Here are pictures of what they will look like. Graduate geology is also for people who like to sit in little cubicles and correct endless assignments, papers and exams. Geology is also for people who aren't afraid to hitchhike in remote desert areas and change flat tires. Geology is sometimes for people who like to play with extremely expensive toys like electron microprobes, mass spectrometers, or platinum crucibles. I am most interested in igneous petrology, particularly in granite.
Granite is the most beautiful, strong, resistant rock ever crystallized.
It makes up the cores of continents and so, in a way, supports us all. Island arcs may come and go, but continents are forever. When a a granitic pluton is exposed at the surface, especially in a glaciated mountain setting, it may be the most beautiful thing on Earth. To understand it is to understand our home. To see what real geologists do visit the USGS .