Christine Song

During my undergraduate studies, one of my mentors said to me: “Christine, your worst collaborator will be you, six months ago.” He said these words about a project we were working on to remind me to take notes and document the research process. While I found these words helpful for the project, I also found them valid for life in general. Perhaps it’s a mix of having a bad memory and how fast time really does fly by, but I find myself having difficulty recalling things that happened yesterday, let alone six months ago. Knowing that, I’ve always been one to write down essential deadlines or tasks to accomplish, but I’ve rarely taken the time to write down my thoughts or memories.

2. I have a passion for preserving the natural environment and want to share that passion with others.

I previously wanted to be a veterinarian because I love animals. I now seek a career in conservation because I still love animals and want to help preserve the environment so wildlife can persist. Throughout my university experience, I’ve realized there were many ways to help animals besides becoming a veterinarian. I’ve grown a love for the natural environment and conducting research to help inform ways to conserve the environment. I believe a critical aspect of research is to effectively communicate results to different audiences. One of my goals is to share my enthusiasm about nature with others and inspire others to take action in conservation.

3. I want to become a better writer and stop letting my perfectionism hinder me from improving.

Like many others, I strive for perfection in many aspects of my life, including what I post on social media. I used to still worry about having the perfect caption or perfectly edited photo. If you follow me on Instagram, you have probably noticed that I post more. Admittedly, it’s partially because I am looking for something to do during this global pandemic, but I also want to not worry about being perfect with what I post. I had contemplated starting a blog over a year ago. In the effort of wanting it to be perfect, it never happened. A year later, I regret not starting a blog earlier and let my perfectionism hinder me from practicing my writing skills. I’ve also procrastinated on releasing this blog post for the same reason.

So here I am with my blog to document my memories, share my enthusiasm for the natural environment, and become a better writer. If this blog is not perfect, and it most certainly won’t be, at least a year from now, I won’t have the same regret of not starting a blog earlier.