Looking Back

During my college search, I was accepted to every school I applied to. I really loved Mason, but it was so expensive as an out-of-state student I didn't know if I could justify it. I then received an acceptance into the Smithsonian-Mason Scholars program, guaranteeing admission to this program. I didn't have a choice after that.

Despite the restrictions of this semester, I have grown and learned so much through this program and think it was the best possible use of my fall semester.

This semester was a challenge, particularly in getting to know my colleagues. When starting college, I baked cookies the night before so I could go around and hand them out as an excuse to meet and talk to everyone on my floor. There was absolutely none of that with the current pandemic, so I had to adapt my strategies. There were a few setbacks, but I truly was able to find a way to make long-lasting friends without seeing the bottom half of their face.

A picture from our Happy Creek bioassessment and some of my friends.

Academically, I learned about so many different areas of environmental science that I never would have considered. In particular, gamete week was very new and not something I would have ever considered trying to learn on my own. While counting moving sperm or watching reproductive organ dissections are not my idea of a good time, it was so interesting to see all the work that goes into the reproductive work done at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. The zoo unit also made me consider a zoo career. When I was younger, we used to visit the Philadelphia Zoo during the summers which really started my interest in animals and conservation. Revisiting those memories and learning about what it would take to work at the zoo and manage the populations.

My favorite memory of the Philadelphia Zoo is playing peek-a-boo with an orangutan who tried to give me a kiss through the glass when I waved goodbye. We took a trip to the National Zoo this semester, and it was great to see an orangutan again.

My practicum experience this semester made me realize how much I truly loved herps. As a child and young adult, I absolutely loved the idea of living like Uncle Monty from A Series of Unfortunate Events. My senior quote in high school was my favorite Uncle Monty quote from the second book in the series, The Reptile Room:

"Life is a conundrum of esoterica."

This made me realize that not only was it possible, I could also be happy leading a life like Uncle Monty. Working with the salamanders and finding snakes and turtles during our research has been an incredible way to learn that I love working with them and pushed me to research them in my own time. Come warmer weather, I will be back out looking for salamanders everywhere I go.

While my exact plans for next year are not yet known, the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation has made me feel ready and qualified for anything I want to do in the future.

Thank you to Jim and Stephanie for creating a semester that has done so much for me and my fellow cohort.