Science is hard – and learning science is a slow process. So be patient with yourself and find a supportive environment to train in that will be patient with you as well. Struggling doesn’t mean you aren’t cut out to be a scientist! Know that everyone, even Nobel Prize winning scientists, had to struggle at times, and had to go through the slow process and years of training (and countless “failed” experiments they’re not giving talks about) to get where they are.
link to video in case embed isn’t working: https://youtu.be/N1loaESUQCA
We all had to start from 0, but sometimes we forget that so we might forget to explain something. So be sure to ask lots of questions and ask your mentors to clarify anything that you are unsure about before you start doing things wrong (and thinking you’re doing things correctly).
In class, focus on the fundamentals (electrophiles vs. nucleophiles, where electrons like to hang out, etc.) – try to develop an intuitive ability to think like a molecule. And connect what you learn in class to what you do in the lab.
And, crucially, have fun!!! Not all days will be fun and there will be hard times, but if you have a strong passion for science and a curiosity for finding the answers to questions, you can go far! (even though you have to start slow)
This post was inspired by a couple of people asking me in the last couple of days what advice I had for starting scientists – so I hope they, and you, find it helpful.
more posts on topics pertaining to scientists-in-training: https://bit.ly/gradpostdocetc
