You're so excited to gain the hands on experience you've always wanted. Leaving the life you've always known to learn about information that you have no idea about. It may be a struggle at first, but once you find your forever friends, and the slight feeling that you belong, the journey is well worth it.
Starting your journey.
When you finally leave home, excited for college. Starting with the thought of majoring in pre-veterinary medicine.
Learning that pre-vet isn't a major.
Leading me to majoring in Animal Science.
How I felt when I first started classes.
Making a friend that knows livestock.
Luckily, I was paired up with a roommate who grew up on a beef farm.
The best part is that we actually got along after a couple of adventures together. By adventures, I mean, going to DSI for the T-shirts and going to our first college party together.
When people find out you didn't grow up with livestock.
In the beginning, kids will ask you what you show or what you have on your farm. The confusion usually happens early on when you're at a party surrounded by ag kids.
Getting accepted.
But after you continuously get invited to parties and make friends, they start to accept you.
It's not always about what you know, sometimes it's about who you know.
Explaining to others how you got into Animal Science.
"What do your parents do?" "Oh, nothing with agriculture? Well, how'd you pick animal science as a major?" "If you don't want to be a veterinarian anymore, are you switching your major?"
Classes.
To start. You’ll learn that you need to study to learn things, while all of your friends already know all of this information.
All these kids grew up with some of this information while you stand there watching and listening, taking notes because you’ve never learned any of this.
Asking Questions.
Half the time you never want to ask questions, because you don't know how to word them without sounding like a complete idiot.
Getting hands on experience is pretty exciting.
You get the chance to jump in and get your hands dirty when you're used to being inside all day getting lectured.
Half of the time you’ll start to question why you’re in this major with no knowledge when you start out.
Feeling crazy for thinking you can figure the whole industry out in a minimum of four years.
"Non-ag backgrounds would be a great fit because you can help reach a wider audience, and you know what consumers do or don’t understand."
This may be true... but it is so difficult trying to squeeze your way into an industry.
Wanting to give up.
Trying to find production internships with little to no experience can be frustrating because there’s almost always someone better with more experience.
Knowing you can't give up.
Half of it because you start to like the people/major. The other half is because it's too late to switch.
Finding your place in Animal Science may be difficult and frustrating.
Majoring in animal science is one of the best majors. No matter what your background is.
You're learning information on how to feed the world, efficiency, and you get to work with animals in the process. What could be more fulfilling than that?
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