Reflection

August 30th, 2010

It is definitely hard to believe that this experience is over. I came into the internship full of hope and excitement and that is exactly how I am leaving it. I have learned an immense amount this summer. Not just about geology, but perhaps more importantly , about myself. I feel that I have grown both intellectually and personally. The area that this is expressed most in is independence. Being on my own this summer really helped me to value my independence and to respect the implications that it has. I experienced this the most not in living alone or being away from my friends, but through my work in the the lab. It did not take me long to realize that graduate level work is mostly self directed. You have to be truly motivated and love what you are doing or it is far too easy to fall behind. This was one of the most important hurdles that I had to overcome. My project was a little open-ended so it did not make things much easier, but I feel like I was able to overcome these obstacles and achieve something, even if they were negative results. That was another important lesson. In science, it is often a humbling reminder to find out that you don't always see what you expected to see, but that is what makes it interesting.The work was hard and the learning curve steep, but I definitely had a great time. I will never forget my experience this past summer and the friends I made during it. I am ever thankful for this opportunity that was given to me and am eagerly looking forward to what the future holds.