I'm worried about how to become an archaeologist.

Dr. dig responds:
My advice to you is: don't fret! If you love archaeology, everything will fall into place. Worrying and wringing your hands about whether or not you will be able to do what you love most is simply going to waste a lot of your time, and in the end, probably keep you from doing what you really want to do.

My brother, who really, really wanted to be a veterinarian, almost didn't because he was terrified of having to take calculus in college. He thought, he could never pass calculus, so why bother. He was going to become a ranch manager instead - a good job which involved animals, but not what he wanted to do in his heart.

Well, a friend of his at the time told him not to be so silly, and in the end my brother enrolled in calculus and passed the course which qualified him to enroll in a school of veterinary science.

He is now considered a top equine vet (that's a vet that specializes in horses). What a pity it would have been if he did not follow his dream because of the small math hurdle that had seemed insurmountable before he even tried to tackle it!

There are many different things that archaeologists can do, that's why you should keep at it. If languages aren't your strength, then steer towards American archaeology, and if the sciences seem a hurdle, then you will probably not be pursuing an archaeology career that involves a lot of high tech research. Perhaps Heritage or Parks Management is an area you might want to look into.

But the only way to find out what field of archaeology you want to go into is to get some first hand experience. Look for volunteer opportunities at your nearest local history museum, science museum, contract archaeology firm, or university archaeology or anthropology lab. Few people will turn away an enthusiastic volunteer!

Once you decide what field of archaeology you want to enter then you will be able to make more informed choices about what college you will want to attend.