ConfusedGrad1

I am considering dropping out of grad school, but was hoping to get opinions from people on whether or not I should, and also the best way to go about doing so. So, some background information. I am in my first semester of a chemistry PhD program. I currently have tuition waived and a teaching assistantship. So far, the workload has been manageable. My main reason for wanting to quit is simply a lack of interest. Even before attending, I was hesitant that going to grad school was the right thing for me to do. I’ve always enjoyed school and do well in it, so it seemed logical to apply for grad school. When I went to visit the schools I was accepted into is when I really started to get a feel for what grad school entailed. The degree of focus on research was very off-putting, and I was reluctant to even accept admission to anywhere. Despite this feeling, I did accept admission, figuring I could bear it, at least long enough to decide if it’s what I want to do. I hated it as soon as I arrived; though this is my typical reaction to a new place and situation, so I figured I would give it more time until I could get adjusted. I feel like I’ve adjusted decently well. Most of the anxiety I felt when I first started is gone and I feel like I’m in a better state of mind to make a decision. But my decision hasn’t changed. As I said earlier, most of this is about a lack of interest. I can’t get motivated about research, I have no particular research interests, and don’t really enjoy the academia environment. The prospect of doing new research and discovering new things does not excite me one bit. Even my classes, which I at least thought I would enjoy, are not engaging to me. To put it simply, I think I’ve grown tired of chemistry. I am 100% sure a PhD in chemistry is not what I want. I’ve discussed this with my parents, and they both think it would be wise to at least stay for my masters. I agree that to get anywhere in the field, it would be a good idea to have more than a bachelor’s degree. The thing is, I am not particularly set on the field of chemistry. There are other fields I think I would enjoy more and feel it would be a waste of time to get a master’s in chemistry without the intention of ever using it. On the other hand, it would be good to have as a fallback. Part of me feels like I would be throwing away a good opportunity just because it’s not enjoyable to me, which sounds a bit selfish and spoiled. So, after all that, I’ll get to my questions. Is it worth it to stay for my masters, even if I am not particularly set on going into the chemistry field after school? Do you think I am being rash in my decision? It has been not even a full semester yet, but I am fairly confident about my position. Should I give it more time, or get out as soon as possible? If I do decide to drop out, or only go for my masters, when would be the best time to tell my department? I’ve heard before joining a lab is the best time (right now I am only doing rotations) because once committed to a lab, there is going to be more pressure to stay and the situation is more likely to get messy. I’m thinking the end of the semester would be best; that way I don’t abandon my teaching responsibilities in the middle of the semester. Or would they prefer to know as soon as possible so I don’t waste their time in the lab? Obviously, I would like to have a job lined up before I give up my stipend; what if I get a job offer before the end of the semester, or can’t get one by then? Sorry about the length of the post, and thank you to anyone who took the time to read the entire thing, but I think more information is always helpful. And thank you to anyone who responds. Your advice is much appreciated.