The balance between go with the flow and being in control

One challenge that I come across in my life is when I enter into a situation with a lot of variables that I have no control over. These situations generally cause me some stress and force me to engage in back-up plans that I generally don't consider "ideal." One of the (potential) downfalls of graduate schools in the sciences is that it's full of these types of situations. Even with careful planning, these uncontrollable variables inevitably rear their ugly heads.

One of my goals for this semester (and beyond) is to learn how to deal with these situations with more poise and calmness. In essence, my goal is to embrace the "go with the flow" mentality more than I have previously. A good example of a situation that has recently emerged and has challenged my goal of flow-going is this 21-day androgen exposure that I am trying to prepare for. I'm currently preparing tanks, getting more fish, and developing a game plan with the end goal of beginning the experiment in early February. While my plan may be all well and good, there are still a lot of variables controlling when I can actually get started: what other people want to use the tanks and flow-through system, if I can get enough fish by the end of the month, figuring out what doses need to be made and ordering more supplies if needed, and the list goes on and on...

Over Christmas break I started thinking about all of this and almost lost a night's sleep thinking about everything that had to be done. As I began my preparations back at the lab, however, I find myself with a more realistic and calmer approach to what needs to be done. In essence, all I can do is keep being prepared for the task at hand while allowing myself not to get overwhelmed when certain aspects don't go according to my plan. I'm hoping that as the month progresses, I can continue to strike a more health balance between allowing myself to adjust to what changes come my way while being organized and in control of the things that are in my ability to control.

Needless to say, this semester will certainly be interesting. Here's to a productive and enjoyable spring!