I grew up in Holland, Michigan most of my life before moving down to Georgia when i turned 18 to

live with my dad. Back in Michigan, summers were always mild and delightful, and I'd often explore

around the woods nearby with my sister.

Even as a child, I wanted to be outside to just to observe nature, and more specifically: reptiles.

They've always captivated my interest, and as kid I would often pick up garter snakes without fear even

though they liked to eat my fingers off. This fascination certainly hasn't died as I've gotten older, and it's

why I want to become a herpetologist in some form.

During high school, I focused on my studies and averaged a 3.49 GPA upon graduation. While in

high school, I took classes such as Zoology, Visual Basic, 3D computer modeling, Personal Computers,

and Advanced Expository Writing. These left me with a decent knowledge on animal biology as well as

advanced computing knowledge. Because of this knowledge that I gained early on, I had enough credits

to graduate halfway through my senior year. Upon Graduation I began working a job at The Salvation

Army.

This was my first job, and even though my official title was just a cashier at The Salvation Army, I

continually pushed to gain other responsibilities for myself. These included making sure the store was

clean and sanitary, checking and maintaining electrical equipment, helping out the managers whenever

possible, and helping out with the process of unloading the daily truck that came into our store each and

every day.

Right after I turned 18, I moved to Savannah, Georgia for better opportunities. After a few months

of settling settling in, I got a job at Kroger as an overnight baker. Here I learned and gained proficient

skills in stocking shelves, baking frozen bread, and everything an average baker would do there. Sadly,

Kroger decided to cut the hours of one their best employees, and so I seeked employment elsewhere.

This brings me to my current job, where I work as a busser and/or host (depending on the day) at

the Olive Garden in Pooler, GA. This job is always a lot of fun, and even though I seat guests and clean

tables, I have a blast every day with my co-workers. It's true what Olive Garden says, "When you're here,

you're family." But, as always, I started pushing myself right on day one of the job. After becoming one of

the best bussers the location has seen, I decided to become host to expand my horizons within the food

and beverage industry.

I’ve just recently started college at Armstrong University, and at the moment I’m just a freshman

studying for a B.S. in Biology. Already, however, I’ve gained laboratory skills within studying microbiology.

Currently, our class is studying Wolbachia in insects and discovering how the bacteria affects our local

fauna. I’m sure with time, my knowledge with the field of Biology with grow in an exponential fashion.

But alas, college is now in full swing, and for the nearby future, I'd like to have something more

closer to home. I would also like to gain even more knowledge within my field of study by working with

animals in any context.