As of tomorrow, our watch has ended.

We're not quite the Night's Watch down here in the basement, although there have been many times during the summer we've wished our collections room was as cold as the Wall. But we come close - we (temporarily) left our families to come to New York and have been charged with protecting from a significant threat: pyrite disease. Our work is probably a little less life-threatening, and definitely less permanent, but just as important.

So, with that, some closing thoughts:

1. The museum is a very good place to catch Charmanders. Almost all of us have Charizards at this point. Ironically enough, though, we haven't found any fossil Pokemon nearby.

2.  As soon as the elevators know you need to get somewhere quickly, they will take eons to get to you. They can smell weakness.

3. You're going to run out of music to listen to after awhile. In the desperate search for more passive entertainment, you'll probably start listening to some weird podcasts that you'll think back on with confusion and mild derision.

4. The urban legend of "Central New Jersey" has finally been debunked. Experts agree it does not, and has never, existed.

5. A small coffee at the cafeteria is $1.52 with tax. A bagel and coffee together are $3.08. You can thank us later.

6. Constant exposure to Kate means we've all inexplicably developed Irish accents and ní féidir labhairt Béarla níos mó, tá sé an-deacair (Buíochas le Google Translate).

7. Bushra is a strong and fearless leader, and probably should have been Hillary's VP pick.

And the most important:

8. The Mapes Collection and this internship has given us an amazing opportunity to experience collections management, either for the first time, or as a continuation of interest in museum work. We've learned so much about the processes involved in fossil curation, from rehousing, to cataloging, to databasing, and about the museum as a whole (did you know it contains the second longest hallway in the United States, after the Pentagon?). We'd like to thank all of the collections managers that have given us fascinating tours, Dr. Neil Landman, Ruth O'Leary, the man himself, Dr. Royal Mapes, for donating his collection to the museum, and especially Bushra for guiding us throughout the summer and taking us under her wing