Wow! Where has the time gone? It’s hard to believe that my time as a DFP fellow is already coming to an end next week. Ten weeks ago, I found myself embarking on a new journey into the realm of hydrology with tons of excitement and even more uncertainty about how the next couple of months would transpire. And here I am at my computer today, feeling the same, wishing I had just a little more time to learn something new or incorporate some interesting skill I’ve acquired into my project for the internship. Working with the US. Fish & Wildlife Service has increased my accessibility to so many new opportunities in terms of events, careers, networking, and technology. And with every opportunity came more time to adjust, and learn, and assimilate every new thing into my work. I can’t say how many times I had to take a step back and remind myself of the progress I’ve made over the last several weeks, but I know it was A LOT! 

Still, this experience has only left me with the feeling like I have more work to accomplish in water resources conservation. Sure, I’ve met the project requirements set out for me at the beginning of this internship, but I’m left yearning for more time. More time to take that ArcGIS online course. More time to meet those who've been with the Service for years and hear their stories. More time to contribute to conservation efforts that everyone with USFWS is so passionate about.

Though my stint is rapidly coming to an end here and I keep complaining about the short amount of time I had, I’m leaving with my head held high and a new level of confidence in my field of study. Confidence that really speaks to my usual feeling of unease. I know now that it’s okay to be unsure about what exactly it is that I want to do with my career. Almost all of the amazing people I’ve met this summer have a unique story that began as something completely different from where they’ve ended up. All it took was a crash course in government work to show me that I should really trust my water nerd instinct sometimes and just go with the flow, and eventually I will get there! I hope the other interns had as much of an enriching experience as I did. And to those who’re thinking about joining programs similar to the DFP, stop thinking about it and go for it! It’ll be worth it!

Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Program: US Fish & Wildlife Service - DFP

Location: Southwest Regional Office