Amanda Briggs
Graduate Student OSU
Bio-Optics Instrumentation Data Acquisition and Analysis

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

 A: As a graduate student I don't have very much "free time," so when I do have a bit of downtime I like to spend it doing one of two things: relaxing inside, or relaxing outside.

"Relaxing inside" means sewing, quilting, reading, writing, cooking up tasty vittles, or watching a movie. Quilting is a craft that I have picked up since I moved to Corvallis last year, and so far I am really enjoying the quiet precision that it requires. It affords me some time to zone out and unwind, but at the same time it appeals to my "Type A" personality. I do cheat and use a machine to sew the blocks together, but I have to be efficient – even in my free time!

"Relaxing outside" means hiking in our local mountains, barbequing in our backyard, or playing beach volleyball with friends. I am very excited about adopting a dog when I return from this cruise, but I am certain that my free time will then become "dog time." So it goes…