I still don’t believe it, but the emotions are very real. I get so excited and giddy anytime I think about it or get to tell a friend about it. I’m thrilled to leap into the unknown, to work with world renowned marine scientists on actual data collection, to join my mentor Ashley Bugge, and just explore somewhere I’ve never been before. This sounds awesome, but I am also terrified. I’m still a kid; will I really be able to do this alongside all of these people who are older and more experienced than me? I’m scared because I’ve never done anything like this before, especially on my own. I know there are people who support me through the entire thing and yet it's still terrifying. Along with this also comes fears about my future, a simple life in my hometown would be easy, but I want to have stories to tell when I’m old. I’m afraid if I don’t start now then I will not have the chance to break away and build my own path; the transition from adolescence to adulthood is hard, and I hope that this journey pushes me as I follow my dreams to have a purpose in my life. 

The ongoing preparation, questioning, and heightened emotions have continued to lead me toward my goal, and I have some things I want to take away from this opportunity. First, I want to grow as a person. I hope that this helps me narrow where I want to be and what I want to do, I want it to help put me on a path. Second, I want to build that deeper connection with marine life and nature. I hope that connection helps further my passion and ideas of how to grow. Third, I want to prove to myself that achieving your dreams can be done at any age and that I am strong enough to do this and maybe inspire a few other girls along the way.