The future. It’s a scary thing to think about, especially when you’ve come face to face with death twice within the past year and almost had it stolen from you. I’ve learned that the future isn’t a guarantee, so you just have to take things one step at a time. Yet I still hope that these steps will lead me somewhere bigger. I hope that they lead me across the stage at graduation in May 2023, with degrees in marine biology and psychology. I hope that they lead me to graduate school in San Diego, California, at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, one of the nation’s top marine science schools. I hope that they lead me on my bucket list vacation to Alaska to view the northern lights. I hope that they lead to the formation of a small family, and the acquisition of a steady job that I enjoy. Overall, I hope that they lead me to a happy, content future, where I can slow down, enjoy the moment, and stop worrying about what’s next. 

However, I know that this will not be the case for several years, for my time as an undergraduate will be consumed by classwork, research opportunities, and summer internships to prepare me for graduate school. Hopefully, if I make it to graduate school, things will begin to slow down. I’ll be living the California lifestyle–one that is much more easygoing and stress-free compared to my current. During the week, I’ll no longer worry about my organic chemistry class; instead, I’ll be spending my time researching the topics I am truly passionate about, like how anthropogenic impacts are affecting marine mammal behavior. And, if for whatever reason I am stressed, I will simply walk to the beach with a pleasure book in hand, and sit, enjoying the sun on my face and the sand in my toes. Nature cures all my worries, so the year-round temperate weather and proximity to beaches and National Parks are some of the reasons I am drawn to San Diego. To make the most of these perks, I will live in Ocean Beach, in between La Jolla, where Scripps is located, and the city of San Diego. I will watch the sunset over the ocean each night, practice my Spanish with the locals, scuba dive to my heart’s desire, learn to surf, and take occasional trips to Monterey Bay, San Francisco, Joshua Tree National Park, and more. 

Eventually, once I finish graduate school, I see myself moving back to the east coast to establish a family, either in North Carolina or Florida. During this time, I will find a job, maybe in the field of research, maybe not. Once settled, I will spend all the money I have saved throughout the years on my bucket list vacation to Alaska, and once I return, I will begin saving to go to Rome.

In the meantime, I just have to keep moving, one step at a time.