This week in the Outer Banks was absolutely filled with activity! From our tightly packed schedules filled with internships, field trips, and the stress of spring semester class registration, to the upcoming Halloween weekend (dubbed ‘Halloweekend’ for our fellow Tar Heels), our enthusiasm and anticipation knew no bounds. Monday and Wednesday were occupied by my internship with CSI’s Outreach Department. With the help of my mentor, I am gaining so much experience with writing, reporting, and photojournalism. I’ve had the pleasure of documenting the internships that my classmates are engaged in and gaining insights into their experiences. I also have had the chance to further develop my photography skills, which I have not had a chance to do prior to my internship. Still, it has been something that I have been passionate about for a long time, so I am glad that I get to apply these skills through this position. On Tuesday, our typical Coastal Law and Policy course was replaced with a guest lecturer who gave us a lot of useful information on permitting and energy law. From these guest lectures, I learned a lot about the complexities of permitting and the legal requirements and regulations that need to be considered within natural resource management. What made our week especially eventful was a visit from the UNC Institute for the Environment’s Board of Visitors, who joined our class for a kayak trip to Alligator River. It was a great opportunity to learn about the different professionals involved with the Institute for the Environment, as well as build connections with them. I will admit, I was a bit nervous before we began – I am no professional at kayaking and am not too familiar with networking. However, once we were all in our kayaks on the river it was all smooth sailing (no pun intended). That evening, we attended a dinner hosted by the UNC Institute for the Environment at Basnight’s Lond Cedar Cafe. This gave us more of a chance to build connections with professionals in our fields of interest, setting the stage for promising post-graduation prospects. Our week ended with a lunch also hosted by the UNC Institute for the Environment, where we were given the opportunity to hear about sustainable energy initiatives and continue to network with members of the Board of Visitors. All in all, this eventful week has left me with new-found experiences that I am sure will stay with me for a long time, and I can’t wait for what else is in store with the time we have left in the Outer Banks. Happy Halloween!