So I want to be a Marine Biologist

[KimG.]

Yes, I know "This is the Physics Forum KimG" BUT, this is science related so I figure it counts.

I'm sitting here right now at 10:27 p.m. STILL trying to figure out my Physics homework (Which by the way if half of the reason I joined this Forum in the first place) and thinking to myself...hm...I want to become a Marine Biologist, meanwhile I suck at every other type of Science except (somewhat) Biology. So should I really go through with it?

Through my entire academic career I have thought I could never possibly in any universe--except maybe the one parallel to this one, in which case I would have to be the opposite of myself and not exactly myself--become any kind of scientist. I've always considered myself to be "intelligent", in the way that babies are intelligent because they can eventually pick up the language into which they were born and understand the things that are being said to them, but I've never considered myself to be "smart" in the way that one just knows things because to them it's second nature, or just plain old logic; people like Einstein, or Newton, you know? Biology is somewhat second nature to me, but not quite, I still have to spend 3 hours with a subject that another student might only need 1 hour with. Whilst Physics & Chemistry are more gibberish than anything. However at this point in myself, by some mishap of events, I want to be a Marine Biologist. Now, I'm a very persistent person, so I will keep at it, until I eventually get where I want to be, but I'm also very impatient and easily frustrated. I know, my life is a constant tug-a-war with the side of me that wants to have someone just babble the information back to me, and the side of me that wants to study until my brain can work out problems from memory in my sleep.

So to all of you, who are probably in a much better academic position than I am at this point, I ask, is it worth it? Should I become a Marine Biologist?

P.S. I'm a senior in High School.

 

[linda300]

Hi,

Are you asking in terms of what will get you a better job / a job?

I have a handful of friends who have just finished a degree in marine biology, one continued to do masters in biochemistry, one is now a florist and the others are working part time as waiters / bartenders because they had trouble finding jobs in the field (this is in Australia).

If you are truly interested in marine biology you can always minor in it, or take a few classes in it just to get it out of your system.

You're not enrolled in a BSci yet so have you looked at any other options? Like programming, engineering or everything outside of science completely?

If your looking to go to university just to get a pretty straight forward, decent job, I'd pick chemistry, in particular analytical chemistry.

 

[KimG.]

Yes,

I figured that spending my life as a Marine Biologist period would be a pretty unrealistic thing to do--considering everything from the economy to availability in the job market and competition-- so I have a few other select fields of sciences I want to study, a lot of it having to do with Environmental Science and Genetics. Do you think it would help to look into computer programming? My main goal is Science, so I don't want to steer clear of it while I pursue my bachelor's or even possibly a master's.

 

[linda300]

Oh okay,

I just gave programming as an example of something outside of the more pure sciences.

I'm not really sure where environmental science can take you, I know a bunch of people who are doing it / have finished now but are still looking around for work. One person in particular just finished an honours degree and did a lot of self-funded traveling afterwards doing research at different institutes/labs.

Maybe you might want to look into microbiology or biochemistry, those kinds of degrees will involve genetics type classes and are good for getting jobs in industry. Though, you will essentially be doing analytical chemistry.

As far as actually studying this stuff goes, I've never taken a microbiology or biochemistry course, I've just seen the content. The difference between these subjects and more pure chemistry or analytical chemistry is that you will essentially be asked to memorise a bunch of concepts. Of course you will have to understand them, but at the end of the day I found most biology/biochem/microbio students were just memorising lecture slides. Also, these subjects involve very little mathematics and equations, does that bother you?

If you are looking for at least some mathematics pure chemistry or analytical chemistry is the way to go.

Depending on the university you attend you can always mix everything together and pick whatever classes you especially want to do, a chemistry major may encompass biochemistry and some biology units - depending on the university.