Writing a story, need to know more about the biology student experience.

If this isn't the right place to post this, sorry about that. The novel is a reanimation horror. My characters start the story at university studying biology and I need to know about a course like this from a student's perspective. How is it taught? What happens when you're failing/ expelled? What equipment do you make use of?

I have many more questions besides, if I could get in a call with somebody that would be perfect. It's a graphic novel so some photography would be great reference material. Any help is greatly appreciated

Creating a survey will really help your cause

If this isn't the right place to post this, sorry about that. The novel is a reanimation horror. My characters start the story at university studying biology and I need to know about a course like this from a student's perspective. How is it taught? What happens when you're failing/ expelled? What equipment do you make use of?

I have many more questions besides, if I could get in a call with somebody that would be perfect. It's a graphic novel so some photography would be great reference material. Any help is greatly appreciated

Has someone been reading Lovecraft?

I have indeed 😃 It is a very similar premise I'll grant you. I'm hoping to use it to explore more ideas about, not-so-much the insignificance of humanity as, the not-insignificant search for purpose in a world without objective meaning. I'd say I'm a bit more optimistic than Lovecraft, even if similarly nihilistic.

Optimistic nihilism... now I've heard it all

You laugh but why shouldn't there be such a thing? Just because life is without objective meaning doesn't mean that we should all just wallow in our insignificance. I think that there is significance in the principles that we decide upon, if the universe gives us no purpose then we get to dictate what our purpose should be. Is that not a more beautiful thing?

That's a good idea! I'll definitely do that. Have you used a survey for research before? Any advice?

Maybe it is a beautiful thing, but you're assuming that there truly is no meaning to the life we have. If you really wanted to follow in the vein of Lovecraft (which I'm assuming, for the moment, you are), you'd approach it as a scientist and keep an open mind.

Okay so, just to clarify, are you saying that Lovecraft was open-minded? That is an interesting interpretation if so.

I suppose that I believe in the inherent meaninglessness of life because to suggest that there is an objective meaning, you'd have to point to one to make the argument, that's something you'd have to prove.

Lovecraft was dark and dismal, and was open-minded in some ways but unfortunately not in others. As writers, part of our lot is to take work we know and love and mould it to fit with what we know - and also believe, to an extent. We know that paradigm shifts knock our entire scientific corpus on its head every few decades, which teaches us we must be open-minded: this is something which wasn't as widely known - or at least acknowledged - in Lovecraft's day.

If there is an inherent meaningless to life, what's the point in writing stories? What's the point in entertaining people when people - all of whom die in the end - are just as dead if they enjoyed themselves as if they hadn't. Your logic defeats itself; you can't truly believe this or else you wouldn't want to make life something people can enjoy by entertaining or instructing them through your craft.

Okay so, just to clarify, are you saying that Lovecraft was open-minded? That is an interesting interpretation if so.

I suppose that I believe in the inherent meaninglessness of life because to suggest that there is an objective meaning, you'd have to point to one to make the argument, that's something you'd have to prove.

The simplest meaning in life is to find meaning or in better words a goal some like scientists choose to better our knowledge and understanding others search for fulfilment through enriching activities like sport or creative past times others lack a goal and simply walk aimlessly would you not say those who wander without aim are the ones who lost meaning afterall they simply spend their time wasting their lives on searching for a meaning but never consider what they wish or can do

This is good and I'm glad you bring it up, you misunderstand my position though. I'm not saying that there is no point to anything. Just that we all must seek internally for meaning.

I don't understand about this open-mindedness point you're making. I understand about social-change and reflecting on our beliefs. What's the relevance here exactly?

Optimistic nihilism... now I've heard it all

You laugh but why shouldn't there be such a thing? Just because life is without objective meaning doesn't mean that we should all just wallow in our insignificance. I think that there is significance in the principles that we decide upon, if the universe gives us no purpose then we get to dictate what our purpose should be. Is that not a more beautiful thing?