What did you give up?

[Suraj_S]

During grad school, what sacrifices did you wind up making?

Some trade-offs are financial. Others are personal.

A stand-in advisor of my dissertation committee told me: "You're going to have to give some things up." Of course, I did not comprehend what on Earth I would have to give up--and now that I have the benefit of hindsight, I can see two personal relationships I had to let go on my path to graduation.

In the next month, I won't see any friends, too.

Alright; your turns...

[GradSchoolGrad]

I gave up thinking people were good. 

I went to a grad program, giving up fine career, seeking to switch careers make a difference in the world. I quickly realized that my peers and people in the social impact business by in large didn't really care about the social impact they were actually making. 

Edited December 30, 2020 by GradSchoolGrad

[Suraj_S]

4 hours ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

I gave up thinking people were good. 

I totally get this. I defended faith in humanity during my dissertation proposal. It arose from meeting the best person I'd ever met...in the end, she didn't care.

[Brillotad]

I didn't necessarily give up anything wholesale, but I definitely had to cut back on social activities, exercise, and sleep at times. I think it's important to try and keep some semblance of balance in life, at least to the extent you can while in grad school.