This page is a journal I kept while studying away at St. Thomas, USVI in the Spring of 2022. If you would like any recommendations or ideas of things to see if you ever visit St. Thomas, please reach out!
Bucket List
As the end of the semester is getting closer, I have been thinking about all I have done at the USVI and what I still want to do. Before coming here, I made a bucket list of the top things I wanted to see or experience during…
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Research Diving
During the spring semester, I have been helping Master’s student Matt Souza with his projects focused on seagrass distribution and impacts on invertebrate populations. In particular, we have looked at areas of invasive seagrass, Halophila, and if the presence of invasive species impacts biodiversity or invertebrate abundance.…
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St. Croix Trip
Over the past two weeks, I have been traveling between the islands with friends and family. It went by so quickly, but it was an amazing time. The first trip was to St. Croix, one of the four US Virgin Islands. Other NSE students and I left…
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Volunteering at UVI
For the past few weeks, I have been volunteering with Matt Souza at UVI. He is a graduate student under the mentorship of Dr. Edwin Cruz-Rivera studying the impacts of invasive seagrass (Halophila stipulaceaon) on invertebrate populations and community structure. The work has been incredibly interesting; it…
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The First Month
The first month at UVI has passed and I am grateful to have chosen the Virgin Islands for my study away semester. Every beach has been gorgeous, and while some are better for snorkeling than others they have all been worth visiting. The classes have been manageable…
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Exploring the Islands
It has been a bit over 2 weeks since I got to the USVI and it still feels like a mini paradise. I am waiting for the day I wake up and it sinks in that this is a study away experience, not just an extended vacation.…
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First week at UVI
Arriving at the Virgin Islands (USVI) was a bit chaotic. Unfortunately, I tested positive for COVID while at home in Ohio for winter break. Following guidelines posted by the CDC and the Virgin Islands Tourism department, I submitted my test along with a doctor’s note specifying my…
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Getting ready to leave
While at the Virgin Islands, I want to explore as much as possible and snorkel or scuba dive any chance I get. Who knows when the next time I live next to coral reefs will be, so I want to take advantage of it while I can.…
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Why NSE?
I knew going into college that I wanted to study away from UofSC for at least a semester, but I had no idea where or through what organization. As junior year approached, I decided to look for places that could help me gain experiences in marine ecology…
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