The first two weeks

For many of you whom this is the first exposure to research--congratulations on making it through the first two weeks!

By now you've probably been introduced to everyone in your lab group, and you're finally getting acclimated to your new space--whether it's a lab bench, computer station, or studio. Hopefully, you are excited to be getting your hands dirty (both figuratively and literally) in your research.

But this excitement is undoubedtly paired with at least a little anxiety. Stress that could come from being overwhelmed with dense research papers full of jargon or complicated tasks involving expensive equipment and reagents. Or you could be faced with writing code for a statistical program for the first time or just trying to remember who's who in your research lab or office. Or it could have been hearing tornado sirens for the first time in the middle of night on Wednesday.

Research is tough, but don't worry--you are not expected to be perfect. It's not the end of the world if you break that flask or find that the trails of literature related to your topic seem to drying up.

The best advice we have to offer is to continue asking questions and seeking advice from your faculty advisers, graduate students, and other undergraduates about your work. Do not be afraid to make genuine mistakes. We're also here if you need a listening ear (email jaung.1@osu.edu). Yesterday, Dr. Snow posted a guide to mentor-mentee relationships that hopefully will help you think about your interactions with your faculty advisers. We will continue to post similar entries here through the summer, and we hope that you will join in the discussion.

For those of you who have already been involved in research, perhaps you can post a few of your own pointers or stories here?