Introducing Bow Seat TikTok Intern Cara Fritz

Hello! My name is Cara Fritz (she/her), and I am joining the Bow Seat team as a TikTok Intern!

My love for the ocean, and water in its many forms, has existed for as long as I can remember. Growing up outside of Boston, I spent time at the beach, where I learned to swim, respect, and explore the ocean.

I am currently attending Middlebury College in the beautiful state of Vermont, where I plan to major in Environmental Studies and minor in Creative Writing. Learning more about the environment from an educational and scientific perspective fortified my passion for all things oceanic and my concern about how anthropogenic actions harm our most coveted ecosystems.

Water touches my life beyond my passion for protecting it. I swim for Middlebury’s varsity team, and the years of training in pools, ponds, and the ocean have given me lots of time to steep in the wisdom of water. I swim primarily long-distance races, and the hours of practice and laps back-and-forth let me observe the poetry of the water. Water is laced with dichotomy and rhythm, perhaps why it is such a successful subject of so many Bow Seat Contest entries.

When I’m not swimming laps myself, I work as a swim instructor; I love getting to be a part of little ones’ first experiences with the water. I also tutor at the Writing Center at school, which taps into my love of the written word and for collaborative creative processes. Beyond that, I can often be found gardening, collaging, or working for Middlebury’s Consulting Group.

I believe that engaging with the environment through art and writing offers deeper and more refined perspectives into the world around us and breaks through preconceived notions about what it means to be an environmentalist or what the “wilderness” that we strive to protect actually consists of. My fascination with the power of language to evoke meaning has also fueled my passion for drafting poems and short stories whenever possible.

Cara by the Westport River in Massachusetts

 
In 2017, I participated in Bow Seat’s Ocean Awareness Contest, receiving the Gold Award for my prose, and the process of creating my piece was transformative. It pushed me to study the ocean and its inhabitants in a way I never had before and provided a structure for me to hone my writing skills. It took me into a space where I could truly delve into ocean advocacy. Bow Seat holds a special place in my heart for all that it created for me by cultivating such an engaging community for young environmental activists, writers, artists, and ocean lovers.

I’m ecstatic to be a part of the Bow Seat team and hope to see you on TikTok!