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M. Swann

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    Psychology

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  1. (with "sad" being the word missing in that sentence, of course)
  2. It's not that I have read C&H enough times to know it should be "caveman", right?
  3. Still loving it here. The most enjoyable component of my research has fast become actually getting unexpected experimental results, because whilst it might mean I have to revisit my theoretical understanding of things, it also means I learn more than if everything goes according to plan. (It took a while to get to this place though; at first I was very disconcerted whenever something didn't "work out".)
  4. For philosophical reasons, I consider the development of new knowledge to be a strong motivating force. The academic path seemed like the most plausible way to work toward that goal, and a PhD is one step on that path. Though, it helps that I love learning and teaching too!
  5. Based on what you say, it sounds to me like you know how much time you want and are willing to spend on your work, and that you're following those criteria appropriately. I do find there can be some competition amongst cohorts to see who can work the longest hours, but long hours don't necessarily correspond to working harder, better, or smarter. If you're reasonably happy with your progress, and those to whom you're responsible are likewise reasonably happy, you're probably on a good thing. As you say, there will always be more one can do, so a line needs to be drawn somewhere.
  6. It seems to me that there are a lot of threads here where people's doubts, worries, insecurities, and uncertainties are being aired. People are thinking of leaving their courses, having trouble with matters social and financial, struggling under intense workloads and demanding TA schedules, and so on. This is understandable: after all, it's in these sorts of circumstances, when one has concerns, that one is likely to look for assistance and advice. Without wanting to undermine or denigrate any of that though, I thought it might be nice to create a thread where people can talk about the positives that they, as graduate students, are finding in their fledgeling careers. Personally, I love every bit of it! I get to read and think about things in which I have an inherent interest. I get to solve challenging problems, and enjoy the feeling of satisfaction when I successfully do so. I get to see my work appearing in the journals that I read, right next to all those other researchers about whose work I have been learning since my undergraduate days. I get to teach bright young students, and share with them some of my own joy in learning. I get to crack terrible jokes to people who are polite enough to laugh at them. And best of all, I get to experience the growth of my understanding and mastery of issues in which I am interested and that I find important. In sum, I feel lucky and immensely happy to be where I am, and doing what I am. Please join in and share your own positive experiences.
  7. That sounds very familiar, LadyL – right down to the point where I seem to be working in quite a similar field to you. My experience was that I would learn things without even noticing I'd learnt them; all of a sudden, when I read back over something that had been totally confusing to me the first time around, it was noticeably less so. I didn't seem to have an "ah-ha" moment, but rather gradually built a foundation of the broader themes upon which I could construct a better understanding of the nuances (though there were moments when a piece of the puzzle suddenly "clicked"). So my message is: don't become disheartened if you don't get it all at once. Think of it as a challenge!
  8. It was a combination of a few reasons, but the main "selling point" for me was the presence of specific faculty in whose work I was interested (actually, whose work had to some extent inspired me to pursue the academic path in the first place).
  9. I've found teaching to be a hugely enjoyable and interesting experience. I've taught two classes thus far, only one of which had a firm relationship to my research area, but both of which have required me to thoroughly learn new material in order to effectively teach the concepts involved to my students. Whilst time consuming, I've actually found that this learning has had benefits for my research in the sense that it's allowed me to apply some completely different, left-field perspectives to the questions I'm investigating. It's also been nice to have something else other than just my research to focus on from time to time. When I was in the same boat you obviously are now, with no prior teaching experience (outside of individual tutoring), I looked at preparing for my classes from the perspective of myself as an undergraduate: What did I enjoy or not enjoy about the labs and tutorials I had experienced as a student? What best enabled me to learn the material? What ensured that I was interested in learning the material in the first place (or at least, paid attention to what was presented)? What I've learnt since, is that by treating students as though they are intelligent individuals, and ensuring that my goal during teaching and preparation times is their learning (rather than my survival/a quick finish to class/earning a wage as simply as possible), the students learn and enjoy their classes, and so do I (in amongst the extreme public-speaking-related anxiety). I'm yet to have any problems with students acting out or anything of that sort (doesn't that end when high school does?), though I do encourage my students to challenge or correct me if they think what I'm saying isn't right (I think I used to give my TAs nightmares about this sort of thing, so I figure it's only fair to welcome it in my own classes now the shoe is on the other foot); most of the time it seems to be, but when it isn't it's nice to know (and nice to know the students are engaged enough to pick it up). Oh, another thing that has helped me a great deal: I have sat in on classes taken by someone with a lot more experience than I had/have. If you have the opportunity to do this, I would highly recommend it.
  10. I'm presently a few months shy of being a year through a three-year PhD programme outside of the United States. Obviously, having not ever undertaken graduate-level study within the U.S., it's difficult for me to offer any direct comparison, but my experience thus far has been entirely positive. I've managed to get a couple of publications in reasonably high-impact journals, have had two semesters worth of TA experience (with more to come), and have also done some RA work outside of my individual research project (with more to come and that, all being well, will lead to further publications). I have a scholarship through the university that more than adequately covers my living costs (in the country I'm in, international and domestic students are predominantly funded identically), and with the supplemental income from my TA- and RA-ing, have managed to put enough aside to go on a couple of brief holidays, and to fly home and visit my friends and family. I hope to continue to publish reasonably frequently for the remainder of the programme, but in addition my university also offers extra funding for a number of months after PhD completion to work on publications. As for issues regarding job opportunities in the U.S., I don't really have enough knowledge in that area to comment. I can say though, that my knowledge of the recruitment process for faculty here leads me to believe that the quality of the candidate's research and their teaching experience would trump factors such as the university that awarded their degree – let alone the country in which that university is located – every time. Which is not to say, of course, that this isn't different for schools within the United States; but my guess (and it is just a guess) would be that if you study in an environment that allows you to gain experience, conduct and publish quality research in reputable journals, and work with others whose work is of a high standard, you will probably be okay. Don't quote me on that though…
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