I’m sure there are people out there who think that geoscientists are just geniuses. And if you’re one of those people, then I’m here to tell you that you’re wrong. Obviously, geniuses exist in this world and in the geoscience field, but so does everyone else. I know several brilliant and smart individuals and they happen to be geoscientists. However, many of my friends aren’t scientists at all – they have completely different careers! So it’s not necessarily the case that one must be a genius to become a geoscientist (or even an earth scientist!)
The truth is: there is no such thing as someone who is “a natural born scientist”. Take me for example; when I was in elementary school I absolutely hated science class (except for when we got to dissect rats…). When we were learning about science and life cycles in sixth grade biology class (before we got to digital mapping), I was always doodling in the corner of my notebooks, instead of paying attention. As a seventh grader, my class had to take a science test in order to move onto eighth grade. I had never studied for any exams before in my life because I didn’t care about school, and this test was going to be the first one that would actually matter to me. My family sat down at our kitchen table and tried their hardest for me to study… but it didn’t work! After a few hours of trying, we gave up and went out for ice cream instead. The next morning my mother woke me up with questions from that exam on her mind – she wanted all of the answers! There were several questions that she knew I hadn’t studied for, so she spent all night trying to teach me what they were talking about – but nothing stuck with me until after our ice cream outing (and maybe not even then). The next day while taking the exam, I answered every question wrong handedly while doodling in the margin of my notebook again! Luckily enough though, just by chance some things did stick with me that day; otherwise I could have failed entirely by chance alone!
So yes… there are geniuses out there who are geoscientists (or earth scientists), but there are also people who aren’t geniuses who become earth scientists too. It’s true that you don’t have to be a genius to become an earth scientist or geoscientist – but you do need to at least like science. If you just hate science, then it would be difficult for you to consider becoming an earth scientist. It’s not the case that one must love science in order to succeed in the geoscience field, but it certainly helps if one does!
So what does it take? I’m going to give my opinion on this topic. Like I said, there are geniuses in the geoscience field… but in my experience most of them didn’t start out as geniuses; they became geniuses through hard work and dedication (and some were lucky too). There is no way someone can become a genius without working hard either; this is why I think that if someone wants to become a geoscientist they should go for it! It will be tough at times (and there will definitely be days when your pride gets hurt) – but if you really want something bad enough, then everything else becomes irrelevant. Geology is so fascinating for me because of how much we still have yet know about our planet. It’s so easy to forget all of the amazing things that I know because there are so many things that I don’t know! Every time I think about geology, it’s like my brain is on fire with thoughts. These thoughts inspire me to work hard and pursue my dreams.
Many people ask me this question: “is Earth Science right for me?” I can’t answer this for you; it’s something you have to decide for yourself! One of the most important questions you should ask yourself is: do I love science? If yes, then you’re on your way to becoming an earth scientist or geoscientist (or whatever career path you choose). If not – then maybe something else is right for you! Everyone who enters college has different interests, and these interests can change during one’s time in college. Maybe at first geology wasn’t your thing… but now it might be after taking some courses or reading some books. It doesn’t matter what major you end up choosing; if at any point along the way science really starts piquing your interest – then go for it! It’s never too late (and sometimes starting over might be better anyway!). Just remember that nothing good ever comes without hard work… even if it seems like nothing is happening at first glance. The same goes with being a genius.
Some people think that to be a genius you need to have an IQ that is super high. I don’t really know how much someone’s IQ can affect one’s ability to become a geoscientist. I do know that if you’re not good at taking tests, then it may be hard for you to get through college… but other than this, I’m not sure how much IQ can affect your ability as a geoscientist. If anything, it seems like the hardest thing about being an earth scientist or geoscientist is having the patience and discipline for school – which means that you don’t necessarily have to be smart in order to succeed!
So yes… there are geniuses out there who are earth scientists (and also other types of scientists too). However, there are also plenty of non-geniuses who end up becoming successful in science fields as well! So if you feel like science might be right for you – go ahead and give it a shot!
