Things You Wish You Had When You Started Your Chem PhD

[MassAppeal]

Hi everyone! I couldn't find a post like this anywhere else, but if it exists, please redirect me there! I'm looking to put together a list of things that make a graduate student's life easier, especially things that you wish you'd had or thought of before you started. For example, here's what I've thought up so far:

 

 

Software for lit organization and mining

--Evernote

--Mendeley/EndNote

 

Wet lab:

--Egg timer

--Multi-colored sharpies

--Speakers (for music in the lab)

--BlueTooth wireless headphones

 

Presentations/Conferences:

--Laser pointer

--Poster tube

--Business cards, business card sheath

 

Coping:

--Large coffee mug

--Travel mug/thermos

--Emergency food (oatmeal, trail mix, stuff for those days you end up missing meals)

[YaBoyAR]

Hi everyone! I couldn't find a post like this anywhere else, but if it exists, please redirect me there! I'm looking to put together a list of things that make a graduate student's life easier, especially things that you wish you'd had or thought of before you started. For example, here's what I've thought up so far:

Software for lit organization and mining

--Evernote

--Mendeley/EndNote

Wet lab:

--Egg timer

--Multi-colored sharpies

--Speakers (for music in the lab)

--BlueTooth wireless headphones

Presentations/Conferences:

--Laser pointer

--Poster tube

--Business cards, business card sheath

Coping:

--Large coffee mug

--Travel mug/thermos

--Emergency food (oatmeal, trail mix, stuff for those days you end up missing meals)

Under "Coping" I'd add copious amounts of alcohol

[Chande]

I keep a pantry of canned and easily heated meals in my desk in my office. Having a microwave in the office is very helpful. Things like soups, microwaveable rice, etc. Snacks like a container of peanuts and fruit cups.

[Quantum Buckyball]

I use one of my drawers for food...like..plenty of food......crackers....soda....gum...energy shots...candies...chocolate cakes....dried fruit...energy bars...breakfast bars....nuts.....

 

no potato chips though

Edited December 8, 2013 by Quantum Buckyball

[Academics]

Don't call me a bookwarm. What about having the knowledge of all the courses you are to do in grad School before hand?

[MassAppeal]

few others I was just thinking of!

 

--huge whiteboard panels

--dual PC monitors

[M4ss5pec]

Here's one that I'm hoping to be able to fulfill: either a really good tablet or a convertible laptop, like a Samsung Galaxy Note or a Lenovo ThinkPad.

[MassAppeal]

@m4ss5pec -- I just splurged and bought myself a Windows Surface Pro 2. I specifically got the thing to be a Mendeley/EndNote machine ha  I thought about just a tablet, but I really wanted to be able to remote into MS computers to check up on samples without having to be physically in the lab.

[M4ss5pec]

@massappeal -- Nice! Sounds like a good investment. Ha, never wouldn've occurred to me to use the remote accessing feature of Windows to monitor samples, something I may have to consider if I get sick of babysitting 'em.

[MassAppeal]

dude, yeah, it's essential if you have an autosampler on your LC! queue up a few samples, go out for a beer or a coffee (or even just go home, ha) and watch the acquisitions remotely. So I guess, adding to the list:

 

Software:

--remote desktop access, like TeamViewer