If I were asked to describe Day 1 with one word, I would say “lost.” First, I was lost in the Gardens, completely failing to find the quickest route from Central to West, and more shamefully lost looking for the annex in the labyrinth of Hudson’s hallways. Worse, when discussing the end objective for this summer with my mentor, I felt completely lost in how to even begin tackling this project. Anyone who knows me well would agree that this project is something right up my alley, but I couldn’t help but feel too inexperienced for the task.
Now on Day 5, I no longer feel quite as lost. Whether it’s as modest as writing MATLAB code that works or as simple as understanding the jargon used in meetings with clinical cardiologists, I feel that I leave lab everyday having gained or produced something tangible. With the help of my mentor, Dr. Craig Henriquez, I’ve been guided in how these small and gradual steps build the foundation for any project of value. Of course, though the bigger confidence booster on Day 5 was definitely being able to give, in five seconds, somewhat decent directions to the Hudson Annex to a fellow lost person.
I came into this program expecting to get a feel for what research actually is. Now that I have a five-days-worth picture of what research entails, I guess what I hope to gain is the toolset or confidence so that I have a better sense of direction when working independently. And so that I can conceive what small and gradual steps I need to take on my own, in order to explore different avenues of or modify a project. And so that I no longer feel so lost on Day 1 of something new.
