Finding Passion in Science: A High School Student's Journey

[rvanausd]

Hello,
this entire site is completely new to me, but I can tell that it is currently giving me both hope and intimidation. This might seem like a long rant or a common concern among young hopeful high school students, but please don't stop reading - I've been looking around and not only do many of you have such diverse areas of expertise but you also seem to have the know-how on how to fallow your passions.

I'm currently a senior in high school with an interest in biology. Recently, I've been concerned that I don't have the qualifications to be a major in this subject. Perhaps I'm just nervous about college, or maybe I'm just paranoid and afraid of failure, but I've seen the recognition my peers have been getting and the way they can act care-free and still get good grades. I'm not saying I'm a bad student - I've maintained a 3.9 GPA. It's just that it was not until the middle of my first semester of this school year that I figured out what it was I wanted to do. My question is: is passion really the key to getting this degree?.

I've taken hard classes, I think. I discovered I actually like AP Calculus (actually, I didn't really like the AP test part...bluh), as a matter of fact. I'm in a college level English class. I've taken two years of biology, one year of chemistry, and animal and AP environmental science. I'm also a part of the school newspaper and have taken an art class each year. But throughout high school, and I realize this now, I never knew what I wanted to do after high school. I knew I wanted to go to college - but I hated it when people asked me what I wanted to study. I had no idea. But now that I know, I feel as though I've wasted valuable time - I could have taken anatomy, physics, or plant science (I was so close to taking physics). I've always been strong in biology, simply because I love the subject. I've always loved to study animals especially, even as a kid. Even in my spare time I tend to study my Env. sci. subjects. And at one point I wanted to be a meterologist.

I've always be a dedicated worker and, when I do research for a subject, I do research. I get as much information as I can and I tend to enjoy it - unless it's late at night and I have the paper due within the next couple of days, but lately I've been feeling, well, depressed. I've been letting regrets get the best of me and it's becoming harder to do my work (senioritis) probably because I'm getting tired of certain classes. I just feel so angry at myself for not taking certain classes that I now know I would have loved (I haven't even gotten to dissect a frog damnit). But sometimes I feel like I'm not ready for college biology, that my interest is not going to be enough.

Could I please, for the love of my sanity, have some advice or encouragement or admonishments? Could someone share some of their experiences about choosing a major/career? Please?

 

[R.Mesri]

Thank you in advance.My advice to you is to focus on the passion that you have for biology and use it to drive you forward. Your hard work and dedication is not going unnoticed, and that's great. You may not have taken all the classes you wanted to take, but that doesn't mean that you can't pursue a degree in the field. There are many resources available to you to help you learn more about the subject and to get ready for college. You should look into taking courses at your local community college or online to supplement what you've already learned. Additionally, there are numerous clubs and organizations that you can join to meet other students who are also interested in biology and to get some hands-on experience. Finally, talking to people who are already in the field can be a great way to gain insight and to get motivated. All in all, don't let your regrets prevent you from achieving your goals. Focus on the present and the future, and use your passion and hard work to make it happen!