Return of the Cate

I started this blog in January 2018 after a module on extreme marine habitats. As part of this module, we were tasked with writing 3 articles on something extreme and marine, whether it be a species, a habitat or something a little more out of the box. My 3 articles were a bit of a variety, from the plastic ocean (which in my opinion is a very extreme marine habitat) to firefly squid (which now features on this blog), and the threats to coral reefs. My friends wrote about an assortment of things, and I found it to be such a valuable way of learning about things I wouldn’t necessarily get the opportunity to.

Sadly, the blog doesn’t exist anymore but the inspiration to start my own blog still prevailed and so, The Tiny Conservationist was born.

For my first few months, I absolutely loved writing about the things I found interesting and wanted to share with the world. My graduate’s advice post was by far my proudest achievement, with over 1000 views in one day. I saw this as a little space on the internet to write about what I love or find fascinating. I’ve always loved writing and telling stories, I actually almost did journalism instead of marine biology, but figured with a science degree, one day I might be able to write about my own research for someone amazing like Nat Geo (or at least that’s the dream).

Along the way I’ve massively forgotten why I started this blog, it started to become more of a chore than something I loved. An unnecessary pressure fuelled by self-doubt. I wrote because I felt I had to, not because I wanted to. I can’t even begin to explain how many half-written drafts I have on my laptop, how many exciting ideas I’ve had over what I’d love to write about. Part way through my masters, I hit a new level of imposter syndrome. We’d done a module where we had to write a science article and mine hadn’t gained the feedback I’d hoped, and the self-doubt hit hard- I felt like everything I wrote was utter tripe and people would think I was an idiot.

Life’s a little different now, Caitlin 5 years ago didn’t expect that future Cait would be working 2 jobs or the struggle she’d find herself in graduating just before covid. Prior to finishing my masters, I’d envisioned going travelling to Australia and New Zealand, coming back to the UK and starting a marine ecology based job. Reality hits differently, covid had other plans and I’m now working in aquaculture, an industry never really considered. Although I’d like to return to research and something more marine ecology based, I’m at least doing something degree related, which is better than nothing!

I guess this is just another rambling piece of me trying to say I’m back, I hope. Ironically the second post of a similar vain. I probably won’t be able to write as frequently as I’d like, but I’d like to start doing what I enjoy again. I want to inform people on our amazing planet and write about how cool it is. I might not be the best at science communication, but I can at least try to do my part for our wonderful blue planet.

Until next time,

Cate x