What Should You Know Before Studying Biology?
Have you gained admission to study biology or you have an interest in the subject and hope to pursue it in the future? If your situation is the former, then by now you should know the fundamentals of the subject. However, if you want to read it one day, then this article is for you. By now, you may be asking what the requirements for studying biology are, and what foundation do you need?
To be a successful biologist, you need to be curious about life and the environment. You need to be an answer seeker, critical thinker, and open-minded. You need to have an interest in nature and the happenings around you. Also, you need to have some interest in physics, chemistry maths, as you will meet them during your studies. Above all, your commitment and dedication to the subject must be very high. Below are some areas of study you need to be interested in before learning biology.
Have skills in general science
To be successful in the study of biology, you need to have good knowledge of general science. General science consists of the basics of all the science subjects, including chemistry, physics, and biology. Being abreast with the topics here can propel you in the study of all other sciences.
1. Chemistry
You may be wondering what biology has to do with chemistry. In chemistry, you learn about chemicals, their combination, and how they interact with other compounds. You get to know that the things around us are made up of atoms and molecules. Good knowledge in chemistry, therefore, helps you during the testing of specimens. Also, it makes the study of biochemistry easier.
2. Physics
Physics also gives you the basics of biology. The study of physics gives you the concept and components of the universe or creation. Without components like energy, space, times, matter, there wouldn’t be life.
3. Math
You may not have to do any math at the intro level of your biology class. However, as time goes on, you may need to plot graphs or use your knowledge in algebra to explain a phenomenon. That aside, you need math to understand some data trends and figures in biology. You may require to do some additions and subtraction to come up with certain data.
4. Statistics
The use of statistics including probability is critical in the study of biology. You need to understand the basics of this to excel in biology, especially when it comes to working with data. Biology topics like population and genetics require the application of probability. Also, you need statistics when working with data and finding its mode, mean, and median.
It is mandatory to know all the above?
You don’t necessarily need to have deep knowledge of the above subjects before choosing to study biology. As far as you are ready to learn and explore, you are good to go. However, detesting any of the subjects can also affect how far you can go in the field. You, therefore, need to embrace them and work towards developing a greater interest.