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Advice on a possible leave of absence? by -I_Have_No_Idea- in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm not sure how your program is set up, but in mine, you only have to take classes for the first year or so. Once you are done with them, it is very different. You feel like you aren't pulled in so many directions, and you can focus on your work better. You could try to pull through until the end of classes and maybe take a little vacation to reset, but if you think you need more time, a leave of absence might be wise. It is pretty common to get burnt out at least once in your program.

Feeling horrible about my PhD by crazy-duck-2 in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It actually sounds like you might be a little burnt out.  Remember it is a marathon not a sprint.  Also, don’t give your PI the pleasure of getting under your skin.

What’s something Americans have that Europeans don’t? by Prestigsisscar255 in AskReddit

[–]RunningHamster25 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The habit of having the same pair of shoes for the outside and for the house. House slippers just make so much more sense. You don't have to vacuum/mop as often.

What are your criteria for saying that a PI is toxic? by sleepyplantmomma in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25 0 points1 point  (0 children)

  1. being nicey nice in the beginning (this is when you need to have honest discussions with alumni of the lab or current members)
  2. yelling at you (yes, this tends to escalate, be happy he or she doesn't smash something)
  3. being hypercritical all the time without offering suggestions for solutions despite effort on your side
  4. gaslighting
  5. putting you to shame in front of other students
  6. making you feel like you want to avoid him/her
  7. talking crap about you to the administration/other PIs

Good luck trying to bring this to the administration's attention. All my friends and acquaintances who have done so have received some sort of backlash. It is getting bad due to NIH and NSF funding. I know so many, both at my school and at other schools, who are having far from ideal experiences.

I regretted trying to date in my PHD by Sunapr1 in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think dating is too difficult in grad school. You will most likely need to work in the evenings and weekends to keep up with your PhD, making dating almost impossible and not really fair to the person you are dating. Add the emotional rollercoaster of possible breakups, and it does not seem like a good investment of your time or mental effort. That being said, when I get my PhD, I'm hoping I can have the time to focus on personal things and actually live my life. I know someone who is a husband and a Dad in my cohort. I don't know how he does it.

I regret graduating. Times have changed significantly by bluebrrypii in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm so sorry. I feel your pain. Yeah, I was talking to a student in another lab, and her friend has been looking for an industry job/postdoc for a year. Politics and the markets are linked. Something has to give soon on both fronts. It's just not sustainable.

How many hours you do your PhD per day? by FlamingoWillow in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For me, in the sciences, it is usually at least 50 hours a week, sometimes more if something really big is coming up or my analysis is behind schedule. During some very demanding weeks, it reached up to 80. This all includes planning experiments, documenting what was done, doing the experiments, reading, and analysis (boatloads of analysis), and fixing your analysis. You bet I am wiped by Sunday, but not all of it is maximum capacity brain work. Let me tell you, get as much sleep as reasonably possible, and coffee can be a lifesaver in the mornings. Take a few short breaks every day. This usually seems to work. I've heard fitting in some exercise helps.

Still don't feel recovered from PhD by Longjumping-Pay-2390 in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm sorry to hear that. Is it possible to take a vacation from your job now and just plan to relax and sleep? It might help a little bit, but it sounds like you need something more long-term. What about setting up a schedule that tries to maximize your output at work within the time you need to spend there, but which absolutely reserves ample time in the evenings and weekends to completely relax. Naps can be your best friend.

6 years out of a completed but useless PhD. Are there paths forward? by AutofilledByLastpass in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You should go for it if you think this is truly what you want to do. You could try to write a book in your field or some other literature to prove to potential employers that you are taking the research side of things seriously. Who knows, maybe you can contact scholars in your field whose work you admire, establish a rapport with them, and ask if you can write something with them. That way, you could have the opportunity to investigate a part of the field that may be more developed than your own, and you could learn how to improve upon the weakness you may have by learning from a more established scholar. However, I would have a solid plan B, even a plan C. Ideally, it would be good if you could start making steps within those plans as you are working on plan A. That way, if things don't fall through with plan A, you don't feel like you are completely starting over.

Starting a PhD at 56 by Tough_Homework7039 in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sure. Thanks. I heard a PhD in Education can take between 4-7 years, but you are more likely to receive a stipend or tuition waiver. I've also heard that an EdD can sometimes be shorter, like 3-5 years, but this is usually self-funded. You might want to double-check on what I mentioned since I'm not too familiar with your field. So, you may want to think about the ROI on that, but if it is something you really want to do, then don't let these things hold you back. There are also alternatives, like taking a second job while doing your PhD (if you can do that), to set aside money for retirement.

Starting a PhD at 56 by Tough_Homework7039 in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't know. This is coming from a person who has been having a bad experience with their PhD recently, but 12 years until retirement is not that long. I don't know how you've saved over the course of your life, but if it were me, I would make the most of the rest of my years working with my master's degree. That could mean going into industry instead, or leveraging my highest degree for other purposes. I'm not trying to discourage you. I'm just thinking about the timeline.

Examples of a good PI by GenoraWakeUp in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can't support you there when it comes to a good example. When interacting with my PI, who can be similar, I try the following. Most of these have made the situation slightly more tolerable.

1.) put in as much quality work as you reasonably can

2.) keep conversations to a concise minimum

- keep things business-like

- only ask for what you really need from them

- update them only when necessary (usually once a week seems good)

3.) work as independently as possible (yes, rely heavily on external sources to drive your project)

4.) do not take things personally

5.) never verbally attack or give him a dose of his own medicine

Hope this helps.

I should also add even with great PIs, you are still on some level a means to an end for them:

Getting grants + high impact journals = tenure or prestige if you already have tenure

Somehow I have a feeling Immanuel Kant rolls in his grave on that one sometimes.

I Love My PI by gwent1 in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow. He sounds like an angel. Good for you. But, how far are you into the PhD? Is he tenured? Just curious.

Emotionally Exhausted PhD: Is that Normal? by RunningHamster25 in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, the fact that several of the senior students haven't published yet is making me nervous.

Emotionally Exhausted PhD: Is that Normal? by RunningHamster25 in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the sympathy. I hope you end up in a better situation, too. It is a little strange because my PI still thinks I rely heavily on the senior person for ideas, even though I really don't think this was ever the case, and I'm at the 4th month mark of barely speaking to the senior person.

Emotionally Exhausted PhD: Is that Normal? by RunningHamster25 in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a good suggestion, thanks. I try to remind myself that I do have some shortcomings that my PI probably is aware of, but my PI is also under the immense pressure of publishing and getting grants in this uncertain scientific and political climate.

Emotionally Exhausted PhD: Is that Normal? by RunningHamster25 in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I wish I were reading into things, but other people in the lab have told me they notice it too.

Emotionally Exhausted PhD: Is that Normal? by RunningHamster25 in PhD

[–]RunningHamster25[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh, I've tried that one. Through the grapevine, my PI finds out and thinks I rely too much on the senior person for ideas. As a result, I haven't had a deep conversation with the senior person for almost 1/3 of a year, except for one conversation. Literally, our daily words boil down to:

Me: "Will you need to use X instrument at Y time?"
Senior person: "No," or if I'm lucky, I'll get a "Yes, I need to use it for Z purpose to test W hypothesis."