Im doing it for the animals...

[Nixe the Tropical Mermaid]

Im doing it.... as a lifelong dream pushed aside, today I took the first stroke of many to start my swim to what Im meant to be...a marine biologist. Today I went to the university and gathered all the information I need to make a start. This is all I dreamed about as a child and for 13 years as I grew but as a late teen I couldnt keep up with the chemistry and maths needed so I gave up and pushed it aside. 7 years later (wow has it gone that fast!?) Ive decided that I have it in me to do this, a passion is now rekindled and I know that this is right. I can do it, and I will. And with this I will help the oceans and all the life in them with all I have.

I watch activists and documentaries and the whole time Im amazed by what they are doing, how much they are helping, studying, learning, the pedestal I put them on is huge and god-like....and now its dawned on me. I can be there doing my part. I can be one of those people. And I will be

[Ashe]

I am so happy for you! I love it when i get to see people achieve their lifelong dreams. I too am wanting to be a marine biologist someday, and im glad another mer is willing to give it a go too. Congrats! :) <3

[malinghi]

Do you know what you want to specialize in within marine biology?

[LindseyLu]

Congratulations NixeFromTheReef!!! More people should follow there dreams, or at least try! This is very cool, keep up the good work! :)

[Coradion]

Good luck and welcome to the field, :) we don't make much money, we spend forever getting degrees, but you get to pick whatever the hell you want to study, we show up to work in flip flops and shorts, and you get paid to play in the ocean.

[Arella]

Good luck and welcome to the field, :) we don't make much money, we spend forever getting degrees, but you get to pick whatever the hell you want to study, we show up to work in flip flops and shorts, and you get paid to play in the ocean.

I've been trying to decide between that and premed can I ask you what you do as a marine biologist?

[Coradion]

My program is actually harder than our bio program, a lot of people go marine bio here with the end goal of med school.

I work at Waikiki Aquarium and study larval fish rearing and biology as well as general fish rearing with a focus in fish disease and medicine. Right now I'm raising damselfishes, jacks, and a couple kinds of seahorses. I've also done work with NOAA and JIMAR as a lab assistant, I dissected out otoliths from C. argus and then processed them for age and growth data.