I was in your shoes (undergrad class of 2015). My PhD journey was way more isolating, cynicism-inducing, political, yet also more successful than I could have i

I was in your shoes (undergrad class of 2015). My PhD journey was way more isolating, cynicism-inducing, political, yet also more successful than I could have imagined. I now have a nice researcher job in industry that has lots of agency, is interesting, and I have no complaints on pay. Yet I also have come to understand that there's nothing special in the intellectual achievements one can have in science. The thought of challenging myself intellectually and striving to reach heights was appealing to me in undergrad. While it might be easier to think critically/scientifically in science vs other areas due to job descriptions, many people think scientifically in other areas with just as much intellectual rigor and insight and without any advanced degree.