Dear Grace (of October 2019),
Welcome to ALLARM! Working here has been one of the best experiences of my time at Dickinson – however, I can clearly remember being so nervous my first few weeks here. I have made a list of things I would share with you about your time here – it’s a mix of advice, memories, and things I wish I could have known when I started.
#1. You don’t need to be terrified of the lab!
In my interview to work at ALLARM, I remember telling our director, Julie, that I had no interest in stepping foot in the lab. But since then, I have – and it even went well! Although the lab still isn’t my forte, I have learned to enjoy quality control tests and the (many) hours I have dedicated to lab dishes over the past three years. It can be exciting to move outside of your comfort zone to learn something new, and I have found that ALLARM is a great place to try out new things; you’ll have all the support (and instruction manuals) you need to become proficient in new skills.
#2. Take ownership of your accomplishments
One of the best things I have learned at ALLARM is to feel as if I can be proud of my work. It is not bragging or a bad thing to recognize what you’ve accomplished, and working here has taught me that there are no small or insignificant accomplishments. It is healthy to celebrate what you’ve done, and there is nothing wrong with being proud of your work!
#3. Bugs can be fun!
Similar to the lab, I was wary of macroinvertebrates when I started as I am not someone who generally loves bugs. Despite this, the macroinvertebrate collection workshops have become my favorite events at ALLARM. Working in the field with other ALLARMies or Stream Team volunteers is a great way to connect with people! I also love seeing how excited people get when they sort and identify macroinvertebrates. Understanding what a macroinvertebrate can indicate about water quality is so cool! Learning to identify and collect these “water bugs” has been surprisingly fun, and it has even connected me back to my roots of collecting crayfish!
#4. The Value of Community
By far my favorite thing I’ve gotten out of my time at ALLARM is understanding the value of community – both within ALLARM and community science. The community at ALLARM is vital to the atmosphere of the organization. From the start of working here, I have felt like a part of a group built with the values of respect and care. I have made so many friends during my time here, and the people I have worked with are ones I know I can continue to rely on. ALLARM was the first community I felt a part of at Dickinson, and I feel so grateful that it has continued to be a cornerstone of my support system through my entire time here.
Community science was a new idea to me when I started at ALLARM. This is the first place I had seen prioritized accessibility in scientific education. Regardless of background and experience in science, community science is a space to grow skills and have a hands-on chance to participate in data collection. Learning how science is for everyone also helped me to understand how it can be used for positive change and as a tool for advocacy in decision-making. Working at ALLARM has shown me the value of community work at all levels, which is something I hope to take into all of my future work.
#5.This experience is what you make of it
ALLARM is a diverse space where you are able to tailor your work to your interests. I have learned so much about water policy, environmental justice, and community work through my projects, and it has influenced so much of my work at Dickinson. Furthermore, I have become so much better at presenting thanks to the workshops we have done here! Both of my senior capstones have related to community science in some capacity, and things I have learned here I will take with me past Dickinson and into my career. This is a space where you can learn professionalism and work on projects that align with what you are interested in – and it is also a welcoming place that I look forward to coming to work at. ALLARM has shown me that an inclusive and healthy community and a professional workspace are not exclusive to each other.
All in all, I have great memories and have made incredible friends from my time at ALLARM. I know that the work I have done here and the connections I’ve made with others will be something I’ll always appreciate. I am sad that my time here is coming to a close, but grateful for what I have learned and how I have grown since starting here.
Wishing you all the best,
Grace (of April 2023)
