My most recent UBC drama: specializations!  I remember always hearing how your first year is to experiment, people can change their minds.  But that logic doesn’t really follow through at UBC, atleast Science from what I’ve experienced.  If you make a mistake, or change your mind then credits are wasted that you paid for, and then you have to make up classes for your new intended major.  What this translates to is make sure you know what you want and stick with it, or pay!  Literally you’d be paying for the new courses, and you’d be losing money for the unneeded courses.  But I guess it’s a means to end right?  It’s an investment in your future.  This leads me to the specialization applications

Specialization applications are right around the corner, and right when I think I’ve chosen one, I research more into the specialization and change my mind.  I worry about my average because though MicroBio was 82 last year I believe, my guess is that it will be higher this year.  So I don’t know what my chances are.  Microbio is pretty much what I decided on since last year, when I got admission lol.  But I had second thoughts based off Bio 112.  The course was good, but the last part on microbes was so boring that I literally tried to do the reading for a week and failed.  Ended up doing it the day of my final…hehe.  It was just so boring, Bio 112 is usually interesting but something about microbes does not interest me, and it’s focused on in “Microb”iology I hear (correct me if I’m wrong)…so I realized that Physiology was a better fit for me.  I took Physiology in Grade 12 and it was my favorite course and best grade, and something about physiology makes you feel like your learning something very relevant to the human body.  I looked into it, but it only admits 3rd year and its only available as Honors, which is fine since I intend to do honors anyway.  But its so competitive, and theres limited seats.  Also what would I do during the 2nd year if it only admits in 3rd?  General science, and limit my options in terms of other specializations?  This is where it gets complicated.  I thought biochemistry (*cough*90%chemistry*cough*) would be a good choice, cause its what i majored in at UCLA (you get into your major when you apply from high school *sighhh*) but then i saw that chem 233 wasn’t required, but instead chem 203/213 which is indeed the harder version!  I took a look at some chem 233 midterms and they looked doable, chem 203 on the other hand just looked like a hassle!  Chem students and Intended Physio students also have to take chem 211, analytical chem which is just *groann* Just by loooking at the syllabus, and notes I can tell its one of those courses you just want to get over with (eg. Bio140) So imagine doing Biochem going through all that, and then applying into honors physio 3rd year just to have most of those credits turned into at most electives?  This is where those sayings like “you dont need to know what your doing the first couple years, you have time”  become invalid.  I’ve heard of those spending their 7th year at UBC because they switched specializations, I cant have that happen to me.  And I really really dont want to do Chem 203/213/211.  I’d much rather do Chem 233/205/211 and call it a day, especially Chem 205 which is physical chem.    If there are older wiser 2nd+ year students out there who know how to deal with this, please do share.

I also considered doing Biology, but the amount of Biology courses scared me away.  Thing I like about chem/math courses is that you just do problems, as much as possible, not a lot of memorization is needed.  Biology on the other hand can become that way, and countless Bio courses just makes me cringe.  And after looking at the Biology page on the calendar I saw cell and developmental biology which looked really interesting.  It’s only honors and only 3rd year.  Great.  So now I wonder if I should do Biology 1st year and then take the extra chem 211 because thats required in physio not biology, and then apply to physio and cell&developmental. Wheeww.  I feel like I’m making this more complicated than it has to be, but its because I don’t want to make a huge mistake that sets me back.  And also because I want a specialization that I am interested in, not just one that I can get into.

So as of now my possible plans

these would be scenarios of 2nd year leading into 3rd year

Biology —> Either Physio or Cell& Developmental    [worst case I’m stuck in Biology]

Microbiology?    [too competitive this year, everyone and their moms seem to be applying]

General Science –> Physio or Microbio

Cant wait to talk to the counselor!