My Chosen Major by Laini

My Chosen Major by Laini - February 2024 Scholarship Essay

I enjoy listening to true crime podcasts, reading murder mystery books, and watching thriller movies like so many others. I always enjoyed guessing who did it, with what, and where. These experiences left me wondering what it would be like to be the one solving the cases and analyzing the evidence left behind. I wanted to learn how to identify fingerprints, how to identify fibers, and how to analyze DNA. It was during my junior year of high school that I was able to make that dream a reality.
What I did not expect during that year-long class was that out of the eight different units, my favorite was going to be analyzing human remains. I learned how to find the height of a skeleton using long bones and formulas. I learned how to estimate a time of death using rigor mortis and entomology. I learned how to identify sex with the pelvis and skull, my favorite way being by looking at the skull's occipital protuberance. I would drag my mother around to different skeletal Halloween decorations in the stores and tell her if they were male or female and their race. I was so excited to go to class and learn more.
While forensic science is hard on its own, the worst part about that class was the disconnect I felt with the teacher. I often went home frustrated and complaining about her teaching style or her rules during labs. Everyone around me recognized how invested I was in this subject and would bring it up as an idea of a major during college conversations. I dismissed the idea because I could not see myself studying forensics for the rest of my life. Then, when it came up again during the beginning of my summer vacation, I finally took it seriously. I reflected on the joy I felt in the moment studying and figured that maybe I could do this forever.
I went on to research schools and narrowed my interests down to seven. During a visit, I interacted with forensic science students and the professor. These students had the option to research whatever area of forensic science took their fancy. My tour guide, a woman named Adrijana, was researching gunpowder residue. The way she talked about her research and courses in the degree program of forensic science, I just knew that forensics was what she was meant to study. She was so excited about the prospect of spending all day in that lab, analyzing her results. While extremely respectful, she could not wait to finish our tour and return to her work.
It was then I also knew that I could never be as passionate about forensic sciences as she is. I could never fully dedicate myself to all that the study of forensic sciences covered. However, I knew I enjoyed learning forensic anthropology, so I pivoted and researched more about general anthropology. I learned that if I were to study anthropology, I would still be able to take some part in forensic sciences, yet I would also be able to learn about different parts of the world. I would be able to study anthropology, hopefully concentrating in archaeology, and be able to dig around in holes and pull out ancient artifacts like a spoon, hair clip, or maybe even a femur. I would study these, apply my historical knowledge, and contribute to society by helping humanity understand itself. This knowledge allowed me to be as excited as Adrijana about my course of study. So, looking back, my experience with Adrijana is why I have decided to major not in forensic sciences but in anthropology.