On Tuesday, October 7th, I had the pleasure of attending the Scuba Certification Course interest meeting. The meeting, sponsored by Atlantic Divers, was created to interest students who were either looking to become scuba certified for the first time, or who wanted to refresh their certification. Being a first-time scuba diver, I did not know what to expect, but I was extremely interested in diving and wanted to see what would be expected of me.

Upon arriving at Big Blue, I realized that there was only one other attendee, which made the meeting more comfortable, as the dive instructor, Jean, was able to answer all of our individual questions. Jean was very warm and patient, answering all of our questions and addressing all of our concerns. Unfortunately, I was not informed that I was supposed to pay my deposit, preferably before the interest meeting. While this was a minor setback, and would have been easily fixed by depositing as soon as possible, it still would have been helpful to know this information prior to the meeting. I found out about this event via a flier which said that the cost was five-hundred and twenty dollars. On top of that, there were extra (albeit reduced) fees for essential gear. The deposit, I later found out, was fifty dollars.

I was pleased to know that a majority of my surf gear was useful for the dive certification (i.e. wetsuit and booties), but the costs were too much for me at the time. Luckily, Jean will be teaching another course in the spring 2015 semester. I felt very well-informed at the interest meeting, despite the lack of information regarding the deposit, and the instructor was very helpful with everything I needed. I hope I will have the time and money to continue this course in the upcoming semester, as it is nearly vital for my Marine Science major.

Earlier this month, on Wednesday, October 1, I had the pleasure of attending the MARS Club barbeque, a chance to meet with and greet new and returning MARS Club members. The MARS Club is sponsored by the Marine Science department, and is an outlet for MARS students and those interested in marine biology alike to get together and discuss important topics, observe research, and find new ways to get involved with the environment we have fallen in love with.

The event, originally scheduled to be hosted outside behind the Campus Center, was forced to move indoors due to inclement weather. The downpour, though, had no impact on the meeting. A great time was had by all, as we were able to meet new and familiar faces. Another great opportunity arose to meet our future professors of different aspects of marine science. It was great to see the families of our professors, as well as those who we would have in semesters to come.

The MARS barbeque was a great way to re-learn everyone’s names and majors, as we had only held one interest meeting before the event. It definitely helped me get acclimated with the club, and was an awesome outlet for me after a long day of labs and classes. I look forward to more MARS meetings and events, and I am grateful for the opportunities it provides for MARS students.

This past Thursday, September 18, I had the pleasure of attending and being a part of the Red Cross Blood Drive. I had received emails about the donation event and thought it would be a great way to complete some of my service requirements, while directly helping my community in the process. After signing up to volunteer for one of the hour-block time slots, I registered to donate blood as well.

The volunteer process was educational, but I felt as if I were unable to help with the rest of the donation process. I was stationed at the concessions table and assigned to refilling the snacks donors received after donation. I was able to talk with some donors, ask them how their first donation went, and make sure they were feeling well enough to leave. Although this job was necessary, I felt far-removed from the donation process as a whole.

After my hour block was over, I was able to donate. The process to register and complete the physical was quick and painless, and I was taken right away. The nurses there were all friendly, which made the questionnaire much easier to go through. During the blood-giving process, all of the nurses were helpful and careful, and I never felt as if I were alone. While the whole volunteer process only lasted for about two hours, I was able to help the Red Cross in multiple ways, and was able to learn more about the different techniques and systems the donation process uses. The volunteer portion was a one-time event, but being a donor lasts, and I am emailed regularly about donation centers and needs for donors.

As a whole, I enjoyed the Red Cross Blood Drive, and I hope I can do it again soon. It was interesting to talk with donors about why they donate or how their donation went. I was also able to talk to the head of the drive, and she was able to tell me about the need for certain blood types and how they use the plasma, cells, etc. I would gladly attend and volunteer again as soon as possible.