In my continual quest for self-improvement (since my science ain't working) I have decided that this week's lesson is:
In grad school, if you're not miserable 100% of the time, something must be wrong with you, and it's just a matter of time before you get screwed over.
I'm all seriousness, it's been a rough week. Some shakeups in the lab means that all the latent frustrations people have have come tumbling out. I guess the only surprise to me is the number of people who are unhappy here. I've heard a lot of people expressing regrets about going to grad school, or choosing to do a phd rather than a masters degree. I've also heard that I'm fantastically and probably terminally naive for a) being interested in the science behind what I'm doing, and b) not looking to fight the faculty tooth and nail at all times.
Doing my best to keep my head down and concentrate on work. Which...isn't working. Fuck.
I was happy, dammit.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Everyone reaches a point in grad school at which they are miserable, I think. Sometimes it seems that everyone is miserable at the same time, especially if the grad students in the lab started around the same time, which sort of creates this alternate reality. Probably the best thing you can do is to keep your head down, try not to let people drag you in (it's hard and I often failed at it). And keep the terminal naivete :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, I have to wonder what stage these people are at that you're talking to. Talk to anyone 2-4.5 years into their Ph.D. and they will probably express some marked level of misery.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you are naive, but that's okay- you just keep doing what you're doing, and if you're happy, you're happy. Misery will find you when it's good and ready. :)
Thanks for the comments. The people in question are at all stages (2nd year-postdoc+), but I think it might be just that a few people are in a bad patch at once. And February. A weekend away from the lab working on some reports and I'm feeling much better and ready to ignore any naysayers.
ReplyDelete