Going on the CalCOFI cruise was an eye-opening experience for me and opened the door to so many new opportunities. Living and working at sea while doing 12-hour shifts collecting samples for CCE-LTER, all while managing its social media, challenged me in ways I hadn’t experienced before. Off shift, I was usually so exhausted that my routine consisted of going to the gym, playing the guitar, eating, and then sleeping for 10–12 hours before doing it all again.

What made the experience so rewarding was being able to fully immerse myself in the work without the distractions of everyday life on land. It allowed me to become even more passionate about the research, better understand the significance of the California Current Ecosystem, and appreciate the impact of the long-term data being collected.

One of the highlights of the cruise was learning from the incredible scientists around me. Whether it was identifying seabirds and dinoflagellates or learning how spectrophotometry is used to measure chlorophyll, every day presented an opportunity to learn something new. I left the cruise with new skills, greater confidence, and an even stronger desire to pursue oceanographic research.

This definitely won’t be the last time you’ll be seeing me. I’m already counting down the days until I’m back at sea!