Botanists are Boring

The dear friend who inspired me to start this blog suggested "Botanists are Boring" as the title. While I ultimately went with a more romantic name for my blog, I really do appreciate the self-deprecation of her suggestion. As a student of plant biology, I've encountered many people who groan when I tell them I that I study plants. The most memorable of these was a woman I met a couple years ago in the Sequoias (the Sequoias of all places). She started a conversation with me, telling me all about how she and her husband enjoy mountain biking, and hiking, and exploring the natural beauty of the area. Our conversation continued, and when she learned that I was in college, she began an impassioned rant on the importance of higher education for women, and how she is so proud of me. She then asked me what I was studying and what I wanted to do with my education. I was surpised to note her sudden change in demeanor when I told her I was studying biology with the hopes of going to graduate school for plant ecology and conservation. She didn't say anything for a few seconds, and then with face full of drama and a heart of spite, she asked me, "No offense, but WHY? Isn't that one of the most boring subjects? I mean, I guess someone has to... but botany.... wow." I was dumbfounded, and I realize now that sometimes I am too nice for my own good. I mumbled something polite like, "Well, I really enjoy it" and that was pretty much the end of the conversation. If I were one of my older siblings, I could have really ripped her a new one about her hypocrisy and ignorance. Instead I just think these things to myself, recreating the senario in ways that leave me the witty, sarcastic victor. Probably my silence has contributed to the idea that botanists are boring, because aren't smart asses more interesting than peace-makers or perhaps cowards? Oh well. I'm sure I'll have future encounters with people who just love nature and the empowerment of women, but just can't understand why a girl would actually want to study plants. Maybe then I'll have something to say.