What Are You Doing This Summer?

[imonedaful]

I would be interested in receiving some input from all of you guys about what you do over the summer as doctoral students. At the University I am attending we only have a 9 month assistantship and the 3 summer months are open and unpaid. When I asked different students in our college how they spent their summers a lot of them said they don't work and either live off of their savings or their family. I understand that for some people this is a viable option. Most of the students in our area are international and may go home for awhile in the summer or have their parents helping them financially. For me, this is not an option. So for the summer, I requested to teach a course. Apparently this is not normal for a first going on second year student but they gave me a section. I also picked up a part time job working in the afternoons. This allows me to earn some income over the summer so I don't end up homeless! I am also continuing to research, of course. So let me ask you... what are you doing this summer?

[wildviolet]

Hello imonedaful!

 

We also have 9-month assistantships (for which we work 20 hours per week). Over the summer, I'm working for hourly pay, up to a maximum of 40 hours per week. That's not hard to do with three research projects. Besides working on research, I plan on reading for pleasure and reading to prepare for next year. I'm also hoping to grow some vegetables and herbs in my first community garden and will indulge in my hobby/passion--salsa dancing! So, I don't feel like I'm doing less work, but I'm doing different types of work. Without the pressure of reading/writing/thinking for course deadlines, summer is turning out to be very nice!

[juilletmercredi]

-My first two summers, I worked as a research assistant for my advisor.  I had summer funding that paid for me if I worked 20 hours a week.

 

-My third summer, I worked as an intern at a market research company.

 

-My fourth and this (my fifth) summer, I am working as a teaching assistant for a summer program for undergraduates in my field.

[fuzzylogician]

- My first and second summers, I worked as a research assistant for my advisor. There was funding available and all I needed to do was be around and work on projects that are relevant for the lab.

 

- My third summer, I worked as a research assistant for my advisor and for one other professor. Got summer funding from both. My advisor again didn't require anything out of the ordinary; the other professor had a project in Japan and I got an all-expense-paid trip to Japan to meet with collaborators. That was an awesome summer.

 

- My fourth summer (this one), I'll be around and work on getting as much done for my dissertation research as possible. If all goes well, I'll have all of my experiments done and try and write up at least one chapter. No special funding but I'll have someone working to help me get all my work done, so I'm happy.

 

- My fifth summer, I'll be finishing up my dissertation and hopefully moving to a new city for a job |fingers crossed|.

[surefire]

I did an extra TA post this year, so I squirreled some of that away. The rest of my summer monies is from a small RA-ship and the 3rd installment of my fellowship. Other people in a similar stage as me are doing similar things, including TA-ing, RA-ing and tutoring. There are, however, a lot of school-related expectations during the first two summers of my program.

 

This is my first summer:

 

- I'm presenting at a conference next week

 

- I have to get all of my literature/ethics approval/data requests in before my practicuum starts in the fall

 

- I'm doing a tiny RA project

 

- I'm studying for a comprehensive exam in August

 

- I'm envying anyone who is not studying for a comprehensive exam in August

[imonedaful]

That is great that you guys get summer funding. The other day somebody in my college that is in a different department told me that they taught at another school for the summers and told me they were looking for somebody to teach a course in my field. It is a 4 year college, but it is an arts school. It is more or less a trade school (fashion design, culinary arts, etc.) that is not very prestigious. So I am curious, do you think that teaching at a school like this and putting it on your CV would be beneficial or harmful? My university is a balance school (professors teach a 2-2 load and do some research) and want to place their graduating PhD students in a similar university system. Do you think having taught at a small arts school would hurt my credibility with universities that value research?

[sociologo]

That is great that you guys get summer funding. The other day somebody in my college that is in a different department told me that they taught at another school for the summers and told me they were looking for somebody to teach a course in my field. It is a 4 year college, but it is an arts school. It is more or less a trade school (fashion design, culinary arts, etc.) that is not very prestigious. So I am curious, do you think that teaching at a school like this and putting it on your CV would be beneficial or harmful? My university is a balance school (professors teach a 2-2 load and do some research) and want to place their graduating PhD students in a similar university system. Do you think having taught at a small arts school would hurt my credibility with universities that value research?

 

No - it's just more teaching experience. It's also only one class for the summer term (at least for now). Doubtful that it would be something to seriously impact your future job prospects. 

[fuzzylogician]

That is great that you guys get summer funding. The other day somebody in my college that is in a different department told me that they taught at another school for the summers and told me they were looking for somebody to teach a course in my field. It is a 4 year college, but it is an arts school. It is more or less a trade school (fashion design, culinary arts, etc.) that is not very prestigious. So I am curious, do you think that teaching at a school like this and putting it on your CV would be beneficial or harmful? My university is a balance school (professors teach a 2-2 load and do some research) and want to place their graduating PhD students in a similar university system. Do you think having taught at a small arts school would hurt my credibility with universities that value research?

 

I don't know what else you might do this summer other than teach and what this teaching position will be taking you away from, but I hardly think having teaching experience is something that will be a problem for getting jobs down the line. This will contribute to your portfolio in terms of teaching and you'll have to also make sure you have something to show for yourself in terms of research. 

[Nerd_For_Life]

I'm not in a doctoral program, but a condensed one year MA (PhD starting in Sept) and I'm spending my summer researching and writing my thesis o.O While also doing some RA work.

[MsDarjeeling]

I'm in an MA program too and am spending my summer taking a few courses, doing research, teaching, studying for the GRE, and writing my SOPs.  Wow when I spell it all out it sounds like a ton of work lol.

[comp12]

I applied for a summer TA-ship outside the department; waiting to hear back.

 

I'm also travelling to present at two conferences. I won't find out until the fall if the department has enough funds to cover travel grants for the summer, so I expect that I might be fully feeling pinched in the wallet come a few months.