"Educational Autobiography"

Splash!...Plop, plop were the sounds I heard as I descended into the dark cage. The rush of the cold water swirled around me and made everything stick to my skin. I was wrapped up in a fitted black wetsuit but still felt the sting of the cold saltwater. The water hit the parts of my face that were not strapped into the goggles that surrounded my head. I really didn’t want to do this. I could vaguely make out the outlines of the metal bars that confined my space. I breathed heavily through my snorkel and glanced over at my friend for reassurance; she seemed to be enjoying it as she descended deeper into the cage. Could I ever get to that feeling? I knew our time was limited but it felt like an eternity. I peered out through the thick bars and into the open space of the dark aquarium tank. I was transported to a dim underwater world. The limited light emphasized any shadows the light bounced off of: coral, fish, and most alarmingly, sharks. I swirled my head around in amazement at the many species silently gliding through the water. As I popped my head above the water’s surface for a deeper breath than what I could get through my snorkel, I saw a grey triangular shaped fin slice cut through the water. I went back underwater to try and catch a glimpse. Fear set in...then awe as I made eye contact with a beautiful shark that seemed equally as curious about me as I was of it. Just as my fear was waning into amazement, just as feelings of thrilling excitement settled in, and just as I desired to swim deeper into the cage, the clang and the jolt of the cage mechanism drew me back into reality. Water rapidly rushed out of the bars as the cage rose and the warm beams of the Florida sun greeted our faces.

In a daze, I walked out into the shallow pool connected to the cage and let the next pair of campers enter the cage. I slowly peeled off the goggles, which I returned, and my snorkel, which was given to us as a souvenir. Under the weight of the soaked wetsuit, I made large, heavy steps toward the golf cart that was waiting to bring us back to the camp center. I sighed as I took my seat next to my friend and shook my head in wonder at what just happened. We quickly debriefed our illuminating experiences to each other, but once the conversation faded, I went inward and reflected on my thoughts of the shark cage. Under the gentle shake and bumps of the moving golf cart, I realized the influence of misunderstandings, especially about animals like sharks. Coming into the experience, I had known sharks to be intimidating creatures always seeking an opportunity to wreak havoc on the ecosystem. Coming out of the experience, I was introduced to another side of the animal, an extremely intelligent and engaged shark that was simply curious about its world. It was then I became more intrigued about the negative reputations of animals and how it is portrayed in the media, which influences the larger public and stimulates bias. 

The camp took students through a packed week in the park with both educational and engaging activities. There were many sessions on how to enter into the environmental field, work as a marine biologist, and the modern-day struggles of dealing with pollution and climate change. Besides information sessions, the remaining time in our days was filled with animal experiences and park enrichment, such as going behind the scenes of the big attractions, which included seeing the rides and even the SeaWorld Rescue operations. The animal experiences left a very strong impression on my takeaways from the camp. I was lucky to have the unique opportunity to touch penguins, dolphins, and bamboo sharks; see seals, sea lions, walruses, and orcas up close; and feed cownose rays. The feeling of a strong connection between an animal and oneself is unmatched. I was able to make a personal connection with the animals, even if it was momentary.

The time I spent in the camp awakened an adventurous spirit that felt dormant in me since childhood. I became more interested in trying new things such as fencing, archery, diving, and rock climbing to expand my understanding of myself and my worldview. In particular, the camp opened my eyes to the incredible connections humans can have with nature and the current mounting environmental problems we are facing. My experiences lit a fire of passion and purpose into my life, which drove me to become more interested in science, wildlife, and conservation. I became more engaged in my science classes in school and read about the environment and animals during my free time. This, paired with my interests in developing my mathematical and problem-solving skills, led me to settle on a major in environmental engineering. I plan to use my higher education to develop knowledge and skills that will help me give back to the environment in ways that will ensure future generations can have similar enlightening experiences like mine that shaped my perspective on the world.