Daniel R.
Summary of My Experience
Morning Walk/Tour of So8ths
To start, I really enjoyed learning about the area and land that makes up So8ths. The woods felt familiar yet different from what I am used to on the West Coast. The environment there was very peaceful and full of life while also allowing for observation of It all using cameras, traps, and other studies done there. The goal to preserve the land from human expansion while also serving as a space for education is very critical for the future of nature.
Day Field Sample Collections WITH SC DEC
The water testing with the SC DEC gave me some nice insight to what a potential career might look like for me in the future. I really enjoyed the amount of enthusiasm and care that Justin and the team displayed while teaching us how to take samples and make sure the parameters were up to what we wanted them to be. Being able to just spend time in the creek with one another, cooling down from the heat of the day, and looking for the macroinvertebrate species that I have never really looked at before filled me with happiness. It also taught me the importance of little things like what species are present that I normally might not see and how different water parameters can be tested.
Discussion on Resilience (SCOR) – Bryan Rabon
Bryans discussion on resilience opened my eyes to what other types of things go on in the government. I have high empathy so hearing about the impact that his job has for people who struggle with issues through things like hurricanes and other storms made be grateful for his line of work. He also did an amazing job communicating all the different parts and how they all play a role in the recovery, mitigation, and resilience of communities in SC. It also brought me to reflect on CA resilience, just because hurricanes and tornadoes are quite different from the fires and earthquakes we face in CA. I am now interested in looking at how things are back home for those situations.
Water Sample Analysis
The water sample analysis was nice to do. Getting experience with field tests with water samples to me is an important skill and having done so many I feel confident in my abilities to complete them. Once again looking at how many different parameters there are to test the health of water was eye opening to just how much work there is to be done in environmental studies.
Evening Walk & 3C’s Discussion – Mike Elliot
The evening walk and 3C’s discussion was most inspirational. The beautiful walk as the sun was starting to go down, taking in all nature and learning more history about So8ths. Once we realized Mike was jumping out, I was ecstatic. It was a cool scene, it felt so empowering, and I wasn’t even jumping out of the plane. Once he landed with so much aura and then started giving a speech about commitment, consistency, and courage, I was locked in listening to whatever he had to say. His story and encouragement have stuck with me and has made me want to go for things I wouldn’t do normally.
Campfire & S’mores
During the campfire and S’mores time, connecting with one another in such a relaxed setting after high tensions made everything feel real. It felt like okay I can go another day doing this without any trouble. Seeing the number of fireflies in the forest was neat, since I grew up catching them and it’s been a while since I have seen many of them. Getting to unwind and spending time with each other and nature felt like a reward. Knowing that work can be something I enjoy doing and spending time with people who share the same passions gives me a sort of assurance in myself.
Night Moth Study – Kylie & Maya
Going out in the dark and playing with bugs healed an inner child in me. Moths are so underrated and overlooked by people so learning about them and seeing them so close was such a cool experience. Getting to hold some moths and feeling them fly around me after getting a newfound respect for them was exhilarating. Kylie and Mya were also so into the moths, teaching and giving us all a great experience that will stay with me for a while. It sheds more light on smaller parts of ecology and biodiversity studies that still play important parts in nature.
Highlights
One of my pros is that everyone who was there working and teaching us things was so enthusiastic and wanted to really invest in us. They really spoke life into me in seeing what I can do in my life whether that is in environmental science or not. Another pro was just the beauty of the trip. The nature was stunning and helped ground me the entire time, even when I might have been a little irritated or feeling lost.
Dimmer Moments
I think the only con I had was that I would have loved more time to just explore and connect with nature.
