It has started.

Research has started.

On Monday, it was a clear sunny day, a stark contrast from the usual days of gray gloom. After my last class, I quite eagerly walked over to the science building, where I would finally meet Professor Kleinert. She enthusiastically showed me the ultracold research lab and also introduced to me to the other research members, which were all very amiable.

The research lab is … something else. Optics, vacuum chamber, heating chambers, ventilation, and lasers. Everything is arranged in a very particular way. To be honest, I don’t have the knowledge of the theories behind each technology in the room. Professor Kleinert slowly explained to me how ultracold molecules work, and what exactly they were doing. I simply nodded and tried my best to understand haha. Their goal is to combine Rubidium and Calcium into one using a MOT. Lasers, magnetism, and the field of optics is huge here.

I am quite excited for what is to come in the future. There is so much to learn, and I want to learn more than ever. I am eternally grateful to Professor Kleinert for giving me this opportunity to work on such an amazing project.

One final thing! I recently talked to my adviser, Professor Smaldone, about my concern of spreading myself too thin. He reassured me that if I keep what I’m doing now, I’ll be just fine. I’ve always wanted to do a lot, but I think it’s imperative to soak in what you have now before deciding whether or not you are able to add something on. Perhaps we should just be happy with what we have and nurture that into it’s full potential.