YuccaQ

To the OP- Unfortunately it's a hard situation when you're seeing this person every day. I had a situation in my department where I was originally good friends with another grad student who started my program when I did (not with the same adviser). We got along great first year, then did fieldwork together that summer for a month, and all of the sudden he hated me when we returned in Fall semester. To the point where the other grad students in the department would constantly come to me telling me he was speaking rudely about me behind my back. It hurt at first but then after a few months I decided to just stop caring, because I had literally done nothing to this person. He was acting like a child and I just didn't want to put in the energy to be upset anymore. It was difficult, though, because it was obvious to the other students that we did not get along. He eventually apologized (this year) after going through a bad breakup, but I told him I was too busy preparing for my defense to really get into it with him. 
 
My advice is to do you- and not worry for a second why she's being such an a**. It may be hard but don't give her the satisfaction of letting her bad juju get to you. You don't have time to deal with that negativity, you've got actual work to do, unlike her, when all she seems to do is be rude and immature.

I don't necessarily see how she is acting "maliciously" toward you, but I do see how her actions are hurtful. She's actively excluding you socially and intellectually from your cohort and your project. That shit hurts! I know it does; I've been in similar work situations. Your hurt is valid. Unfortunately, until she actively disrupts your work, I don't know how helpful your advisor will be. I would focus on building a supportive, productive environment without her. Sure, she makes plans with your peers, but you can also make plans with them. Don't allow this colleague to dictate the tone of your grad school experience. 
 
In the immortal words of Taylor Swift, until the situation escalates, Shake It Off! I know this can be hard. I'm sensitive, so rude and mean-spirited behavior really affects me. But at the end of the day, the haters gonna hate hate hate, and I just don't have time for that shit! Also, sometimes confidence and a general "shake it off" approach to workplace bullies can disorient and even silence them. 
 

 
One caveat: If the conflict escalates, and her rudeness turns into harassment, sabotage, or bullying, then yes, absolutely talk to your advisor. 

Thank you Butterfly_effect and serenade! I just realized it's been about a month since I posted first. I still feel behind my friend, but I definitely think less about that, particularly since I've started to get more things done in the lab myself. I also think now that he "clicks" better with the advisor since he's more outgoing and sociable (I'm pretty quite) but whatever... unless I feel like my advisor actually treats me and him differently, I think I'm fine with this for now. I also decided that while this project I'm on is not the most exciting thing I've ever done, I want to give it some more time to figure out ways to develop it in the direction of my interest - or at least I'll get to master the techniques used in our lab, whatever project I work on.
It's funny how I came to not care so much about this problem since last month. It could be partly due to the fact that I'm starting to not like my new friend... I've realized that we'll never become more than work friends unfortunately. I've really tried my best to be friendly with him, and it would have been pretty obvious that I was trying... but maybe he didn't realize how hard I was trying, or he just doesn't do well with shy people. It makes it easier for me anyway because I'm feeling more detached from him and comparing myself less with him. Maybe this makes me sound like a terrible person, but at least I'm less stressed out now, and I'm happy with that.

Hi All,
So I've started out as a PhD student this fall, and I like the school, people and the city (which is great!). But since I started out school I can't help comparing myself to my new friend - he is also a first year, and we have the same advisor. The thing is that he started working in the lab in the summer, and a few weeks of experience already made him sound like an expert. During our lab group meeting, while everyone else (including him) shares their results and ideas, I end up feeling stupid as I try to understand whatever they are discussing. When I meet with my advisor, he treats me really 'carefully', asking me how my classes are going, how I'm adjusting to school and the lab etc., while my friend gets to discuss about his research. It just feels like I'm being treated as a kid just because he had been involved in the lab just a few weeks before me... and I'm not sure if I'm overreacting here.
Another thing that concerns me deeply is my own project. When I talked with my advisor during the interview (before I accepted the offer) he talked about projects A and B going on in his lab. He talked about A for a really long time, then suggested that B was another possible project I can work on. I told him both sounds like a good fit but A sounded more interesting. When the PhD program started, he told me that I could start working with project B, which I was fine with... until I found out that my friend was working on project A. Right now, I'm fine with project B, but this is definitely a more short-term project, and the direction B is going sounds less intriguing than A. Now I'm thinking, so did he get to choose project A first because he was here earlier than me, or maybe he was super clear on his interview that he wanted to work on A? But then I know that he was admitted before I was, and my advisor wouldn't have explained about A so extensively if he really wanted project A....
Okay, even if I end up really liking project B after working more on it, I'll have to compete with my friend for 5 years, trying to get grants and scholarships for similar-themed projects. We'll be getting letters from the same advisor (and others - his advisory committee is identical with mine). I am so overwhelmed with the prospect of being compared to him by my advisor/lab group/other profs as I go on through the program. I really like my new friend for being super nice and funny, and I don't want to end up hating him, but I don't want to compete with him all the time. Maybe I'm being paranoid here. Maybe not. Since the program started out I am stressed out comparing myself with him every single day and I can't do this for 5 years or more...

Just learned the news today. I am still in shock. I did not expect to fail, even if I knew my thesis was not perfect. I was expecting a pass with revisions. Even my supervisor was not worried for me (she told me so yesterday). I just need emotional support right now. I need not to let my emotions get to me. I have won a major scholarship for my doctoral studies starting in September, so I need to resubmit by August. Otherwise, I am screwed. If I fail a second time, I won't graduate which means that my admission and scholarship offers will be revoked from me. 
 
 
 

Hi,
I'll be getting a PhD in Nutrition and was wondering if someone could speak to how the job outlook was after completing their PhD? I don't think I want to go into academia but am not closed to the idea. Did you find jobs more commonly in certain areas, what salaries were you looking for, how much did you degree matter in terms of specialization and school reputation or advisor reputation? Any and all advice welcomed. Thanks.