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I woke up around 8 a.m. this morning, still recovering from the chaos that was last night’s waves. The ship was rocking so much that sleep was basically optional so yeah… I was definitely feeling it this morning. Luckily, the waves calmed down a lot as the day went on, and everything started to feel a little more normal again.
Today was a very hands-on, brain-working type of day. We spent a lot of time learning about the Earth’s core and analyzing sediment samples from different layers. We had to figure out what each sample was made of—sand, silt, clay—and then think about what could’ve caused those differences, like bioturbation, volcanic eruptions, and other environmental changes. It’s actually crazy how much information is packed into something that just looks like dirt at first glance.
We worked in groups to gather and analyze our data, and I’m not even gonna lie… there were a few little hiccups along the way but my group pulled it together and did really well with what we had 
It was one of those days where you really have to think, communicate, and just trust the process.
Now let’s get into something VERY important… I tried dumplings for the first time today and they did not disappoint. Like… where have these been all my life?? The food on this ship continues to surprise me in the best way possible. And during one of our breaks, almost all of the scientists ended up in the lounge watching Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper. I had never seen that one before, but it was honestly such a random and fun moment. We didn’t even get to finish it, so now I’m lowkey invested and need to see how it ends!
Overall, today was definitely a hardworking day, but we made the best of it. After the rough seas last night, having calmer waters today felt like a blessing. And the best part? We’re getting closer to Seward—only three more days to go!!! I’m really looking forward to finally getting some real sleep tonight and seeing what the rest of this journey has in store.
