For the past twenty or so minutes I’ve been sitting in front of my computer, staring at the UBC Science Year 2 Specialization Application (try saying that three times fast), and trying to figure out what three choices I want to put down. The top three B.Sc. degree programs that I would like admission to, the three subjects on which I would like to become an expert over the next three or more years… And quite honestly, I’m completely stumped.
I really love physiology, but my grades are probably not good enough to get in; borderline at best. Biochemistry sounds interesting, but it has more math and physics hoops for me to jump through in second year. Microbiology and immunology sounds awesomely similar to what I’m doing at work right now, which is intriguing. Psychology has always been super interesting to me and I absolutely loved PSYC 101, but I’m not sure how practical it would be. Biology has always been my first love, but it’s just general again until third year when I could enter a more specialized stream. This stress is threatening to make me drop out next year and become a professional Whistler ski bum. There’s just too many options.
And it’s not just science. I have so much interest in other subject areas as well, especially arts. I loved my first year writing courses, even though I was only really taking them to fulfill my Communication requirement. Now that I’m done first year and have more room for electives, I want to learn about world history, finally understand the economy, and revive my long-forgotten high school French (12 years of French immersion wasted…). I want to learn how to save the environment, use Photoshop like a pro and maybe dabble a bit in architecture. It just doesn’t seem like there’s any way I’d be able to fit all of the things I want to learn into one degree, let alone one that lasts four years.
I’m thinking I’ll create a new degree: the B.Ev., also known as the Bachelor of Everything (if you say it out loud, it also sounds like you’re saying “behave” in a German accent). With this degree, you don’t have to choose between physiology and environmental science, organic chemistry and astronomy, or even arts and sciences. No, the Bachelor of Everything allows you to learn whatever tickles your rainboots. Unfortunately, a Bachelor of Everything would require at least 10 years to complete, with double the average courseload every semester…okay, I’m starting to see why this isn’t the most practical idea.
Well, maybe I’ll just sleep on it for now and hope that the UBC Science Fairies will give me a stroke of insight in my dreams. Lovely blog readers, cross your fingers and toes in the hopes that by the end of the week, my degree path will be as clear as the sky on a rare sunny Vancouver day. As for the rest of you soon-to-be second year science students, I hope you’re having an easier time than I am with this–although if you’re not, at least now you know that you’re not alone.
