Finito.

Throughout the last few days, I have been filled with a variety of emotions. This could be due to an imbalance of the dozens of hormones in my body or more likely due to the fact that I finished school two weeks ago. After high school, most hard-working students (or ones with slight ambition) are thrilled to become immersed in the college scene. As college graduation crept with each passing exam and lab report, an epiphany struck me. By the time I was walking down the ramp at commencement, I would be approximately halfway done with my college career. As students were getting ready to empty their bank accounts in order to pay for the copious amounts of alcohol that they would be consuming during finals week, I was still thinking about my next academic venture.  

The most annoying question graduating college seniors get during their last quarter/semester of school is "Do you have any plans after graduation?" If I had a dollar for every time I got asked that, I could probably afford a Ferrari with some fancy wheels and extravagant accessories. Nonetheless, I knew where I would be going (WSU), but as far as deciding what I will be studying for the rest of my academic/professional life? That decision is still making me weary. What if the field I want to go into doesn't provide a lot of job prospects? My worst fear is completing this degree and getting screwed because there aren't jobs related to my field. My options look like this:

Option 1. Organic. I love organic chemistry. I am knowledgable at it and I have gained invaluable research experience while being in Dr. Fabry's lab. I have helped students pass organic and some students have even told me that without my help, they probably would have failed. My only concerns with going into organic chemistry is that you can't be "just an organic chemist." The jobs out there for organic chemists are slowly going down due the fall of the pharmaceutical companies. Organic chemists can be hired else where, but I don't know where that someplace is. 

Option 2. Inorganic. HUH?!?! This is not a typo. Based solely on the names of the two options, it's like going from one extreme to another. Inorganic is slightly misleading because the field I would like to go into (organometallic chemistry) falls under inorganic, it is like organic's 2nd cousin (related by blood, but doesn't really get invited to the family reunions). Organometallic chemistry has been ever increasing in popularity over the last decade. Its versatile applicability is both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing due to it being a relatively-new field of study, while on the contrary, it is a curse for that very same logic.

All I know for certain is that I will have a lot of time to decide my future (in these next six months). Graduate school will be an ever-changing experience for myself and I know that whatever path I take, it will lead me to a successful career as a scientist.  

Have a nice day everyone!

NT