By: Misiki Baruah
While meeting with my guidance counselor in my junior year of high school, we were discussing summer plans. As I was thinking about how I could fill my summer, she told me about a research opportunity that I may have been interested in. I was someone that was very interested in working with data and statistical analyses. After hearing her recommendation for Summer Research Scholars (SRS) with the Social Media and Adolescent Health Team (SMAHRT), I became very interested in the program and knew I had to apply. That became the beginning of my journey with SMAHRT.
Summer Research Scholars (SRS)
I went into SRS very unsure of what was to come. I knew nothing about the research process and had no idea how I was going to have a completed research poster at the end of the summer. All I knew was that I was excited to get experience in research with the help of many research professionals. One of my favorite parts of the process was getting to know my mentor, Zoe. I appreciated the fact that I could go to her when I had questions and that I had a guide to a process that I was unfamiliar with.
Once I got to the point of picking a project idea, I had trouble narrowing down my ideas to something I could base a research topic on. I knew I wanted to do something focused on mental health and something on TikTok, a social media platform I used pretty frequently, but I didn’t know where to go from there. My mentor, along with other SMAHRT members, helped me to narrow my scope to anxiety and sleeplessness. I would go on to do a content analysis of symptoms mentioned in #anxiety TikToks to determine the occurrence of sleeplessness compared to other anxiety symptoms, such as irritability and restlessness. This topic interested me because of my fascination with sleep and its relevance to mental health.
As I went through the stages of the project, I found myself intrigued by different steps in the process. I enjoyed reading about the studies that were already done concerning sleeplessness or anxiety and seeing how my project was relevant. The data collection phase gave me the opportunity to see what types of videos reference sleep and mental health on Tiktok. Though, I was most excited to conduct my data analysis and see what conclusions I had developed. Seeing graphs with correlations and statistical tests showing significant results reminded me of my true interest in research: the conclusions to be made off of the data. I felt gratification in seeing trends from my data that could apply to real life.
Throughout SRS, I was exposed to many new aspects of research that I was unaware of before. I realized how extensive the entire process was and the many steps it takes to create a research poster. Presenting at the poster presentation gave me fulfillment for the hard work that I had put into creating my poster and engaging with new topics. I most enjoyed working with SMAHRT because of the support they gave me as I was completing the project. I had gained a lot of experience working through the research process and was excited to use those skills in my final year of high school and beyond.
Youth Advisory Board (YAB)
My summer immersion in research left me motivated to keep exploring throughout my senior year of high school. When an opportunity to join the SMAHRT YAB came up, I was interested in staying involved and continuing to learn from the team. One of the best parts of this opportunity was its flexibility. I would not have to worry about YAB interfering with school or homework since the meetings were so spread out across the year. I looked forward to the meetings when they occurred months apart because I got to see the progress made in the project from one meeting to the other.
This opportunity not only gave me more experience working with research but allowed me to share my opinions on the research SMAHRT was conducting. As a teen myself, I gave insights that showed the team what adolescents may think of their work or their studies. Not only did I get a taste of the real research being conducted, but my input would be taken into consideration as the project progressed. I also enjoyed the learning opportunities that came with this program, which built upon what I had learned in SRS. The professional development prepared me for a future in research but also professional situations in general.
This program built upon what I had learned in SRS while exposing me to the large-scale research being conducted at SMAHRT. My time on the YAB fostered communication and team building with my peers and research development that taught me about the scope of projects being studied not only on SMAHRT but around the country. Research was definitely something that I was interested in as I began my college career, developed from collaboration with SMAHRT.
Internship
Starting college was exciting because I had many new opportunities to explore. One of the main things I knew I wanted to get involved in was research. Though, the adjustment to college and other club commitments, along with transferring schools, left me unable to commit to research opportunities outside the classroom. In classes, I’ve conducted small research projects and worked with datasets, but I knew that I wanted to explore working in a research setting once I had settled in at my new school. And as I finished my second year of college, the idea of post-graduate plans came to the forefront of my mind. I was pretty undecided on where I wanted to go with my life after I graduated, whether it was doing data analytics or continuing school or something else.
Summer left me with the opportunity to explore an option and reintroduce myself with research before my junior year. After receiving a letter from the SMAHRT team, I emailed them wondering about potential opportunities available in the summer. They told me about some of the projects the team was working on and I was very eager to join the team as a research intern for the summer. I wanted this opportunity to help me determine if I could envision myself working in research in the future, in college or post-graduation as well.
As a remote intern, my days mostly involve Zoom meetings with the team, including larger meetings and one-on-ones, and independent work. My favorite thing about working with SMAHRT is the ability to work a timezone away while still being connected to everyone. I never feel out of place being remote and still feel a part of the team. Currently, I’ve been involved with the 5 C’s project, assisting with some remote tasks such as Excel reorganizing. This project has been fascinating to be a part of for multiple reasons. I’ve been able to see the progression of something that could help a lot of teens and pediatricians screen for media use and it’s been exciting to see the ideas that participants are offering to help foster open communication about media use. I have also enjoyed being involved in the development of this study, contributing to planning and discussions as the study progresses.
When I was asked to reflect on my entire journey with SMAHRT, I’ve had the ability to learn about various topics and develop interests in different parts of the research process. Working in the youth programs and professional opportunities that SMAHRT offers, I’ve been able to be curious and explore my interests by seamlessly adding research into my day-to-day life through remote work. Being located in a different state has not hindered my ability to get involved and collaborate with the team. Their support has allowed me to flourish as a learner and grow as a professional through the multiple research opportunities I’ve been a part of. As the school year starts, I will take my experiences in research, hoping to apply them to additional opportunities in new research settings.