Professor DeWolfe

English 603HSDVA

2 February 2019

The Collins COBUILD English Dictionary defines science as “the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observations and experiment” (1485).[1] Without science, Sir Alexander Flemming would not have solved bacterial infections through the introduction of antibiotics. Without the contributions of Sir Francis Crick and James Watson, we would still be in the shadows in our understanding of DNA molecular structure. Without Isaac Newton’s laws of physics, we would have not landed on the moon. Clearly, science has had a positive and meaningful impact on everyday life. Science has also shaped my academic career, has become my field of interest, and has determined my choice of a future career.  

Science has been present in every aspect if of my academic experiences thus far. My interest in science began during my high school education at Regina Assumpta, a private school located only twenty minutes away from Vanier. Throughout my five years at Assumpta, where I primarily took science related courses in French, I received several awards which caused my interest in science to peak. Among my awards, a medal of excellence in chemistry and a top ten finish in Physics are noteworthy contributions. With confidence, I decided to begin my college studies at an English-speaking college, where I had heard a very strong Health Science department exists. Despite the challenges of the English language at the college, I have been placed on the Dean’s honor roll for the past three consecutive semesters which consequently offered me the opportunity to become an ambassador for the college. My experiences at the college level have confirmed and cemented my passion for the sciences not only because of the acknowledgment I have received for my hard work but also because of my general curiosity in this field.

My passion for science has influenced both my ideas and everyday life. Living in the age of science, I believe scientific methodology can solve many of the pressing issues facing our society today. For example, our most critical problem today is climate change, and if we only listened to scientists as opposed to politicians, then we would begin the process of cleaning the earth of its toxins and stabilizing global temperatures, which is necessary to our survival. In relation to everyday life, I also believe scientific knowledge can improve our existence. For instance, the awareness of washing hands and not touching eyes, ears, or a nose during flu season will lead to less contamination. In addition to how science has influenced everyday life, it has specifically impacted my own life. My unwavering belief in science has led me to transmit its knowledge through the practice of teacher assistance ships, and tutorial to students who also need help in the field. Science, in both my thoughts and actions, is imperative to my very existence.

Like every other budding scientist, I have hopes and anxieties concerning my future career. To begin with, I desperately wish to continue performing well in my sciences courses specifically, but also in my other courses at the college level. To achieve this, I will need to work very hard and to maintain focus on my objective. Beyond doing well in College, I ultimately aspire to get accepted into the McGill Medical program. Since an early age, I have dreamt about becoming a respected physician who can have a positive impact on the lives of people. As for my anxieties, I worry most about a five-minute interview which will determine whether I get into medical school or not. This weighs heavily on me because I have put in five years of effort to achieve my goal. Another concern is what will I do if I do not get accepted into my field of interest. Will I have to choose pharmacy or dentistry as my second-best options. Hopefully, I will not have to make such a decision.

As I have demonstrated, science has guided my life in several different ways. It has influenced my choice of academic studies, my ideas about the world as well as my everyday life, and my choice of a future career. Without time, determination, effort, and focus, my dream of becoming a physician one day might not be achieved.

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[1] “science.” Collins COBUILD English dictionary. London, Harper Collins, 1999, pp. 1485.