Venting Thread- Vent about anything.

[ss2player]

Oh goodness. I mean she would ask my PI and my coworkers questions like,

 

"should I aliquot out my sample into 50 tubes or 100 tubes?"

"should I spin down my sample?"

"should I read more papers on xxxxx?"

 

I was like, gurl srsly? you gotta go!

 

After having several of them, I've found that an even semi-competent visiting student is basically a unicorn.

[mandarin.orange]

Oh goodness. I mean she would ask my PI and my coworkers questions like,

 

"should I aliquot out my sample into 50 tubes or 100 tubes?"

"should I spin down my sample?"

"should I read more papers on xxxxx?"

 

I was like, gurl srsly? you gotta go!

 

LOL. I'm pretty sure there's a .gif for that.

[Quantum Buckyball]

LOL. I'm pretty sure there's a .gif for that.

 

I don't like her personality, she's pretty dark and two faced and my coworker thought so too. She always talk/act differently whenever our PI is in the lab. Anyways, I'm not the only person found her annoying and she hasn't even started grad school yet. 

[VulpesZerda]

In summary, I'm really annoyed at my supervisor right now!! Posting that makes me feel just a little bit better.

I don't want to provide details here, but if anyone wants to PM me, I'd like to see if you agree with me on this authorship issue...

[DeafAudi]

I'm so bored with trying to look busy for work and seven weeks seems really far away...

[thedig13]

As I prepare to move across the country to start my program, there's one particular concern nagging me.

 

During my department's prospective student weekend, I met dozens (maybe even a hundred) current graduate students. All of our interactions were cordial and intellectually exciting, but it's been four months since then, and I'm almost certain I won't remember a lot of names by August. During the apartment-hunting process, I've already contacted one future colleague whom I remembered by face but not by name; when I first contacted him about housing (only having a name and e-mail to go off), I didn't realize that I'd met him previously, addressing him as a stranger. It wasn't until he concluded his response with "It was a pleasure meeting you several months ago" that I figured out that I knew him. The more I think about this incident, the more it occurs to me that, of the dozens upon dozens of people I met, I only remember a handful of names. If I run into a colleague who remembers me by name, but whom I only remember by face, how should I deal with this? Would it be weird to say something along the lines of "I remember meeting you and chatting, but I've totally forgotten your name"? This is, of course, a version of the infamous "that one acquaintance who remembers your name but whose name you don't remember" dilemma.

[12345678900987654321]

I'd like to vent about graduate applicants who cannot read and follow instructions. I WILL tell the committee that you seem to have trouble with basic tasks. 
 

[Scarf in the wind]

As I prepare to move across the country to start my program, there's one particular concern nagging me.

 

During my department's prospective student weekend, I met dozens (maybe even a hundred) current graduate students. All of our interactions were cordial and intellectually exciting, but it's been four months since then, and I'm almost certain I won't remember a lot of names by August. During the apartment-hunting process, I've already contacted one future colleague whom I remembered by face but not by name; when I first contacted him about housing (only having a name and e-mail to go off), I didn't realize that I'd met him previously, addressing him as a stranger. It wasn't until he concluded his response with "It was a pleasure meeting you several months ago" that I figured out that I knew him. The more I think about this incident, the more it occurs to me that, of the dozens upon dozens of people I met, I only remember a handful of names. If I run into a colleague who remembers me by name, but whom I only remember by face, how should I deal with this? Would it be weird to say something along the lines of "I remember meeting you and chatting, but I've totally forgotten your name"? This is, of course, a version of the infamous "that one acquaintance who remembers your name but whose name you don't remember" dilemma.

 

You could try just saying "hey", or "hi" to get around having no knowledge of a person's name, then follow up with asking how they are doing. Moves the conversation along and past the naming point. I tend to forget people's names too. Also, asking someone you've met before for their name isn't a bad thing. It's entirely likely those same people don't remember yours, and the example you provided in your post was an anomaly. Also, if you say "hi" to someone you recognize, they might very well ask you for your name to jog their memory. At this point, you can ask them what their name is because you forgot but do recognize them.

[bsharpe269]

I'm really thankful for this thread at the moment! I majorly need to vent!

 

I hateeee my fiance's dog... really hate it. I didn't think that I could hate an animal like I hate this one. Part of me wants to go open the gate and let it run off and get hit by a car (I know that I am a horrible person for saything that).

 

To understand my hatred, you have to understand that I have always hated large dogs. I like cute tiny dogs that will sit in my lap while I study IF they are really quiet. I am luck to have two of these cute little dogs. They lay in my lap or in their dog beds all day and don't bother me. They dont bark or drool. His dog is 70 lbs and the most hyper dog I have ever seen. I have to look after her most of the time since I can easily work from home and my fiance is a banker and gone all day. She doesnt listen at all, she slobbers and pants right next to me while I try to study. She sprints all around the house. If I send her outside to run around then she just scratches at the door until i let her in. I never get a minute of peace with my fiance either since whenever we try to watch a movie, she puts her ball right next to us and stares at it... just sits there and stares at it for hours, waiting for us to throw it. I know the first suggestion I hear will be to send her to training.. ohhh she's been to professional training. I don't think the issue is her training, its her personality. We have even put her on doggy downers and she still acts this hyper. Today was the worst... My (10 lb) dog was patienty waiting to go outside and she sprinted out and trampled its neck. He's ok i think... he's acting like its stiff but moving it fine. I hate this dog like I have never hated a creature before. 

[MakeYourself]

I'd like to vent about graduate applicants who cannot read and follow instructions. I WILL tell the committee that you seem to have trouble with basic tasks. 

 

 

Nothing irritates me more than administration folk who think they have some kind of upper hand over academics.

Edited June 6, 2014 by MakeYourself

[spunky]

Nothing irritates me more than administration folk who think they have some kind of upper hand over academics.

 

uhm... maybe you missed the memo but they *DO* have the upper hand. a department secretary "mishandling" your paperwork can stop you from getting an acceptance offer, getting any funding, keeping you out of the loop for job openings... or even from graduating

 

if you incur the wrath of your department secretary you'll pay dearly. i've seen what they can do and it's terrifying. 

[MakeYourself]

uhm... maybe you missed the memo but they *DO* have the upper hand. a department secretary "mishandling" your paperwork can stop you from getting an acceptance offer, getting any funding, keeping you out of the loop for job openings... or even from graduating

 

if you incur the wrath of your department secretary you'll pay dearly. i've seen what they can do and it's terrifying. 

My frustration isn't with whether or not they have the power, it's with administration staff abusing their power.

[Sigaba]

My frustration isn't with whether or not they have the power, it's with administration staff abusing their power.

In other words, your IRL and URL personalities are pretty much the same.

[MakeYourself]

In other words, your IRL and URL personalities are pretty much the same.

oh cool I have a hater!

[spunky]

My frustration isn't with whether or not they have the power, it's with administration staff abusing their power.

 

perhaps. but there is little we can do about that.

 

you gotta play the game like we all do if you wanna get ahead. and those who play it better, well... tend to get ahead a lot more

[12345678900987654321]

My grad committee values my opinion because I spend A LOT of time communicating with prospective graduate students. If an applicant's English is poor or they have a hard time following instructions the committee wants to know that. Being able to follow basic instructions really comes in handy during grad school. 

 

On the flip side, I will tell them if I had positive interactions with a prospective student. 

 

I sit in the committee's application review sessions. I often hear them talk about students who might take a lot of extra time. Student's who can't follow instructions are high on that list. 

 

Just follow instructions, do some basic research and we'll BOTH be happy. 

[12345678900987654321]

My frustration isn't with whether or not they have the power, it's with administration staff abusing their power.

 

Nope, that's not what I'm doing. The committee is interested in things beyond what is in your application (e.g., how you interact with people and how well you follow instructions). Many times I am in a position to provide that. 

[thedig13]

My frustration isn't with whether or not they have the power, it's with administration staff abusing their power.

 

For your edification, when an applicant fails to follow basic instructions, notifying an adcomm of this is NOT an abuse of power.

 

Frankly, if an applicant doesn't understand things like "Do NOT send us your official transcripts until after you've been admitted" or "Please send TWO (2) copies of your transcript to this address," that CAN and SHOULD be something held against him/her in the selection process.

[WriteAndKnit]

You could try just saying "hey", or "hi" to get around having no knowledge of a person's name, then follow up with asking how they are doing. Moves the conversation along and past the naming point. I tend to forget people's names too. Also, asking someone you've met before for their name isn't a bad thing. It's entirely likely those same people don't remember yours, and the example you provided in your post was an anomaly. Also, if you say "hi" to someone you recognize, they might very well ask you for your name to jog their memory. At this point, you can ask them what their name is because you forgot but do recognize them.

 

Exactly -- there's nothing wrong with "would you remind me of your name?" when you get there. That implies that you remember meeting them, and it's common to specifically remember one or two people out of a group and vaguely remember several more. 

[Quantum Buckyball]

Oh goodness. I mean she would ask my PI and my coworkers questions like,

 

"should I aliquot out my sample into 50 tubes or 100 tubes?"

"should I spin down my sample?"

"should I read more papers on xxxxx?"

 

I was like, gurl srsly? you gotta go!

 

My PI got pretty annoyed at her because of all the Q's she asked (Qs that can be answered easily). I got really offended because she would ask me a question and I gave her an intellectual answer, then she would go around and ask other grad students the EXACT same question and compare the answers...I was like, "sketchy much?" now I can see why she doesn't get along with other female students and people DONT like her in general, two-faced xxxxx  

Edited July 23, 2014 by Quantum Buckyball

[wildviolet]

I'm really hating FB right now. In the beginning it was good to keep in touch with people far away. But now in grad school? People posting every single outing with other grad students? And I wasn't even invited? You know what? I don't post every single frickin' event that I go to. And I hate seeing that stuff on FB. So I think I'm going to get off FB now, at least for a little while... still good to keep in touch with family but I'm not keen on how some of my colleagues use FB.

[Coconut Water]

I need to vent that while on the brink of grad school, significant medical questions decided to pop up. One of them hinders my social life dramatically.

 

I can't wait to start grad school! I am staying positive...At least I am getting medical benefits from my employer right now, which will help me handle my health.

 

I heard of someone committing to just looking on the bright side of everything. The bright side is, maybe these medical issues are actually timely, given that I have about 2 months before school confront the health side of things. [[[ I believe that everything will be okay ]]]  

[geographyrocks]

I need to vent that while on the brink of grad school, significant medical questions decided to pop up. One of them hinders my social life dramatically.

 

I can't wait to start grad school! I am staying positive...At least I am getting medical benefits from my employer right now, which will help me handle my health.

 

I heard of someone committing to just looking on the bright side of everything. The bright side is, maybe these medical issues are actually timely, given that I have about 2 months before school confront the health side of things. [[[ I believe that everything will be okay ]]]  

I just got on this thread to bitch about my newfound medical condition! Of course, I have no idea what mine is because I saw a PA today instead of a doctor who thought it was completely normal that I'm suddenly getting rashes and abdominal pain. She also rolled her eyes at me when I was explaining a health problem. I get to see a real doctor next week. The only thing that seems to fit is histamine intolerance which isn't even medically recognized for the most part. I guess this is the penalty for having two outrageously stressful years. I know grad school will be stressful, but I'm betting it's not going to be "living under a crack dealer while working three jobs, taking a full course load, applying to grad schools, finishing my thesis" stressful.

But back to my main rant: doctors need to stop calling me a liar! Arrrrrrggggg! I seriously have better things to do than make up a medical condition! *grumble grumble*

[Quantum Buckyball]

I'm really hating FB right now. In the beginning it was good to keep in touch with people far away. But now in grad school? People posting every single outing with other grad students? And I wasn't even invited? You know what? I don't post every single frickin' event that I go to. And I hate seeing that stuff on FB. So I think I'm going to get off FB now, at least for a little while... still good to keep in touch with family but I'm not keen on how some of my colleagues use FB.

 

omg I know what you meant, I usually just turn off notifications from those people, or just put them in the acquaintance section

[spectastic]

Oreo, please note... god gave you your fucking claws to kill insects and to defend yourself, not to unseam every piece of fabric I own, you little shit.