A New Chapter

So a lot’s happened since I posted last. I’ll just skip to this past weekend for the sake of time.

Friday, June 1^st I handed in my honors thesis, a really important paper that was the key to graduating with honors. It’s a paper based on a whole bunch of research that a student does on the topic of their choosing. Mine was on “Effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas across a Latitudinal Gradient,” which means how closed areas of the ocean (like areas where activities are limited like you can’t fish, dredge for shellfish, or even drive through) actually affect the animals that live there. My finished copy was 57 pages long with tables and everything, but the actual written part was 14 pages! I rewrote it countless times (one draft was 30 pages of writing!) and owe a big THANK YOU to my advisor, Dr. Auster. He’s the single biggest influence on my undergraduate career and someone I have a ton of respect for and really look up to. Friday night I babysat for one of our neighbors. I’ve watched these kids for like seven years now and love spending time with them. It was the Mom’s surprise birthday party, so I ended up watching four kids (which was SO much fun!!) and snacked on prime rib and shrimp cocktail. Talk about a good job! Saturday I spent all day packing.

Sunday, me, Mom, Dad, Josh, and Uncle Steven all headed east with a huge trailer full of my stuff. My room is absolutely perfect- it’s so comfortable and cozy and I absolutely love it. We ended up at Monahan’s, tried some fried clams, and then headed over to Iggy’s for doughboys! Doughboys are like small fried doughs that are absolutely incredible. They were amazing- one of the reasons I know my family will have to come out this way to visit me!

I started work in the lab Monday morning. I work with two other students, Donald and Taylor. Donald was showing me around this week because Taylor is stuck in New Jersey with car trouble. Yesterday was really slow and I was kinda bored, but today was crazy because I might be flying down to North Carolina to go fishing as early as next Monday!! We have a ton to do before then, like figure out what new filter to buy, repaint part of our huge tank, I have to learn to drive standard…..

I even got to see Shelby, Monday night, because she goes to URI. I had dinner with her and her friend Meg at Rhody Joe’s. It was decent, albeit the raw insides of the clam fritters. Yes, we sent them back and managed to get free desert out of the manager.

Also, does anybody know where I can find 4-5 of those blue plastic 55 gallon barrels? I need some ASAP for a project.

So in the midst of all of this, a great wave of calmness and peace has washed over me. It’s hard to explain but I’m feeling more adult- I actually live on my own in the next state over, I have a real job, I rent my own place (without the help of UConn), and I’m trying to meet new people. I’m completely at peace because all of the craziness has left- in that currently, working in the lab is my only responsibility. While I might put in long hours, I don’t have to race from there to class (I won’t start class until the fall), to a job, to volunteer, to babysit, etc. My job in the lab is something I’m super interested in, so why wouldn’t I want to spend a lot of time there?

Also, I’m really happy for my parents. They ended up with two awesome kids that are both doing amazing things with their lives, wanting more, and actually going after it. I’m super happy that I chose a grad school so close to home because for some reason I can’t get enough of my family.

So here I sit, typing this blog, unbelievably relaxed, sipping some strawberry wine and mentally patting myself on the back for being brave and starting a new chapter in life.