“So tell me again why you are doing pharmacy if you can do this?”

This question, albeit in different forms, has constantly been showering me since I first started my life as a pharmacy student. And so I decided, after Casker nudging me about it, to elaborate on how come I chose to plummet into the logical field of pharmacy and science when my passion so obviously stays faithful to the more fantastical and unpredictable arts and literature. These two worlds couldn’t be more contradicting, and yet I chose to embrace the archenemy of my passion.

People are always perplexed at my decision after discovering what my personality is like. I am an adventurer at heart, and would not shy away from taking a chance with destiny. So why does it seem like I played my cards safely?

The answer, my friends, lies with me as a person. I am a contradicting one. I never expressed this much because the creative half of my brain takes up more of my time and love, but I actually quite enjoy science. Academically, I do well in both science and arts, though a fraction stronger in the latter. Chemistry is my little baby, and I simply love standing in a lab, specs and lab coats donned, working with (non-)volative substances to prove a theory right. To think of the prospect of perhaps discovering something someday, creating something remarkable, it’s just so thrilling! I am a researcher. Also, because I am a people person, my science dream is to go into academics and earn the title Professor/Dr and be able to hold my own lectures to future (non-)eager students. I want to inspire them, help them to their success — contribute to their own dreams to come true. And guess what? You get to do research as well — it’s just perfect.

The second reason why I chose not to indulge in my passion, is because pharmacy is actually my plan B. I know, I know, it doesn’t sound right, but it’s true. “Pharmacist by day, designer/writer by night.” Does that make sense to you? It certainly does to me. You don’t necasserily need a degree to be able to design clothes, you don’t necessarily need to have done a literature course in order to write (although it certainly helps to get you into the business), however you DO need a degree in science to be able to do anything. And that’s where I thought; hey, why not kill two birds with one stone! I can do both science and arts/literature! Because my job as a pharmacist will secure me economically, it means that I can take greater chances and risks pursuing my passion. And should my plan A fail, I always have my steady plan B job as a pharmacist to fall back on. Basically, it means that I have secured my future in both passion and economically. I’d hate to admit it, but you do need a bit of money. Life isn’t always fair, I’m afraid. However, if it wasn’t for the fact that I actually enjoy chemistry, I’d never go for pharmacy. I’d jump on the arts wagon straight away!

So there you go my friends, that’s the master plan behind my odd decision to study pharmacy when I’m so obviously more of the creative kind.

Thanks for staying until the end.