AboutJeroen R. van Olst Expertise “What do I want to do?” This, along with: “How am I going to do this?” and “Am I on the right track?” is the most frequently asked question I have received in my career as a vocational counselor to students and career advisor and coach to all-level professionals.
Experience With a vast professional and human experience in the international business community, now, for the past 15 years, I work as an independent counselor to those who want to find their talents and live a full and happy professional and personal life.
Education/Credentials BA Hotel Administration, BA Advertising. For the rest, I received my professional and personal education by working hard and with a lot of blood, sweat and tears.
Expert: Jeroen R. van Olst Date: 6/5/2008 Subject: i wanna be.... but how??
Question Hi um well i'm 14 and i already know what i wanna do with my life. I wanna be a marine biologist. I am very determined but not the smartest person though. I really want this even though i suck at math... and that happens to be one of the main requirements for a mb. So ya i am going 2 be in grade 9 next year. I am moving to the high school, and they have about, well lets see ALOT of different classes to choose from. I dont no which classes are the ones i need to further my chances of becoming a MB. I'm really serious about this and need yur help gettin a head start in my hopefully good life. Will u please help me figure this out??? Tay
Answer Hi Taylor,
To tell the truth, I’m not very well informed about the specifics on Marine Biology, but here are a few websites that will help you to further explore and understand your possibilities. Don’t let the math-thing scare you off. I sucked at math too, but found a tutor to help me out to make (just) the necessary grade for my profession at the time. You could too. Don’t be disappointed or discouraged if it may not be possible to study Marine Biology directly. It doesn’t mean that you won’t find a Marine Biology-related career. So, go out and experience it for yourself. Ask the people on these sites and start looking for vacation, summer, or weekend jobs, investigate, buy magazines and books on Marine Biology, visit websites, talk/write to people in the field, see what’s going on and how and why, connect yourself, experience what is out there in Marine Biology and how it is done. Become an expert, without the degree for now. Do what is necessary. Never mind what ‘others’ have to say about it. It’s a good head start. Have fun with it and enjoy yourself spending time with your passion. Immerse yourself in the subject.
This may sound a little weird, but I’ll say it anyway: good grades are important, but, in the end, lose a little importance in comparison to experience, common sense, and the smart way of handling a situation. So be smart at those things you are smart at. Let me tell you, your determination and your will to succeed will get you where you want to be.
Another very important thing to always remember is: the fact that you are choosing to become a Marine Biologist now, doesn’t necessarily mean that you will have to do that same job for the rest of your life. You can be whoever and whatever you want to be, at any time in your life! Just be smart about it, do what your heart tells you, and never give up! Because...
“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain.
