You hear it from every college student of any major, “My classes are SO hard!” “No one understands the struggle of being a ___ major!” “Your major isn’t as complicated as mine”. WELL, as a STEM major I can argue that our major is JUST as hard, so don’t count us out just yet. If you are unsure of what a STEM major is, it is a Science, Technology, Engineering or Math major. If you are a STEM major, then you understand the struggle bus that we’ve been riding around on all semester.
1. When you realize the connection between the content and can actually make sense of what is going on.
Success. Isn’t it such a pleasant feeling?
2. When you go over the reading or your notes.. then re-read it.. then re-read it again.. and it still doesn’t make sense.
Are we even speaking English anymore? What the heck is this?
3. Realizing that your lab report is due the next day and you have not even come close to starting it.
WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?!
4. Having to pull an all-nighter in order to finish your lab report on time.
At that point, you just want the sweet release of sleep.
5. Questioning why you chose this major and if you still even want to pursue this major
Do I really need to be a Biologist? Chemist? Do I really need this stress?
6. When the professor says the final exam is cumulative and you feel like you haven’t understood anything throughout the semester.
To my lovely professors: WHY DO YOU HATE ME!!!!
7. Thinking you’re an expert author when writing a research paper.
8. Then actually realizing what you’ve written:
At least you have something to turn in.
9. Always having a scientific point of view behind everything.
I can’t help it!
10. Hate sig figs. Why do we need sig figs? Sig figs are stupid.
Everything else > sig figs.
11. 2+ hour long labs. Need I say more?
My brain only works for 75 minutes at a time. I need you to dial it back at LEAST an hour.
12. Having to cope with the fact that math will be in almost everything.
We need a support group for all the math we’re going to have to do.
13. Having an entire novel made up of index cards.
If I had a dollar for every index card I’ve made I could pay someone to write index cards for me.
At the end of the day, we are STEM majors for a reason. The all-nighters, the stress, it will all pay off in the future. We’re proud to be STEM majors. Now try and tell us that our major isn’t hard.