Chemistry or Wildlife Biology

>>8758585
Definitely biology. I'm just like you, I still have collections of insects and lots of other biodiversty. I'm a field biologist/ empirical ecologist working on wildlife and agroecology.
Field biology is the fun science and has the best peer group. Also you will make a real impact on the world teaching field biology. ecology is the most important science pragmatically speaking, it and wildlife biology are interdependent.
Just prepare for the pervasive grief that comes with experiencing the anthropocene.

>>8758585
And you will need to get into a good Ph.D. Program and do some good research to be a professor.
Ethology and Behavioral ecology seem like the hotspots for the empirical side of biology

>>8758615
>>8758625
I imagine that you get to do plenty of field work?

>>8758585
If you enjoy bio, do bio. Just know that it's not going to be the easiest road and you're not going to be making a lot of money with that choice.

I'm an ecology undergrad, it's a great time and I love what I study. You just really need to be able to work with people and make connections because ultimately with some luck that's how you'll land a job. I chose this route because I knew that I would want to do something important and that it would have to be something I enjoy.

>>8758638
Sure do, it's my oldest hobby. And it's aboslutley free to get into, read the field notes and observations of other scientists you can find on the web, go out in the field and make observations, read the literature to gain knowlege and pay attention to methodology so you can apply those methods to your own work.
Even if you want to just dip you toes in the water you can enroll part time and some classes, or if you are already experienced you don't need to, just go apply for some internships or do your own work.
My favorite practice is surveying a patch and mapping its biodiversty then I like to produce models of its ecological networks from empirical observation or theoretical guestimation.
The most imporant things are reading the literature, gaining first hand experience(even if it is anecdotal), and like >>8758784 says networking. The biologist community is a social one, especially wildlife biologists. It is something you need to be passionate about, and that passion only grows with time If this is what you love than you won't have a problem, it will all be very interesting, but still challenging.
Don't worry about a job, if all else fails keep agriculture as your fall back plan, it's where the future lies anyways.

And don't get caught up lamenting over our extinction event. Just enjoy what is left and do your best to hold on to it. You have to be prepared to let go.

Also be weary while you are being educated, the corporate culture that surrounds everything does its best to indoctornate people into consenting to its sociopathic value system. Ecology typically see through that bullshit, just don't mistake symptoms like biodiversty loss and habitat degradation for the problem.

>>8758784
What kind of ecology are you intrested in?

Guys haven't you heard biology is for brainlet normies and is nothing but memorization?

>>8758864
>>8758615
Hey, I'm not OP but I'm going to start college soon and I think what you're doing is really cool! I've been looking into your field and I finally feel like it's the right fit for me. I especially agree with your sentiment about the state of our culture. It just made me happy to see someone so similar to what I aspire to be. Thank you anon.

>>8758585
>I'm currently teaching high school English
You're not smart enough for a science degree. I'm not shitposting, either. I'm completely serious.

>>8758585
If you're going with ecology, keep in mind that while you are catalogueing new species of butterflies in some shitty forest, biochemists are doing all the really ace shit, figuring out how the basic molecules of life work together.
You might think it's cool to look at a beetle being able to survive being frozen, but it's not you who'll get to characterize the antifreeze proteins that enable it to do so.

>>8759161
I'm raising my eyebrow with a smug look on my face.

>>8759170
catalogueing new species of butterflies in some shitty forest
That sounds cool as shit, man.

>>8758898
>>8759161
It's true that /sci/ has the worst trolls on 4chan.

>>8759170
Someone has to be there to study the beetle first before someone else can replicate what it is the beetle does.