This year was my first experience working in a research lab. I had the amazing opportunity to be an RA in the CAIDe Lab that researching cognitive and affective influences on decision making. Within this role, I learned how to effectively work with SPSS, code data, and clean data- skills I had not developed before. I also learned more about cognitive psychology through literature reviews and research on manipulations that increase math achievement. This area was very new and different from my comfort area of clinical psychology. This new perspective helped me develop a new knowledge base and expand my knowledge of psychology. Overall, this lab challenged me with new experiences and helped me grow as a well-rounded student willing to explore and learn more.