The End Is Nigh...

These past 5.5 weeks have been enlightening, enriching, and exciting. Going to so many different and new places has been the greatest opportunity of my life so far. Meeting new people along the way, and spending the entire time with wonderful people, has led me to expand my network of people. Not only could they help me with my future goals, but they are also amazing people that I am delighted to have had the chance to meet.
Our first 3 days in St. Pete were an excellent way to bond with each other and get a grasp on what is expected of us on this trip. All of us got really close really quickly! The next week, at UWF, was just as fun. I loved the way they started us out in an upland forest and then worked our way down to the coast. This was a perfect example to show how every different ecosystem is interconnected with each other.
Our week at UNF brought us to a different marine system all together. We went from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. The 24 hour survey was the highlight of the trip for me, it was a wonderful way to experience working in the field. Then we went to the Keys Marine Lab. That was such a terrific experience for me! I had never been to the Keys before, and being out on a boat everyday snorkeling in beautiful waters and learning about the different ecosystems and organisms living there was fantastic.
FGCU was another unique experience. We were still out on the boats everyday, but the days were almost split in half; boat in the morning and lab in the afternoon. While I didn't like how much reports we were given to write and work up, snorkeling in the seagrass beds was a lot of fun for me. Our last week was spent at USFSP. And I think everyone can agree that the highlight of that week was spending 12 hours on the school's research vessel, the Weatherbird. Our following labs were a result of the creatures and water samples we collected on the ship. I spent about an hour trying to identify a species of searobin...Prionotus Tubi,the Blackwing searobin.

Even through the car and computer troubles, these past 5.5 weeks were a great experience. This course even led me to change my career goals. At first I wanted to do deep sea exploration, exploring the trenches and ocean ridges for life. Now, I would like to work with endangered species, especially sea turtles, and spend my time in the photic zones of our oceans. I would also like to thank all of the professors and staff that worked with us, taught us, and led us through a wonderful journey. Please keep this course running for many years to come!