGES group meetings, time with Monica, time learning all of the science professors’ names, Pandora sessions, movies, workouts, and more that I am forgetting, I have emerged a little smarter about science, research, and life, with some new friends, and with the knowledge that this has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. My thoughts are disjointed today, so I’ll give the rest of this post in idea snippets. I hope you don’t mind :).
I felt accomplished standing with my poster on Thursday, explaining all the work that I had done this summer in three sentences, but knowing every single number that had gone into those results.
I was definitely struggling today, as my assigned task was trying to pack my entire room into six containers. I have successfully shoved my fan and frying pan into the fridge.
It was a bit sad to teach my last lesson on Thursday, but I know I’ll see many of these kids again in the fall. And that makes me think of how my school experience of Wellesley is so different from that of summer…. I enjoy them both, and I think the difference is that in the summer I have to time to relax and think. During the school year there’s so much going on, and my peers are so impressive, that everything is constantly thrilling :).
I want to thank Monica so much for all that she’s done this summer. As I was her only student, if the situation had been different, this summer could have gone a different direction than it did. But I enjoyed all the time I was able to spend with Monica, and I am blessed to have had her as my mentor.
… This is an odd thought, but this is the first time in a year that I will spend almost a month at home. The international students, like Frieda, haven’t gone home the entire year, and I think that’s amazing. And then I think about how often I’ve been back home… maybe a little more than a month total. I don’t think I could have imagined anything like this when I came to Wellesley in the fall :).
And Wellesley in the fall seems so long ago :). I’m so excited for the Class of 2016, who will get to learn everything all over again, and be just as surprised by how they’re the same and different at the end of the year. It’s so amazing that we don’t know the details of where our lives will go :).
I’d also like to thank Mrs. Ruhlman, who funded my research and who funds the Ruhlman Conference every year. I have loved this experience.
Thank you to Rachel, Jim, Gemma and Chloe for storing my stuff once again. I hope to teach you more lessons in the fall!
Thank you to Alice and Erin, for tagging and dragging me along every weekend, and often during the week :). I had no idea I would be such close friends with you both this summer, but I have enjoyed it immensely. The same goes for my Wednesday dinner group, Angela especially. And to Prof. A. and his lab and its former members (with whom I often have Sunday dinner), where I feel confortable any time, including the 10 minutes before the poster session when I was nervous and wanted people to hang out with :).
Erin, Alice and I went to see Wicked in NYC on Sunday. I had a great time, and didn’t even get food poisoning until Monday night ;).
And finally, thank you to my parents and family, who I never thank, and who are the first to hear from me when things go wrong ;). You put up with all of my bad moments, send me messages that make me smile, and provide with a source of love and support that I value more than anything.
Best to you all, and I’d be delighted to tell you about any part of my research experience or time at Wellesley. If not, see you next week, and for the Class of 2016, in the fall!
Monica
