Perspective

I'm back on campus and this summer was an experience I could never have imagined. My expectations were shattered and everything I saw and did has affected me in a way I don't think I even realize yet.

I have spent three short months cleaning habitats, feeding giraffes, scrubbing rhinos, chasing ostriches, scratching tigers, and so much more. In three months I felt more at home than any place I have ever lived. I've learned so much about wildlife, park management, Arizona, and myself. I learned that I work hard and I don't mind getting dirty. I learned that I enjoy 110 degree weather and red rock sunsets. What I learned in those three months I could not have learned in 10 years of school. Even if your major doesn't require an internship or work experience, do it anyway. Go for what you want, because when it's right, the payoff could be more than you can imagine.

Leaving was tough, as will be my last semester at college. But I return to Iowa knowing that I have 20 more lifelong friends, that I was an important part of a team, and that I can handle most anything.

NightOwl