Does it get more interesting?

Faith

I've just finished my first year of a biology degree and to be honest, I pretty much hated it. All the lectures were really boring. I'm studying for my last exam now (molecular biology) and I don't understand half of it. Does it get more interesting? Are there any areas of specialisation in (preferably) human biology that don't require studying molecular biology and biochemistry and stuff?

Tree

you'll find that most biology courses will contain a certain amount of molecular and biochem up til the end, most positions in industry are based on immunology, biochem and genetic techniques.

I'll have to do all these to the end of my five year course, but i'm enjoying them anyway, maybe it's the challenge, maybe it's the delivery of the lectures.

Perhaps it's time to have a serious sit-down and look at the other course alternatives that are open to you. At the end of first year in physics I knew i loved it but it was too hard but i still tried second year and dropped out. At the end of first year of biomed i loved it and it wasn't too hard at all.


What are your degree options for next year?

munkeehaven

I'm the same aswell ...doing Biomed in CiT trying to study for the 2nd year summer exams,I'm doing work experience next year in a lab so hopefully my interest will be reignited...I absolutely love science but have been very disillusioned so far..

Faith

I'm not sure what you mean by degree options, Tree. I'll still be able to specialise in any area I want to because my subjects are very open.

I was originally supposed to doing genetics but that's just too boring. Now I'm thinking neuroscience, with a view to doing a post grad medicine degree.

Chucky

What's the exact title of the course Faith? I never heard of any Biology degrees in this country. I'm interested because I love biology.

Faith

I'm doing it in the university of Edinburgh. It's called Biological Sciences. I've an exam in an hour...

There's plenty of biology courses in Ireland, they just tend to masquerade as something else. Biochemistry in UCC, for example.

Tree

if you do biological and chemical sciences in UCC, you select modules in second year that allow you to start specialising, you then decide particular modules in third year such that the combination gives you a particular degree in teh end.

Faith

Ah yeah, my modules next year still leave me open to specialise in pretty much anything except ecology. For instance, I'm taking physiology, neuoroscience with pharmacology, genes and gene action etc.

Anywho, I had my exam this morning that I was freaking out about and actually did okay in it, so I'm feeling better in general about the degree.

John

What I found in first year was that some of the stuff seemed horribly complicated. We did developmental biology in first year, which most universities normally keep til second year because it's quite complicated. As you go through college and do more courses, it all starts to make sense as there's loads of cross over.

If you want to do neuroscience then you'd want to start studying molecular biology heavily. The majority of my degree (neuroscience) is molecular biology. Nervous transmission doesn't just involve neurotransmitters but dozens of tiny proteins that guide the whole process.

DrIndy

First year is literally that - there is a lot more to it, don't be dissuaded. If you love biology and chose the course, then eventually you will find a field that piques your curiosity.

Tree

or you could do something else and devour the popular science on the topic, such is my relationship with physics and mahts!

tribulus

i think most people go thorugh this at some stage of their degree. I'm 2nd science as well and have not like this year at all. Although i am still really interested in the course the sheer workload of reports/tutorials combined with studying and trying to actually understand things gets to you!!

For example i've 30+ contact hours this year add on ~10 hours of reports/tutorials a week and you've basically got a full time job with no pay!

I've found just in the last week while studying for exams that you're interest gets re-ignited simply because you start to grasp things that gave you a face like this :eek: before, see how you feel after your exams and when you've relaxed in the summer.