Lab Set-Up Lessons Learned

• Troubleshooting is an absolute basic skill essential to computer problems and life problems.
• Keep calm when things aren’t going the way you expect them to. Getting frustrated and losing your cool causes unnecessary stress and makes you lose focus. Take a step back, take a break and come back with fresh eyes.
• If you don’t have a solution, don’t hesitate to ask advice from your partners.
• You may not exceed the site’s expectations of what the lab will be, but have faith in your work and the benefits it will provide.
• Do not be afraid to speak honestly (but nicely) with your site coordinator about the outcomes and expectations of the set-up. Try to provide them with what they need, but remember this is a class project and a donation of time and parts. Sadly, we aren’t Bill nor Melinda Gates.
• It is helpful to recommend outside resources or contacts (such as funding agencies, or other outreach organizations) that the site might avail themselves of if they so desired.
• All business is bad business. Often people at the site wish to get to know you and have a conversation unrelated to what you are doing. We are humans–this is good.

Lessons Learned Not So Much About Computers

• R.A. is scary with a hammer. Don’t make her angry. She also makes delicious baked goods.
• S. doesn’t wear a tie every day because he wants to–the Law Library makes him.
• A. likes to make computer noises and adjust monitor settings to suit her liking.
• T. wears funny shoes and is banned from entrance to WIMPE.