system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Currently thinking of dropping out of PhD

As the title states, I am seriously considering dropping out of my bio PhD program and just apply to consulting jobs. I realize how stereotypical that sounds, but I just do not see myself completing this degree. 

I am not even one semester into my program and I am feeling quite confident that this is not what I want to be doing for the next several years and beyond. I got into my program straight out of undergrad and I barely knew what I was getting into. I learned about prelims, dissertation, rotations, etc. at my orientation for this program. 

The reason I chose PhD during my undergrad was because I was a bio major who dropped Pre-med. I did not know what else I could pursue without disappointing my family. I saw PhD as the most obvious answer at the time because I would have had an "easy-in" because of my PI at the time (he is a well-known professor in his area of research). When I was writing my essays for the four schools I applied to, I faked my reasonings as to why I wanted this degree. I just took what I heard from others and put it into my essays. I even remember going to my professor's office nearly in tears because I never felt the "passion" for science that he always talked about. I thought that I could just ride this wave until I got in and maybe figure it out from there. 

Well, I got to school and met my wonderful cohort. They are the brightest individuals I have ever met. I am so grateful for them, but I realized how passionate they are about the science they are doing. Each conversation I have with them makes me think of why I am even here. 

Are these reasons valid? Am I making the right choice to drop out? I know it is not a matter of under/poor performance because my grades and lab work have been fine. I am just extremely unhappy and feel like I am not pursuing this degree for myself.
gpt
Yes. To finish PhD you don’t need passion but you need to know how to manage frustrations. And, you need to know how to handle lot of disappointments like failed experiment, funding, rejected journals, longer time to get paper published, limited resources (in some instances) to complete your work etc. 

Also, if you are planning to join industry rather than Teaching then that bring different kind of frustration because there experience gets more attention than degree (some industries or companies are exceptional). 

If you are young then i suggest to go to job and if you are still interested in PhD then you comeback later. Your time is limited in this world. Go for what makes you happy (if that decision is entirely in your hand). Your PI might be disappointed to hear ur decisions but they move on. Good luck and all the very best for what ever your decide to do next.