This has been bugging me a lot lately, and I really just kind of need a place to "vent" about it. Well, all my life I have been pretty interested in science.In 7th grade I was a big hypochondriac and ironically developed a huge interest in diseases and everything associated with them. I found myself constantly watching National Geographic and the Science Channel, mainly the shows regarding the biological sciences and some things on astronomy. In tenth grade I took biology and got high 90's, got an 83 on the state exam which pretty much sucked. Found it to be a very interesting subject. Got my first aquarium that same year, been through three and now I have a 72 gallon. I love marine life, and now that is my main interest in the world of biology. So, with all of this and having college approaching, I thought,"Damn, the only thing I am really interested in is biology, I guess I should major in it" I took AP Biology this year (senior in high school). It is much more difficult than I had expected it to be, and it is really upsetting me. I receive grades in the mid 80's, while some kids who don't even care about biology are getting high 90's. It's discouraging, because I really don't think my brain is capable of thinking "like a scientist". I have always been sort of an art kid...maybe I am not good at studying or just really can't grasp the underlying concepts. I feel like I am fooling myself by going into college being a bio major, but really I am barely interested in anything else. I love all of this stuff, I just don't think the brains are there. Hard work and determination lead to the achievement of your dreams, but do you think some people just aren't cut out for certain things? Seriously, if I told my AP Bio teacher that I was majoring in it he'd probably laugh at me. When going into college as a major, are you expected to be like an expert on the subject or what? Anyone ever in the same boat?
Sorry if this is a dumb question...you can laugh if you want, but that really is the best way I can put my feelings into words.Biology Majors/Biologists?
I love your question because I can sooooo relate. Let me just preface by saying, in High School, I was a COMPLETE "art kid". I FAILED our Introductory Chem/Physics class required for our school, got a D in math every single year, and excelled in English and art classes. Anyone who knew me could tell you I was NOT scientifically minded at all, was naturally incapable of all scientific thinking, and was talented with words and language-related subjects, or artistic thinking. In college, it seemed obvious I would be majoring in English or Journalism, and maybe becoming a teacher.
Then I got to college, and long story short, started to seriously fall in love with biology, and all science really. Though I've always been "science handicapped", my whole life and as a kid and everything I've always really loved Biology things as hobbies--for example, among my "phases" have been frogs, sharks, planets, being a vet, animals, insects, and on and on. In college, I felt really heartbroken that my science handicap was actually holding me back from my "calling". I realized if I could choose anything to be good at, and to make my career, it would be Bio. So despite the absolute COMPLETE failure that I would be assured if I tried to do this, I did a crazy thing and changed my major to Biology. I had to take all the chem, all the math, learn all the science--basically do everything I literally just knew I was not capable of.
My story is a total success -- I work hard, and have encountered a ton of struggles in classes and with things that came way easier to others than to me, but I'm a good student, and I consider myself as excelling in my major. It's hard, but the motivation makes the hard work worthwhile. I see other people gliding through their majors, because it comes easy to them, and honestly I enjoy doing something in my life that is difficult, but worthwhile. I can't stress to you enough how much you should do what you really really really enjoy doing, and how you should NOT calculate what you THINK you're capable of learning. I can assure you, the motivation and the love of the subject will guarantee you success, and even better, fulfillment in your life and in your job. You'll look back and see that you worked hard and struggled, and came away with something that was really valuable to you, rather than just choosing the easy way out. Your question totally strikes a chord with me! Anyway, I'll stop rambling and leave you with my favorite Einstein quote, hopefully to inspire you:
"One should not pursue goals that are easily achieved. One must develop an instinct for what one can barely achieve through one's greatest efforts."
I just graduated with a degree in molecular biology and I had two roommates who graduated with biology degrees; one was environmental and one was marine biology. What I know is completely different from what they know and yet, it is all considered biology. High school biology classes are very broad and cover just a little bit of every aspect of biology. Once you get past the core classes in college and start taking classes specific to your interests within biology, you will be glad you are a bio major and you will realize that no one is an expert on the subject.
I have my degree and I STILL feel like there is so much more that I should learn about it.Biology Majors/Biologists?
I'm a biology major and I'm almost finished my undergraduate degree. Biology is a really REAAAALLYYY big field. Trust me when I say this (as someone who didn't have amazing grades in biology in highschool), that if this is what you want to do you should go for it. Highschool biology is really different from what you get in college. If you're truly interested in something you can do really well. What's important is experience. If you do volunteer work in labs, keep your grades up, try hands on stuff, then you'll really get the most out of your education. It's not just lectures! I say go for it. What's the point of doing something you hate for the rest of your life!Biology Majors/Biologists?
I understand your dilema....i was in a similar situation at school, although it sounds like you are achieving better at school than I did.
In my last year of school ( live in New Zealand so different systems but you get the idea) I did not achieve well but conscientious worker...as I had failed maths and english the previous year i was repeating them as well as picking up chem..I was only doing biology and history at the higher level and that was all I could chose from when I went to uni ( and my biology teacher told my mother university was not for me as my grades were not good eg C/D level ( we had ABCDE with C is averge)...anyway I chose biology ( although history was my interest) at university and found that it was a broad subject...it starts off broad eg animal, plant, cell, ecology and then each year becomes more specialised eg biochemistry, genetics, biotechnology, aquatic ecology, terrrestrial ecology, plant diversity, insect, marine etc etc
Then it becomes even more specialised...i enjoyed some areas more than others...i like microbiology more but did not achieve as well as i wanted and did better at other subjects that i only liked....tis the way of life.
In the end I did a double major in plant and microbial sciences as well as another major in zoology just for fun! I am still a generalist in whhat i like ( and I even did a couple of history papers at uni to make up for my complete failure of chem 101! which I enjoyed)....have a go and you may find that you discover another new world...another area thats wonderful or even a way to enjoy a bit of art and biology..you can combine them if you find the right subject and there are enough of them!
Have a look at different universities and see what kinds of biology there are...ps I also went on to do my masters degree as well, so my biology teacher was waaaayyyy wrong. I did so much better academically at university than school!
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