What is it being a graduate student? One of TAs who is a grad student says that now that she's experienced being one, she would never recommend it to anyone who might be considering it. She also always seems pretty lifeless and gloomy, but I don't know if that's her as a person.
Is it really that bad?
pic unrelated
What is it like being a grad student***
Yea, it sucked. I didn't for 8 days on a streak and my sleep quota was 5hrs/night.
>didn't take a shower
It's actually pretty awesome once you finish your coursework. I write about a page a day and then just play video games or go to the gym. Then again I'm studying math so I don't have any lab work to worry about
47% of grad students experience depression. It's thankless and stressful. Do it if you are really passionate but be prepared to not enjoy it and drop out.
I love my life as a grad-student so fucking much. I've never been this happy before and will probably never be again. You need to be at least somewhat gregarious to enjoy being a TA though. If you hate people they will hate you and you will not enjoy it.
Shit time management.
Stop playing fucking video games. Gym is approved.
Let me guess, CS?
Depends on entirely on the lab you join. A LOT of PIs are heartless assholes who regularly abuse their students and hold their approval of their degree hostage in exchange for a relentless pace that will burn out everyone that isn't a mindless, emotionless drone with no life outside the lab.
There are, however, PIs who have realistic expectations for how an employee should be performing. If you get into one of those labs, life is pretty great.
You should try playing video games, it's more fun than just browsing the internet
>Shit time management.
They torture you here in Germany.
CS Saarland University
It depends heavily on your PI. Some profs are basically slavedrivers which leads to cases like and will burn you on research. Some profs are normal bosses, some are obsessed with micromanagement, some don't give a fuck as long as you produce results in an acceptable pace. I'd argue that fields that require pratical labwork are more likely to have profs that burn their students, but I can't back that up with numbers.
Another point is the project itself. If you don't get results in the first 1-2 years you have heavy pressure to publish as soon as possible, if you get something to show in the first year you can work more relaxed. You can't really control it, if your project sucks or requires a completely different skillset than you can't do anything to enforce getting something out of it.
And the thing is you can't see that before entering the program. You can find our about the prof beforehand, but can you really trust his current students? The hardcore asshole are well-known at the university though. To know whether a project is doomed to fail or will lead to results only after a long while is something you can't see beforehand.
I enjoy my life as a grad-student so far, but I lucked out and have seen people turn into wrecks in 6 months just some rooms down the hall.
If I didn't love what I am studying I would have killed myself. I sleep 5 hours every night and my defenses have gotten so low I am getting infections everywhere. I can feel that I am slowly dying.
>some don't give a fuck as long as you produce results in an acceptable pace. I
crew
You both just fucking suck, that 3 hours sleep you're losing every night is costing you 6 hours of real productivity.
If you were more well rested you'd get your work done earlier and have enough time to get your 8 hours.
>You can't really control it, if your project sucks or requires a completely different skillset than you can't do anything to enforce getting something out of it.
Bullshit excuse that I've heard countless times. If you project sucks you should be working on something else to publish instead of waiting for your PI to come hold your hand and shift your focus.
>If you project sucks you should be working on something
PI: 'no'
is a phd necessary to work in industry?
Fuck no, detrimental if anything.
>Telling him
>Not just doing it anyway
Trust me he won't mind after he sees his name on an unexpected co-authorship in your pipeline.
so say if I wanted to go work at pfizer, all I need is to do is get good grades/contacts and a masters?
what use is the phd? research? or does it depend on the field?
Depends on what you want to do at pfizer, for research you will need a PhD if you want to lead it, if you have an engineering degree (any level) you will still get to lead design/commission (most money) and some research projects, anything else and you'll be lab monkey or a tech period (which also isn't too bad since if you do well the company will pay your grad-school to advance you). Not that there are many jobs for research PhDs left nowadays. If you need money after ugrad go straight into industry no question.
Source: Worked at a very similar company's flagship R&D lab.
a broad example, drug research/design, I would not mind doing lab stuff at the beginning, everybody has to start someplace I guess, just reading around I got the impression that to go into big pharma, you had to have at least a phd to even send out your cv
here uni is free (the loans aren't of course) and in most cases you get paid while getting a phd, nothing stellar but more than enough to live comfortably
thanks for the info, user
>you had to have at least a phd to even send out your cv
"No"
>you get paid while getting a phd, nothing stellar but more than enough to live comfortably
And you lose money you could've been earning in industry.
In short, no. It is not necessary to have a PhD to work in industry.
But, that question takes some unpacking.
Sure, you can get a job in industry with a BA/BS/MS. But, there is a ceiling that you'll hit without a PhD. Where that ceiling is will depend on your firm (how large and/or how prominent your firm is, hierarchical organization of the firm, etc.).
Given Pfizer's status and prominence, I'd bet you'd need a PhD to rise through the ranks. I'm not certain of the organization of Pfizer, but I would safely guess that nearly every Scientist I (or comparable "first-level" scientist position) has a PhD. And, when it comes to group leaders and directors, they'd all have PhDs.
Yes, but you exclusively own rights to the the stuff you do. At least in all sane legislations.
>hitting ceiling w.o. PhD
If you're any good you will be an independent contractor selling your uniques skills with or without a silly hat.
marihuana is getting legalized across states, could be a good opportunity to go for other things than a position in big pharma.
>And you lose money you could've been earning in industry.
Not that much actually
I earn 2k euros (net) per month as a PhD student, which is quite okay/good
This is a silly question as-stated, as of course only minimal education is necessary "to work in industry", writ large. What you really mean to ask is whether is a PhD is necessary to "work in the position(s) (money) that I personally would like to try" in industry, etc. Nor is the distinction a banality, or pedantic: as you ought to know, it is important for discussion to get terminlogy right about categories.
>tfw poor as shit living in a tiny apartment with my parents and almost decided to do a PhD program for the stipend and the comfy singlet for grad students being offered on campus
wew thank God I didn't