Who needs balls when you have caffine?

In an attempt to wake myself from the mundane work I've been assigned to do I started talk to my manager. I told him, Wednesday, that I was staying here in Iowa this weekend, "I'm not venturing back to Wisconsin this weekend" were my exact words.

So now I sit here in my cubicle, Friday morning, writing out my list of stuff to take up north with me. Jake and I need to finalize our frame design this weekend, so I can FEA it on Monday, and then Jake can take the .dxf to get made next weekend.

The fact that I have been gone almost every weekend, either up to River Falls to work on the tractor design, or to Madison, forces me to raise the question when have I sacrificed enough?


One of my first day's here at work one of my coworkers gave me some of the best advice I have ever received; don't worry about what other people do.

I find this to be good advice because it has helped me to keep my ethics in place. Other interns may show up an hour late wearing last nights t-shirt and jeans, take extended lunches, and leave early, but not me. I am here ten minutes early, respect the lunch hour, and dress professionally. We have a lax dress code, so I could easily wear jeans and a t-shirt everyday, but I take pride in the fact that most people do not realize that I am an intern, and no one ever believes I am as young as I am.

I do find though, those words are easier said then swallowed. With every group project this mantra of not worrying about others, and getting your own stuff done the best you can, seems to be outweighed by the feeling of inequality when you spend all your free time doing research and working while your 'teammates' are out drinking or spending time with their significant other.

And then you remember that your peers and you are not on the same page, and it is after all your professors who will be aiding you in really reaching your full potential, and it is their praise that is really being sought after, not that of some drunk frat boy. But that joy is sometimes even outweighs when you drive 6 hours every weekend because you have a teammate who lacks the ability to view the bigger picture, and you know you have to go because if not it will not get complete and then, even though it is not your responsibility entirely, you will look bad.

So you give up your free time and social life to drive.