Student Perspective: Saya Ebbesen

Thinking back now, when I applied to the School four years ago I had no idea what I was getting myself into! My experiences as a WSBS grad student at CSHL have been much more challenging and rewarding than I could have ever imagined; I know that sounds almost too cliché but I find it hard to sum it in any other way. What I didn't realize then was that becoming part of the CSHL community would be a process of learning a new culture, a new lifestyle. The best analogy might be to recall a childhood summer camp experience but simply transform everyone from excitable kids into excitable adults, and instead of three months it lasts several years. It is intense, dynamic, and an enormous amount of fun. Being constantly surrounded by so many exceptionally bright people can get a little overwhelming at times but then again I fell in love with this place for precisely that reason. A long list of things that I particularly enjoy about living and working here would start with the first-rate research, followed by the lack of anonymity, the very international demographic, the close interactions with faculty members, my classmates, living across the harbor with all them during our first year, enjoying Manhattan, the many strong friendships, the innumerable meetings held on campus, the beautiful summer months, the BBQs by the beach... All this while getting to do what I came here to do: to be thoroughly and rigorously trained to become a scientist!