1. "Are you going to a weatherperson or a storm chaser?"

This is probably the most common question atmospheric science majors get. Many people think being on the local news station or chasing tornadoes is the end all goal for us, but it's not true. There are a ton of jobs out there in our field other than those two.

2. "Storm chasing is too dangerous!"

I can't tell you how many times I've explained to people that I wouldn't be only hundreds of yards from tornadoes, trying to outrun them. I know Twister seems like a VERY realistic movie and all, but this is not how storm chasing works:

3. "You're going to be paid to be wrong. Life must be nice."

It's nice that you think you are a comedian, I've got news, pal. Life isn't nice. If we mess up, we could cause property damage and have to pay for it. We get paid to be accurate, not wrong.

4. "Can you tell me the forecast for this day in [insert year here]?"

Do I look like a historian? Unless something significant happened on that day in terms of weather, I probably won't be able to tell you the wind gust speed on November 20th, 1987.

5. "I took [insert class from major]. Your major seems so easy."

More than likely you took an introductory course. The majority of the time those are specifically conceptual. I get that the professor is cool and the exams are easy, but I'll tell you right now that once you take a gander at the quasi-geostrophic omega equation, you'll be thinking otherwise.

6. "I don't get why you have to take so many math classes.

I'm not even going to give an explanation besides this sheet of "potentially useful" equations.

7. "So do you like, look at clouds?"

As a matter of fact, I do. I most certainly do not use those clouds to make any long term forecasts though. Contrary to popular belief, meteorologists don't just go out and stare at the sky to decide if it's going to snow next week.

8. "Oh, you study outer space! That's so cool!"

Just... No, I don't. This is the reason I frequently tell people I study weather.

9. "Do you know why my granddad's ankle hurts when a storm is brewin'?"

No i have no idea why your grandpappy's ankle hurts. Nor does anyone really. I heard there's ongoing studies about that though if you are truly that curious.

10. "Global warming is a hoax."

This is my favorite. Honestly, I'm glad that we can all have our opinions. I, for one, do not believe my grandma is blind despite all the medical tests that have said she is

....but seriously, I'll just stick to believing all the climatological evidence suggesting it is definitely not a hoax, Barbara.