Something close to my heart-biology-the study of life.  Cellular Biology.
Histology.  A career in the sciences, pre-med, pre-dental.  I never thought
I would want to grow up and be a Laboratory Technologist!!!.  (You know that
commercial-When I grow up I want to File for the rest of my life...When I
grow up I want to be a YesMan...??? )I do not regret majoring in bio-but I
do regret not going for an advanced degree in the sciences vs human
services.  I should have gone farther-but I didn't believe I had it in me.
Tried something else and ended up hating it.  No, I do not make a lot of
money but I have supported myself and now a family with a nice home along
with my spouse's income.  Since 7th grade I have marvelled at the cell and
its organelles.(I am 43 now.) Since college I have been enthralled with
tissues, structure and function......Yes I was a high school nerd
type-straight A's and proud of it. There is something missing in education
these days that existed years ago-a genuine passion for a discipline-not by
the teachers, but lacking within the students.  The college graduates of the
2,000's will be looking for markets that pay, yes and rightly so and
position with promise, of course.  But let's hope that there still exists
those people who find a niche they are comfortable with and are good at and
stick to it just because it's something they love to do whether the money is
there or not.  That is where the discoveries are made, the new
breakthroughs, the life saving information-from the passion one has in study
and perfecting a specific discipline.  Let us not lose that. That would be
worse than not having the best house or the newest car or vacation get away.
I'll get off the soapbox and go to bed -it's late. That's all.

Sincerely,

Sue Becker
Histotechnologist
Albany, NY