Grad School Crises | NOT MY THESIS #2

TL;DR

This content discusses the specific struggles faced by grad students in each year of their program, including finding a lab, navigating qualifying exams, project uncertainty, and the existential crisis of academic contribution.

Transcript

hi this is dooki and today for my grad student uh not my thesis Vlog I wanted to go through basically each of the years of grad school and talk about why each of them suck in ways that are specific to that year um and I wanted to do this for few reasons the first one is just that I think grad students love to complain and I am no exception the othe... Read More

Key Insights

• 👨‍🎓 Lab selection and finding an advisor are major stressors in the first year of grad school.
• 📽️ Troubleshooting experiments and selecting a project contribute to fatigue and uncertainty in the second year.
• 💦 The third year often brings an existential crisis regarding the impact and significance of one's work.
• 🩲 Fourth year can either be a continuation of third year stress or a brief respite.
• 💋 Fifth year is marked by a sense of urgency to graduate and navigate the expectations of one's advisor and potential career paths.
• 👨‍🎓 Sixth year is characterized by acceptance of a potentially prolonged timeline for graduation and comparing oneself to younger students.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does the process of finding a lab and advisor in grad school work?

Depending on the program, students either come in with a pre-selected lab or engage in rotations to explore different options. The lab selection process is crucial, as the advisor becomes like a pseudo-parent and the labmates become emotional support systems.

Q: What are qualifying exams, and why are they important?

Qualifying exams, which vary by school, are oral examinations that test students on various subjects studied throughout their first year. These exams, along with finding a lab, determine whether students can continue in the program.

Q: How does project uncertainty affect second-year grad students?

Second-year students often struggle with multiple projects and experiments, leading to a lack of focus and a feeling of constantly throwing darts at a dartboard. Additionally, the need to learn new techniques results in initial experimental failures.

Q: What are the main challenges faced by third-year grad students?

In the third year, students often face an existential crisis in which they question the value and impact of their work. The realization that their contributions may be small and the uncertainty of future career prospects can be overwhelming.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The first year of grad school is characterized by the stress of finding a lab and selecting an advisor, as well as managing coursework and rotations.

• The second year involves the challenges of selecting a project and troubleshooting experiments, leading to feelings of fatigue and uncertainty.

• The third year is known as one of the most difficult, as students grapple with the realization that much of their work may not have significant impact or lead to practical outcomes.