Natalia Elgidely

My name is Natalia Elgidely. I am a full-time student at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. Currently, I am studying Hospitality and Food Industry Management. Before relocating to Athens, I lived and grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Back in Fort Lauderdale, my house is a five minute walk from the beach. Naturally, this made me an ocean fanatic.

Growing up, my life was pretty much centered around the ocean: my first birthday was beach themed, everytime I hungout with my friends it was at the beach, and my daily walks were two miles down and back A1A Beachfront Avenue. I always knew I loved the beach. I loved the smell of the salt seeping through the car air conditioning, I loved the sand in my feet, and most of all I loved floating in the ocean. Although, it was not until senior year of high school that my love for the ocean was solidified.

Senior year of high school, I decided to take marine biology because it was an “easy” dual-enrollmenmt science credit as opposed to AP Chemistry. Little did I know, this decision would change my life and give me endless new passions and opportunities.

First, this class made me a strong advocate for the ocean. We all know that single use plastics are infiltrating our oceans and coral reefs are dying off, but only on a surface level. This class taught me the true dangers our oceans face and how we need to address them. I could go on and on for hours about the shark finning industry, zooxanthellae not returning after coral bleaching, and the threats of dredging, but I will spare you the details for now.

Second, this love for the ocean and its creatures gave me my new favorite hobbies: snorkeling and scuba diving. In July, I went on a trip to Belize to snorkel the reefs and explore the jungle. Finally encountering all these animals (sharks, rays, turtles, dolphins, etc.) was life changing and convinced me to get dive certified (that and my love for sharks and the fact that most of them are in deeper waters). This was the best decision of my life. Being under the water at three or more atmospheres of pressure, breathing out of a metal tank, observing sea life is now the place where I find peace and happiness.

After my spiel, you may be wondering why I am not studying marine biology, and honestly I sometimes do too still. Even though I have a burning passion for the ocean, I do not think I would want it to be my profession. I enjoy informing people about the social issues of the ocean and observing all it has to offer, but science is not exactly my forte and I would be happier in different areas. My dream profession is to one day own my own boutique hotel. Who knows, maybe it will end up being a dive resort!