Infinite Wisdom.

So I think I can safely say my first two years in grad school sucked. And, by sucked, I really mean the most miserable two years of my life. I didn't know what to expect and I was ill-prepared for what came my way. One of the things that made my life bearable during that rough patch was Ladies' Night. A group of us in physics would get together, make dinner, drink a copious amount of wine, then vent, brag or just relax. Knowing I wasn't alone in my frustration made all the difference. I survived those two years and grad school went from being miserable into something wonderful. That is the infinite wisdom I have to offer: It may suck now but it gets better. It may not sound like much, but it would have helped me.

Tonight was the first night for the women mentoring women program at Caltech and I am now officially "mentoring" a first year graduate student in physics. Won't she be disappointed to know all my advice will be spent in the first five minutes, but hopefully it will make her feel a little better too.

Comments

[Gordon Stangler]

See, that's why men have it easy. No-one cares about our feelings, not even ourselves. Our advisors take out their frusterations on us, we nod, yawn, shrug, burp, scratch ourselves, and get on with da research.

:p

[m.visaya]

that is right; she was leaky and the crab's major appendages don't have fingers, yet. (ABA-424)

[Helge]

Hey Caolionn, when are you 1st year graduate? After having done a bachelor? Or after high school? I'm not 100% familiar with how education works in the US.
Helge

[Mark Dennehy]

You think it's bad for the first two years? Wait until you go to a major conference and see your work presented by someone else who's beaten you to the punch! :D

[m.visaya]

(( :: + .> !

[Gordon Stangler]

Helge,

You become a graduate student after receiving your bachelor's degree. The current system is:
High School -> Bachelor -> Graduate -> Post Grad -> Wage Slave -> Professor.

;P

[Caolionn]

Thanks Gordon for succintly explaining our academic system. Mark, you really got screwed on the graduate school experience. Most of us, thankfully, don't have that problem, otherwise there would be far fewer physicists in the world.

[John]

There is a certain amount of academic brainwashing that takes place while you are in grad school. This brainwashing convinces people that you are a loser unless you stay in academia. There's a lot more to life than publications and conferences.

I'm not sure the world would be worse off if there were fewer physicists. On the contrary, it might be better if there were fewer physicists. In this case, there might actually be a chance of getting a real academic job after that 3rd or 4th HEP post-doc.

[Caolionn]

John: My advisor was Applied Physics rather than Physics. I didn't get any of that brainwashing, since most of his students went into industry. I think most of us can also agree there is much more to life than papers and conferences. But I am not happy about a plan for fewer physicists, even if that does improve tenure rates. I think the world is a much better place filled with over-qualified geeky people, who often go on to do good geeky things.

[Aaron F.]

"I think the world is a much better place filled with over-qualified geeky people, who often go on to do good geeky things."

Hear hear!!! ^_^

[Steve Clancy]

Caolionn,

Thanks for this! My daughter is currently in her first year of grad school, and it DOES suck. I an going to pass your words of wisdom along to her.

--steve

[Caolionn]

Steve: I hope it helps ...