Big Sky Internship Reflection

For my STEP signature project, nine other research assistants and I came together in Big Sky, Montana to conduct research on the trails, culture, and geographical information of the area with the help of two research leads. The ultimate purpose of the trip was to create a regional field guide publication on the area. Throughout the trip, we hiked around 8 miles a day, either as one large group or two small groups. My role was to collect the GIS data for the specific trail we were hiking and to mark certain physical and geographical waypoints along the way. Other interns collected data on plants and wildlife, trail descriptions, trail logistics, etc. Once the trip was over, each intern was assigned a chapter to contribute to the field guide publication, which is currently being worked on now.

During this expedition I gained much intrapersonal understanding as well as interpersonal understanding. I learned that people from all over the country can come together and get along as if they have known each other for years. I learned that I can be a very inclusive person when in a group dynamic and that I am good at being aware of who is feeling the most left out. I learned that it is important to know when to lead and when to follow and that it is something that I am still working to understand. I learned that you must respect the idea that everyone’s comfort zones are different and that something that is easy for you may not be so easy for someone else and vice versa. I learned that first impressions are often short-lived and that everyone has a richness to them that is always worth exploring. And on top of all of these things that I learned, including others that haven’t yet come to mind, I learned that as human beings, we desire to relate and when we do it is a beautiful thing.

One of the coolest parts about the entire research expedition was the emphasis that was placed on self-reflection and group interaction. Both research leaders were experienced teachers who had years of experience working with teams and group dynamics. Because of this, I not only was able to learn a good amount about myself, but also about the other people that I dwelled with for seven days. On top of the activities we performed that emphasized the group dynamics discussed above, the trip was also a huge learning experience naturally. Because of these aspects, the change/transformation I experienced from the trip was quite evident.

One of the activities we performed was writing down first impressions/questions for each person upon our arrival to Montana and then writing a note of farewell upon our departure from the trip. The first impressions were anonymous while the note of farewells were optionally anonymous. Hearing peoples’ first impressions of me in an anonymous fashion was very interesting and helped me to better understand how other people view me and how I come off to other people. It was a great way to get to know everyone a little bit better and understand the people you were with. However, the coolest part of the activity was at the end of the trip when we got to reflect on getting to know everyone over the course of the trip. Getting to not only read people’s own messages to me, but also write heartfelt things to other people was a very cool opportunity and most definitely made saying goodbye a bit easier.

The trip itself was a learning experience naturally because of the situations we were placed in. Hiking with a group everyday taught me a lot about how to concern yourself with the betterment of the group and hold yourself accountable for everyone else. Hiking together also furthered my understanding on when to be a leader and when to be a follower. Sometimes it is better to follow the group rather than lead the charge up the mountain. Living with strangers for seven days was also super fascinating and reinforced some characteristics of me being good at getting along with people and reading people in certain situations. It also expanded my world views on the different types of people that are out there and how unique, yet similar humans can be.

After reflecting on all these things that I have learned, it is quite evident that this trip has had a positive and meaningful impact on my life. The interpersonal lessons I learned from living and working with a group will help my social and communication skills for the rest of my life. The intrapersonal lessons I learned from the activities we did and the self-reflection that took place will help me to better understand myself and my values. The academic skills I learned from working with GIS and getting to understand it better will help me in my academic career moving forward. The professional skills I will learn from contributing to an actual publication will serve me well in the future. And Overall, the most valuable thing that I gained from the trip was the relationships I developed with the people that I met. They were all some truly incredible people and I would not have wanted to go on the trip with anyone else.