![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDhY8sMGbEFtBi7fzG5s2Zlv7ERPZLU8WmS01Zpyz1xMpJdpIBByYNAKaF42QEnLeXXtmOc7AgPCkz9ZOJpGIGvsMQbaNNPGQbFLK6i3DlenXv9U9uGvUyyod9y44XMGejcY39vffuh0/s400/Photo+of+me.jpg)
Most weeks I am busy running participants
through my study, though I am also preoccupied with writing the paper that I
ultimately hope to publish on the results. Before this past month, I was still
occupying my time by creating the materials for the experiment, ranging from
questionnaire batteries to randomized/counterbalanced presentations for the
study. I am also spending time meeting with my mentor in our lab meetings,
discussing different but related projects that I am involved with.
This week I learned an important lesson: no
matter how hard you prepare, at some point, chance may complicate your research
in ways you weren't expecting. Without going in to too much detail, a problem
arose during a session of my experiment that I did not anticipate and I had to
cope on the spot. It was a learning experience that I have tried to grow from
and add to my expertise moving forward.