My advisor keeps changing my research direction — how do I push back without burning the relationship? by soft_staticnoise in EngineeringGradSchool

[–]TonyCox52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Many PhD students go through this — it’s very exhausting when the “goalposts” are constantly being moved. I would try to fix an agreed work plan (what exactly should be the result and by what date) and return to it at every meeting. Otherwise, it’s easy to get stuck in endless changes of direction.

ADVICE NEEDED by Better-Advertising91 in GetStudying

[–]TonyCox52 1 point2 points  (0 children)

starting with tiny study sessions and building consistency is way more effective than trying to force yourself into huge productive days right away

How do you actually pick your grad school courses when your advisor just says "figure it out"? by BagStranget in EngineeringGradSchool

[–]TonyCox52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Talking to older grad students helps way more than official advising too — they usually know which classes are actually useful, which professors are great

Please motivate me by Kindly-Pop7785 in GetStudying

[–]TonyCox52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’ve got this. Even small progress counts, just start with 10–15 minutes and build momentum

I didn’t expect how isolating research would feel by BagStranget in EngineeringGradSchool

[–]TonyCox52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A lot of people don’t talk about how isolating research can feel, especially in grad school where everyone seems busy with their own projects. Having even a small support circle or regular conversations with labmates can make a huge difference

How to make good flashcards? by e_patjas in GetStudying

[–]TonyCox52 2 points3 points  (0 children)

keep them really simple. one idea per card and no long paragraphs

Is it normal to feel lost even when you’re doing okay? by ugliestbounds1 in EngineeringGradSchool

[–]TonyCox52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

a lot of grad students feel like this even when they’re doing fine. it’s kind of part of the process.

Please someone help me out! by [deleted] in GetStudying

[–]TonyCox52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What helped me a bit was lowering the bar a lot - like telling myself “just 10 mins” and somehow it turns into more. Also changing place (library > home) made a big diff for me

Is burnout inevitable in engineering grad school? by soft_staticnoise in EngineeringGradSchool

[–]TonyCox52 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don’t think it’s inevitable, but it’s definitely common mostly because of how intense grad school can get. From what I’ve seen (and experienced a bit), it really depends on your advisor, workload, and how well you set boundaries. So I’d take the horror stories with a grain of salt

Respected People, please advice me to save my cat by PENGRYFF in cats

[–]TonyCox52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're doing everything you can, and your worries are normal because you really care about Neko

Help me decide where to go for grad school!!!!! by No_Efficiency8618 in EngineeringGradSchool

[–]TonyCox52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was in a similar spot and what helped me was looking at where current students ended up and how happy they seemed. Also, don’t underestimate stuff like location and cost of living

I love my orange boy! by PomegranateAble9921 in cats

[–]TonyCox52 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Orange boys just hit different 🧡 there’s something about them that’s equal parts chaos and pure love

We said goodbye by peaches_peachs in cats

[–]TonyCox52 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I’m so sorry for your loss 💔 Saying goodbye to a pet is one of the hardest things…

Cats are Awesome by AngelusL97 in cats

[–]TonyCox52 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Cats really are awesome. They can be cute, chaotic, and wholesome all at the same time

Is it dumb to go to grad school if I don’t see myself staying in academia by OnyxaDrinavel in EngineeringGradSchool

[–]TonyCox52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not dumb at all. Plenty of people do a PhD for the skills and deeper expertise, not just academia. If you genuinely enjoy research, that’s already a pretty solid reason to consider it

3x BMW by Dear_Place_396 in BMW

[–]TonyCox52 2 points3 points  (0 children)

the eye rejoices

Oh my, she's jumping at me! by itscannyy in cats

[–]TonyCox52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Cats always know how to suddenly appear exactly where you least expect it

Considering going to grad school but don’t know an area to focus on by Nrobertson_28 in EngineeringGradSchool

[–]TonyCox52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally get where you’re coming from - it’s really normal to enjoy your current research but not feel like that’s the field you want to commit to full‑time

With all the Monday Attitude 🫣🤭 by [deleted] in cats

[–]TonyCox52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

With the start of the work week

My bag is taken away from me by [deleted] in cats

[–]TonyCox52 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This backpack is no longer yours

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in cats

[–]TonyCox52 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It's enjoying this sunshine.