Diving into Education by Laura

Diving into Education by Laura - December 2015 Scholarship Essay

In a decade I hope to be staring into the eye of a whale shark, analyzing a cold water reef in the northern fjords, or swimming alongside a flame angelfish in the Red Sea; as long as I am underwater, I will be content with my life. Yet these aspirations may take longer than ten years. Realistically, I see myself on the west coast as a marine biologist possibly working in a marine husbandry or doing conservation research. Although it is difficult to know exactly where I will be in ten years, I know that I will need a superb education to get there.
My plan for the next ten years is mainly comprised of school. Next fall. I will hopefully be heading to the west coast to a school with a marine biology program if all goes well financially. Being from Montana, college will be the first time I will actually have classes and programs about the ocean available to me. I plan on receiving my bachelor's of marine biology during my undergraduate program and trying to work or do an internship with marine centers during this time. Then I will immediately continue to graduate school to do research. My plan may be interrupted by unforeseen adversity, such as staying in Montana for my first two years of undergraduate schooling, but I will make everything I can of any school I find myself in to better my education. Learning is my forte and I plan to take advantage of that.
If all goes according to my plan, I will be beginning my career as a marine biologist in one decade. Marine biology is a wide field that could lead me down any number of roads, but wherever I end up I hope to be doing conservation work. I hope to apply everything I learned during my years at school to help preserve the ocean. Whether I am in a husbandry rehabilitating marine animals, finding a cure for the sea star wasting disease, or working at an aquarium, I know that the only way I will get there is through my education. going to school will likely consume over a quarter of my life, so I would like to make the most of it and actually learn about the things that will be applicable to what I plan to do with my life. I believe a proper education is the only way I will be able to make a difference for the ocean, the thing I care most about.
I will only know where I will be ten years from now when that day comes, but the only way I will be anywhere worthwhile will be through years of education. I have always been a keen learner when something interests me, which is why I am so motivated for college because I will be learning about the ocean. Almost ten more years of schooling is an exciting prospect when I get to follow my passion.