With finals just around the corner, it's that time where all pre-medical students and STEM majors question their sanity in choosing to put themselves through this. Whether it's chemistry, biomedical engineering, nursing, or some other scientific field of study, every exam brings more doubt about whether or not you're cut out for this. But know that you're not alone - and all your fellow classmates understand your daily struggles.
1. The class average on an exam is under 50%
I know it's hard material, but doesn't it seem like the teacher could be doing just a little better job explaining these resonance structures so maybe one or two out of 300 students get above a 70?
2. Forgetting to bring your safety goggles to lab
There's nothing like sprinting back to your dorm to try and grab them before getting to lab... even though there's absolutely nothing that could harm your eye during this experiment, but god forbid your TA sees that you don't have them.
3. Studying
Trying to stay sane when all your business school friends are going out tonight because they don't have an exam for 2 days, but you're in the library until 4am studying for an exam that's over a week away. Or when you have to decide between sleeping, eating, or showering because you spent the rest of the time reviewing for your lab practical.
4. Hearing other majors complain about their 'hard' classes
Oh, you had to study for 5 hours for your exam? That's our warm up. Oh, you have so much homework? I wish I had homework as a grade buffer.
5. Textbooks that weigh as much as you do
Somehow, professors manage to assign the biggest, heaviest textbooks on the topic. And of course they're required (and $350 each). Your backpack nearly breaks at the seams every time you put your Biochem. and Anatomy textbooks in it.
6. Everyone asking you for medical advice
First of all, not every science major wants to be a doctor. But even if I do, I still have five bajillion years of school left, plus residency - so no I don't know what the random pain in your stomach is. But if you really want my educated opinion, you probably just ate too much Chipotle.
7. Never being prepared
You can do every practice problem in the book, review all the class notes, and highlight every page of the textbook, but no matter how ready you feel for that orgo exam, there will be some question on it that might as well be written in another language.
8. Constantly being called a nerd
Yes, I did get excited about a random fact I learned today. Yes, I'm going to tell you about it even if you don't understand. No, I don't think this is weird.
9. You're never the smartest in your class
In high school you were always the first done with your AP Biology exams, and studying was a breeze. All of a sudden, college came and you feel like you're a failure for no longer being able to get 100's on anything.
10. Questioning your sanity every hell week
When your Anatomy, Chemistry, and Physics exams are all in the same week and you've already cried 4 times, you wonder why you are putting yourself through this. But at the end of the day you know it's worth it and you'd probably be miserable in any other major.
