Diary of a Gen Z Student: Science can help with life — but the humanities make life worth living

"Currently, it feels difficult to overstate how much we should value having citizens who are highly educated in history, sociology, politics, gender theory, and everything else the humanities have to offer."

Jane Cowan in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin. Photograph Moya Nolan

I grew up thinking that the only way you could do something of value with your life, was to have a career in Stem.

It’s something I’ve spent a lot of time unlearning, over the past few years. In school, I performed well. Teachers encouraged me to study science, maths, or engineering.