Dear Self (or any other reader),
I know this letter is to myself, but I figure I should introduce myself because others will (maybe) read this. My name Is Madeline S. Parks. I am from Plymouth, Ml, where I’ve lived in the same house for my whole life. I will be eighteen and a half in a few days. I will be a sophomore at the University of Michigan this fall (although I currently have junior standing), and I will be living in an apartment with two friends (whom I met this year through a high school friend). Right now, though, I am living at home and commuting to Ann Arbor for a spring class (orgo II and its lab) and of course to work in my research lab, which is in the NCRC.
I’m not sure what my goals for this summer are; of course I want to do some cool stuff in my lab, but I also have some more “classic” summer goals (at least for someone who technically has the summer “off”). I would like to get more in shape; I’ve been playing rugby (UMWRFC!), but during the school year I struggled to fit regular workouts in on my off days, and the rugby season has officially ended until the fall, so I have no more excuses, especially once my class ends, which is in only a a few short weeks.
As far or my research goes, I don’t have any specific goals I hope to accomplish that I can think of. I would like to see more complete results than we have no far, especially now that the first “phase” of the project Is over. I’m also excited to continue to work with mice and improve my skills with them. I also look forward to the results from the second phase of our project, since it’s the part where we actually investigate the effects of certain treatments on the mice.
With regard to another aspect of research, bin excited to learn about other people’s projects, as well as about them and their other activities and Interests outside of this fellowship, especially since, based on the focus of this fellowship program, I’m assuming we’ll have a fair amount of common interests.
Another thing I would like to do is learn how to skateboard. My best friend and I are both interested in learning, so we’re gonna try to do it together. It just swum like an ideal form of transportation for on campus, especially for those awkward distances between, for example, your apartment and a bus stop that’s just a little far to walk easily, but not far enough to justify boiling and locking up, etc your bike.
All in all, I’m excited for this summer, although I know it’s going to be busy and probably fairly stressful, I think it’s going to be a lot of fun!
Sincerely,
Madeline S. Parks