"Oh you're a Bio major? I'm sorry."

We've all heard this before, even if it wasn't directed towards us. St. Mary's biology students are the stereotypes of kids who don't get any sleep, earn premature gray hairs, and are constantly getting apologies for what they choose to study. Biology: the study of life, and your college major! It's the condition that causes you to not have a life other than studying and reading and having a mental breakdown at least four times a week.

Okay, I'm kidding. It's not nearly as bad as the rumors want you to believe. Being a biology major is just as hard as being a psychology major or a business major. They're difficult in their own regards. It all comes down to time management, how well your previous education prepared you, how well your study habits are, and how much passion you have for it.

Two students could be in front of you, both of them are biology majors, student #1 has had a hard time adjusting to college and the most scientific experience they've had is learning about plants in the 6th grade. Student #2 was used to the workload and had atttended a high school that focuses on the sciences. Both students have had a passion for biology since they were kids. The difference between these is obvious. It's a difference that can determine their future.

Well I'm here to tell you that biology isn't the hardest thing you've ever experienced and it really isn't necessary to apologize every time you find out someone's major is biology. And as bio majors, we complain everyday about how little sleep we get and how we have no idea what the heck is going on in class. We truly just get in the habit of saying those things even though in reality it isn't as bad as we really make it out to be.

This isn't to be mistaken for thinking it's an easy subject, by no means is it easy. In fact, the amount of facts and comprehension skills you need is no laughing matter. You can't walk in with the same attitude you had in high school and expect to learn anything. Biology is more than a class that teaches you the study of life, it's a class that teaches you the kind of person you need to be to do the things you want to do in your life. One of the greatest things about majoring in biology is the fact that it helps young students realize the changes they may need to make to accomplish their goals.

So, don't say that you're sorry I am a biology major! Let me say that I am sorry you don't get to experience how life changing it can really be. You can experience the life changing things in your business calculus class or in your sociology class, but there is no real way to describe the magic that is a biology class until you take one.