As the title suggests, I still find it hard to believe that it even is summer (Floridian, what can I say). The truth is that summer is not only here, but officially passing by waaaaay too quickly. There were so many things that I wanted to accomplish that I'm now realizing are definitely not going to happen. I wanted to start practicing piano regularly again. (I used to actually be sort-of kind-of ok; now I'm just bad. Really bad.) I wanted to finish up several craft projects that have been in a half-finished state since before I arrived in Michigan, which was a year ago now. I wanted to veg out on my couch and play oodles of video games. Nope, nope, and nope. (Though I do feel like staying up past my bedtime to watch the live E3 presentation of Fallout 4 counts a smidge towards that last one.)

Anyway, now that I've gotten the depressing part out of the way, I can talk about all of the awesome things that have been going down this summer.

The vast majority of my time has been occupied by my research. I whine and complain about the lack of free time, but I'm seriously having an incredible experience in the lab. I feel competent in a way I never quite achieved while involved in research as an undergraduate. I'm much more independent (though I still ask questions by the dozen) and having a project of my own is a very cool feeling. I STILL haven't blown anything up, though there was recently a less-than-flattering episode that shall henceforth be known as The TBS Incident. No harm done, though! Just, um, humbling. And that's all I'll say on that. I've grown quite attached to my lab mates and I'm not at all looking forward to having to peace out in just a few weeks' time. There's a little nook just outside of the actual lab area that has a couple of tables (and a conveniently located electrical outlet) that I suspect I may start haunting when classes start again.

I made a super spontaneous decision to fly home for the 4^th of July weekend to surprise my mommy. To the best of her knowledge (and to the best of mine until about a couple days prior, for that matter), I wasn't going to be back in Florida until Christmas. It was a little bit nuts making all the arrangements at the last minute, but I'm so glad I went for it. There was lots of giggling, lots of tasty food, and lots of blissful laziness. I'm pretty sure we watched more television in the three days that I was at home than I've watched in the past three years. Also: PUPPY.

I was given the opportunity to become involved in a new pre-matriculation program for incoming M1s that is currently on-going. Two of my classmates and I are serving as TAs for the histology component of the program; we had a great time helping out with the first lab this past Tuesday. If the students we've met are a true representative sample of the incoming class, they are going to be super smarties who are tons of fun. Can't beat that! I'm looking forward to working with them again this coming week and, of course, throughout the rest of our time here at Michigan.