The Graduate Student Chronicles (Issue 3): I'm dreaming of a rocky mountain christmas

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Me again, graduate student from Lansing, but I am currently in Lewiston, Idaho at the house of the parentals.

I can't believe that it is almost 2011. Where did 2010 go? It has been interesting year for me with my academic life, my personal life, and my own well-being. I've moved three times, worked three different jobs, got one degree and started another, and have learned a lot from my relationships. But life has been treating me well. On Thanksgiving, I got invited to a lab-mates house and had fun sharing a meal with future forensic scientists. I returned home and then went to the Wonderland in Lights the next day at the zoo. It was nice to just be outside and walk around for an hour or so, reading about the animals and seeing all these cute little Christmas trees and strung lights. I even petted an opossum and a spotted turtle. Well the rest of break was just getting stuff done and the two final weeks of the semester were just a blur. I hardly saw anyone as I worked on my reports, studied for exams, and finished teaching. I was a little sad to say goodbye to my students that final week of lab but they all did an awesome job on their poster presentations! Meanwhile, (I'm not sure if I already wrote this) but I got another committee member and am just working on the last one. I have two guys that I really like their research and have heard great things, but can only pick one so that is my first order of business in January.

I also met with a study abroad coordinator and agreed to lead a workshop and help out with the Gilman Program recruiting next semester which is going to look great on my service and fulfills my requirements as an ambassador for the program. After that meeting, my finals just seemed to fly by. I ended the semester with a 3.57 which is pretty surprising considering everything that has happened these past few months, moving to Lansing and re-adjusting and all. And I had a nice night with some friends making sugar cookies, grabbed a beer with some grads, then got a ride to the bus at 4:30a.m. (my friends are awesome!). And since December 19th, I have been in Lewiston, Idaho.

Christmas came and went in a blur of presents and shopping and visiting family and friends. We all met up at my parent's house for Christmas Eve, had a nice dinner, then opened presents! Everyone wandered back to their homes and around 2p.m. on Christmas Day, we all went over to my sister's house to play video games on her Wii and PS3. We even got my stepdad to play Big Game Hunter and he was pretty excited. But the real fun was four person Mario and I laughed a lot harder than I have in a long time. It feels good to laugh so much again! We didn't wander back to the house until 2a.m. and I took some Nyquil and passed out. I haven't been sleeping so good lately and the night before Christmas Eve, I got a cold that is just now almost cleared up. The Nyquil and Vicks have definitely helped though and I've slept really hard the last few nights. Hopefully I'll be all good by tomorrow! It has been a lot of fun and nice to bond with my cat again who surprisingly started loving up to me the second I got here.

Well, 24 hours until my flight so goodnight and so long Idaho!!

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Photos

Bald Eagles
One was from Alaska and one from Michigan