I started at Temple as a pre-pharmacy major. As a freshman, I was unbelievably excited to learn everything that the science field had to offer, and Temple seemed like the perfect place to start my 8-year journey towards a doctorate. I was motivated by my passion, and I always did well in science classes throughout high school. I thought my success would just naturally progress from high school to college, and I was looking forward to being perceived as one of those “smart science students.”
To say I was wrong about my vision of academics in college would be a huge understatement. College as a science major wasn’t as glamorous as I thought it was going to be, but I tried to stick it out for as long as possible. I tried to grasp onto the excitement I had as an incoming freshman to motivate me to do well, to study several hours for a 25-question test, or to finish my long lab reports every week. Eventually, it became too much. I wasn’t excited about what I was doing and found myself just trying to survive.
I tried looking around other colleges to find the right major for me, but the idea of changing programs scared every fiber of my being. I didn’t want my parents to think I was a failure or my friends to look down on me or to graduate late because I couldn’t get my act together. The next part of my story is where things get better.
I found out about public relations when a group from a PR class came to do a communication workshop during my fraternity’s meeting. Again, to say I enjoyed the workshop would be a huge understatement. This event made me look into what Klein had to offer. I eventually switched majors and my first semester in PR was the spring of my sophomore year.
Klein and the School of Science and Technology are night and day to me. I enjoyed the department of communication classes and, through the courses, I have met some of the most supportive and compassionate people I could ever imagine. The professors challenge me in ways I have never known and helped me grow into a completely different person that I love so much more.
My main concern was that I felt behind everyone else and that being a science major for three semesters at Temple felt like a giant waste. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Science taught me how to be a good test taker, how to budget my time with big assignments, and how to solve complicated problems. I learned more about myself than I thought possible, and immerse myself into public relations and Klein, which is really why I’m writing this blog post now.
I followed my gut and found something better for my future, my health, and my overall happiness. It’s important to not focus on the people around you and compare your successes and failures. We are all on our timelines with different aspirations, setbacks, and accomplishments. My timeline got pushed back a little bit, but my health and happiness couldn’t be any higher.
-Rachael Greene
prowlpr.com 