Sh^t People Say About (History) Graduate School

[CageFree]

I love when ppl ask me "have you read..." and then it's some random pop history book they found or historical fiction.

Or about the documentary they saw on the History channel.

Or, they start talking about the area of history they like to read said books about (usually, WWII military history).

[TMP]

Or when your grandfather wants to talk to you about World War II and you have zero interest in military history?

[Hogs of War]

Or when people are all, "OMG HAVE YOU READ HOWARD ZINN'S* BOOK ON AMERICAN HISTORY?"

So I say, "No I haven't but I'll look for it."

*note: I have absolutely nothing against this book.

And just to be clear, 97.25% of all people who reference Howard Zinn's book have not actually read it, but instead only know it from the reference to it in the movie "Good Will Hunting".

Because a wicked suppah smart guy talked about it, it has to be wicked awesome, right?

[Srunner]

I think that people outside of the research can't comprehend how people do deal with it. I know I'm used to it, but when we read Ordinary Men by Browning there were times when it did get overwhelming and I had to stop. Then again, I did take 20th Century Europe and Holocaust in Film, Literature and Art at the same time so the entire semester was a bit of a downer.

That is one of my all time favorite history books.

I get the typical "oh" a lot and definitely the "so what do you want to do"?

[StrangeLight]

"what does PhD stand for? oh, i know, 'papa has dough!'"

[crazedandinfused]

From an octegenarian Brazilian-German aristocrat: "Now that you are going to be a professor you can cut your hair."

[qbluecheers]

"what does PhD stand for? oh, i know, 'papa has dough!'"

Or, as my dad says, getting a PhD is just getting "Piled Higher and Deeper." He's been working on a (non-history) PhD for something like 9 years now.

[archer]

"what does PhD stand for? oh, i know, 'papa has dough!'"

My supervisor declared that PhD stands for "Phony Degree." He later initiated a debate* over whether or not Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code was historically accurate. Then he did what all conspiracy theorists do - implied that I was brainwashed or stupid, while only he is smart enough to know The Truth that THEY don't want you to know!

I can't waaait to quit this job.

*I use the term debate here loosely. He's my supervisor, so I mostly just gritted my teeth and politely provided a few counter-arguments before excusing myself and returning to work.

[Hogs of War]

My supervisor declared that PhD stands for "Phony Degree." He later initiated a debate* over whether or not Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code was historically accurate. Then he did what all conspiracy theorists do - implied that I was brainwashed or stupid, while only he is smart enough to know The Truth that THEY don't want you to know!

I can't waaait to quit this job.

*I use the term debate here loosely. He's my supervisor, so I mostly just gritted my teeth and politely provided a few counter-arguments before excusing myself and returning to work.

If you get forced into another debate like that with him, just burp in his face and say,

"I am drunk, or I wouldn't be talking to you."

[Sigaba]

I think it's just people not thinking. I feel better assuming they have good intentions and didn't mean to be insulting.

For some, the question, however ackwardly phrased, may actually be a hint.

The pursuit of an advanced degree, especially in history, can have a corrosive effect on one's personal and romatic relationships.

Not for nothing do historians use the last paragraphs of their acknowledgements to thank profusely their spouses.

[Professor Plum]

The pursuit of an advanced degree, especially in history, can have a corrosive effect on one's personal and romatic relationships.

Not for nothing do historians use the last paragraphs of their acknowledgements to thank profusely their spouses.

...and in the bad old days before word processors, it was not uncommon for the acknowlegments in a first book to read "Thanks to Catherine, who typed and edited the manuscript. The biggest thanks go to my lovely wife Elaine, whose support sustained me through the arduous process of research, writing, and advising...." Followed, of course, by acknowledgments in the second book beginning with "To my lovely wife Catherine...."

[Sigaba]

...and in the bad old days before word processors

One of the trends I've noticed over the years is historians thanking those who helped with the successful 'translation' of a manuscript across different operating systems and increasingly complex word processing programs.

[cokohlik]

Ahaha! My kindred spirits are on this thread I used up all my up voting, and that's totally fine.

[Chiqui74]

I guess the "So, what are you gonna do with a history degree?" question is pretty standard. Now I automatically answer "Hopefully not flip burgers!"

My interest in food history and people just have no idea how to react to that.

[Lola Wants]

I guess the "So, what are you gonna do with a history degree?" question is pretty standard. Now I automatically answer "Hopefully not flip burgers!"

My interest in food history and people just have no idea how to react to that.

I get that question a lot too or the how much money do history professors make question. Since money is so important to status and self-esteem in this world, if you're pursuing a degree that won't garner $100,000 a year after graduation it's seen as a waste of time. Ever had to explain to people what an archivist is on top of the graduate history degree conversation? The responses or reactions (all the body language and awkward silences included) are along the lines of that's not important or are you going to find a job? How about you let me worry about my job prospects okay. Geez...

BTW. When I did my undergrad in New Orleans, we had a lecturer in my department who was a food historian. She was writing a book if I remember correctly. She also gave food history tours throughout New Orleans. But she is an example of how historians make money outside of academia that people do not think about because they're minds are stuck on traditional methods of success.

[hbeels]

"Ugh, I hate history... there's so much memorization!" (says the biochemistry major)

"Was Kennedy's assasination a conspiracy?!" (Um.)

"Won't it be hard to have a family?" (...what?! Who said anything about having a family?)

"Study history? For six years? Alls I need is my Bible!" (<--- not even a joke)

[annieca]

"What's your major?"

"History."

"So you want to teach, right?" [talking about high school there really]

"No, I want to go to grad school for library science and public History."

"Oh." Awkward silence.

[triplebogey]

In my experience I've found all the assumptions that go along with telling someone I'm doing a grad degree in history are hilariously ill-founded and narrow-minded. I've gotten the "so what're you gonna do? Teach??" as though teaching is a bad career. The implication is that teaching high school would be a bad thing; personally I've got nothing against that possibility and think it would be rewarding to get involved in secondary education, as I know that half of my history education in high school was an utter waste of time.

Then there's the "if you can't get a teaching job, what else can you do?" Gee, I dunno. Between undergrad, MA, and PhD programs I'll have done at least 10 years of research, writing, teaching, and networking...I can't possibly imagine how else I could put those skills to work .

Finally there's the money. "You won't make very much, will you?" My wife and I thrive on very little right now. If I couldn't find joy in life on our tiny incomes there'd be something massively wrong with me. And besides, faculty at my department make very comfortable salaries, thank you very much, so I know it isn't all poverty and misery.

[unforth]

I've gotten a lot of the ones already mentioned here, but my personal favorite is still...

"You want to study the Civil War? Don't we already know everything about that?"

...sigh.

[runaway]

I was catching up with an old friend of mine who never finished her BA and told her how I was planning on applying to PhDs. She made a flippant remark about how I'm a "career student" and... well, it stung more than I expected. I always supported her even when we made radically different educational choices, and I guess I expected that same kind of encouragement back.

Anyone else experience something similar? How do you respond? :/

[hbeels]

Anyone else experience something similar? How do you respond? :/

I get that a lot, actually. I don't really ming being a "career student" though. In fact, I really think it's great. I love reading, learning, arguing, and hanging out with other people who don't just put up with my history-dorkiness, but will engage in lively conversation about it. By continuing school, I'm not avoiding the "real world," I'm just involved in a different kind--preparing for a different kind of life.

Does she regret not finishing her degree? Is she stuck in a kind of "life rut" she can't get out of? Obviously, I don't know anything about her or her educational history, but I have generally found that when a person make comments like this, it is likely in response to his/her own issues (whether s/he is cognizant of that or not) rather than a critique of your plans and decisions.

What I personally find most difficult about these situations is not offending them. People tend to regard some graduate students/PhDs (and I find this most prevalent if continuining in the humanities...) as stuck-up and elitist.

[runaway]

@hbeels: thanks! I guess it bothers me because I don't see applying for PhD programs as applying for school as much as applying for a long-term job... one that I'll love for all the reasons you described.

One reason I've always valued this particular friendship is that she's very in-the-moment, whereas I'm quite the opposite. She's always helped me keep perspective on things. And I've always admired that in all her choices she's stayed very true to herself and her free-spirit nature. It's an awkward subject to bring up, but maybe I should figure out a way to tell her. I'd hate to be the kind of person (read: elitist b*tch) who can't sustain friendships with non-grad school people.

[StrangeLight]

a lot of people just don't realize that academic work is labour. they think of grad school as an extension of college: getting hammered, skipping class, and cramming for finals. they think of professors as people that make a ton of money (not usually), get summers off (nope, that's when the heavy lifting of research happens), and just lecture for a living (which is maybe 40% of how they spend their time).

there's also the assumption that grad students pay for their degrees. i don't know where this came from, but almost across the board, unless someone's had a family member in grad school, they think i'm paying to go. when i explain that, no, they pay me, they cover my tuition, and i work for them (as a TA), their tone changes. there's this impression that academia is an elite leisure activity. part of it is the attack on higher education from the right, and part of it is because, frankly, academia is still overwhelmingly elitist and increasingly disconnected from the working class. we don't exactly help our cause by staying locked in the ivory tower.

[unforth]

Nearly everyone I've spoken to has thought I'll have to pay for my degree and asked how I plan to afford it. The difference for me is when they find out tuition is covered they don't think better of it...I get the sense they think that's even worse, even though they appreciate that it helps me out...

[CageFree]

The financial aspect is something that shocks the heck out of people. I didn't know it either... it wasn't until my fiance mentioned it (when he played with the idea of getting a Physics Ph.D.) that I found out my fees would be paid... let alone that I'd get support. That was one reason why I put it off for so long... I just figured I had too many obligations to plunge myself into further student-loan debt and figure out how to survive.