My Dearest Nia,
First off, congratulations for making it here! 😀 Seriously, take the time to be proud of yourself and all that you’ve accomplished so far. You have great things lying ahead of you in the near future! You are about to embark on an exciting journey in understanding what social science research looks like, and hopefully gain tools you will eventually use to conduct your own research. For now though, take a moment focus on the present, and appreciate all that is around you at this very moment.
I am sitting in my new room in a subleased apartment for the summer near campus. It is hot, the AC is barely working, but this is not a complaint, just an observation. I feel truly blessed to be here and have the opportunity to conduct research at one of the top research universities in the country. The campus is HUGE and there is so much to explore. I absolutely love hot weather so I look forward to spending some time outside .
This summer, I hope to learn and practice new research methods, and strengthen my writing skills. More importantly, I want to gain a deeper understanding in the subject I am researching, and learn more information that I can incorporate into my future studies. Most of all, I want to have FUN, and confirm that researching and building knowledge is what I want to do in life for my future career as a professor and international lecturer.
Nia, don’t forget who you are (hopefully this part isn’t too hard), the people and ideas that inspire you, and the fire burns so brightly within you. Keep that same energy and passion that got you here, and never let it go.
With You Until The End <3,
Nia Leilani Lundkvist