<p>Hey,
those of you who have done these/are currently doing these --- what are your experiences like? Is it very structured, did you accomplish a lot? </p>
<p>Right now, i'm working on part of my professor's (neuroscience) project and it seems like we're really not getting anywhere! the environment is very relaxed, two other high school interns pass their hours away playing games online, sometimes it's because there are limited resources and they are waiting, but other times, they just don't care.</p>
<p>Your best bet would be to pretty much just shadow a grad student. I think it's pretty rare you'll get a lot of hands-on help from the professor you're working under; you'll be able to talk, but they won't actually be in the lab showing you how to do things. Find a nice grad student that likes having company while they're working and you should find it a lot more stimulating. And, if you're still bored then, then just keep asking why you're doing what you're doing.</p>
<p>No, it's not that i'm bored
I just wish that they would give us more stuff to do! I'm interested in the stuff, it's just that there just isn't too much we (interns) can do.</p>
<p>Our lab manager works with us, our professor helps out occasionally, gives some pointers.</p>
<p>I was just wondering of others' experiences in the lab are as relaxed -- maybe i'm just freaking out for no good reason, you know? I'm really used to getting results and getting things done, that this whole "let's try this drug" now and "see if it works" thing is kind of new to me.</p>
<p>That's how a lot of research goes. I've been building a machine with another guy in my lab as a side-project for the past three or four weeks now. We'll spend half a day on it a few times a week, and occasionally all day now and then, because there's just so many frustrating setbacks that happen when you're trying to do something new.</p>
<p>Last night we were finally setting up the vacuum system when we found out someone had busted the vacuum pump we were going to borrow, so we had to hunt around our (thankfully ancient but well stocked) lab for another one. The only other we could find is pretty darned old, so we had to spend a while changing oil, cleaning out, and pretty much getting it into working condition again. Then when we went to plug it in, we realized it ran on 250V European plugs. So the hunt was on for a standard 110V US plug that we could splice into it. Pretty much this project that should have taken two days to do has stretched out forever because you never have an idea what's going to go wrong.</p>
<p>Also, the earthquake yesterday was pretty rad for ruining one of my friend's multi-hour experiments, haha.</p>
<p>when you're sitting around doing nothing, see if you can help others in the lab who need it...and better yet see if you can do something to prep for your next task at hand.</p>