michelle rivers - my adventure blog

2016 started right, with lots of good news from grad schools I had applied to.  I quickly narrowed my choices down to UCLA, UC Santa Cruz, and Kent State University.  I'm so glad I went to the interviews, because I was able to see each campus, speak with current students and faculty, and ask lots of questions.  Ultimately, I decided on Kent State University , as it is the best fit for my research interests.  (If you're like me, and had only heard of Kent from the unfortunate events that took place on May 4th, 1970 , then I can now tell you it's in the northeast corner of Ohio, about 40 minutes south of Cleveland.)  At the end of the summer, I will be starting in their doctoral program in experimental psychology, where I will be researching student learning and metacognition with Dr. John Dunlosky as my primary research advisor!  I'm so excited to get started (and a little nervous about the winter weather), but obviously have a lot of planning to do befor...

Enjoying ice cream on one of our many road trips I've been living at home for the past year and a half, focusing on restoring my health.  I am happy to say that, thanks to the discovery of the low FODMAP diet  (which I highly recommend to anyone experiencing gastrointestinal distress), I am feeling so much better!  It was a long, frustrating journey as I experimented with different treatments, from various diets, medicines, procedures, and alternative therapies.  I am so grateful to my mom for being so supportive through it all and helping with doctor visits, expenses, and cooking... lots of cooking.  Ultimately, I am really glad I came home and took some time to recuperate, because recently I've had enough energy to work, travel, and plan my future (which is a lot more fun than being chronically ill!) Perks of living at home: sharing Mexican food with visiting  friends  and  dressing up for trick-or-treaters on Halloween. Mad Sci...

So, it's official! I am a college graduate! I finished my degree (Psychology B.A. with a minor in education) back in December. Graduation was delayed slightly due to some health issues (more on that later), but I was able to get back on track and still graduate with highest honors from UC Santa Cruz. I am so grateful to have completed the beginning of my higher education at two incredible colleges, not to mention all the amazing friends and mentors I met along the way. Of course, I am disappointed that it's over, but looking forward to the next chapter. My plans are constantly changing, so I think it's best to focus on the past and present for the sake of this blog. Although I will say this - travel is definitely in my future! Squash pancake (flax seed, almond flour, winter squash) with homemade ghee and yogurt. Celebrating the end of a quarter with some lab colleagues.  My plan to stay in Santa Cruz for a while longer had to be cut short as I have been struggl...

Hi everyone! I am actually sitting with my calendar in front of me to make sure I remember what has happened since I last posted. This summer has been full of transitions. With my housemates on my birthday In a lot of ways, I feel like more of an emerging adult than ever before. Many of my friends are making major decisions or facing mini identity crises as they figure out their next steps. I am grateful that I am starting to find my passion and I feel very secure in my decision to pursue a degree in Psychology and to come to Santa Cruz. I love it so much, I have decided to stay for at least another year.  I feel like I am starting to build a network here, and it would be foolish not to take advantage. Plus, I moved into a gorgeous new home with wonderful housemates. We have a piano, so I've gotten back into playing. It is much closer to hiking trails and huge redwoods, so I've been running pretty regularly. I've also been continuing with holistic health/massage (hop...

Sunrise - view from my back porch  As usual, I've been busy with my last year of college! Started this year living off campus in a house only a few blocks from the base of my campus. I live with 2 other housemates who are very quiet and respectful (I barely ever see them) in a large room that overlooks the ocean and downtown. I've had a wonderful time living on my own and learning how to cook. I have definitely gotten a lot more quality sleep and study time now that I'm out of the dorms.  Nature's playground - 5.7  Fall quarter started last September. I took two amazing psychology classes: learning and memory and social psych of flim flam (why people believe in silly things). I learned a lot and was offered a great opportunity to work in my professor's memory lab (more on that later). I also worked to create better educational assessments for a program called " Mariposa's Art ", designed to allow after-school art classes and teaching oppo...