My project is to look at the changes in various water conditions at the Tillamook Estuary. We are predominantly interested in ocean acidification and how the pH changes over time, but we are also looking into dissolved oxygen, salinity, and nutrient load. My project is focused on writing a code in R that allows us to analyze multiple datasets that have been accumulating data for the past three years. My project is fully remote, so having a routine is key. I start my day with some exercise since the rest of my day is spent sitting behind my computer. As you can see in my photo, I have a lot of furry friends to keep me company while I work. The place I am staying at has four cats and two dogs (one of which is only five months old!) so they help make sure I take breaks here and there to give them some pets. Since the majority of my work is spent trying to figure out how to properly format codes, taking many short breaks is necessary to avoid succumbing to frustration.

I meet with my supervisor twice a week and have a team meeting with the other intern involved with the project, McKenzie, once a week. McKenzie started her project shortly after mine so I’ve only just met her, but it is nice to have someone to share codes with and help troubleshoot problems we’re having. Having another person to share the challenges of coding with also helps keep me motivated, which is certainly more difficult given the current state of things. The main downside of my COVID-19 routine is not having the quiet workspace that I am used to having during the school year. I usually do all my work in a library or café, but with the stay at home order, it is increasingly difficult to separate my workspace from my rest space. Although, there are certainly positives to this situation. I love the fact that I can work whenever I want and take breaks when I feel like it. When I did my work at a library, I would usually try to power through it in order to get home as soon as possible. Now that I do my work at home, I’m able to work more at my pace and I’ve found that I am much more productive this way (even if it takes more time overall). I am also able to give in to my night owl tendencies and am realizing I am most productive in the evenings, which is not something I am able to do with in-person work.