sol7intakt

So, so true! Thanks for such inspirational words. I constantly have feelings of semi-failure and doubt as well. I have to remind myself all the amazing experiences I have had. It's not about the money or prestige or the debt I have. I could engage in endless worrying and self-deprecation but that would not be true to the rich journey I've had the pleasure of taking. Thanks for this great post and topic.

I'm so thankful for this forum. I've been dealing with my mother's incessant "when are you going to get a real job?" questions everytime I go home. I am the first in my family to go this far in education. Plus my parents were immigrants, so their version of the American dream was a stable job and the house with a white picket fence. It's been tough dealing with my family. Not only do they disapprove of my decision to be in graduate school, but they aren't really curious about my research topic. It's hard to find support outside of my Phd friends. I understand my parent's perspectives though. They worked hard their whole lives to financially support me and my brother. Sometimes, I feel guilty for not making the big bucks and for pursuing my dreams. I wish I had money to retire my parents. However, there are trade-offs in life. And pursuing my dream meant that I would have to delay making money for a while. Even though I understand my parent's perspective, it really drives me up the wall. I don't even want to visit them for the holidays. They constantly compare me to my brother, who has a stable job and two kids and a house. I'm tired of feeling like I've done something wrong. I'm increasing my knowledge and pursuing my passion, for pete's sake. Based on their comments, one would think I was becoming a criminal or something. I just feel so frustrated with this situation. I recently became a Ph.D. candidate. Rather than celebrating, I had to deal with anxious comments from family members, "what will you do with your degree" "how will you find a job in this economy?" These are concerns I have already entertained, yet they act as if it's new to me. I'm seriously considering spending less time with them because it takes too much energy to be positive in the face of their constant questioning. I don't know what to do.