Hello!

Megan Ashley Keating, that's my name don't wear it out. I grew up with a handful of other Megans and Ashleys (a popular early 1990s name), and I never felt particularly close to my dad's side of the family, so... I did not like my name growing up. It wasn't until I began college that I claimed my name as my own. Funny how perspectives can shift so abruptly. 

    I grew up in a semi-large family that owned a small family business. We sold flowers for a living - I am a glorified flower child 😆. A few things in my childhood led me to grow up in the thick of flowers. Moreover, this means I breathed, ate, and worked with family - a 24/7 loop. Overall, family matters. I was ambitious to take over the flower shop, yet my ailing grandmother strongly suggested I go to college for something else. I don't know why she pushed me away from the business, but I was told (and knew from her fantastic work ethic and management of numbers) that my grandmother should have gone to college specifically for maths. Honestly, without her, I most likely wouldn't be where I am today. 

    Thus, I decided to get out of dodge and moved 32 hours and 2,157.2 miles away. I attended a peculiar and unconventional college called The Evergreen State College. There I would earn my Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies. My time there included a semester off, one open-heart surgery, my grandmother's passing, a horrible breakup, a broken elbow, a super senior year, and a miscarriage. My undergraduate experience also included my blood, sweat, and tears (positively). I learned the act of dedication which consists of a commitment to lifelong friendships. 

    After I graduated from undergrad, I earned the title of badass. I applied for a postgraduate program in Australia and was accepted (they would take anyone who could pay 😳), then proceeded to walk three jobs throughout my gap year. I moved to Queensland, Australia, in the summer of 2019, and by 2021 I had earned my Master of Science Professional in Marine Biology. I traveled there not knowing a single soul. While attending James Cook University, I learned two important things about myself and the reality of life. First, whether I know the topic/skill or not, I can understand that topic/skill. I may become frustrated and cry, but I can use the internet or find someone to help me. I am not an idiot (though I still occasionally feel like one). Second, the postgraduate program I attended had two options: finish your degree with a minor research project or an internship. By this time, my last semester, I knew academic life wasn't my cup of tea. I chose the internship and ended up at a sea turtle research center. I became one of the leading volunteer leaders, the source of fixing water tank problems, and I roped myself in aiding another student with her research project. I was full-time projecting (building and maintaining labs). During this internship (all the drama within the research center 😩 and other bullshit), I learned I can do amazing shit. That I am a total badass - kickass and take names. I can handle stress, ridiculous people, and problems and cry if I want to. Most of all, I figured out that I could have career options. 

    I now live in Florida, still considering my career and life options while working as a high school biology teacher.