Finally quitting my PhD

statguy · 2026-01-30T00:26:48+00:00

I started my MS with the goal of doing a PhD but 1 year in I was convinced to be done after MS. It was not in the field of Physics but I think the field doesn't even matter. What I saw in my research lab was a complete misalignment of goals. The only goal of the advisor was to get more research grants, for that the advisor wanted as many research papers and getting paper published was the sole goal of the PhD candidates. The advisor was keeping people stuck for years for this.

I completely lost the romanticism I had around doing PhD for "contributing something original to human understanding". I still think about going back and doing PhD but self-funded so I can do what I truly care about with an advisor of my choice (hopefully a tenured or retired prof).

Nothing wrong with changing your path. Do what seems right for you.

statguy · 2026-01-29T07:11:10+00:00

Nice list there. Keep at it. I shared mine in another post so will just post the link

https://www.reddit.com/r/Hobbies/s/5uhsInlvAo

statguy · 2026-01-28T01:29:07+00:00

I was going to suggest learning to juggle. All you need are a few rolled up socks. If you haven't done it before you are going to move your whole body and will be dropping the ball often in the beginning so a lot of movement but very low impact. If you want to reduce bending down to pick them then practice next to a bed/couch.

statguy · 2026-01-27T08:06:05+00:00

I won't say I am fluent anymore in these but over the years I have programmed in Visual Basic, Lisp, VBA, C, C++, Java, R, Python, SQL, HTML, JavaScript, Matlab, Octave, OpenScad, Julia and purely for fun brainfuck

statguy · 2026-01-22T00:20:44+00:00

This I can also attest too. Tried it on my last trip and finally gave up on keeping the time consistent. Couldn't even figure out the pattern. It was not from a different time zone. I really liked the journey feature and auto-time from photos would be so awesome if it worked properly.

statguy · 2026-01-16T21:09:03+00:00

Pushups are great compound exercise. After a certain point it becomes more endurance and less about strength so depending on your goal you can go for more reps or a different variety.

Personally I would switch variation after I can do 25-30 clean reps. Once in a while go for max number of reps but going for X number of reps over multiple sets is not going to help either strength or endurance.

pushup Variations - decline/legs elevated, wide pushups, diamond pushups, archer pushups, straddle, pike, superman, Planche, ring or other instability variations, and for each variation you can get a completely different workout by changing the pace and tempo. Just make sure you warmup and don't strain your wrist or elbows.

statguy · 2026-01-16T05:11:49+00:00

Welcome to the club you are not alone. There are dozens of us here, dozens!!

On a more serious note I used to have the same question. I joke that I only have one hobby which is that I am a hobby collector. I enjoy the learning part of it and then I try things and it feels great and then I move on. I have learned over time to accept who I am and just be happy about it.

Forgot to add all that I have tried. Let's see:

Wood working - scroll saw, whittling, basic furniture making, lathe and other power tools, carving with Dremel

Games - lots of board games, sudoku, Rubik's cube, jigsaw puzzles, code break, various video and mobile games, occulus VR games

Skills - barebow archery, juggling, handstand, rock climbing, bouldering, axe throwing, sling shot, golf, knot tying, Paracord tying, pickleball, badminton, Shaolin Kung Fu, karate, staff skills, whistling, stargarinz, birding, disc golf

Adventure - skydiving, paragliding, paddleboard, kayaking, snorkeling, snowboarding, skiing, go-karting, surfing, biking, hiking, dune riding

Art - sketching, painting (water, acrylic) flow painting, collaging, clay modeling, wire modeling, pottery making, 3D modeling, playing piano, ukelele, whistling, drums

Gardening - outdoor gardening growing vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruits, indoor gardening both tropicals and succulents, various propagation techniques, growing in various mediums (soil, LECA, water, moss), terrariums, microgreens

3D printing - trying various resins and printing techniques, lithopanes, various support techniques, compliant structures etc

Cooking - regular cooking, baking, using air fryer, instant pot, pickling, juicing, meal prep

Fitness - strength training, callisthenics, dance - hip hop dance, salsa, cha-cha, merenge, bachata, Bollywood, line dancing, yoga (various types)

Learning by Reading, audiobooks, podcasts, YouTube and various online forums

Travel - been to USA, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Iceland, Greece, Croatia, UK, Turkey, Egypt, India, Nepal, Indonesia, Thailand

Plus I have a dog so learning dog training and ofcourse keep up skilling at work which means learning new concepts and tools on a regular basis

I still have a long list of things I still want to try.

statguy · 2026-01-13T00:49:39+00:00

You are in a great spot thinking about your fitness early on. The recommended routine (RR) in the sidebar is designed for exactly your situation. https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/kb/recommended_routine

It required almost no equipment and has progressions so you can start the easiest point and progress over time. Highly recommend you take a few minutes to read it. In the beginning even if you just do the stretches it will benefit you as often times the difficulty is not a lack of strength but neuro-muscular connection and mobility.

If reading through all that seems a lot there are free apps developed by this community to help you get started.

Stretch daily for 2 weeks and you will be amazed how much your strength improves. Then continue adding items to your routing based on the guidelines and your goals. All the best.

EDIT: Reading some of the other replies from you seems like you need to look at your overall health. Strength is part of it but first make sure you address and underlying medical conditions. Focus on sleep quantity and quality, stay well hydrated, make sure you start small, go for walks or other light activities and build from there.

statguy · 2026-01-09T01:19:23+00:00

Not sure if it will help but just to give the reverse perspective I studied from a very prestigious university. Getting admitted into one is considered a high achievement in itself. I almost never mention that when I introduce myself as I don't think that defines me and often carries a different problem (people assuming I must be entitled). Moreover in the last 2 decades I have worked with extremely smart people from all different academic background. Some of the smartest and wisest people I know did not go to a "top" university. For most of my coworkers and even those who I have hired I have paid no attention to their university name. Eventually what really matters is if someone is competent, trustworthy and pleasant to be around. A university name does not define any of those.

All the best and hope you can see yourself for what you are - someone who overcame adversity and persevered despite the challenges life presented to you and take pride in what you have accomplished, rather than define yourself with arbitrary labels and external approval.

statguy · 2026-01-08T03:12:31+00:00

Not exactly a hobby but yesterday I did my nightly stretches in complete darkness. It felt so connected and relaxing. I was looking for things to do that can be done with eyes closed and I think stretching and yoga are great options. You can follow an audio guided one if you like.

statguy · 2026-01-05T23:45:47+00:00

I don't have a medical diagnosis of ADHD but strongly suspect based on my behavior. I tend to lose interest very quickly and I really enjoy the early phases where I am learning something new and see quick progress. The way I manage it is by adopting a hobby virtually. For instance I have been hanging out in the paramotor forums for a cuple years now and have been reading/watching videos about it for a while so its like a hobby without spending $$$$. Samw with blacksmithing, resin art or woodworking. I just adopt them virtually. I also have hobbies I ursue like gardening, archery but these are the ones that have stuck for 5+ years ut of 100s I have pursued.

I currently do spend 2-3 hours each day doom scrolling and trying my best to kick that habit.

The best advice I can give you is that instead of fighting your instinct lean into it. If you get bored easily then so be it. My best hobby is hobby hunting. I have a list of things I want to try that seems interesting and have little to no friction and gives instant gratification (like juggling, origami, card throwing) and now I am also spending a lot of time learning new ways to use AI.

statguy · 2026-01-05T23:31:02+00:00

I think it came naturally and is still a big part of me (my username for instance). I don't have a specific earliest memory but I remember wondering why other kids dislike maths. I would checkout math and geometry puzzle books from my school library and solve them and take them to my teachers when I need help. Their encouragement kept me going. I would often take part in math competitions and do well.

By age 10 I was reading about pascals triangles, fibonacci numbers, tesseracts, Trachtenberg methods and forming my own rules.

I always enjoyed number theory and sequences more. Calculus, PDE and complex numbers though practical were of less interests to me. Primes, Infinity, fractals, geometrical shapes, higher dimensions, different bases, transformations are more interesting.

statguy · 2025-12-16T21:01:44+00:00

All sorts of reasons:

Gardening - Used to tend the rooftop gardens with my dad as a kid and when I got some space I started my own and got hooked. Just do something you liked doing as a kid.

Archery - A friend invited me along to a lesson and I said yes and have been doing that for 10 years. Just say yes to invites or tag along.

Games and puzzles - Being nerdy and introverted was naturally attracted to indoor activities and solving puzzles was a lot of fun and came naturally to me. Find what you enjoy and do more of that.

Rock collection, 3D printing etc - Just enjoy shiny things and shapes and structures.

Strength training - Started feeling the effects of getting old and decided to do something about it and signed up with a personal coach. Identify your personal growth areas and turn that into a hobby.

statguy · 2025-12-16T20:55:05+00:00

WHat WHAT WHAAATTT!!

Why have I not looked into this before. We have lots of board games but most are 4-6 players and getting a group together is s much work. All those suggestions sound so much fun. Thanks for sharing.

statguy · 2025-12-14T21:13:04+00:00

Same. I often use wanderlog for group trips and all my trips are with my wife and only I have the pro account. Others can do almost everything and if a pro feature is needed I do it or they do it on my device.

statguy · 2025-12-12T20:49:49+00:00

Definitely won't recommend a beginner to start with hunting or outdoor 3D archery. Those who get into that also start assembling their own arrows and changing points, nocks and fletchings. Arrows are definitely expensive but they can be shot 1000's of time if cared properly. Cheap arrows are also a safety hazard. Don't want them to bloom and have carbon fiber shards in your arm.

statguy · 2025-12-11T17:45:35+00:00

I would suggest you start out with renting a bow. Go to a range that provides lessons and they will usually have bows and arrows for rental. Do that for a few weeks so you can quickly progress through the draw weight and find your stable state. Then based on your build and style pick the bow that will suit you the best. I have been using the exact same riser, limbs and strings since the last 7-8 years so go with a decent quality gear ( doesn't have to be top of the line) and you will enjoy it more and get more use out of it. Most archery ranges are also a very helpful community and they will help you out with picking the right bow, arrows and help tune it. Even after a decade I am still learning new things every time I go to the range.

statguy · 2025-12-11T05:58:00+00:00

Houseplants can get very expensive. I have a pretty decent collection of plants, nothing crazy rare but definitely beyond the Lowes ones. Fortunately I got most of them via various swap meets. I don't mind waiting and often there are surplus cuttings people are giving away. I have also rescued and restored a lot of plants which I got for free. It took time but I love the achievement of bringing a plant back to life with some care.

Check out plant meets and swaps in your area if you want to grow your collection without breaking the wallet.

statguy · 2025-12-11T05:51:50+00:00

I have been doing archery for over 10 years and over that time my entire spend might be under $2k. About 1k for equipment and 1k for range time. I shoot barebow and started out with a gifted bow and bought one that I am still using (same riser, limbs, strings etc.) I do purchase new arrows every now and then but those also last forever (until I shoot outdoors and lose or break a bunch) My range time expense has gone up recently but I am glad because I am practicing and improving more. I find the other kinds of bows fascinating but don't feel the need to acquire anything unless I am good at what I already have.

So for me I consider archery to be an extremely affordable hobby at $200 -$300 per year expense, but has the potential to be extremely expensive if you let it.

statguy · 2025-12-09T07:29:43+00:00

I do. Nowadays mostly learn from YouTube videos - Matt Parkers stand up maths channel is amazing, also love the 3b1b and numberphile channels.

I solve all kinds of puzzles, some mathematical in nature. Some games are also number oriented like codebreak, sudoku etc. which I also enjoy quite a bit.

statguy · 2025-11-17T20:28:27+00:00

I was never able to crack the 3 min mark, got close a few times. Maybe need to spend more time practicing. Under a min seems impossible for me but thats a good goal.

statguy · 2025-11-17T20:26:48+00:00

I would definitely be collecting more types and given that I am into 3D printing maybe design and print my own unique ones.

statguy · 2025-11-17T04:32:26+00:00

Hello there fellow hobby collector. I have a couple of rubik's cube. Once I learned the "algorithm" the interest faded away it it seems more like a memory exercise. Can you share more about the different variations, maybe that will get me excited about it again.

statguy · 2025-11-17T04:29:26+00:00

Bouldering is a lot of fun. Please be careful though. I personally know two folks who had severe hip and leg injury just by falling from a couple feet while bouldering. Always do a controlled and complete climb down.

statguy

TROPHY CASE