When I tell people I go to a liberal arts college and they ask me my major, they’re usually not expecting me to reply with “Biology.” But I knew that a small school was for me, and I knew I wanted to study biology. Enter Goucher College, 1400 students, a liberal arts curriculum, and a biology department I wouldn’t trade for the world. Here are some of the things I love the most about being a bio major here at Goucher.
1. My “huge” intro lectures had 80 students.
Taking Gen Chem and Intro Biology Freshman year, we’re told that these are the biggest classes we’ll ever take. And while that’s true, big may not be the most accurate word. And there won’t be anywhere close to that many students by the time Organic Chemistry rolls around sophomore year.
2. I got to TA as a sophomore.
First of all, at my school, TAs don’t really teach. We’re usually just an extra set of hands in the labs to answer questions and bag up sharks after dissections. But it’s a paid position and not reserved for Grad students (who are few and far between) or even upperclassman. It’s something I really enjoy doing, and it’s a great way to get to know the “next crop” of potential Bio majors.
3. All of my professors know my name...
... and where I’m from, and the name of the restaurant where I work, and also occasionally bring up articles I write for the school newspaper. I’ve met their families, I’ve seen their pets, I helped one of them decorate her house for Christmas. Not only does it make taking classes with them a lot more enjoyable, but it also helps when you need a letter of rec to have someone who really knows you
4. You will get into all of your classes.
Are all the lab sections full, but you absolutely need to take it? Email the professor, they’ll get you in. Biology is what we call a “highly structured major” which means it’s pretty important for you to get into the classes you need in the proper sequence. Professors and advisors understand that, and they’ll do everything in their power to help you stay on track.
5. My classmates are my friends, not my competition.
I didn’t realize that this wasn’t the case everywhere, but these people are my best friends. We spend all day in classes and labs together and then still want to hang out together after that. During finals week we all but build a fort in the library and camp out for 12 hours at a time. We don’t try to sabotage each other; we don’t worry about both applying to the same med school and hurting the other’s chances. The way we see it, we’re all in this together, so we help each other out.
6. Doing research with my professors
When I say I’m doing research with my professors, I don’t mean I’m just making dilutions, or mindlessly pipetting, or counting flies. While I’ve done my fair share of fly counting and I can use a p2 like nobody’s business, I also feel like I have a real stake in the work that we’re doing. My advisor and I discuss the results together and the whole experience has really made me love working in the lab.
7. I get to take classes that aren’t science
This isn’t something I truly appreciated until last semester when I took only math and science courses. By the half-way point I was ready to throw my calculator across the room, and distinctly remember muttering the words, “I just want to read a darn novel.” At Goucher, like most liberal arts school, there are certain requirements to take courses in a variety of departments. This literally forced me to take what became some of my favorite classes. Freshman year I took a really wonderful English class, and last Spring I took a course on literature and film of the holocaust. While I am totally in love with my science classes, it's also really refreshing to get a change of pace every once in a while.
