Before I really dive into it, just be warned that this post will contain significantly fewer pictures than pretty much any other post I've done (actually none, you'll see why), so my apologies if that's your favorite part of this thing.
So I've been in State College, PA for just over a month now (5 weeks and a day if you want to be exact), and I figured it was time to catch everyone up on the move, the job, the apartment, etc, so we might as well get started.
The Move
It was quite a long drive (in my opinion) down here from Michigan. My mom was kind enough to lug me and all my stuff here in her mini-van. We drove over the course of two days, spending the night in Ohio (GO BLUE), and arriving to my apartment early afternoon. Being the absolute champs that we are, we managed to get all of my stuff unloaded from the car and up 4 flights of stairs before a torrential downpour. And me being me, I was sent into a flurry of unpacking and organizing, and would've gone on for several straight hours if my mom hadn't suggested we stop and make a very necessary Target run. After buying necessities, like scotch tape, I finished up the unpacking and called it a day. Which brings us to
The Apartment
I was lucky enough to find a studio apartment that I could afford that's close enough to work that I can walk there, since my plan of biking everywhere was foiled by too many hills and one way streets. That means for the first time in my life, I have my own kitchen and bathroom, and it is lovely. Some people may think that it's a bit small, but after getting used to Dutch-sized rooms, and considering the amount of stuff I have, it may even be a bit too much room... There are three ridiculously-large closets (the one for my clothes is big enough that the dresser fits inside the closet), a pretty comfortable kitchen, and a bathroom that comes with additional storage space. The whole thing really makes it look like I don't own anything, but I like it. Well, I could do with out the wooden armrests on the couch and lamps that match the Grandma-styled wallpaper, but for a year, it'll do.
The Job
Coming down here, I really didn't know what exactly my job was going to be, and I passed that uncertainty on to a lot of people, so after 5 weeks, I have a clearer picture, so I'm hoping I can actually answer the question "So what exactly do you do as a lab manager?" Well, the title is actually extremely deceiving. Half of my time is expected to be spent working on faculty projects. Most of this work is a bit mindless, whether it's transcribing recordings or data entry, it doesn't require a lot of individual thought. Although I do have to say that one of the projects I'm on is a giant puzzle that I've been assigned to figure out. For this, I actually get to do some problem solving, and I've even written a script in Matlab that could be key to solving it. It's stressful and confusing, but a lot more interesting than listening to the same set of words for hours on end. The only downside is that I'm not supposed to work on it for more than 5 hours a week...
A quarter of my time is meant to be allocated to "managerial tasks," eg emails, technical troubleshooting, doing laundry. Again, not very thrilling. And the last 10 hours a week is devoted to my own "personal/professional development." What the heck does that mean, Lena? Well, during this time, I'm theoretically allowed to develop my own research project, write grad school/job applications, audit courses, and so on. So far most of this time has been spent staring at a manuscript or personal statement, trying to figure out how to accurately get across all the buzzing ideas in my brain - ahhh, the joys of writing.
So that is pretty much my job. I'm stuck in a cold basement the vast majority of the time, so I'm almost always surprised by the weather at the end of the day.
The Town
As most of you know, my biggest concern about taking the job was the fact that the university is located in pretty much the exact middle of Pennsylvania, hours away from any remotely interesting city. And I was right to be worried about this. Of course there are stores "downtown," but I think over half of them are devoted to selling Penn State apparel, and the other half are take-out restaurants or bars catering to undergrads. To their credit, there is a small Target, and I'm writing this post in a decently cute cafe, but it's not exactly a place I'd recommend for a day trip. The most excitement this place sees is football Saturdays, which I purposefully avoid. I desperately miss the Netherlands and Utrecht daily (following instagram accounts that specifically cater to highlighting the awesomeness of these places doesn't help either), and I can't wait to visit next month.
So how are you staying sane??
Short answer? Yoga. Long answer? Lots of yoga. I found a yoga studio that had 5 star ratings on every online platform, so I decided to give it a try. I first went to a free class they were giving for faculty/staff at the university before the semester started, and an open house dinner event to celebrate their one-year anniversary, and I was hooked. They've managed to create an incredibly welcoming and friendly environment, and it was really reassuring that the teachers make a point to remember people's names and what's going on in their lives. Not to mention that every single class has kicked my butt in the best possible way, and I feel like I'm going to end the year as Wonder Woman with all the focus on building a safe and strong practice. This may sound like an ad for Yoga Lab, but really it's probably my favorite part of being here (even if I die after every hour-and-a-half class). I'm now that person that just carries a yoga mat with them practically every day, so there's that.
So that's been my life for the past month+, and I don't really expect it'll change over the next 11.
Have follow-up questions? Think I left out something vital? Leave a comment or shoot me a message!
So I've been in State College, PA for just over a month now (5 weeks and a day if you want to be exact), and I figured it was time to catch everyone up on the move, the job, the apartment, etc, so we might as well get started.
The Move
It was quite a long drive (in my opinion) down here from Michigan. My mom was kind enough to lug me and all my stuff here in her mini-van. We drove over the course of two days, spending the night in Ohio (GO BLUE), and arriving to my apartment early afternoon. Being the absolute champs that we are, we managed to get all of my stuff unloaded from the car and up 4 flights of stairs before a torrential downpour. And me being me, I was sent into a flurry of unpacking and organizing, and would've gone on for several straight hours if my mom hadn't suggested we stop and make a very necessary Target run. After buying necessities, like scotch tape, I finished up the unpacking and called it a day. Which brings us to
The Apartment
I was lucky enough to find a studio apartment that I could afford that's close enough to work that I can walk there, since my plan of biking everywhere was foiled by too many hills and one way streets. That means for the first time in my life, I have my own kitchen and bathroom, and it is lovely. Some people may think that it's a bit small, but after getting used to Dutch-sized rooms, and considering the amount of stuff I have, it may even be a bit too much room... There are three ridiculously-large closets (the one for my clothes is big enough that the dresser fits inside the closet), a pretty comfortable kitchen, and a bathroom that comes with additional storage space. The whole thing really makes it look like I don't own anything, but I like it. Well, I could do with out the wooden armrests on the couch and lamps that match the Grandma-styled wallpaper, but for a year, it'll do.
The Job
Coming down here, I really didn't know what exactly my job was going to be, and I passed that uncertainty on to a lot of people, so after 5 weeks, I have a clearer picture, so I'm hoping I can actually answer the question "So what exactly do you do as a lab manager?" Well, the title is actually extremely deceiving. Half of my time is expected to be spent working on faculty projects. Most of this work is a bit mindless, whether it's transcribing recordings or data entry, it doesn't require a lot of individual thought. Although I do have to say that one of the projects I'm on is a giant puzzle that I've been assigned to figure out. For this, I actually get to do some problem solving, and I've even written a script in Matlab that could be key to solving it. It's stressful and confusing, but a lot more interesting than listening to the same set of words for hours on end. The only downside is that I'm not supposed to work on it for more than 5 hours a week...
A quarter of my time is meant to be allocated to "managerial tasks," eg emails, technical troubleshooting, doing laundry. Again, not very thrilling. And the last 10 hours a week is devoted to my own "personal/professional development." What the heck does that mean, Lena? Well, during this time, I'm theoretically allowed to develop my own research project, write grad school/job applications, audit courses, and so on. So far most of this time has been spent staring at a manuscript or personal statement, trying to figure out how to accurately get across all the buzzing ideas in my brain - ahhh, the joys of writing.
So that is pretty much my job. I'm stuck in a cold basement the vast majority of the time, so I'm almost always surprised by the weather at the end of the day.
The Town
As most of you know, my biggest concern about taking the job was the fact that the university is located in pretty much the exact middle of Pennsylvania, hours away from any remotely interesting city. And I was right to be worried about this. Of course there are stores "downtown," but I think over half of them are devoted to selling Penn State apparel, and the other half are take-out restaurants or bars catering to undergrads. To their credit, there is a small Target, and I'm writing this post in a decently cute cafe, but it's not exactly a place I'd recommend for a day trip. The most excitement this place sees is football Saturdays, which I purposefully avoid. I desperately miss the Netherlands and Utrecht daily (following instagram accounts that specifically cater to highlighting the awesomeness of these places doesn't help either), and I can't wait to visit next month.
So how are you staying sane??
Short answer? Yoga. Long answer? Lots of yoga. I found a yoga studio that had 5 star ratings on every online platform, so I decided to give it a try. I first went to a free class they were giving for faculty/staff at the university before the semester started, and an open house dinner event to celebrate their one-year anniversary, and I was hooked. They've managed to create an incredibly welcoming and friendly environment, and it was really reassuring that the teachers make a point to remember people's names and what's going on in their lives. Not to mention that every single class has kicked my butt in the best possible way, and I feel like I'm going to end the year as Wonder Woman with all the focus on building a safe and strong practice. This may sound like an ad for Yoga Lab, but really it's probably my favorite part of being here (even if I die after every hour-and-a-half class). I'm now that person that just carries a yoga mat with them practically every day, so there's that.
So that's been my life for the past month+, and I don't really expect it'll change over the next 11.
Have follow-up questions? Think I left out something vital? Leave a comment or shoot me a message!
enjoyable read
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