Leaving Paradise

After a wonderful seven days in the Florida Keys, sadly, it was time for the first set of Tropical Ospreys to pack up and go home. Once we were all packed up and loaded with breakfast, we piled into the van for one last time for our last destination: Fort Lauderdale International Airport. Our last time in the van together was jam packed with conversations about the trip which personally made it harder to leave, but we had to. As we approached the terminals, we all began to thank Dr. Z for planning such a wonderful, jam packed trip that really kept us busy with amazing, educational experiences. Snorkeling on the reefs, beautiful nature walks, kayaking through mangroves, and hitting the beach in Key West is a small glimpse of what we accomplished over the seven day adventure in South Florida. We definitely could not have seen so much of South Florida in such a small amount of time without the expertise and thoughtfulness of our professor, and for that I am truly grateful. After getting through security, waiting for the plane, and boarding the plane; group one was left with nothing but a wonderful experience to reflect upon, and here's how that went for me...

Coming into Stockton as a freshman, I was kind of a lost cause. I began as an engineering major and quickly switched to marine science after I realized this was not my true calling. My first marine science class was called Sensational Seaweeds taught by Dr. Z. This class gave me a small glimpse into the world of marine science, and after that, I knew I made the right decision. A year past and I found myself in a prep course for Tropical Marine Biology - a class I had always dreamed of taking. After the prep course, my excitement levels were through the roof (EVEN WHEN I SAW THE BILL!!!). Then I found myself in Florida, with a wonderful group of people I can now call friends, and I was absolutely in my element. I have always wanted to become a helicopter pilot, and while this is still an option for my future, handling sharks and diving on the reefs have caused me to take a step back to seriously consider my future out of college. While torn, I know my two option are going to lead me to a wonderful future one way or another. Tropical Marine Biology was an eye opening experience for me and I am glad to have been a part of this class. I can confidently say that my major is better than any other major out there and this is because of my wonderful classmates, my excellent professors, and Stockton as a whole.

Learn about Tropical Marine Biology here!

Marine Science options at Stockton