One of the things I struggle with as a scientist is that the work we do doesn't always have a direct impact on people. It definitely does in the long run (especially work in the area of space weather) but unlike the medical field, or earth science for example, solar physics is a little more removed. I got around that personal challenge by transitioning my career from reach to education and outreach. So now my role is to engage kids like you in how awesome space can be, which I find much more rewarding. Another challenge is how we're paid. In general, scientists apply to government organizations like the National Science Foundation or NASA for money to do their research. That money pays for their wages, computers, lab space if they need it, internet access etc - all the things you need to be able to do your science. However, the process of getting that money is quite challenging and can make it difficult to feel secure sometimes. Its a bit more like being self employed than having a regular job. Which is great in that it gives you lots of freedom to pursue your own passions and questions, but also a little stressful because you need to make sure the money is still coming in. There are alternatives to this, where you can work in a "service" position, where you're paid to perform a duty for a mission or a project or observatory (in my case), and in return you get some of your time to conduct your research. You don't have as much freedom as you would if you work only on grant money, but you generally have a lot more security and longevity in your job.
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