What to do?

Ok so I'm doing 2nd year Science and something's happened that I wasn't expecting: I suddenly want to do Plant Sciences. I mean, since first year I said I'd be happy to choose any moderatorship except Botany. It just sounded so boring. Now I've to choose my degree for third year by the 8th, and I'm really torn. I really want to do plant sciences, but everyone thinks it's a joke. Anyone I've told has laughed. Which I get, it's not particularly respected, seen as really boring, kinda seen as for hippies, crazy cat ladies, and people who didn't do well enough to get the degree they wanted. But I really do want to do it. I was just wondering, is that just the attitude of people on my course, or is it a general view? I'm not sure I could hack doing a degree and then maybe further study in an area where people laugh at me when I tell them what I do... I hate that I'm asking opinions, and I know I should just do what I'm interested in, but I recently got a pretty strong response from a non-science friend and I'm starting to think the attitude isn't just about the fact it's easier to get into that the other moderatorships in TCD, and that maybe everyone thinks it's a flaky science.

Anyone got an opinion or any Botanists out there who could give me a nudge either way?

amacachi

TBH other than the fact that I find greenhouses too warm I wouldn't mind doing the botany.

Denerick

Op, I have literally given this 0.1% thought.

Do what you want to do. Everyone else can go fúck themselves.

People laughed at Carl Sagan when he wanted to become a cosmologist.

Most people are fools, don't forget that.

amacachi

Denerick wrote: »

People laughed at Carl Sagan when he wanted to become a cosmologist.

Ya had to be there.

investment

true-or-false wrote: »

Ok so I'm doing 2nd year Science and something's happened that I wasn't expecting: I suddenly want to do Plant Sciences. I mean, since first year I said I'd be happy to choose any moderatorship except Botany. It just sounded so boring. Now I've to choose my degree for third year by the 8th, and I'm really torn. I really want to do plant sciences, but everyone thinks it's a joke. Anyone I've told has laughed. Which I get, it's not particularly respected, seen as really boring, kinda seen as for hippies, crazy cat ladies, and people who didn't do well enough to get the degree they wanted. But I really do want to do it. I was just wondering, is that just the attitude of people on my course, or is it a general view? I'm not sure I could hack doing a degree and then maybe further study in an area where people laugh at me when I tell them what I do... I hate that I'm asking opinions, and I know I should just do what I'm interested in, but I recently got a pretty strong response from a non-science friend and I'm starting to think the attitude isn't just about the fact it's easier to get into that the other moderatorships in TCD, and that maybe everyone thinks it's a flaky science.

Anyone got an opinion or any Botanists out there who could give me a nudge either way?

Personal I think botany is abit flaky, did you spend all that time and money so you could grow plants??:eek:

PurpleFistMixer

investment wrote: »

Personal I think botany is abit flaky, did you spend all that time and money so you could grow plants??:eek:

Yeah plants are useless. The earth would be better off without them.

Lawliet

People do tend to look down on botany, they probably don't realise how many medicines came from plants and how important genetic engineering of crops is in developing countries. Funny thing is botany is actually going to be even more important in the future, what with climate change, over population, demand for biofuels etc.

gigawatt

totally agree with the last poster. plants are crucially important for the survival of the human race, doesnt get much more important than that! food,medicines, clothing, paper fuels, furniture, fragrances,cosmetics, houses...... the list goes on and on, most people dont realise how important plants are in our day to day lives.

investment

PurpleFistMixer wrote: »

Yeah plants are useless. The earth would be better off without them.

There's no need to be a smart ass :cool:

Craguls

I'd suggest talking to your tutor and/or the botany course director. As you know since most people in our course look down on it they'll be thrilled to get someone who's genuinely interested in it. To lessen your career worries you can also ask them about postgrad opportunities and what last years grads ended up doing and so on.

I'd recommend just following what you're interested in. I came to science dead set on Neuroscience and now I'm going for Immunology. Supposedly you'll need the interest to keep you going once you get into final year. Better to do something you genuinely like as opposed to something that just "has jobs".

fishtastico

Do what you want to do; better that than dropping out or failing a subject that you hate.

Just try to form an idea of what kind of career you'll want, as it's surprisingly tough to get any kind of science job right now. If you don't want a career in science then this part doesn't even matter, as a degree's a degree if you're not fussy

Larianne

You will live a happier and more fufilling life if you do not worry about what other people think of you.

Pet

Plant sciences...is that a new moderatorship or have they just renamed botany?

OP, if you get a good result in your summer exams you'll silence the haters and prove that you wanted to do Botany, and that it wasn't just your only option.

The only reason it has a bad reputation is because it's seen as the last chance saloon - but the same could equally be said of microbiology.

In short: do ask the JS/SS coordinator about the course content (they'll be more than happy to talk to you), and see if it sounds to your interests. Perhaps talk to some of the JS and SS students, too. If it sounds like what you're interested in (because that's the ONLY thing that will carry you through the shíte/tough parts), do it, and screw the haters. There are plenty of areas for further research - pharmacognosy, conservation, genetic engineering, ecology, etc - and once you're in there, you won't be telling people you're doing "botany research" anymore, either.

Craguls

Pet wrote: »

Plant sciences...is that a new moderatorship or have they just renamed botany?

Yup. Odd that they picked the tercentenary too.

Thanks guys, sent in my form earlier today, Plant sciences number 1. To be honest I was just looking for a bit of a nudge and feel sure about it now anyway.

Just to clarify to Larianne, my problem is indecisiveness, not insecurity. I might be misinterpreting the tone of your post, but rest assured my life is already fulfilling. (Although it could be argued that if I wasn't insecure I wouldn't feel the need to say that - dum dum dooooom...)

NeuroCat

If you want to study Botany, then by all means, study Botany!, I think it's only seen as a "flaky" option because it's not seen as a very interesting degree based on the relatively little material taught in the JF and SF years.

(First post on Boards!)

Zaffy

Peter Wyse Jackson, a man who did botany in TCD, he's now director of the Missouri Botanical Gardens, known around the world for biodiversity, and is involved with a $100 million dollar fundraising campaign for the Botanical Gardens in St Louis.

Botany can get you places if you work at it.

El Siglo

Anyone who says botany is shit, is either a retard or has never had Fraser Mitchell or Steve Waldren for a lecture. Op, I didn't study botany and I'm doing a PhD now which requires a fairly in depth knowledge of it, so my advise would be to do botany. Not only is it useful for biodiversity stuff but having the ability of knowing taxonomies and plant biochemistry will stand to you in the future.

Fo Real

Botany - there's a stigma attached

amacachi

NeuroCat wrote: »

If you want to study Botany, then by all means, study Botany!, I think it's only seen as a "flaky" option because it's not seen as a very interesting degree based on the relatively little material taught in the JF and SF years.

(First post on Boards!)

Also there's the school version of Botany. I wouldn't mind doing it if I never had to be in a greenhouse.

Fo Real wrote: »

Botany - there's a stigma attached

Hate myself for thanking that.

Larianne

true-or-false wrote: »

Just to clarify to Larianne, my problem is indecisiveness, not insecurity. I might be misinterpreting the tone of your post, but rest assured my life is already fulfilling. (Although it could be argued that if I wasn't insecure I wouldn't feel the need to say that - dum dum dooooom...)

Wasn't trying to have a dig at you but going by your opening post it does appear that you do worry about what other people think of you.

I just meant, do what you want and feck everyone else.

Brainy

Well done , go for what you want to do.......

I hear Botany is a really nice department .....

amacachi

Glad there was this reply, reminded me to fill the thing out now. :pac:

Groinshot

Denerick wrote: »

Op, I have literally given this 0.1% thought.

Do what you want to do. Everyone else can go fúck themselves.

People laughed at Carl Sagan when he wanted to become a cosmologist.

Most people are fools, don't forget that.

I can't believe that wasn't a condescending comment...
EDIT:
Just saw the last line, seems so much more like you.

amacachi

amacachi wrote: »

Glad there was this reply, reminded me to fill the thing out now. :pac:

Shouldn't have filled it out while tired, put Environmental Science before Geography and Plant Sciences. I'm not a hippy!

dharma200

Sorry to reincarnate an old thread but was wondering how the op got on with the course, was it as fulfilling as you wanted it to be etc. a family member is considering studying botany and I just wanted some feedback n how it is, how you did and what you thnk of the subject now , thanks