# Anyone here majoring in biology?



## Faded Lines (Sep 22, 2006)

I want to major in biology when I go to college. I am so worried about one thing though: Working in labs with a partner and being observed by the professor. I feel like SA is going to really **** me over with this. How do you guys cope with this?


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## redkit (Mar 14, 2006)

I think physics is better for you.
I have a BS degree in physics.


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## Faded Lines (Sep 22, 2006)

Lol, I take physics next year along with AP biology. We'll see how I like it


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## livingnsilence (Feb 4, 2008)

I'm in pre-pharmacy right now which means I'm basically taking a bunch of labs. I seem to only have my normal level of anxiety in all my labs so far b/c the groups weren't just me and one other person but usually a group of four which means it's okay if I don't talk much and most the time the teachers aren't paying much attention if any to what you are doing unless you ask a question. Also most the time you don't even have to worry about being picked to be a lab partner b/c usually they are either assigned or you are in a group with the people who are at your table. The one lab that did have you choose your own groups I didn't have to worry about it b/c I knew one girl through the greek system so she and there were a couple of other girls in the class that were in a sorority that recognised that I was in a sorority and we formed a group and sometimes we had to move one person to another group b/c the teacher would only allow groups of 3 sometimes and they'd always keep me b/c I was really smart.


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## Zephyr (Nov 8, 2003)

My degree was in science, and I had to take a lot of biology labs; histology, microbiology, zoology, chemistry, etc. Not my favourite thing in the world to do. Physics has labs as well, so don't think you can hide from them there.

Basically I just concentrated on getting the work done. I was nervous (especially for the first labs of the term, when I didn't know who my partner'd be) but somehow got through it. I'm not sure I can offer anything more useful. Don't you have labs in high school?


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## Faded Lines (Sep 22, 2006)

Yeah we have labs in high school, but they are so laid back.


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## jane (Jan 30, 2006)

I used to have anxiety during labs, especially during organic chemistry when I didn't know exactly what to do. 

Like someone said above, the labs are very crowded and nobody is really watching you, and partners are usually assigned. 

As well, the professors aren't there, only TA's, who I find less intimidating. They usually just chat amongst themselves in a corner until someone needs help, but if they do hover over your shoulder, you can just pretend to re-read the lab manual until the TA gets bored and moves on. 

As for lab partners, this isn't high school. There's nothing embarassing (or there shouldn't be) about asking random strangers to be your partner, or sending out an e-mail searching for one, or even asking the lab supervisor to team you up.

Pick a program you love and are enthusiastic about, and don't let anxiety hold you back!!


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## OKdOut (Feb 22, 2008)

Labs aren't that bad. The instruments are so small and precise that you have to focus on what you are doing. Sometimes I lost track of time and everything else, because I was trying to measure something in a tiny little beaker, or get an exact weight +-.001 gram.

Now, the discussions in the Social Sciences was what got me?

If I could do it over, I would avoid all social sciences 'til my senior year!


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## Faded Lines (Sep 22, 2006)

Thanks all! You made me feel better


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## Eraserhead (Sep 23, 2006)

I'm majoring in biology. During labs, you're pretty much left to your own devices. That is, you aren't really observed by anybody. University/College labs are much more intense than high school labs. You need to stay focused on what you're doing, rather than worrying about the social aspect.


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## redkit (Mar 14, 2006)

mathematics has no lab.


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## Zephyr (Nov 8, 2003)

redkit said:


> mathematics has no lab.


I've had statistics 'labs'. Don't ask.


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## yellowpaper (Nov 13, 2007)

I go to community college, and im majoring in bio for some reason. The labs i've had are far more laid back than my labs in high school (I took AP classes). For my classes so far, I just kind of sat down at a table and that was my partner. It was much less intimidating because most of the people don't know eachother. It just wouldn't have worked like that in high school. 

A strategy I use, is being one of the last to walk into the class so that I can sit with someone who doesn't have a partner, instead of sitting down and hoping that someone will sit with me.

There's also a lot of people who don't show up to class and/or end up dropping out, so the teacher's I've had haven't been very intimidating like they were in high school.... at least at my community college. They're more lenient and laid back.


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

I have biology as one of my majors composed of three in the program im in. I really dont like biology but if I can get a degree Ill be fine


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## Lisa (Jul 8, 2006)

Zephyr said:


> redkit said:
> 
> 
> > mathematics has no lab.
> ...


LOL. Me too.


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## FROZENINTIME (Jun 9, 2013)

I graduated in 2011 with BSc Human Life Science did a hole lot of biology and lab time. I was extremely nervous only because I am a coloured person and I had white lab partner. And not being in contact or understanding the white race at that time I felt that I had to perform and I felt pressured and I think I have performance anxiety to the worst case and can be a real perfectionist. I am not racist or anything I just felt very inferior to this white person, because I come from a very small town and there are no white people there, mostly coloured people. I think it I had a coloured lab partner I would have calmed down a bit. I still would have been nervous, but not that much. 

I think that if you really want to do biology and want to major in this field you should try and find ways to make the nervousness a bit less for yourself. It is easier said than done I know this from experience, but just try. But thats only if you really want to do biology as a major if you still confused about your major like I was, I suggest you don'y put yourself through hell. Maybe it will be different for you, but for me it was a living hell my hole undergraduate course not just the lab work. I developed excessive eating and gained like 40kg I am still struggling to loose the weight and change my eating habbits.


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## percon21 (May 25, 2013)

I've taken a lot of biology classes and spent countless hours in lab. They are a lot of fun and the professors don't really observe you (there's a lot of students), they just help if you need it. Partners aren't so bad since you'll both be so focused on completing a lab task in a limited period of time, so there's not a lot of talking. We had one practical for a titration where the professor was watching us like a hawk. It was nerve wrecking but I just tried to ignore her as best I could.


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## reaal (Jul 15, 2011)

I'm a bio major right now. Yes there are a lot of labs and working in partners, but honestly as long as you are friendly you can meet some nice people that way. i find it much easier to socialize in labs than it is in lecture. When i signed up for microbiology this quarter i thought i was going to hate it because it was 2 3 hour labs a week, but it turned out that everyone at my lab table because pretty good friends and i actually looked forward to going to lab. Also, depending on how big your school is, you might start recognizing people in all the different labs. I'm a second year bio student and i know that pretty any lab i take, ill at least know a few people's names. Just make sure and choose wisely where you sit the first day, as that will usually be your group or partner. Just put yourself out there on the first day and be friendly.


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## TheTraveler (Jan 31, 2013)

It isnt really that hard. you have a partner who may become a good friend. you really only talk to two people. the teacher for questions and your partner. You may like the field but every field has parts where you need to work in a group. Deal with it. I know it sucks but if you want to get somewhere just suffer and overcome it. otherwise you dont deserve to be there. Think about it this way, if you arent willing to get out of your comfort zone but you take the class, there is one person who was willing to give it their all but they can't cause you are filling that spot. So yeah, buckle down. Its gonna get tough. 

I love my labs. My partner was a bossy guy who thought girls do everything worse. However, he messed up a lot and he couldn't get the project going. So meh, i got mad at times but I learned a lot. My bio teacher liked me cause I wasn't serious. He thought that having fun, curiosity and jokes make the success. I think hes right.


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## Forwhatiamworth (Mar 3, 2013)

All the profs i have had for labs watch you like a hawk and make sure you are doing things right for safety reasons. Find a good lab partner and stick with them, don't ever get stuck with a slacker. Your.Life.Will Be.Hell !! They will make it hell if they don't do their work. I prefer to work alone though, I get more done ! I personally love labs and think they are fun !


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## trendyfool (Apr 11, 2010)

Yeah, I'm usually okay in labs. In my bio class last quarter though we had to do tons of dissections and that made me nervous because i didn't usually know exactly what to do and i was so worried about messing up, which of course i ended up doing a lot. also the labs were quite rushed. i still did well in the class though...the important thing is, talk to your teachers as much as you can and ask for help during labs! my chem lab was scary too because my teacher was VERY exacting and strict and i always got really nervous when we were doing titrations or something. she was also happy to help with problems and questions though.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

I've taken a couple bio courses and.....god that's a lot of blunt memorization. The subject is interesting but why do they have to make everything so detailed. I really did not see the point in memorizing every little indentation on the bones. Chem was much funner.


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## trendyfool (Apr 11, 2010)

komorikun said:


> I've taken a couple bio courses and.....god that's a lot of blunt memorization. The subject is interesting but why do they have to make everything so detailed. I really did not see the point in memorizing every little indentation on the bones. Chem was much funner.


Hmm. I think maybe if you like biology a lot then the memorization comes more naturally. I dunno, like, my biology class last quarter was less work than my chem class, and I enjoyed it more and didn't have to work as hard in it.


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