Why I’m not a science major

I have never been a person who enjoys science. I love the concepts and how interesting things are, but when it comes to actually experimenting and “getting my hands dirty” per se, count me out.

Before I say anything, I want to point out that I have nothing against scientists or anyone who is majoring in the sciences. I appreciate all the hard work that scientists do around the world. The advancements in technology and medicine that have helped us thrive as human beings.

My boyfriend is a microbiology major at the University of Rhode Island and works really hard doing what he loves. Once again, I have nothing against science.

But I am a journalism major and I should not have to be mentally preparing myself at 9 a.m. before my biology lab to dissect a pig heart in order to learn how the heart works.

I completely agree with the university’s decision to make taking a science course a requirement. My question is, why must we take a lab?

Let’s face it. Other than for my own health benefits, I will not have to know in detail how the heart works, the left ventricle from the right ventricle, etc. If I have a basic idea of how to keep my heart healthy, that’s enough for me.

Science makes my head spin. I love to write and I love to read, which is why I am a journalist and minoring in history.

Various numbers, statistics and a bunch of confusing scientific jargon are hard for non-science majors to comprehend most times, especially when we have other things on our mind for other classes.

So back to the pig heart.

I came from a high school that did not require us to complete dissections in our science classes of frogs, cats, you name it.

I have never been the type to be queasy, but I must say, seeing an actual heart was something I was not prepared for.

Something that boggled my mind was that there was nothing that warned me in the course description that I would be dissecting things. That was something I wanted to avoid. Diagrams are enough for me.

When I found out that I had to dissect a heart I felt betrayed. Why had no one told me this when I asked what the course was like?

By the time spring semester rolled around and I entered into my BIO106 class, I had no idea what to expect. I was told the class was interesting and would be easy.

My professor told us that we should “make the most of this class.” She meant to learn as much as we can to help us in the future.

I respect my professor for saying this because she is right. The class is labeled “Science Society and Concepts” on WebAdvisor. And in any class we take, we should be paying attention and learning as much as we can.

But let’s face it, most people who are not in the sciences are taking these entry-level classes because they expect them to be easy, but instead they are painful. They are full of information that is complicated and very hard to understand for a course that is for non-science majors.

I have always been the type of student to work hard and complete all my assignments and try my hardest in class, no matter what the subject. This is not where the issue lies.

What I am trying to get at is simple. Science courses for non-science majors should be less about statistics and more about key concepts. I want to know things that will help me in my life but are not overbearing and confusing.

I am speaking for all of the students taking science as a requirement fulfillment when I say this. We would all be really grateful if you didn’t fill our heads with information that is hard to comprehend. The graduation requirements should be more general in the areas that are not part of our degree programs.

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