Australia– Human Impact on the Environment

Haley Trimble

My STEP signature project was an incredible education abroad trip to Australia.  We traveled the coast of north Queensland throughout May, engaging with the natural environment and learning about human impact on it.

I knew that this trip would be a once in a lifetime experience, one of those life-changers that you never stop talking about.  But I had no idea just how much it would transform me.  I came back to the States with a fresh passion for living outside of my comfort zone, for traveling, and for doing all that I can for our beautiful planet.

The entirety of this education abroad trip was outside of my comfort zone.  I had never taken a trip this long, gone this far away, or traveled with only strangers before.  I had to face some of my top fears while I was in Australia.  I’m afraid of snakes– the very first day I had to hold a snake (I screamed).  I’m afraid of swimming in open waters– I snorkeled the great barrier reef.  I’m afraid of heights– I hiked many mountains and sat on many cliffs.  I was terrified, but I did it all without hesitation.  I was more than just alive, I was living.

I have decided to apply this attitude to my everyday life.  I want to live every day as full as possible, I want to never say no to an opportunity, and I want to take more risks.  I don’t want to let the stress of daily life blur the thrill of life.  I will get more out of my academic, professional, and personal life living this way.  Australia didn’t teach me how to not be afraid, it taught me how to be afraid but do it anyway.

All of the people I met through the education abroad have inspired, refueled, and transformed me too.  The lecturers and project instructors were so passionate about the environment and whatever career they had.  They were intelligent and unafraid of going against societal norms.  They reminded me to choose a job that makes me happy.  A career that I’m passionate about, whether that follows the mainstream life path or not.

My professor and teaching assistant were each inspiring and encouraging as well.  They had a heart for travel and challenges, for conversations and learning.  Dr. Slater emphasized that “to travel is to live,” and rekindled my heart for learning, as well.  I feel motivated to learn as much as I can in college.  Chelsey has done so much in her life and has faced many unique challenges, along with having a contagiously bubbly personality.  She rekindled my spirit to never stop experiencing and growing as an individual.  Both of our instructors lit up my passion for seeing as many places and meeting as many people as I can.

Lastly, and closest to my heart, is the group of people I experienced this trip alongside.  They all quickly became my new best friends.  Each of them so unique, kind, and inspiring to me in some way.  Having this sense of community by my side in Australia, and now having that on campus, is uplifting to me.  I believe it will help me live my last years of college full and purposeful.

In just one month, I got to travel from mountains and rainforests to islands and beaches, from cities and deserts to eucalyptus forests and open ocean.  I learned more about the environment through lectures and experiences than I ever have before.  For example, I snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef for three days and it was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever done.  I also learned a lot about climate change and how it threatens our corals and fish populations.  As a strategic communication major, it is one of my priorities to apply sustainability concepts to companies who hire me.  It is also important to me to practice environmental sustainability in my own life.  Taking these courses and having these hands on experiences makes it easier for me to do this.  My passion for protecting our beautiful and diverse ecosystems has grown through this trip.  Since coming home, I no longer use single-use plastics like plastic bags or plastic straws. Plastic breaks up but it never breaks down, and it is filling the ocean and killing our sea creatures.

I am so thankful for the many ways that this education abroad trip has shaped me and helped me grow.  All of the adventurous activities I got to experience gave me a passion for living outside of my comfort zone.  The incredible people I met encouraged me to work hard and keep dreaming big.  All of the things I learned about the environment have given me a new drive for taking care of it.  Each of these new values, attitudes, and perspectives will help me to get the most out of my personal, academic, and professional life.

 

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