Two Semesters Down....

Oh, so happy to have this semester over!! That's not to say I didn't learn a lot of new and exciting things, but what a busy semester this was. We had to write a draft NRSA pre-doc application, along with completing our other courses.

This is what that experience taught me:

• Researchers must constantly explain the importance of their existence and their work (*sigh*)
• Not everyone will agree that your work is worth funding
• Writing a grant application is a horrendously long process
• When you have completed the draft of your application, you do feel a sense of relief
• When you have completed the draft of your application, you do feel a sense of dread for the upcoming revisions
• Writing a grant application is time consuming and requires a significant amount of multi-tasking to carry on the rest of your life simultaneously
• Your advisor is like your BFF during this process
• Having prior examples are profoundly helpful

Now, this is my second grant application. The first was rejected (sad face). One more very important aspect of being/becoming a researcher: Don't give up on the first try.