Island Press Field Notes

Last Sunday marked the first annual D.C. Bike Ride, arguably the biggest bike event the district has ever seen! Seventeen miles of roadway were sectioned off for the big ride, with a route that took bikers from the U.S. Capitol to Georgetown to the Pentagon and a number of other scenic spots along the way.

Late last year I graduated with an environmental science and policy degree, and was looking for jobs. I had already built experience in government and university settings while in school, filling temporary positions such as events outreach coordinator, and field instructor for middle school students. I’ve always been drawn to the sciences, reading, writing, and helping to promote the exchange of important research and environmental ideas.

I have loved books my entire life, and I always knew that I wanted to pursue a career that would allow me to focus on reading and writing. As an overenthusiastic undergrad, I spent a lot of my time trying to figure out which path I wanted to follow: teaching, writing, researching, or something unrelated to English altogether; there were too many options. Then, during my junior year, I met a fellow student and former IP intern who introduced me to the world of publishing—a field that combined many of my greatest passions.

The real world is weird. You emerge from the sheltered existence of a college undergrad to find that your new roommates are you parents. And then there’s figuring out your career path—a daunting task where it feels like doors are closing everywhere you look and you are dumbfounded that Joe Schmo from high school appears to have it all figured out.