I can't tell you how many times I've posted a picture of what I've done in lab, only to hear, "OH MY GOD TAYLOR, that is sooooo gross!" from my friends. Some days it annoys me, but most days I laugh and tend to agree. What we do is kind of gross, but someone has to do it. So why not us, those students that have a passion for the care and study of those animals.
2. There are a pair of muddy (and poop-covered) boots by your front door.
No matter how hard you scrub, they don't come clean. They are caked in material that should never make it past that designated spot on your floor. They're an essential part of your wardrobe, however, and are probably loved more than your favorite wedges.
3. Your hand will inevitably wind up in... various places.
I have pulled piglets, given pregnancy checks, practiced artificial insemination, and sampled rumen fluid from a cannula in the side of a cow. There is no longer a place where I hesitate to put my arm, for better or for worse.
4. You forget that not everyone at your school does what you do.
One of my good friends was telling me a story the other day of a trip she took to the dining hall on campus. She had just come back from one of the university's farms and before getting in line for food, she said to a friend, "Oh, I better go wash my hands first. There's poop on them!" Needless to say, weird looks came from all angles! We forget that everyone's first thought isn't animal poop. Something so typical to us is shocking to everyone else.
5. You have conversations that seem crass and crude if someone didn't understand the context (which they frequently don't).
When I was taking reproductive physiology last semester, anyone who walked by the table my friends and I were sitting at in the library any given night were probably in for quite the earful. Discussing clinical reasons behind infertility in a bull probably isn't typical public conversation material, but for us conversations like that occur everyday. Almost.
6. You perfect the "strip down at the washing machine and run to the shower in your bra and underwear."
When you come home from the farms, especially the swine unit, your clothes go right in the washer and you go right to the shower. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. Don't even consider getting in bed without washing your hair first because it gets in your follicles. If you have to be somewhere before you can shower, those clothes get washed as soon as possible, as well.
7. You will be jealous of your non-science major friends. But not really.
Sleep becomes a luxury and studying organic chemistry gets old fast. The communications major life begins to look realllllly nice. Until you help deliver piglets. Then you realize all the stupid hard classes and all nighters are 100% worth it.
8. You find yourself apologizing to people for smelling like a dairy farm.
Or a swine farm... Or a goat farm... You get the idea. I once had to attend a presentation for the physics department after being at the beef unit. I brought a different pair of shoes, but wasn't able to change clothes. It ended up being very fancy with appetizers before and all that. And then there was me. Needless to say I got a few looks.
9. Everyone asks you if you're going to vet school.
And when they do, I just laugh. The pre-vet life just wasn't for me. So, PSA: not all animal science majors want to be vets! Some want to be nutritionists, professors, teachers, extension agents, and so much more!
10. You completely fall in love with your major.
Being an Animal Science major isn't just about the school... it's a lifestyle. You spend your days in classes and labs, only to go to various club meetings that night. Most likely you're passionate about agriculture and the future of our industry. It's a stressful life, but you wouldn't have it any other way because despite all the late nights spent in the library, your days are full of laughter, exciting new topics, and Instagramming adorable animals.
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