I got to work with a younger student, Noah, to collaborate on the design and prototype process. I liked working off each other's ideas- when one of us got stuck, we could pass it onto the other person and continue their work on the other project.
What I wish was different
This internship lined up perfectly with the strictest social distancing requirements due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, I did not get to work in the UCSB mechanical engineering lab, and all my parts were delivering to my house. I wish I could have met my professor in person and experienced working in a lab, such as using the 3-D printer.
Advice
Adapt to your conditions! Due to Covid-19, we had to completely rescale our goals for this project. My advice would be to be very willing to downscale your big dreams and ideas to fit them into a practical and cost-efficient reality. If it works, you can always expand!
