Plan 2.0

[oceantheorem]

I saw whales for the first time when I was three. We were in a tiny little boat in the bay near Anchorage, and we got caught in the middle of a pod of beluga whales surfacing to breathe. I was awed. When I was seven my dad took me to Sea World and I fell in love with Shamu and the other dolphins. I asked my dad what kind of job let you work with dolphins, and he told me that those people were marine biologists. I decided right then that I was going to be a "marine biologist," whatever that was. A few years later, during Ocean Week at my elementary school, a marine biologist brought a whole bunch of neat stuff and let us paw through it. All the other kids were shocked and amazed and had no idea what most of the stuff was (seal fur, whale bones, etc.), but I'd done enough reading by that time that I knew exactly what was going on. So I pulled the guy aside and said something along the lines of, "Dude, I want to know more." I have very little memory of this, but somehow I convinced the guy to bring all the stuff to my house after school to show my mom. We sat and looked at stuff and he told me I needed to get a Ph.D. to be a marine biologist. By this time I knew what a marine biologist was, obviously, but I had NO CLUE what a Ph.D. was. But I decided right then and there that I was getting one.

I didn't change my mind AT ALL until the summer after my freshman year of college (I picked UCSC based on its awesome marine bio program, coupled with its emphasis on undergraduate research). I took organic chemistry, fell in love with molecules, and changed my major to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (to be honest, I still thought I might end up in Marine Bio, just 'cause I'd loved it so much for so long). It was kind of a shock to my system when I realized I was never going to make the switch from molecules to organisms. Organisms--blech!

Anyway, I knew I was still gonna go to grad school, because dude, that was in the original plan. So, after a little wavering, I applied all over, set my heart on UCSF, got in all over, and came to Yale. And I'm now facing a couple of decisions.
The first is which lab/department to join. There are three departments to choose from: Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Cell Biology, or Genetics. I never imagined myself getting a Ph.D. in Genetics (dude, where did Genetics come from? somewhere over in left field...), but the lab I love is a Genetics lab.
The second is, you know, what to do with my life after graduate school, 'cause the plan never included what happened after the Ph.D..

So I finally, just tonight, made a new Plan. The Plan, Version 2.0.

Step 1) Join the Genetics lab.
Step 2) Get Ph.D. in Genetics.
Step 3) Do postdoc in Liz Blackburn's lab at UCSF.
Step 4) Get a faculty job at Berkeley, Stanford, UCLA, or UCSD.
Step 5) Become famous scientist who puts up with teaching requirements.

I hope TA'ing is a good experience for me. Otherwise I might have to scratch steps 4 and 5 and just open a flower shop after my postdoc.

Comments

[either-or.livejournal.com]

sounds like a good plan. you're much better at sticking to lifelong dreams than i am, by the way!

[oceantheorem.livejournal.com]

*laugh* No, I'm just obsessive and stubborn.

I think I did briefly consider being a writer, but I'm pretty sure I was always aware that that was a "bad" career choice.

[fieryminge.livejournal.com]

That sounds like an fantastic plan. But whatever you decide, I'm gonna support you. Because you're such an awesome person and I love you so much!!


You know, you really are the cornerstone to my foundation... :D

[oceantheorem.livejournal.com]

Awww! Thank you Meg! I wish I could be there more for you, I don't feel like I'm supportive enough from 3000 miles away. *hugs hugs hugs*

[fieryminge.livejournal.com]

Aww! 3000 miles isn't that bad... and we still talk. It would be worse if we didn't!

And you are very supportive! I'm lucky to have you as a friend :)

*giant hugs*

[antidwarf.livejournal.com]

Yeah, not everyone can be as cool as the real marine biologists. We are few and far between and oh so hot ;D. You could always do marine bio genetics... it's the up and coming field now. But alas I think you are doomed to sit in a lab your entire life, and actually ENJOY it *gasp*. Better you than me.

We don't get to vote on your life choices? Geeze I thought these things were decided by comittee?

[oceantheorem.livejournal.com]

Yeah, well, not all of us can handle the coolness. I guess you'll just have to be super cool and tell me all about it.
I dunno about marine genetics. I thought about it a couple times, but that would end up really being a bit too evolutionary for me. I mean, evolution is great and cool and all, but frankly, it bores the hell out of me. I'm way more interested in how stuff works than where it came from.

Anyway.

If you reeeeally want to vote on my life choices, why don't you just post your vote in a comment? Aren't you always telling me what to do anyway?
(Not that I listen to you....)

[antidwarf.livejournal.com]

Yes but didn't we also decide that you should listen to me more often?

Yeah you probably should keep to the regular ole genetics. We need to spread our brains out among the fields so no particular field gets too jealous. Cuz we're the smartest bitches here! =P

[oceantheorem.livejournal.com]

Well, yeah, we DID agree that, but that doesn't mean I've actually started listening. :-P Although, like I said, it's harder to ignore you in type.

Bleh, I dunno about genetics. I want me some hardcore biochem.
Okay, not really. But at least some softcore cell bio.

YOU GOT INTO WOODS HOLE!!! Damn. You rock.

[pewter-surfer.livejournal.com]

I am seriously considering running a flower shop after I get my graduate degree. I really loved academia for the longest time - and I am not even in a graduate program yet (all rejections so far - sigh). I thought I had it in me to hang tough until I publish something, but if I don't get into any of these programs, maybe I'll just be stuck with a B.S. and B.A. - but to do what? Another sigh.

[oceantheorem.livejournal.com]

:-( Sorry 'bout the rejections. Those thin little envelopes are so stressful. Hang in there.

I think it would be a lot of fun to run a flower shop. Not that I know a damn thing about flowers, and I've killed every plant ever put into my care, but I really think that I could be happy arranging flowers for other people. It seems like such a happy profession.

Much happier than designing plasmids and doing endless minipreps, anyway.