- Madeline Topf
Reflecting on my first semester.
Expectations were low, zoom camera was off, and excitement was tempered. Ah, fall 2020 in academia. Going into my first year, I had two goals:
1. Choose a lab
2. Keep the minimum GPA
These goals were pretty easy to accomplish, but that was a bit on purpose. I didn’t know what I was getting into, so I wanted to set reasonable expectations to be able to achieve. I’m happy to say I have accomplished both of those things! I joined a lab that studies population ecology and will be working on multi-species bacterial interactions in the context of a biofilm. The minimum GPA at my institution for graduate students is 3.0, and happy to report I believe I kept the score.
In addition, I learned:
- How be home with myself everyday. It wasn’t easy, and still isn’t, but if I keep focused and make time to be social, I can do it.
- A clean living environment was essential to feeling well. Dishes is self care.
- That a schedule was important, and consistent things that block off time
- In a relationship, you have to give it space to breathe, especially now.
- I learned to communicate what was on my mind and how I felt.
- That it’s hard to grasp how other people are doing, so just ask.
- Also, it is okay to be okay sometimes
- It is okay to feel bad, even if other people feel worse.
- Its fucking hard to cook for one person. I’m supposed to PLAN my meals?