The Cat and the Sea

The summer between my undergrad and graduate studies was full of work, fun, and growth! It gave me a brief period away from academia while expanding my skillset. ----- Work I ended up working two part-time jobs this summer, in part because it's very difficult to find jobs in science at this time. However, I found alternatives that allowed me to prepare for the upcoming year: working in a jewelry store and cleaning people's homes. Though both positions were out of my comfort zone, I found that each job enhanced my perseverance and people skills. Gardening At the start of the summer, I decided to try cultivating a native plant garden. Native plants are better suited to their ecosystems than introduced plants, and they provide benefits such as nutrients for other species. With so many areas being developed over the last few centuries, one of the largest threats to biodiversity is habitat loss. Native plant gardens can increase the environment's resilience, so I wanted to give ...