I first fell in love with aquatic animals when I was a toddler. Even back then I had some semblance of understanding that I was somehow related to the strange creature in the tank in front of me - a Silvertip Shark swimming lazily. As I grow older, I only gain more of an appreciation for the various forms of life that inhabit our planet, and every time I learn a new and interesting fact about the oceans and marine life, I share it with my friends and family because I have a passion not just for learning, but also for sharing my knowledge. However, as I've learned more about the natural world, I've also come to realize that there are many factors at play in determining the health and stability of an ecosystem and the community that resides within it. Unfortunately, many ecosystems and populations have been severely damaged or even outright destroyed, and humanity is responsible for a great deal of the threats plaguing the natural world today. Many people consider pollution to be associated exclusively with climate change. On the contrary, there are many different effects that pollution may have, and there are also many different forms of pollution. Someone may know that it is bad to litter, but they may not know why it is a bad idea or the ways that doing so can create problems. Certain garbage can break down and release toxic chemicals into the environment or can create health hazards to animals that encounter it. There are many examples of animals like seals and seal lions getting tangled in fishing nets and plastic, or animals like turtles eating garbage such as plastic straws or grocery bags and getting really sick as a result. With increasing amounts of problems in their usual habitats, many animals are changing their behavior, ranging from sea lions abandoning their pups to whales changing their migratory patterns due to ocean warming. I am pursuing a degree in Marine Biology as well as Environmental Conservation because I wish to see a better world, not just for wildlife, but for humans too. If nothing is done to prevent environmental conditions from worsening, I fear that many people may be unable to enjoy the beauty of the natural world as I have had the privilege to and desire to continue doing. New technology and research are coming out every day that show evidence of damages caused by human impact upon the natural world, and as people are made aware of these problems, more and more are pushing for a cleaner, better world. As long as people are made aware of problems, there will be those that will work towards reducing their negative impact as well as influencing others to do the same. I want to contribute to educating others by learning and sharing information. Without people doing and sharing the research, the wider population cannot be informed and be inspired to improve. I sincerely hope that the efforts of myself and others will ensure that future generations are able to experience things such as swimming in an ocean among coral reefs and seeing the various beautiful kinds of life.

Almost every day I encounter reminders of negative human impacts on the environment, from new oil drilling projects that will displace and harm ecosystems to pollution of the watershed in my own neighborhood and littering at my school. Unfortunately, it seems that while there are people who care about preserving the natural world, there are more than enough that do not care or do not care enough to reduce their contributions to the negative factors that are harming the natural world. I believe that if these people were educated on specific ways to reduce their footprint as well as the present and future threats to the natural world and their lives. I believe that when people are made aware of the impacts and influence they have, they are more inclined to contribute to preserving the natural world. When faced with real evidence of the damage done to the environment, many people tend to feel uncomfortable and are motivated to change to improve conditions. There are examples of media coming out in the past few years that do a good job of shedding light on environmental issues. In December of 2022, "Avatar: The Way of Water," a movie exploring a world created by James Cameron, is one such example that does so by including scenes featuring the movie's version of commercial whaling. Another such example is "The Sea Beast," an animated film released in June of the same year and directed by Chris Williams that also features an analogy for commercial whaling. In both cases, the animals hunted are killed in mass and for a small part of their body. When I discussed these scenes with others who had seen the movie, they all shared the sentiment that those scenes were very uncomfortable and emotional to them, which is exactly what the writers intended. By presenting whaling in this manner that is available to a large audience, the viewers are able to draw comparisons to threats to wildlife in real life. As hard as it is, making people uncomfortable with a concept is a great way to motivate them to actively work to prevent it. Marine Biology, and the oceans in general, has always captivated me, and from a very young age, I wanted to learn more about the natural world and the life that resides within it. When I learned that I could continue to pursue my desire to learn about the natural world, I made a choice - I would do everything in my power to become a Marine Biologist. As I grew older, I encountered a very harsh truth: I may not be able to study all that I had wanted to because the things I wanted to learn about may not be there by the time I get there. I follow many wildlife pages on Instagram and many featuring marine mammals share information about how pollution is affecting animals such as seals and sea lions. Every time I see another image and story about negative human impacts, I grow more and more disappointed that these things are happening and more and more motivated to be better, to do everything in my power to learn and educate others on how to improve our impact. As I move towards college, I realize that I not only want to study Marine Biology but also Environmental Conservation. It is my hope that through my own actions and the actions of others that share my passion that we will be able to educate and inspire others so that future generations are able to fall in love with the natural world.

Ever since I was young, I sought to understand the things that I didn't or couldn't in the moment. This applied to many different facets of my life, and has been a major contributor to my growth and success through my academic career. If I didn't know an answer, I would do everything in my power to find the answer, or find someone who does know or knows a way for me to gain that information. Every experience in life is a method of growing and adapting, becoming a different, preferably better, person than we were the previous day. A specific topic or dream that has always been my destination was an understanding of the Marine and Aquatic world, as well as the functions that occur there and organisms that inhabit it. When I was younger, perhaps 2 or 3, my father took me to the Atlanta Aquarium, and while many people feared or avoided sharks, from then on I was enamored by them. They were an inspiration for me to consider the ways that other beings were different and similar to myself, as well as develop a passion for understanding and learning about them. I am an avid animal lover, and I always have been. Other animals have always held my attention and fascination in a way that nothing else really could, aside from sharing my knowledge about the animals I so adored. My dream is to grow my love and knowledge about Marine life and other organisms to further my perspective on the roles every being plays, as well as what my role will be as I grow older. I desire to share what I learn, planting and growing the seeds of compassion and caring for what I do in others. I desire to instill in others an understanding of the importance and impact they all have on the environment they live in and the life around them, including one another. It may seem odd to want to study something seemingly so alien as a Blue Glaucus Nudibranch and turn around and use it to learn more about myself, but that IS what I want to do. I believe it beneficial to examine other things in life, for that aids me in reflecting about myself. In conclusion, my dream is to achieve a more thorough understanding of the world and my place in it, and by doing so, also granting my peers and future generations the opportunity to do so as well.

Ever since I was young, I was fascinated in mythology and religion, as well as the stories and characters they held. The four primary mythologies that caught my attention were Greek, Egyptian, Roman, and Norse mythology. When Disney purchased Marvel in 2009, they acquired the rights to the characters, and one of the characters that was brought to life was Loki Laufeyson. There are many commonalities between Marvel's Loki and the Loki from Norse mythology, and some key traits of his that have earned my adoration include his cunning, his flair, and his arrogance. Despite being a villain and causing harm, he was my favorite Marvel character because I was drawn to his personality. Tom Hiddleston plays Loki well, and as such, Loki has grown from a man who repeatedly tries and fails to achieve his goals to a more well rounded and developed person who has intriguing, relatable motivations and desires. When I first saw Avengers: Infinity War, I cried during the beginning and did not want to continue watching, as they'd killed my favorite character. I believed that was the last I would see of my beloved character. When the TV show was released, however, I understood that there would be more adventures to be had, more stories to be told. Loki Laufeyson is often what I look towards as an inspiration for a fun character to roleplay as in Dungeons and Dragons, because he's a very freeing type of character to play. In a fantasy world, it would be entertaining to have his wit, his charisma, his abilities, his freedom. While appearing childish can be seen in a poor light, it also appeals to the inner child in a lot of people and serves as a way to live vicariously through a character who is more free than we are in real life.

"If you cant properly love yourself, how can you properly love and care for those around you?" My father's question plays on repeat every night in my head like a record player that only bears one disc. Without this quote, this phrase, this core idea that he instilled in me, there's a possibility that I wouldn't be here today. All of my life, in the various social groups I've interacted with and been a part of, I've been dubbed the "confidant" that anyone and everyone could go to. I am very adept at navigating social situations, and if I make mistakes, I correct and learn from them very quickly. At many points I've been regarded as being incredibly emotionally and socially intelligent. I'm very forgiving and understanding in a constructive way that allows for growth from every person. But I'd never truly offered myself the same. I'd never forgiven myself easily, never trusted myself fully, never really learned to treaf myself with the same compassion that I had shown to others. I didn't believe that I was deserving of it. As such I remained very guarded, rarely revealing if I was struggling. If one hand reached out for help, the other dragged it back into the abyss. I had become what I call a "self-loathing narcissist" - someone who could acknowledge their skills and praise themself, but in also doubted themself and utterly despised themself for any and every mistake they made. Earlier this year was a breaking point. I could no longer dam up the swelling negativity that had collected for so long. It took a very bad event for me to come to terms and truly face myself. Who was I? Who was I becoming? Did I want this? I found myself saying no to each question, but I wasn't sure what to do, feeling like a wild animal backed into a corner. Luckily, I began attending therapy, something I immensely needed. There, I learned that it was okay to ask others for help, it was okay to struggle at times, it was okay to love myself. It took a while for me to completely understand and internalize this concept for self-forgiveness and compassion, and at times I still struggle with it. But now I've learned to mitigate and cope with the effects of my depression, and by enduring this challenge, by pushing through, I've put into practice what I'd been told. Now, I have many friends who have their own battles with depression, anxiety, burnout, and other monsters that can plague and cause a loss of hope. But they don't have to deal with it alone. While I cannot directly relate and understand everyone's situation, by being a listener and being compassionate, I've positively impacted so many of my friends and those I care about. By relying on one another, we've grown stronger, learning new ways to deal with our demons and take each step towards becoming better than we were.