Growing up, I had a big interest in maps. I would draw maps, look at road atlases, and pore over gas station road maps. I also would spend hours looking at my grandparents’ globe from the 1950’s and a Rand McNally World Atlas. When it came time to go to college, I thought there were only two paths - engineering/science or business. I wasn’t the best at math, so I chose to pursue the business route. It wasn’t until my sophomore year that I realized geography was an option. I remember sitting in an excruciatingly boring economics class and found myself looking at a plastic relief map on the wall and daydreaming. Later that day, I told my mom I had made a big decision- I was going to switch my major to geography. I was met with silence. After a few seconds, she replied “What kind of job are you going to get with that degree?  All you can do is teach!”

They call geography the “the ultimate discovery major”…  I now know why.