Lot's Wife Edition 6 2015

SCIENCE & ENGINEERING 29
Blackwood Hall at 7am, collapsing under the weight of my
own camping gear. I load my stuff on to the bus, and exist
in a trance-like state for the next 14 hours, travelling to
Silverton, NSW, where the camp was located.
The first sign that I wasn’t in Kansas anymore was when I
was informed that because the camp was so far west, it was
actually on South Australian time. Finding my way back to
consciousness, I somehow manage to change my watch.
Getting blood back into my feet and hopping off the bus,
I’m met with dark plains and moonlit hills, like I’m about to
audition for the latest Wolf Creek sequel. Quickly pitching my
tent and hopping into sleeping bags, I assure myself that this
camp won’t be as bad as I think.
I was... right? The next 19 days were a whirlwind of hiking,
drinking, and to my surprise, learning! When I came back to
camp after the first day, I was convinced that I’d spent the
past 2 years under a rock, as opposed to learning about them.
Within a week I was identifying minerals like I’d been doing it
my entire life!
"Tourmaline! Sillimanite! Another fucking QUARTZ!" I was
having a blast. All of the things I’d learnt in my major up until
now suddenly meant something and not only that, but I was
building on and applying that knowledge to the real world
too? This was not what I signed up for, but I was loving it.
There may have been another contributing factor to my
enjoyment: every night we... imbibed far more than was really
necessary. I think my liver is still on strike, but when you’re
looking at rocks for 8 hours a day, some distraction was
appreciated. The campfire helped as well.
When the time came to get back on the bus, I almost didn’t
want to leave! Finally, it had all come together, and I actually
understood geology! But on the bus I got, and I swear I got
stupider for each kilometre we got closer to Melbourne.
Pulling into Monash, I don’t think I’d know a quartz if it hit me
in the eye.
Now semester has started, and it’s back to learning about
rocks in the lecture theatre. Now it’s even worse, though,
because I know I understand this stuff! I know I can do it! But
lectures are just so boring... If only we could just get out into
the field again!
It’s alright, though. At least I got to understand this stuff at
least once before I graduate. Plus, I had a great time! I mean, I
was hungover for lots of it, but that’s how you know it’s great,
right?
I suppose the take-home message here is that, sometimes,
you just need to learn a different way. Or be supplied with
copious amounts of alcohol, or something. Don’t ask me, I’m
just a geologist.
PS. I lied in the title: I still hate rocks.