Here are some things I’ve learned so far this summer:

1. Reading is slow.
2. Understanding things is slow and there are no shortcuts.
3. If you keep revisiting the same concepts they might make sense eventually, things aren’t impossible.
4. Academics are opinionated people who find it hard to agree on things, so faculty meetings are messy.
5. Most people are bad at writing.
6. Blackboards are a pain to work with.
7. Don’t self-select out of asking for things, initiative is good.
8. Talking to people can be hard.
9. File management is useful.
10. You can always break down problems further.
11. Someone projecting confidence may or may not actually know what they’re talking about.