Although we end up making our own decisions, we are constantly influenced by people close to us and experiences we have. I am set on graduate school now with the goal of obtaining my doctoral degree in Kinesiology with a Space Life Sciences emphasis. The journey to get to this point took some time, but because of it, I am confident I am on the right path.
Growing up, I always had a love for space evident by getting my first telescope when I was four. My telescope still stands in my room now so I can get a closer look at the stars from time to time. I never let go of my childhood love - it has only grown. I never thought it would be possible to have a career associated with space though besides being an astronaut.
In the sixth grade, my teacher Mrs. Wilk inspired me to aim high in my goals, and I seriously started considering college at that point. Neither of my parents had gone beyond high school, so I never really thought about it before. I pushed myself to get good grades from that point on and graduated valedictorian seven years later. I had made up my mind that I was going to enter the field of psychiatry - I could combine my interest in the human mind while also my interest in medicine. When I got to CMU, I was still set on psychiatry. I had no idea the other options that were available, and I believe part of the reason the field intrigued me was the pay.
Between my sophomore and junior year, I had my first research experience in a Psychology Clinic. Man, was I in for a shock! Psychology was the last field I wanted to be in. Although the experience was meaningful, it did not hold my interest. It was at this time that I began to fully realize the different options available for me, and I began a period of exploration. I still had my mind set on medical school, but was looking at other areas to specialize. I came across aerospace medicine, and my passion for space was reignited. I saw that I could still pursue a career with an emphasis on space related issues. The following summer after my junior year, I was searching different medical schools for aerospace medicine and stumbled across Texas A&M and their Space Life Sciences Training Program. I did not realize at the time it was my dream come true.
Towards the end of summer, I almost joined the Air Force because I could study aerospace medicine and be close to my dream of going to space. I was at the point of signing the papers following taking all the tests when I decided to take a step back and think about my future. Eventually, I decided graduate school was right for me, and I found myself going back to look at Texas A&M. That fall, I became a McNair Scholar, and I had the opportunity to plan a visit and learn more about the program. Over spring break, I visited A&M and instantly knew I could call it home. The faculty were so welcoming and the program the right fit for me. I developed a proposal studying bone mineralization under hypergravity and found myself reading the literature for pleasure. I love my research this summer and feel a confidence towards my direction. I am holding onto my childhood love of space, but now it has developed into a mature direction. I will be able to study the effects of space on the human body!
My journey of exploration was at times frustrating because I felt I would never know my future, but now I feel a confidence I did not have before. It is surreal that my childhood love of space is still a part of me. I hope that all of you are confident in the direction you are heading and know it is the right fit for you. Don't feel pressured by others to choose a certain field but choose it for yourself.
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