The End of the Beginning?

Alas as my days traversing Florida’s unique ecosystems has come to an end (for now anyways) I reflect upon my journey, and the amount I was able to learn in this class was incredible. At the different locations I learned many sampling methods that I’m sure I will be using again. This little peak into field work and how research actually operates also gave me a lot of guidance on what career paths I want to take.

In addition to the skills and experience I gained from this trip, the friends I made were even more important. Before this trip I only “liked marine science” but I was not passionate. The friends I made that shared the same interests and hobbies as me really got me excited about my future in the field. And to me motivation is one of the most important things you can gain from an experience. Another great aspect of the course was the opportunity to talk to grad students and ask them about applying to grad school and how to be more competitive in the application process. This really helped me formulate a plan and I can’t wait to see where this path of marine biology takes me. I am grateful for the opportunities this course provided for me.