<p>Just the other day I was talking with my uncle about what I want to major in and what career I'm interested in and I had no clue! I've currently narrowed down my options to Biochemistry and Mathematics. </p>
<p>Biochemistry appeals to me because while I tolerate chemistry I never really got into it because it seemed so unrelated to me (while biochemistry is the chemistry of living organisms-like me). Biochemistry deals with things I found particularly fascinating in introductory biology such as the Krebs cycle, glycolysis, nucleic acids, etc. However I don't know what I would do with this degree. I've pretty much eliminated medical school from my job list since I'm looking for a clean job (I don't want to deal with blood, etc.) with regular hours. I might consider forensics (though it validates my first stipulation it's in more of a controlled environment than medicine).</p>
<p>Mathematics appeals to me because up til this year I detested it. Math used to make me cringe at night and shake during exams, but doing well in Calculus 2 made better than doing well in other classes ever has. I want to major in math in order to prove to myself that I can do it. I want to major in math to prove to other people that black women can do it. Is that horrible motivation? Also I'm not exactly sure what I would to after college. Operations Research is appealing... perhaps also mathematical biology.</p>
<p>A double major, I think, would be suicidal. So should I major in math and minor in biochem? Or major in biochem and minor in math?</p>
<p>No, seriously, try to find a major that you enjoy studying. When you only take four classes each term, a single uninteresting stressful class can ruin your entire semester. Completing a major only to overcome a stereotype is setting yourself up to be miserable. I have a female friend who wanted to major in computer science only to prove that women could be successful in a male-dominated field. After four grueling semesters she was struggling to find a new major in her junior year. </p>
<p>Your other posts suggest that you are still in high school, so you don’t need to decide on a major yet. I encourage you to keep taking classes in both mathematics and chemistry, and anything else that sounds interesting even if you may not want to major in it. After one or two semesters in college you will probably find yourself gravitating more towards one field than the rest - and that should be your major!</p>
<p>After my first semester I thought I wanted to double major in math and computer science. But when it came time to sign up for courses, there were three or four math courses I really wanted to take, while I was never excited about more than a single computer science class each term. Half-way through my sophomore year I finally realized that I should drop the computer science major, and now I am as happy as a math major can be!</p>
<p>It’s fine if you actually enjoy the subject. Mathematics is one of the last subjects you should just force yourself through if you don’t have a real liking.</p>
<p>Women already CAN do math, I’ve seen examples. Many of them prefer not to, but some prefer to and do it admirably. I don’t think the point needs to be made to anyone. As for yourself, why prove to yourself you can do math? Why not another subject? Realize that most people majoring in a subject don’t do it well. The reason math and engineering may gain a reputation of being tough majors is that you have to do it reasonably well to meet the bare minimum. It would be much better if you could do a major and really do it well. If that’s math, great.</p>
<p>b@r!um, do we really post on like the exact same topics all the time :)</p>