Coming back to college classes this past week has reminded me just how stressful it is to be a science major. I forgot how hard it is to drag myself out of bed early on a Saturday to make sure I get my work done on time, or how boring it can be sometimes to sit through a lecture when you aren’t at all interested by the topic. But being back also reminds me why I love it as much as I do. It reminds me why I push through the stress and late nights. Here are just some of the reasons I love being a science major:
1. Lab
Labs are objectively the best part of being a science major. I love being able to go into the lab and physically work out the concepts learned in lecture. It is so exciting to do hands-on activities in order to reinforce concepts.
2. Research opportunities
One of the coolest things about having a major in a scientific discipline is the opportunities to conduct research. Many professors take their own students to build their research teams. There are so amazing travel, internship, and lab experiences available.
3. It’s difficult
Being a science major, specifically Biology for me, means a lot of tough classes and labs, traumatizing exams, really late nights, and the occasional breakdown. It is these moments of difficulty that have allowed me to become the person I am today. They have forced me to manage my time better and become a stronger person both academically and emotionally.
4. Personal connections
By working in a lab so closely with your fellow students and professors, you for very close personal connections. You have to learn to trust those working with and around you in the lab. You also spend a lot of time with the same people because they are some of the few people who truly understand what you are going through with classes and the workload.
5. So many different directions
Any kind of science major comes with some many different possible directions for graduate school or careers. There are so many paths you can follow, or you can create your own. There are endless fields of science. The future is limitless, and that gives me a little bit of hope while I sit in lecture drinking coffee and trying to keep my eye open, or staying up until 4 a.m. finishing a lab write up, or studying for ridiculously difficult exams for weeks at a time. In the end, it will all be worth it.
As a science major, I have my fair share of difficult days, but it is these days that truly make me appreciate the journey I am taking and the path I am headed down. My future is bright, and I'm looking forward to seven more semesters as a science major.
