Quality of Life

[swazibound]

I'm surprised I don't see questions about QoL more often. So, I'm wondering if any current students (MA or PhD) in Comm or Rhetoric can talk about the quality of life in their programs, and in being a grad student in general. How's your work/life balance? Are you happy with your decision? It's a broad question, so anything that relates to your day-to-day life is relevant!

[av2010]

On 4/2/2018 at 7:22 PM, swazibound said:

I'm surprised I don't see questions about QoL more often. So, I'm wondering if any current students (MA or PhD) in Comm or Rhetoric can talk about the quality of life in their programs, and in being a grad student in general. How's your work/life balance? Are you happy with your decision? It's a broad question, so anything that relates to your day-to-day life is relevant!

I thought when I entered my PhD program (I’m not in rhetoric but mass comm) that life was going to be SO busy and that I would have time for nothing else. That hasn’t been the case. It’s busy, but totally manageable if you are good at time management. I try to be as productive as possible and most of the time I can get away with not working at night when I get home and only a little bit on the weekends. There are weeks that there’s exceptions when you have more to do but for the most part it can be manageable as long as you take the steps to make it so. 

[E-P]

I just finished my MA, so I can only speak to that.

 

I also found my QoL to be solid.  I was working a 50+ hour a week job for the entireity of my MA, so I was only part time.  I took 1 class my first semester, during the summer, and last semester, and then 2 classes each long semester.  So, 10 classes in 2 years + 1 semester.  I found it all very doable most of the time.  I spent a day a week writing (Sundays), and read as I commuted to school/work/home.  I don't think my program was exceptionally difficult, but there was a lot of ready and theory.  I didn't have to teach at all, but my full time job more than made up for it.

 

I agree with av2010 - there were weeks that were pretty shitty, but for the most part, I really enjoyed it.  I don't think I''ve enrolled in a PhD program if I hated it.  But I also love learning and talking about learning and writing and the whole picture, so there's that too. ?

[whitmanifesto]

I'd like to clarify that I can only function on busy, if I'm not busy I swirl into a procrastination tsunami.

The first year of my masters program wasn't that bad despite being very busy. I had a 20 hr appointment at my school, and taught as an adjunct for one class at my alma mater, plus 3 courses and lived 45 minute commute away. My program was not super intensive, mostly because I was already well ahead of my peers. I did take on a lot extra because I knew I was going to be applying to PhD. I started an ethnography project that ultimately lead to me working 60 hours with everything included, with a long commute. I got really sick because of the stress (which was mostly caused by the admin appointment and the commute). Now, I think the work load will be about the same, but Ill be living closer to my research now and with my partner whose also in academia. Money and administrative issues were my main stress-ers. The money will still probably be an issues, but with an academic partner, I think PhD life will be much more enjoyable. I didn't engage much with my cohort, I feel that would help lower a lot of people's stress if they have a strong cohort connection (assuming their cohort isn't competitive).

What I've noticed is that many graduate students put too much effort into the coursework and teaching while forgetting you should be building your CV: conference papers, journal publications, and networking for service and teaching positions. Apply to grants, extra training projects and review for journals/conferences. Don't get too invested in your coursework and students. It's horrible to say, but you are only teaching 100, maybe 200 level courses and you are NOT AN ACADEMIC ADVISER, even though students will probably feel more comfortable with you than their actual adviser.