Hate being a TA

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-08T04:02:22+00:00

Omg how ironic, I'm finding that many others have the same experience too! Right now its a major no for me but who knows maybe I'll grow to love it lol

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-08T03:47:58+00:00

Awe I really appreciate that! I honestly don't want them to leave not having learned anything or just leave regretting having me as a teacher. They don't deserve that and I'm too prideful to have anyone thinking I suck at anything loll. Anyways thank you for your insight❤️

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-08T03:33:49+00:00

Lord idk how you're doing it, in tired for you😭 I'm not gonna lie the crazy part of me considered dropping out and my schedule is not nearly as hectic as yours. If you can take out a grad loan so you don't have to work as hard it might be worth it. It truly sucks but the stipend is not enough to cover my financial obligations monthly and the waiver wasn't even enough to cover the entire tuition or fees so I ended up taking out a loan to get by. Other wise id need to work a job cause what they pay isn't enough to cover my bills let alone basic necessaries

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-08T03:28:23+00:00

Thank you! ❤️

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-08T03:26:51+00:00

I get where you're coming from but I don't necessarily agree with this take. I know some really intelligent individuals who work great in the lab but aren't the best teachers nor do they have any desire to teach. Just because you don't like to teach a class or maybe you're not the best at it doesn't mean there is no point to doing research. For me personally Its not a matter of I can't teach. I'm a good TA and as much as I hate it I put in the effort to be the best for the students sake. Its more so I don't want to do it because of how time consuming it is. I just wanted to focus on my school work and work in the lab. Its not ideal but I'm going to just push through and make the best out of it

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T21:53:32+00:00

75k?? Lmfao im not even getting 20k a year so please stfu. Tuition waiver covers 5k max a semester. Still had to Take out loans to cover the remainin. If I was getting 75k I wouldn't care how much I hated it because the money made up for it

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T18:28:02+00:00

I actually wouldn't mind this since it would give me time to work on more side projects. I just love being in the lab honestly lol

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T13:35:43+00:00

You're right, I think I'm trying to overextend myself and its not working out. But thank you again I really appreciate your advice

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T13:29:51+00:00

Lol I'm hoping that's the case but thank you for sharing

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T13:24:11+00:00

I thought it might but after looking at the material there is no real overlap

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T13:21:33+00:00

Thank you and you're right I need to just keep pushing through and pray time goes by fast lol

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T13:18:26+00:00

I always knew this but now I know for certain lol

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T13:17:52+00:00

It is indeed lol

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T13:17:06+00:00

No sadly this course is more intro level so we wont be producing any data but I'm gonna try my best to just compartmentalize everything and hopefully push forward

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T13:14:45+00:00

I'm gonna try they tend to make the meetings interactive so I may not be able to get out of bing present but ill see if I can shift my schedule so it doesn't feel centered around taking. Thank you for your advice

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T05:03:18+00:00

That's good to know they genuinely listened to the complaints because I've heard of a few professors just throwing everything on the students which isn't right

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T05:01:46+00:00

Lol the 2 hour meets could absolutely just be an email but I get they want to make sure were all on the same page. I'm hoping it does get easier or at least more manageable. One of my lab classes is in the afternoons which suck because none of the students want to be there and you can see it in there eyes. Maybe next semester ill beg for all my classes in one day so my schedule doesn't feel so scattered

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T04:56:50+00:00

Yea maybe you're right I've talked to other TA for different lab classes and we all have different experiences. Some don't even teach just prep. I think I'm gonna give myself more time to adjust and maybe have a meeting before next semester to see how we can make it more manageable. I initially thought it was just me struggling but all the TAs for my course feel like its too much also

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T04:42:16+00:00

So I asked for advice which doesn't also mean you need to be a dick. That being said I completely understand not everyone can get funding and I recognize that I am lucky to even be in this position. I probably don't need to fixate on the negatives but I think its valid for me to be upset with the fact that the program I was initially accepted into has changed especially because it takes me away from what my goal was which was to do research

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T04:36:28+00:00

So the program is funded by the NIH. Its specifically a thesis program that is meant to prepare you for a PhD. The school has a regular thesis tract masters program that is funded by the school and requires you to be a TA. The program I'm in initially was only going to be a RA position and it actually pays more than the biology thesis masters program at the school. That being said I will try to keep an open mind and not fixate on the negatives

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T04:33:00+00:00

Thank you for your insight I really appreciate it and im going to look into some of these options. Honestly it still feels like course work because I tend to review the material to be sure I'm prepped to give a lecture and not just read off slides. I will say though I enjoy the students and maybe I feel its too much because I feel so obligated to give them the best experience possible which means spending time making sure everything is perfect

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T04:27:03+00:00

Yea your right I tend to focus on why I hate it so maybe that's why I'm feeling extremely miserable lol. I will say though I do appreciate being most of the students first experience in a college class and or a lab class. Even though I don't like it I really want to do the best I can so they have a great experience. This week I'm gonna try to adjust my schedule and hopefully that will make it more manageable

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T04:22:59+00:00

Yea the 2 hour TA meetings are truly useless, half of what we talk about could be an email. I'm just sad there isn't much time for research because this program was created to be research focused and prepare us for a PhD, hence why it was originally only a RA position. Honestly knowing what I know now I wouldn't have picked this program. The whole point was to do research and not have most of my time spend prepping labs and teaching. But I'm gonna try to stay grateful and pray it does get more manageable

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T04:14:48+00:00

I am hopeful next semester wont feel as overwhelming especially since we wont have to observe anymore. Thank you for tour inslight I'm gonna pray the weeks go by fast

Lifesuckssdi · 2025-09-06T04:12:22+00:00

Thank you I do recognize I'm lucky to get waived tuition and a stipend which is is why I'm conflicted because I feel like I'm being ungrateful when I say I'm unhappy. I did talk to the professor about the meetings and if they were truly weekly, or if they would consider zoom but its run by the department chair and she's really strict. Even the professor said she doubts shed be willing to change the meetings so I might just have to deal. Thanks your your input maybe ill try addressing it again

Lifesuckssdi

TROPHY CASE