STEM Identity
I do not think my identity per se influenced my educational path. My age itself did, however. When I was younger I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I had no roles models that I was trying to emulate. With time and experience I realized that I loved helping people, and wanted a career relating to the medical field. I also am very curious about how things work. While pursuing other degree paths, I was finally led to Biology, my one true love. It has everything I want. My identity has impacted my sense of belonging though. I am twice the age of most of my fellow students. I feel like a bit of an outsider at times, and certainly way behind everyone else. When they are my current age, they will be masters of their field. I am already older than many of my professors. When I enter the workforce again, people much younger than I am will have much more knowledge and experience. It is something I am having to get comfortable with. I also feel like I will have much less time to ma