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Zoe
Student
Baywood-Los Osos, California
1
Question
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How do I figure out a more niche area of study within biology?
How do I figure out a more niche area of study? I love biology, though I don't have my 'thing' yet; I love it all! What is some good advice to find my thing within biology?
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2 answers
Yasmin Mohamed Alamin
Clinical Nutrition Student
63
Answers
Cairo, Cairo Governorate, Egypt
Updated
Yasmin’s Answer
Hi Zoe 👋🏻...
It’s completely normal to love biology but not have a “thing” yet. Biology is huge, and most people don’t figure out their niche until they start getting real exposure to different areas.
Here are a few simple ways to discover what might click for you:
1. Start by noticing what topics make you curious without trying. When you’re in class or watching a video, what makes you pause and think, “wait… that’s interesting”? Those small moments usually point you toward your niche.
2. Try hands-on experiences whenever you can. Volunteer in a lab, shadow someone in healthcare, join a bio-related club, or help with a small research project. Sometimes you don’t know you love something until you actually see the work up close.
3. Pay attention to the type of problems you enjoy solving. Do you like understanding how the body works? You might lean toward physiology or neuroscience. Do you love thinking about tiny details? Maybe microbiology or molecular biology. Do you enjoy big-picture systems? Ecology or public health might fit.
And don’t worry if you don’t choose immediately. Most biology majors explore for the first year or two before anything “locks in.” Your niche often shows up slowly, as a pattern in what you enjoy, what challenges you, and what feels meaningful.
Exploration is part of the process, and you’re exactly where you should be right now.
It’s completely normal to love biology but not have a “thing” yet. Biology is huge, and most people don’t figure out their niche until they start getting real exposure to different areas.
Here are a few simple ways to discover what might click for you:
1. Start by noticing what topics make you curious without trying. When you’re in class or watching a video, what makes you pause and think, “wait… that’s interesting”? Those small moments usually point you toward your niche.
2. Try hands-on experiences whenever you can. Volunteer in a lab, shadow someone in healthcare, join a bio-related club, or help with a small research project. Sometimes you don’t know you love something until you actually see the work up close.
3. Pay attention to the type of problems you enjoy solving. Do you like understanding how the body works? You might lean toward physiology or neuroscience. Do you love thinking about tiny details? Maybe microbiology or molecular biology. Do you enjoy big-picture systems? Ecology or public health might fit.
And don’t worry if you don’t choose immediately. Most biology majors explore for the first year or two before anything “locks in.” Your niche often shows up slowly, as a pattern in what you enjoy, what challenges you, and what feels meaningful.
Exploration is part of the process, and you’re exactly where you should be right now.
Yuezhe Li, PhD
Scientist
10
Answers
Farmington, Connecticut
Updated
Yuezhe’s Answer
I would recommend reading and trying. These include but not limited to
1. read science news. There are many magazines that faces general public for this purpose;
2. trying out projects (if in silico), or intern at labs;
3. talk to people in the field (senior students, grad students, postdoc, industry professionals)
1. read science news. There are many magazines that faces general public for this purpose;
2. trying out projects (if in silico), or intern at labs;
3. talk to people in the field (senior students, grad students, postdoc, industry professionals)