My project in the Telen lab is going well. I’m nearing the end and the results are coming in. However that doesn’t mean they’re all agreeing with my hypothesis either. While I’m gathering a lot of data that supports current beliefs, I’ve also learned that sometimes when you think you’re observing something that’s resulting from one thing, it could in fact be resulting from something else entirely.
I like the schedule of a researcher. There is a time commitment involved, but your day is typically done when you’re done with your experiment. And so while this typically manifests itself in a 9-5 (roughly), we can time our procedures so that they don’t conflict with other commitments we have outside of work. That’s a really attractive feature of the job. Most other jobs require you to be at work for that time period but being a researcher gives you the freedom and flexibility to balance the different components of your life however you feel most comfortable as long as you get the work done.
I also like how I’m not doing the same thing every day. My project has multiple components to it with various steps and I’ve been getting to do all of these different things to give the most well rounded answer to my research question. In other words, I’m never really bored. Regardless, I’m constantly progressing in my project. Each day I’m a step ahead of where I was the day before which means I’m constantly learning something new as I draw closer to answering my question.
I appreciate the social culture in the lab too. Everyone is friendly and open. The dialogue ranges from discussion of current research to talk of one’s personal life. This makes everyone seem much more approachable and cultivates a very friendly community.
So far no complaints. I look forward to coming in every morning and leave in the afternoon with a feeling of accomplishment. The work is interesting, easy to engage and I’m glad to be a part of it.
