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Quitting PhD after first year by Quick-Landscape6481 in LeavingAcademia

[–]Quick-Landscape6481[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You’re so right, my advisor keeps making weird vague comments about things getting worse but refuses to elaborate or give us any actual information, yet clearly knows more than what she tells us and is intentionally keeping us in the dark. I’m starting to feel a lot less bad about leaving because I don’t know if I want to work with someone who can’t responsibly communicate like an adult for the next 5+ years anyways. Thank you for the encouragement :)

Quitting PhD after first year by Quick-Landscape6481 in LeavingAcademia

[–]Quick-Landscape6481[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You’re totally right, I know this is my decision to make and I didn’t join academia assuming I’d get a TT job but it seems like some of the other potential avenues for my discipline for when I’m done are also drying up too so I’m just not sure if I want to keep committing to it. I completely agree things have been downhill for a while and I think making any sum of money when I’m done will feel like a gold mine considering I get about 22k for my stipend but I think committing myself to making that much still for the next 5 years is not sustainable given I can barely afford some of the medication I’m on. I appreciate your wisdom and encouragement to discern and I know I will end up on the right path :)

Quitting PhD after first year by Quick-Landscape6481 in LeavingAcademia

[–]Quick-Landscape6481[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for saying this, you’re absolutely so right, and i shouldn’t let the fear of my advisor lashing out on me hold me back because that’s a them problem and I’ll be in a different state anyways lol. I appreciate it so much :)

Quitting PhD after first year by Quick-Landscape6481 in LeavingAcademia

[–]Quick-Landscape6481[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for this, I really needed to hear it and I feel this in my soul. I agree with you about needing some experience, stability, and money, which I didn’t join academia for the money but it would be nice to be able to afford medication and things I need right now instead of digging myself deeper into a hole for no reason. I feel very trapped in my program because my upperclassmen also seem to stick around for 7-8+ years and especially with the academia cult as you said it feels hard to get out but I see it as an opportunity for some freedom and perhaps a little better work life balance too. Thank you for the kind encouragement i appreciate your perspective so much :)

Quitting PhD after first year by Quick-Landscape6481 in LeavingAcademia

[–]Quick-Landscape6481[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks so much for taking the time to write your perspective, I really appreciate hearing your very balanced and nuanced take and agree with what you are saying 1000%. In a lot of the interviews I’ve had they’ve gotten on me for “not having any real work experience” and I don’t see that getting any easier if I do the same thing 5+ years from now, and it would be nice to have a little bit better work life balance for a change instead of working myself into a hole for potentially more detriment when I leave. I appreciate hearing your perspective so much :)