Well, I guess this is where I should start. With an introduction. Yeah, that'll work. Our assignment is to 'maintain a blog that centers on an area of interest- something that can either be studied in college or pursued as a career'. Well, it is my belief that in this day and age, not many 'careers' are available without college. College seems like the logical first step.

There are a few things that are key when picking a college- What do you want to study? For me, that answer is the interesting field of marine sciences - from oceanography, to marine biology, to studying breeding, feeding, and migratory habits. You know, fishy business. There's something about the ocean that makes me feel human - as if I'm connecting with the seaweed, the plants, the sand, the fish; I become an earthling, and not just a person.

Marine science is great for a major, but I also believe that communication, specifically across language barriers, is vital.

Another two possibilities lie in either computer science or engineering, but I'd rather watch the sunset on the beach at work than look at a blank computer screen.

With that being said, I'd like to look at schools that are likely to have a strong language program - not necessarily as a major, but certainly as a possible minor. The ideal school would also have a great marine studies or biology programs, with the option of computer science in case marine science doesn't work out for me.

In addition to the criteria above, I would like a school that is near the coast, because coastal weather rocks, specifically the West coast. The East coast is too far. I'd like a campus that is preferably not in the middle of a large city, such as our San Jose State University. Large crowds and major traffic is not my forte.

And the final specification is cost- How much will it cost to attend the school, and more importantly, does the school have a transfer program from community/junior colleges such as West Valley College or De Anza College.

Now, to begin the research.

The current, incomplete schools I've got on the list to research is as follows:

California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB)
University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC)
Oregon State University at Corvalis (Go Beavers!) (OSU)
University of Oregon at Eugene (UoO)

And of course, West Valley College as well as De Anza College.

We'll see how this goes.