As the first week of SSP came to a close, the participants were bubbling with energy. After a long week of intense studying, hiking, progressing on psets, and observing we were excited for a break in the routine.
As Saturday began, the excitement about our first field trip was palpable. We would be heading to Pearl Street later in the day to shop and explore! Beforehand, we had a lecture with the wonderful Dr. Domingue on photometry, and we then were presented with a very special opportunity. We would be spending the next hour finding our asteroid in our pictures taken from observations! Naturally, we were all delighted when we found them, and a few people (including me) even found multiple asteroids!
Lunch came and went as usual, but instead of our normal afternoon lecture, we took a walk towards the bus stop on the edge of campus. After our short ride, we arrived in the middle of Pearl Street, right during the afternoon rush. The sounds of music from street performers and the applause that followed filled the air. As the sun shone brightly on us, we split into groups and began to explore.
Some of us went to find souvenirs, some went to find a cool drink for the relatively warm summer day. Personally, I went for the latter option and a few other people came as well. We stopped by a local coffee shop and ordered drinks ranging from iced apple cider to matcha lattes. After this, we headed down the street towards a local vintage store, which to our surprise, contained an arcade! After spending a solid chunk of time both playing games against each other and testing the limits of others, we headed back to our meeting spot to go back to the campus.
Unfortunately, as we were walking to the bus stop to take us back, it began to rain. The fickle weather of Boulder had struck once again. While this did make many people bring out their umbrellas or raincoats, people were still having the time of their lives, talking and enjoying the sights and sounds of the bustling street. As the sun broke through the heavy clouds, we even spotted a rainbow!
All in all, SSP has been a wonderful and academically challenging experience. This first week has made me nothing but excited for what is to follow. Thanks for reading!
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Hey, I’m Sam, a rising senior at Penncrest High School in Pennsylvania! I’m loving my time here in Boulder, and the program has been nothing short of amazing! I love stargazing and astronomy as a whole, and math has always been very fun. Outside of the classroom, you can find me playing tenor saxophone, reading, and watching Jeopardy.