Take responsibility for your actions

Struggling Grad Student
11 Jan 202519:49

Summary

TLDRIn this reflective video, the speaker shares the ups and downs of their PhD journey, focusing on unexpected changes in their spring 2025 schedule and the challenges of balancing teaching, research, and coursework. From being reassigned from teaching trigonometry to brief calculus, to struggling with qualifying exams and limited advisor support, the speaker highlights the emotional and intellectual strains of graduate school. The video is a candid reflection on the realities of pursuing a PhD, emphasizing the importance of proactivity, resilience, and maintaining momentum despite setbacks.

Takeaways

  • 😀 The start of 2025 has been less than ideal, with unexpected changes to the schedule and challenges in the semester.
  • 😀 The speaker was originally scheduled to teach trigonometry in spring 2025 but was moved to a different course due to department scheduling issues.
  • 😀 The speaker had prepared for the trigonometry class, but the schedule change meant they were reassigned to teach brief calculus instead.
  • 😀 Teaching brief calculus is a new challenge for the speaker, as they have never taught it before, but they are trying to remain positive about it.
  • 😀 The speaker feels disappointed about missing the opportunity to teach some of their favorite students due to the schedule changes.
  • 😀 Despite the changes, the speaker emphasizes that in academia, flexibility and adaptability are crucial as schedules and priorities can shift unexpectedly.
  • 😀 The speaker is concerned about the timeline of their PhD, having faced delays with qualifiers, candidacy exams, and a lack of sufficient research time.
  • 😀 Delays in the PhD program have led to frustration, as they haven't been able to focus solely on research, which is necessary for advancing in their program.
  • 😀 The speaker reflects on the challenges of balancing coursework, teaching responsibilities, and research, especially when multiple obligations overlap.
  • 😀 The speaker shares their frustrations with the candidacy exam, stating that it has been postponed multiple times, causing further delays in their progress.
  • 😀 The speaker encourages prospective graduate students to be proactive and not rely too heavily on others for their research, as the responsibility ultimately lies with the individual.

Q & A

  • What challenge did the speaker face with their teaching schedule in spring 2025?

    -The speaker was originally scheduled to teach trigonometry in the spring of 2025, but due to a last-minute change from the math department, they were moved to teach a different class, Brief Calculus 2. This change was frustrating, as the speaker had already prepared for the trigonometry class and received requests from students to teach it.

  • What is Brief Calculus, and how is it structured?

    -Brief Calculus is a condensed version of Calculus 1, 2, and 3. The course aims to compress the material of three semesters into two, offering an accelerated overview of the key concepts from each of the three standard calculus courses.

  • What impact did the timing of the classes have on the speaker?

    -The speaker was upset by the change in class timing, as they had previously been assigned a 10:00 a.m. class, which suited their schedule better. The new assignment at 5:30 p.m. was less favorable, though the speaker tried to adjust their expectations.

  • Why did the speaker feel disappointed about not teaching trigonometry?

    -The speaker had prepared extensively for the trigonometry class and was looking forward to teaching it, especially since many of their students had specifically requested to have them as an instructor for this subject.

  • What is the candidacy exam, and why is it important in the speaker's PhD program?

    -The candidacy exam is a crucial step in a PhD program where the student outlines their research goals and potential methodologies. It is an indication of readiness to focus solely on research, and once completed, it allows the student to stop taking classes and concentrate on their dissertation.

  • What difficulties did the speaker encounter while preparing for the candidacy exam?

    -The speaker faced numerous obstacles, including delays caused by course work and other commitments like teaching and attending conferences. The exam was postponed multiple times, which hindered progress and caused frustration.

  • What specific academic challenge did the speaker encounter with the linear algebra summer course?

    -The summer linear algebra course was very demanding, as the instructor attempted to cover an entire semester's worth of material in just three weeks. This intense pace left the students, including the speaker, overwhelmed and impacted their ability to focus on research.

  • How did the speaker's advisor influence their research progress?

    -The speaker's advisor had a significant influence on their research, both providing support and occasionally shelving projects that were not progressing as expected. The speaker also acknowledged their own role in pushing back research efforts due to time constraints.

  • What personal reflection did the speaker have about their approach to research compared to their earlier academic years?

    -The speaker reflected on the differences between being a student and being a researcher. They realized that research required more proactive effort and organization compared to the traditional student tasks of completing assignments and exams.

  • What advice did the speaker offer to potential PhD students?

    -The speaker advised prospective PhD students to be proactive in their approach to research and to be mindful of the potential challenges, such as uncooperative advisors or overwhelming coursework. They stressed the importance of not being lazy and actively managing one's academic journey.

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Ähnliche Tags
PhD JourneyGraduate SchoolAcademic ChallengesTeaching StrugglesResearch FocusTime ManagementAcademic ReflectionAdvisor RelationshipsProactive StudentsPhD AdviceMotivation
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