Geology

So, most people know that I am a geology major (and it's kind of obvious from my blog and trip pictures) but I wanted to say why I am what I am.

1. First off, I enjoy the people in my major. They know how to have fun. Plus, we spend days together without showering! If that isn't bonding.....I don't know what is.

I didn't have many friends until I changed my major to geology. I debated taking my first field course, GEOL 210, when I didn't have all the prerequisites, but I decided to take the leap. I made a good handful of friends those two weeks. It made the first day of fall 2011 semester very easy since I recognized nearly every ones faces. Over that semester I gained the best of friends!

2. Field trips: Ok.....so I have a love hate relationship with field trips. Normally I love them. But there is a point in the day after being outside on your feet for what seems like forever when you just want to go home. So far I have been to little cottonwood canyon and to a handful of national parks on 210, death valley for geomorphology, green river for strat/sed, and all around Utah for igneous and metamorphic petrology. I could be in Hawaii right now for geology as well, but I feel like the best thing for me right now is to stay home and make money instead of dropping  money on a small trip. I hear my structure class is basically like one big field trip. Also, next spring I will take GEOL 410-- my ultimate 6 week field course!

3. Research: One of my future trips involves going to the ice cave in Idaho I am studying for my research. Today I was talking to Dr. Nelson after weeks of trying to find good tritium data for Idaho. I had an idea, but I thought he had already thought of it so I didn't tell him for weeks. Today he was going on and on about making a trip to Idaho and finally I asked if we could put equipment up to measure the precipitation and tritium in our research area. He looked shocked and said it was a very good idea and he felt sheepish that he hadn't already thought about it. It's those moments that I realize that I love research.

I also will go down to Hanksville, Utah to assist in a PhD student's research on laccolithic intrusions. I loved my petrology class and now I get to put what I learned to some use! This will probably be in mid-July to mid-August. I don't know much about this research yet, but I know it will be fun and interesting from what I learned from Dr. Nelson. Camping for an entire month....I think yes! Plus, the student I am assisting is from Britain and I hear she is a lot of fun, so I am hoping this experience will be great. I am grateful for Dr. Nelson for asking me to do this. He always makes me feel....smart is the best way to put it. He said he wanted Penelope to have a bright assistant for her research and he immediately thought about me. :) Makes me happy.

4. Experience: Geology makes it so easy to get experience. At the end of may and beginning of June I will be in Nauvoo, Illinois gaining experience in Ground Penetrating Radar and excavating some historical sites. It's going to be fun. :)  It is an all expenses paid trip. The only downside is I won't be making any money during that week and a half. :(  But I just have to think about my colorful resume.

In class we gain experience writing research papers and using microscopes with thin sections. Our exams are all essay questions. Some exams I have taken are specifically meant to enhance our learning. Though those exams I am not too fond of because the questions may be asked in a way you never thought before.

Our trips are the ultimate learning experiences.

 5. I just love geology!!!! Everywhere I go I love looking out the window. I was told when I moved to Utah that I would get sick of the mountains really quick....well....I have been all over Utah and had it's geologic history pounded into my head and I don't think I could EVER be sick of it. I always tell Daniel that I love Utah only for it's geology.

There is so much more, but I know my posts are always like a novella to read. So I will leave it at that. I love having a major that is fun and intense. I love going anywhere in the world and always having something to say about the landscape. I don't know exactly what I want to specialize in yet, but I have a year to decide. It's just hard when you love everything you are studying!