As a child, I was already fascinated with little creatures around our backyard. Frogs, crickets, earthworms, birds, and butterflies, among others, never get unnoticed when I’m around. I was always attracted to different colors and shapes of flowers, various sizes of trees, and the great tastes of fruits. I can’t say the same for vegetables though. I never liked it as a kid.
I liked pets. It doesn’t matter if it’s a cat or dog. I loved them. I still do. In general, I was keen on the things around me when I was a kid. Well, at least, that’s what my mom used to brag to her friends.
During my elementary schooling, I was introduced to the importance of the things around us. The reason behind protecting our environment, the connection between plants and animals, the basic roles of people with regards to their surroundings, and even the universe, the solar system we lived in, was taught by my teachers under the general sciences subject. Needless to say, I was captivated by the disciplines of science during my pre-teen years. High school days came.
The glorious adolescent stage of my life was exposed to a broader scope of sciences and related fields.Math, Chemistry, Physics, Arts, and Biology were compulsory subjects we have to take. Even then, my interest in biology can be considered aloof compared to my other subjects. I was beginning and able to correlate things around me to biology and other academic disciplines. The symbiotic relationships between plants and animals, the role of nature to these relationships, and its effects in humans, for one, became apparent to me. I was able to explain to myself, at least, what is happening around me.
The different vegetables in my salads, for instance, made me wonder the amount of nutrients provided by the farmer to grow the plant.By the way, I have developed the liking towards veggies on the onset of my teen years. I already know the role played by photosynthesis and the process required by the plant to utilize nutrients from the soil. However, I also know that different plants require different amounts of nutrients, cultural practices, and environments to grow and thrive. Differences between species and the corresponding differences in factors required, was what aroused my curiosity most of the time.
Much the same path of thinking goes to the hamburgers served me in fast-foods.The multitudes of variables and diversities involved in the daily processes of life, in general, impacted on me at an early age. I did not consider myself a freak. In fact, I was as normal as any teenager.
I dated, I partied, and I involved myself in other non-academic activities. I especially liked sports. Nonetheless, what made me different from other teens, maybe, was my attitude towards understanding what goes on in the body. It didn’t matter if its plants, animals, or humans. I was interested in the processes.
Even now, I’m still interested much the same.Perhaps, being an active person, I was able to expand my intellectual horizon to the different people, places, and things that I encountered. And the magnitude of scope of biology, “the study and science of life”, excites me immensely (Nahle, 1999). During my high school graduation day, one of the inspirational passages directed to us by the guest speaker emphasized on the obstacles we were likely to encounter once we get to college.
What astonished me was a remark pertaining to indecisiveness of students on what field of study to take resulting to less successful careers.In my mind, I questioned the validity of the remark. I was sure it won’t happen to me. The speaker continued the speech and stressed the importance of a mature outlook towards college education. That remark I agreed readily.
Now, I’m in college. The implications of what the speaker told us dawned on me. Unlike in high school, students get to choose the subjects to take during the course of the semester. The students get to strategize the way their academics will progress. Unlike in high school which is pretty much fixed already for the students.
Given this premise, now I understand how easily a student can become disorganized with their decision on what career to take. Choices are immense. I realized also the gravity of committing a mistake in decision making. Time, money, efforts, and probably the career and life itself of the individual can be jeopardized. Fortunately for me, I am already decided on taking a career under the College of Sciences.
I am going to pursue a career in the field of biology. That much I can say. On the other hand, I also know that I’m not out of the woods yet.I still have to decide on my specialization. Will it be on Zoology, Marine Biology, Plant Pathology or Plant Biology? I guess my final decision can come after I have taken the introductory courses on the different specializations under Biology. And taking into account my capacity to apply in the real world what I have studied, will then I decide on what specialization to take.
I guess, once I’ve taken a final stand on what to specialize, I already have decided my fate. But then, what’s the worry? It’s what life is all about!
