3... 2... 1... Liftoff!

So the first day of the rest of my entire life has already come and gone, and all I can say is that it was everything I ever hoped it would be - times a million. I still can’t even begin to fathom the fact that I am officially a NASA civil servant. I work for NASA. The job I have dreamed of my entire life isn't only within reach, but it’s mine. I have it. I am here. I am working for NASA and I haven’t even graduated college yet. Some of my colleagues are Astronauts. My life is complete.

The past few weeks have gone by so quickly I haven't had two seconds to collect myself. And now that I finally have the time, I want to write it all down before I begin to forget the insurmountable incredibleness that has become my life. This is going to be out of order because I have to describe my first day of work before I can write about anything else. My head is about to burst with thoughts and emotions and words to describe my first day!

Kate and I before our very fist day of work!

Blessed. Phenomenal. Spectacular. Terrific. Amazing. Incredible. Life-Changing. Unbelievable. Wonderful. Thankful. Fantastic. Insane. Ridiculous. Stupendous. Unforgettable. Mind-Boggling. Lucky. Proud.

Day 1

I got to affirm my allegiance to America. I took the Oath of Office. My job is important enough that I get to swear my loyalty to my country.

"I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."

Not only do I get the opportunity to work for the greatest administration in the entire world, but I get to serve my country in the sense that the work I get to support may potentially impact our country's contributions to the space industry! In addition to being excited about work and taking the Oath of Office, the morning of my first day of work was filled with four hours worth of introductions and briefings followed by lunch with all of the other co-ops. After lunch we were taken to our office buildings to meet our mentors, supervisors, and co-workers, find out our project assignments, and START WORKING! I work within the Human Health and Performance Directorate, Human Systems Engineering and Development Division, Habitability and Human Factors Branch, in the Habitability Design Center. It's a mouthful, but I'm sure I'll remember it eventually. I work in an office with two other people - one an architect and the other an industrial designer. And right next door to us is the Branch Chief of the entire Habitability and Human Factors branch! Scary but awesome at the same time, because he is the one who is responsible for making the official decision on offering or not offering me a full-time position when I graduate May 2016. Hopefully he likes me!

The first day of work some people were informed of the projects they are to work on throughout this Fall 2013 tour. I wasn't told my project the first day. Rather, I met everyone around the office, talked with my mentor about the projects I have worked on previously, the programs and software I am familiar with, and projects I may be suitable for with my Human Factors "expertise"/knowledge.

I also spent a large part of the afternoon in the IT department getting my official NASA laptop and desk telephone set-up. Talk about official! :)

Then, at 5 o'clock, my first day of work was over and it was time to head home. I worked an entire day at NASA. I got in at 08:00 and nine hours later, it was over. The greatest day ever was already over. Except it wasn't, because not only am I blessed with having the most amazing job in the entire world, but I have also been fortunate enough to meet some of the greatest people ever.

All the days between my last post and the first day of work

I know at first I was worried about making friends and meeting people, but that turned out to be unnecessary the first weekend I was on my own. I had already known a couple of co-ops from my tour of Johnson Space Center in June and one of those people was Mike, who has turned out to be one of my close friends. The Friday my mom left Mike told me that a bunch of co-ops would be at Sherlock's, a local bar in town. So of course, I went to Sherlock's to try to meet anyone and everyone who would be my friend. And that's where I met Hayley (technically I met her on my tour in June but that doesn't count). Hayley is by far the greatest, coolest, most awesomest female I have ever met. And she is already my best friend in the whole wide world. I also met Priyanka, who is pretty freaking fabulous. I met a few other people at Sherlock's, but those are the two people who matter for the purpose of this story. At Sherlock's we decided we wanted to go to midtown. So we went to midtown. There we met Lili and another girl. And that night is pretty much what set me up for the rest of August and my co-oping thus far in regards to friends.

Me, Hayley, Ashley, Steph, Priyanka, Lili, Mike

Hayley co-op'ed in the summer and went back to school mid-August so I only got to hang out with her for a couple of weeks, but I can still tell you she is the best and I know for sure that she is going to get a full-time offer and be back here permanently next summer!! :)

Well, Hayley and Mike were the two people I hung out with during the month of August. We went to the Houston Museum of Natural Science one day, which was actually really cool. We learned a bunch and saw actual mummies in one of the exhibits. I also toured the Galleria and ate at a Mexican restaurant called Ninfa's, which was so good I still can't get over it. One thing that I have noticed so far that Texas does exceptionally well, is Mexican food. Holy moley. SO GOOD. Besides that, most of my days and nights were spent working at Rita's Italian Ice (I got a job for the month before I started my dream job)and watching tons and tons of movies and Netflix with Hayley. Then the weekend before work started I met Sebastian and Kate, two more of my good friends currently. It all worked out very well, and I was lucky enough to be able to start my first day of work with a couple of friends and zero uncomfortable-/awkward-ness.

Now, back to work.

Day 2 through today

On my second day of work I was given a project. The intern before me created and proposed a 3-D model/design of the Skylab II. My job is to conduct a human factors analysis and using HF design principles, I am to support and/or suggest changes for the proposed design! So currently I have been focused on researching habitats that analog isolation and confinement environments and habitability considerations for long-duration spaceflight. Talk about awesome! :) On the third day we had a co-op meeting, SCuM, (social event planning bi-weekly meeting), and I volunteered to be the Beach Party Point-of-Contact! So I get to plan Beach party, which is one of the biggest social activities we get to do all tour as co-ops! So right now I am busy trying to find a house big enough to fit 30+ students for a weekend. Should be interesting! Then on the first Saturday after work started, we had initiation for all the new co-ops. It's a secret so I can' t say anything besides I was fully initiated as a NASA co-op and I had a blast! Yesterday we had another co-op meeting, CAPT, which is the professional/career-oriented bi-weekly meeting where we organize events related to professional development. Wednesdays are also Big Texas (Dance Hall and Saloon) nights, so we've gone there the past two Wednesdays and I am learning how to Texas two-step!

Sarah Rose, Me, Shauna, Marta, Kate, Sarah G, and Miranda at Big Texas

I can work here for a million years and I still don't think I will ever get over what an amazing and incredible opportunity I have been blessed with. I thank God everyday for giving me the perseverance, determination, confidence, and my supportive family that I needed to achieve this co-op. I worked my face off to get where I am today, but along the way I faced plenty of challenges that I wouldn't have been able to handle if it weren't for my faith and my family. And I am so glad to have my faith and amazing family to guide me along the way throughout my life.

"I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day." - 2 Timothy 1:3