• Question: Does your work never get boring? I know science must be full of suprises and new ideas, but doesn't it get tedious? I really don't know how you managed to go to uni etc and study science for that long! It would kill me!

    Asked by lauraa3 to Andrew, Emma, Marianne on 17 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Andrew Maynard

      Andrew Maynard answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      Hi lauraa3,

      Yeah, it gets boring at times – but then most jobs do! And to be honest, a career in science isn’t for everyone. But I find the ever-changing challenges and the freedom I have to ask interesting questions far outstrip the tedium!

      Also, on the studying front, a confession – I could never study something I didn’t enjoy (I’d just die of boredom!). But I studied physics because I really enjoyed it, not because it would get me a good job – and even though it was really hard, it was also fun!

    • Photo: Marianne Baker

      Marianne Baker answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      Hey lauraa3,

      University was a lot of fun actually.
      It was hard work, sure (though compared to now, not really!! More compared to people doing English and stuff [they’ll hate me for saying that; I know they had to read a lot but they spent a lot of time outside or down the pub, when we were in lectures!!]) .
      But I really enjoyed learning more details about things I’d been interested in for a long time.

      Lab work certainly does get tedious. It’s very repetitive but learning new techniques is rewarding… especially when they work!!

    • Photo: anon

      anon answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      lauraa3, I suspect it might just leave you severely damaged like the rest of the scientists on this site rather than killing you.

      A science degree is the same length as any other degree so it really dependes on whether you like science and the idea of University. Neither of these things is for everybody. I expect we’ll see a bit of a backlash against going to uni over the next few years as it has become almost expected that you go and get a degree even if you never think about that subject ever again.

      Have you any idea what you want to do yet? Even if you don’t reply to this, best of luck to you in whatever you choose.

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