The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Date: May 24 2004
Major: Biology (This Major's Salary over time)
Yeah, so I posted sometime last year…and I'm not taking back any of the comments I made before. I will add though. I am a biology major, like the tabs says, and to be honest I was not having fun. It felt like I was being a drone, not because that's the way the dept. works so much as I just wasn't interested. I had debated switching majors my freshman year, but decided not to b/c I had so many credits toward a biology major. This year I added a second major, exercise sports science, and love it. I realize that not switching freshman year was a mistake for me, b/c my passion for the subject wasn't there. I could've saved myself a lot of trouble. The teaching is still the same for the most part, but it's just something I'm more interested in, worth thinking on a deeper level about than biology. I think some people's dissatisfaction comes from the fact that they have settled into a major because that's what they wanted to do before they came in and that's what they are going to get a degree and when they learn more they find it tedious and boring. They don't want to think any deeper about the subject matter, and settle for memorizing the material and coming out with the good grades. My advice to everyone, at any college, is to explore your options as best as you can. Simply switching majors and finding something you truly love and can see yourself doing in the future can make the experience so much better.

My other comments…yes Carolina has its share of cliques, plenty in fact, but in a school of about 20,000 people, you can't expect everyone to know everyone else, and no doubt most of us have formed our own but we just don't want to label them as such. People wander outside their circles as well. Let's face it, a lot of that has to do with perspectives. I thought for a long time about how I didn't know very many people, and I was sad about it for a little while. But then I think about all the people that I do know on a very personal level as opposed to a superficial level, and these were going to be the people stayed in touch with anyway not everyone else. On top of that one of my friends commented on how it seemed like I knew everyone on campus…no where near the truth, but you might not think you know a lot of people, but others think you do.

There are a lot of liberals here, true, but there are also plenty of conservatives. Take it from a liberal whose been surrounded by conservatives since freshmen year when they were my suitemates and now they are some of the life long friends I've made during my time at Carolina.

As far as social life goes, sure there could be a better one if UNC was situated in a bigger city, but it's not. But it's not that bad, it can't be if people from NC State and Duke are coming here on the weekends. But don't be surprised if Franklin St. isn't as big you expect. You do the things that typical college students do go to bars, clubs, parties, and events on campus.

As far as job porspects, I think it's uncertain for everyone unless you take the initiative to line things up for yourself. Don't rely simply on the name of the school and the GPA to get yourself an interview. Make sure you have gotten to know people who can give you references, get your resume out early, take advantage of University Career Services (a wonderful thing to help get a job, simply by posting I've had at least 5 companies approach me regarding job openings). Although you shouldn't solely depend on it, the name UNC-Chapel Hill does carry weight.