After the elation of finding out that I had been successful in obtaining a MSCA-IF and completing all the necessary paperwork to start as soon as possible, things quickly turned south with the rapid spread of coronavirus forcing the country into lockdown. A frustrating time to be out the lab to say the least! with motivation running high and lots of exciting ideas to try. Yet a change of pace and plenty of time to work on the planning side of the fellowship may not have been so bad. I don’t know if it is just me, but the intricacies and expectations of the MSCA fellowship seem rather daunting at first. With time to make my way through the sea of information provided on the Horizon 2020 website, I now have a much clearer picture of what is expected but more importantly what I would like to get out of the experience. Maybe a better position to start than rushing straight into the lab..?