By Faith Michael
One of the greatest opportunities college offers is the ability to take a class that allows the student to expand their horizons about the world. Called an adventurous spirit, I love exploring the world in ways that most people are unable to. For that reason, when SMU offered a beginning scuba diving course, I signed up for it immediately. For several weeks, my class, consisting of sixteen students, learned the fundamentals of scuba diving by literally getting our feet wet in the diving pool on campus. I met students from a wide variety of majors who had a passion to experience nature in the same way I did and we became more than a class, we became a mini-family. After hours of in-class lectures, diving exercises, learning different skills, and finally completing the online exam, I was awarded with my scuba diving certification card and college credit. In my opinion, it was a classic win-win situation for a college student.
As a biology and chemistry major, I have taken classes where we learn about the world and the various organisms that live in it, but taking this scuba diving course allowed me to jump straight into their environment and experience nature in its own habitat, something I wouldn’t have been able to do before. During the summer, I continued diving at a scuba park an hour from SMU and found a hobby where I could join academics and my passion together. I believe that this is one of the greatest gifts SMU provides for its students-the opportunity to take the lessons from the classroom and see their applications in the real world. I, for one, am very grateful for this present that I know will last me a lifetime!