Biology major

[Kitra]

Hello.

 

I have spent two years at a public university in a biology program. At first I was BS, then changed to BA. Now, I don't know what I want to do anymore. I feel disillusioned with biology and the sciences now. I have decided to take a year off before returning to university next year to complete my bachelors (maybe in another field).

 

This year I am taking some community college courses before I return next fall. I was thinking that maybe I should change my major or try for another career? Everytime I try to get advice, people come up with this weird mystical mumbo-jumbo (do what you want to do, never give up, is money the only thing to consider in life, etc.). I thought I loved the sciences (especially biology), I really did, but I am feeling so washed up. I totally hated going to any of my biology and chemistry classes. I wasn't learning anything in biology that I couldn't have just gone to the library and learned on my own. I kept getting bad grades and chemistry and math. I hated my old chem teacher, he would always give me this "you know you shouldn't be here dummy" look. My new chem teacher says that by now, I should be envisioning how the reactions and elements react in my mind. I don't see any of that when taking a test. I just see useless scribbles on a piece of paper. I could care less about if reaction is in equilibrium or not, and why. Now, I am beginning to think that maybe the sciences just aren't my calling. I can't think of any career that I would enjoy doing with a science degree. I hate teaching, and I don't know if I would enjoy being in a lab for the rest of my life. I don't know how I would advance in my career if I stuck with biology.

 

I feel like I am the epitome of dumb. I wanted a rigorous, intellectual career that I could use to help people, (dentistry, medicine, science) and I definitely can't do engineering now since I wasted my first two years...and I fear that if I change majors (to a 'dummy' or a useless major) that I will never be happy in life career and/or financial wise.

 

Advice would be appreciated....should I stick with what I am doing?

[Mr Skeptic]

Advice would be appreciated....should I stick with what I am doing?

 

Absolutely not. You should either switch to something you care to learn, start caring to learn about bio and chem, or find out why you are pursuing a formal education in the first place if you can't handle one.

 

Now, you say you are not learning anything in bio you couldn't learn in a library. There's nothing stopping you from quitting college and learning on your own, unless you need people to know that you have officially got a college level education.

 

But what about your bad grades? There's a reason that you need to take chemistry and math courses with bio. Without math, you can't do stuff like statistical analysis nor various models. Without chemistry, you won't understand the stuff that goes on inside the cells we are all made of. What exactly do you want to end up doing in biology? I suppose you could be a taxidermist without any maths nor chem.

 

---

 

Oh, and you should talk to your adviser at the college. I think he'll talk to you even if you aren't enrolled.

[Phi for All]

This year I am taking some community college courses before I return next fall.

This will help you if you take some courses that sound interesting to you. It will either show you a new path or shed more light on an old one.

 

I was thinking that maybe I should change my major or try for another career?

A statement with a question mark may mean you're not so sure about quitting science.

 

Everytime I try to get advice, people come up with this weird mystical mumbo-jumbo (do what you want to do, never give up, is money the only thing to consider in life, etc.).

It's not mystical. Not giving up guarantees that you will know for sure whether your plan was a good one or not. It doesn't, however, guarantee a specific result.

 

Perhaps what you really want to do is not something you have to do for a living. Maybe you could earn a living doing something you *like*, and do what you *love* in your spare time.

 

I thought I loved the sciences (especially biology), I really did, but I am feeling so washed up. I totally hated going to any of my biology and chemistry classes. I wasn't learning anything in biology that I couldn't have just gone to the library and learned on my own. I kept getting bad grades and chemistry and math. I hated my old chem teacher, he would always give me this "you know you shouldn't be here dummy" look. My new chem teacher says that by now, I should be envisioning how the reactions and elements react in my mind. I don't see any of that when taking a test. I just see useless scribbles on a piece of paper. I could care less about if reaction is in equilibrium or not, and why.

Perhaps you aren't connecting with the teachers. I had to drop a calculus class once because the teacher just didn't click with me. I took the same class the next semester with a different teacher and got a B.

 

Now, I am beginning to think that maybe the sciences just aren't my calling. I can't think of any career that I would enjoy doing with a science degree. I hate teaching, and I don't know if I would enjoy being in a lab for the rest of my life. I don't know how I would advance in my career if I stuck with biology.

There are private business enterprises that need science-minded types.

 

I feel like I am the epitome of dumb.

That's the chocolate talking. Give yourself some credit, you were smart enough to come up with your original plan, you were smart enough to question what you want to do with your life, and you're smart enough to figure this out.

 

I wanted a rigorous, intellectual career that I could use to help people, (dentistry, medicine, science) and I definitely can't do engineering now since I wasted my first two years...and I fear that if I change majors (to a 'dummy' or a useless major) that I will never be happy in life career and/or financial wise.

Engineering shouldn't definitely be off the list, and none of your learning was wasted if it helps you decide what you want and don't want to do. Environmental engineering is hot these day, and may take advantage of some of your bio studies as well.

 

Advice would be appreciated....should I stick with what I am doing?

I wouldn't stick with *exactly* what you're doing without changing some of the things that are making you unhappy. That would be crazy.

 

You'll figure this out, I'm confident you will.

[Genecks]

Modern educational institutions are becoming more business-like.

Those who love biology are competing with those who love money.

Do your best to stay ahead of the capitalists.

If you're doing it, it's more than likely because you're good at it.

You just need to enact upon your natural abilities.

 

Another option would be work and do self-study.

I suggest you join the military reserves (if they exist) and do self-study (figure out what books various classes are using).

You'll be able to pick up some cash, study, and take time off.

Joining the military isn't for everyone, but it provides an option.

 

I think that you've simply grown up, realized the illusion of academia, and are now annoyed with its structure.

That's ok. Part of maturing the mind means being able to differentiate between what is natural and artificial.

I'm sure most of us see this going through high school, but then there is a whole new level to it in post-secondary education.

The thing that might conflict with the views of contemporary youth is that we have more access to technology and education.

This could create a bias within the self that says, "What good is this thing called school?"

I believe this is a contemporary issue and people are attempting to deal with it.

Some schools are putting more emphasis on lab work and lab time, which shows a move toward application of learned material.

 

Push through.

 

 

By the way, you might like these:

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_(illusion)

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_role

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Looking_glass_self

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_psychology

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_theory_(education)

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophism

Edited November 30, 2009 by Genecks