Nathaniel Frederick

December 17, 2024

Major: Psychological Science
Minor: History

UCI faculty mentor: Dr. Judith Kroll

Research group: Bilingualism, Mind, and Brain Lab

What advice would you give to your past self when you were just starting your research journey?

When I just started on my research journey, I put pressure on myself to get into a lab as fast as possible. I also took negative results from applications (rejections or non-responses) very personally and was harsh on myself when things would not work out. If I could speak to myself from two years in the past knowing all that I do now, I would tell myself that most people have difficulty getting into research (or any position) when just starting out, and that it is normal for things to not go perfectly right. I would tell myself that it is important to keep trying and not give up, even if occasional results may seem discouraging. I would also tell myself to stay calm and stay determined, as it works out in the end.

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