Each year, I choose at least one thing to really focus on developing and appreciating. Last year, 2023, I chose healing and strength. This year, I chose connection. I told myself I wanted to develop strong relationships and really make a point to appreciate them. With the few weeks I have spent at Highlands Biological Station, I can say doing this has been incredibly easy.
The best idea anyone has ever come up with was deciding to have the first overnight field trip start at 8a.m. on the first day of school. I mean, hello, we were basically forced to bond, and it was awesome. Quite quickly, I learned who to go to for tree identification, bird identification, rocks, salamanders, even cooking recipes, technology issues, or a quick laugh. It's so beautiful to have such diversity in interests, to a point where you get to learn from your peers everyday. I don’t want to take any of that for granted. I want to simmer in the knowledge of others, learn everything that makes them happy, makes them excited, makes them motivated.
It's not only the vastness of interests that make being around my highlands classmates so amazing, but also our similarities. The second weekend of the semester, a classmate and I found each other at the same concert in Asheville, NC. That is just a small thing, but it's much greater than that. A quick “Who wants to go camping?” or “Does anyone want to learn how to fish with me?” if not met with silence but with excitement to do something we love together, or try something new together.
One afternoon as I was going to collect my laundry and Mike, our maintenance man and handyman, pointed out these newly sprouted PINK ghost pipes (Monotropa uniflora). I was so excited and persisted to spread the news. I ran to the kitchen and convinced a few folks to come revel at them with me. We gathered in a circle on the moss-covered ground to observe, take pictures, and ponder about these mysterious wildflowers. I don’t think any of the other girls had seen pink ghost pipes before, and I know I hadn’t. There was something very special about the accidental moment of silence we subconsciously took at a group. I could experience that childhood wonder of seeing something for the first time and needing to know everything about it. And doing that as a group, having people around me just as excited or more, was so deeply and incredibly fantastic.
While my mentor and my independent research project partner were visiting one of our wetland sites, we came across a very puzzling…well…puzzle! Bones! While any other group of pals would walk right by, the three of us were entranced for at least 20 minutes, by these bones. We very meticulously organized and grouped the bone types into piles and attempted to figure out what kind of animal it was. However, without the skull, it was very tough to determine. I could have sat there for hours with them, showing each other the cool bone shapes we picked up, finding the pieces we thought might fit together, or speculating on where in the world this animal's head might be and what happened to it.
Whether it is smashing open walnuts, climbing in the trunk of a very large tulip poplar, doing salamander surveys (having two gray cheeks venture right up into your sleeve!), marveling at odd bugs, having conversations over coffee, putting flowers in our hair, braiding each others hair, or gathering around the TV while my research partner and I show everyone the cute pictures we found on our wildlife camera footage-I love doing it with these guys.
One of my absolute favorite things we did outside of class was playing We The Pixies in the kitchen. One of our friends enlightened us by sharing that one of our favorite childhood games was still alive. I rushed to my room to grab my computer and one of my roommates. After we made our characters, picking out their hairstyle, clothes, shoes, wings, and names, and we joined the same server and played together. My name was Winnie Muddybug, and the other girls' names were Lulu Pepperfield, Karma Beautygourd, and Scarlet Foxplume. Though this older game had many glitches, we had a blast playing. And of course, afterwards, we watched Barbie: Fairytopia.
Finally, and very importantly, my incredible roommates. I was nervous when I found out there would be three of us to a room. I was excited because I loved having a roommate my freshman year of college, she was awesome. Having my own room my second year was great, don’t get me wrong, but there is something so fun and so bonding about having roommates to laugh with, have late-night talks with, and...someone to wake you up if you oversleep all five of your alarms. Still, I was a little nervous to find out who my roommates were going to be, and meeting them for the first time. The weekend of August 17th rolled around, and we moved in one at a time. In just a few days, I realized I must have been one of the luckiest girls in the world. I have two absolutely incredible roommates. Since I happened to bring way too many clothes and an inordinate amount of crafting supplies, we spent a while trying to figure out how to make good use of our place. We tore apart the room, and tore apart the dollar tree, just to end up with…well…the perfect room. I love the heated debriefs after our readings, the kind advice, Spinx trips for soda, and always having buddies around.
Looking back on these moments, it's clear that I have already achieved more than I could have imagined when I set my intention for connection this year. The friendships and shared experiences I have cultivated at Highlands Biological Station have not only fulfilled my goal of strengthening relationships, but they have also reminded me of the joy that comes with learning, growing, and bonding with others. As I move forward, I know I will carry these connections and memories with me, forever grateful for the lessons they have taught me and the laughter we have shared.
All that in just a few weeks. I cannot wait to continue our adventures.
-MH
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