Student

At this point, I have lost count of how many applications I have submitted since becoming an “academic.” Though, the labyrinth of folder trees remembers (it always remembers). For many of us, the reality of the brutality of academia happened during our applications. I remember thinking “How can they expect us to submit (semi) unique applications to 10+ universities all at the same time, and then expect us to wait months to figure out if we get in?” Essentially half a year of my life down to an email on a cold day in February. All of which could render that labor useless. Little did I know that this timeline would be all that awaited me on the other side. ...

Whelp, at this point it feels like my PhD has been at least partially a how to (how not to?) for grad school. Or, perhaps, a test bed for anything even remotely possible in a grad program. Well, regardless, let’s talk about this whole situation! So, I decided to radically change my research direction. Like, a lot. This is after three years, multiple research projects and publications. After completing candidacy – which included two chapters of a would-be dissertation. ...

I was speaking with a PhD student in my department this morning. I referenced a colleague and good friend of mine at a university across the country and they asked, “Wait, how did you meet this person?” The question caused me pause and I began talking through how I knew anyone during my time as a student, and now candidate. Here are a few reflections I have had: Inheritance First things first, a “community” and a network are two different, but often overlapping things. I will mostly be agnostic to those differences in my answers, so take that as you will. ...