To satisfy the field course requirement as a Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism major, I decided to go on the Discover Abroad Hawaii Spring Break trip this year. I used to always think of Hawaii as beautiful sandy beaches and piña coladas. However, our homes for the week in Hilo and Kona were much different. Surprisingly, Hawaii was also full of jagged black rocks and rain! Our goal in Hawaii was not exactly to have a relaxing spring break vacation. Instead, we were tasked to learn, explore, and question our preconceived notions of progress and culture. On each daily journey, I listened, and learned from a new perspective. With every experience, I considered what this meant in terms of progress. Does progress mean that we are constantly creating, changing, and adapting? Or can progress sometimes be embodied in the protection of things the way they are, or were? 
I saw the protection of the land and native species inside Volcanoes National Park as progress in the way people value nature. Here I learned that while progress is often creation, it can also be preservation.
The biggest issue facing Hawaii now is how the islands can become more sustainable. Hawaii was traditionally very sustainable in its resource allocation and usage but now, they are incredibly dependent on the outside for food and oil. I was also intrigued by the issues Hawaiians are facing in terms of cultural divisions. Renewable energy and sustainability are noble goals that should be worked towards, but the ways in which they are executed must be considerate of all viewpoints. As someone who is typically very science-minded, I learned to consider all sides to changes when it comes to progress. It may seem like progress to build more and more telescopes on the mountain of Mauna Kea to aid in planetary observation and education, but Native Hawaiians’ spiritual ties to Mauna Kea as a sacred site are just as valid. The need for reconciliation between the wants of both groups are things that I never would have considered before this trip. Going to Hawaii has made me more open minded and considerate of the views of people who have completely different cultures than me. It has also made me more willing to try new things (like cliff diving!), even if I’m completely terrified. I hope that with more travel in my future, I will continue to challenge my fears and the way that I think about progress.
I then worked this past summer on a timber crew in the Medicine Bow National Forest. Working out of Saratoga, Wyoming, duties included timber marking, cruising for sales, forest health surveys, and beetle kill tree removal. This position was more on the path of my degree, which is forestry. Although very different from my first seasonal job within the agency, I loved every second of last summer. Both of my past seasonal jobs made a huge impact on my life and, eventually, led to a career within the agency that I will follow as I go on to graduate this next fall.
This personal growth I experienced throughout this position took place because I chose to become comfortable with the uncomfortable. Difficult as it was at times, I continued to strive on. I challenge others to do the same. Whether it is working across the United States or in your own backyard, I encourage you to become comfortable with the uncomfortable. You will not regret it.
(“Sapelo Fight Club”)
They take the time to invest in the students’ futures. By doing this, the school creates an interface with real-world expectations and analytically driven studies. As I alluded to previously, Warnell also puts stock into professional networking. Every semester there are numerous social events, seminars, and meetings that allow the students to create exchanges with natural resource companies, visiting professors, alumni, and more. Specifically, students are given the opportunity to interview, and often times get hired, with industry leading businesses and research organizations. The list of opportunities for professional development goes much further than this. While Warnell does provide a tier one list of opportunities for students, they stress the importance of student initiative to seize these opportunities. Students are encouraged and given the skills to work hard for their goals, but they are also allowed to be as active or passive as they desire in developing themselves professionally. Whatever approach one chooses, they will continue to receive persistent encouragement from their peers and professors. This expectation drives students to push themselves both in their academic and professional lives.
Being in Nicaragua made me realize the incredibly small piece of the world that I had lived in for my entire life, and being a part of a brand new culture was the most incredible feeling to me. I loved getting to experience the way that people in another country love their animals the same way that we do in the US, a commonality that I found to be very comforting. I also gained new perspective on what veterinary medicine looks like in the US compared to countries with less widely available medical resources. When I got home, I was already looking for reasons to leave again. When the opportunity to apply to go to South Africa with Warnell came up, I took it immediately, and this May I will be travelling to South Africa and Botswana for an international wildlife conservation class. I am excited to once again experience a new country and new culture, as well as be exposed to animals that I will never get to see in the wild here in the United States. I will always be thankful to my mentors for pushing me out of my comfort zone for the first time and I truly believe that studying abroad is one of the most important, life changing experiences that a student can pursue as a part of their education. My best piece of advice: if the opportunity arises, take it and do not let anything hold you back. UGA offers a variety of financial resources for students wishing to study abroad, and there are many people here in Warnell that would love to walk you every step of the way toward the greatest experience of your life.