I began week three on July 20, 2026, so I had left week two, where I was finally getting the hang of things. I left week two more confident, less confused, and with a better understanding of the role I had to play in the research clinic I was in. I don’t mind sharing a general overview of what my role was. Essentially, my research placement had gotten people to participate in a survey, and those people, upon request, had given our clinic pictures of their food receipts. This gave us insight into what they ate and how much it would generally cost at each store. And I enjoyed it! My work was routine; it had a sense of familiarity because after gathering the data, all I needed to do was make my work digestible for the general public to see on a social media page. And I loved the idea.
Before I tell you what happened next, I want to let you know that my experiences are reflective of how our careers may go. We may have a plan; life seems predictable, but oftentimes the true growth and development comes from those twists and turns, the unexpected and unanticipated. It teaches us how to deal with surprises and live on and learn from those experiences, and that is exactly what happened for me. Yes, it was somewhat of a small change, but for me, being in a new research environment, predictability brought comfort. So when my tasks were no longer as predictable, some of that comfort was lost. But remember, research teaches something along each step of the process, even if it is not necessarily comfortable.
Now, I’ll tell you what happened. I was told I would not be doing a social media page anymore for my research project. Instead, I would diverge into another task that gave me more freedom to choose how I wanted to communicate our research to the public. That is what I am talking about when I say the familiarity was gone. At the beginning of the week, I had a structured idea of what to do each day, and now I had more freedom to dictate how I wanted to make an impact. However, as I embarked on this new task, I realized that freedom revealed something in me. It revealed my creativity and ability to find unique ways to share my passions. I started considering whether a poster or a video was better for a certain topic. I started asking more questions like whether I should create an interactive online activity, whether certain colors would appeal more, or if specific fonts were more accessible.
Long story short, I know it could be seen as a minor experience, but it is a minor experience with a lesson. The road has turns, and when you come across one, it's okay. See it as a new challenge, a discovery about yourself. And when you come across a turn, just steer towards it, and you will be fine.
Sharon S. is an ambitious high schooler from Harry Ainlay High School, who loves academic challenges and getting out of her comfort zone! She is so fascinated by science, especially human biology, because it gives her clarity about how her own body works. As a full IB student, she has learnt to manage her workload while still pursuing her hobbies, like singing, dancing, crocheting, and baking. While still young, she is very reflective of her journey so far; how she has explored different interests, dabbled in different clubs and extracurriculars, and learned a lot along the way. She hopes to use the experiences that have helped her build communication, resilience, collaboration, and so much more and combine them with her passion for science to make an impact in this world.
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