I knew I wanted to be in the Marine field when I was little. It was either that or study dinosaur bones for a living. My obsession of animals and the ocean comes from my mother and I traveling to the beach every weekend and catching crabs and seeing the waves crash on the shore. The moment I truly knew I wanted to be a marine biologist was on one of the worst family trips that I went on with my mother and my step-father. One night we signed up for star gazing on the beach. it was cold and the wind was blowing the sand in my hair and clothes, but in that moment, with the sounds of waves crashing against the shore and the tour guide telling stories of the gods and goddesses, I felt at peace. I felt a sense of belonging that I had been missing for years finally settle in my chest and I felt the happiest laying on my back gazing at stars and finally embracing myself for who I am.