My friends and family have always supported and pushed me toward becoming a better person. Thinking about it now, they have become the backbone that keeps me supported and moving. Without friends and family, I would not be as happy and motivated as I am today. They push me to make better decisions, achieve my dreams, and help me when I need the extra motivation to get through a tough time. They supported me when I was in high school playing many different sports, and even in college pursuing a zoology degree because they knew it made me happy. Now, as I am in the process of obtaining my dream degree, I want to be able to give back to them as much as they gave me. I want to excel in my field and use my degree not only to help others but to give my friends and family a chance to do what they have been dreaming about. Thinking about how I can give back to them and make their lives easier and happier as they have made mine, pushes me forward to be the best I can be and continue to be.

My favorite scientific discovery happens to be of a certain fish I learned about in school called the crocodile icefish. This fish happened to be very odd looking and surprisingly, was found to be bloodless. The fish had no red blood cells or hemoglobin. This characteristic was like nothing that had ever been seen before. On top of the lack of red blood cells and hemoglobin, the fish lived in the harsh, frozen condition of the Southern Ocean. The conditions are so harsh that the fish had to evolve with a certain protein that would act like antifreeze so their blood would not freeze. Having characteristics of antifreeze proteins and the lack of red blood cells and hemoglobin were incredibly interesting to learn about. The discovery of the crocodile icefish was a good story to read about and shows that nature is not always what it seems. The world has many out-of-the-ordinary possibilities to share and the discovery of the crocodile icefish was an exciting one.