My name is Christian Bladon, currently a freshman at Colorado College with fairly limited experience in the field of physics, and even less in astronomy. For the most part, my experiences involving the stars mainly revolve around laying on the beaches of Rhode Island after 12 AM and watching the milky way. Other than that, I can vaguely recognize and distinguish certain constellations. However, any knowledge of how these constellations and celestial bodies work is completely foreign to me as of right now.
On a more personal note, I was born in Wayland, Massachusetts, where my family still lives today. 
While growing up, I was never much into doing nature related activities such as hiking or climbing. However, after spending a 10 day period camping and hiking in the woods of New Hampshire my senior year of high school, and rock climbing with a group of friends everyday for about three months, that changed. It may have taken longer for my love of the natural world to take hold, but being outside has always been something I’ve loved. It just took some extra time before I realized how walking through the woods or up a mountain can be just as calming and fun and sitting on the grass in a large field with some friends.
Since around the age of 14, or whenever my first freshman year ended, I’ve lived away from this home. The reason is that after freshman year of High school, I transferred over to a boarding school in New Hampshire called Holderness. I switched primarily for the schools strong snowboarding program. I entertained a dream of becoming a professional snowboard racer for the first two years there, until I heard of special program that allowed travel for high school students while still giving credits.Through this program, I spent my junior year living in Spain with a host family, going to class, and learning how to speak spanish somewhat fluently. I finished senior year at Holderness.
From the class itself, I hope to attain a higher understanding of the physics of the universe, and a better idea of what I actually believe about alien life and it’s influence on human culture. The pervasiveness of extraterrestrial life in pop culture blurs the lines between what is actually feasible, and what is absolutely impossible. Hopefully this class will help me better sift through the blatantly fictional, and appreciate the truly possible in works of literature and other forms of media. Besides that, I remember taking a physics class in high school that kept me interested throughout most of the units taught. I hope to gain an understanding of a higher level of physics, on a grander scale than simple projectile motion.
What really draws me to the class is the study of the celestial bodies and planets on a much grander scale, in relation to a planets potential for new life. The physics behind a planets ability to house life seems radically different than the smaller things that actually take place on a planet. I look forward to understanding some of the math involved with a planet’s function, and how it affects the potential for life.
