Issues/Topics of Which Grad Students/Aspiring Academics Should Be Aware?

[Kamisha]

Hi all! I’m looking for ideas and am hoping you’ll share your brilliance with me. Seriously....can you imagine how much brain power we have on this forum? We could start a revolution.

 

My question is this: what topics or issues do you think current graduate students or aspiring academics need to be aware of, mindful of, or educated about? Also, as grad students, what sorts of things would you like to be more educated about?

 

I’ve started what I call a “literary lifestyle blog” wherein I’m planning to post about being an aspiring academic in the Humanities. Thus far I am thinking of anything from academic professionalism and the nature of the current job market to how to feed and dress yourself on a grad student stipend. 

 

Wanna help a sister out and offer up post suggestions? I’m also open to guest posts

[andrewcycs]

Yes, be sure to talk about the unexpected burden that comes along with the rock star lifestyle. You know, the drugs, the endless amounts of women, and the loads of money that no academic knows what to do with. It's an increasingly rare topic that deserves butt loads of attention, due mainly to the increasing number of scholarly celebrities who crack under the pressure. 

[ArthChauc]

I have a book on my self that I have consulted an embarrassing amount of times that I think you would find really useful--it was actually given to me by a former professor and, lo and behold, one of my current professors printed a copy of the first chapter out for my cohort and gave it to us on the first day of class during year one of my MA. It's called Graduate Study for the 21st Century: How to Build a Career in the Humanities. It is WONDERFUL. I have a few friends applying to MA/Ph.D programs and I'm planning to give these as gifts when they're accepted. It's truly a wonderful, helpful book written by someone with clear knowledge in the field. I'm sure many people have read it (maybe even you!) but I can't stress enough how much I have enjoyed it and consulted it. 

[mikers86]

I knew someone would bring in Semenza. The book is fine, but it's also not a particularly inviting approach, and I found he made it sound like his way was the ideal way to survive, which just isn't the case. It's a good read to know what the "reality" is, though it yet again needs updating.

Just read The CHE's various sections and you'll have a good sense of the issues in the profession that grad students are facing. Time to degree, adjunctification, debt, alt-ac, to name a few.

[mikers86]

For fun, you could throw in Bousquet's How The University Works.

[toasterazzi]

This reminds me that I should start updating my blog again...*sigh*...

[Strong Flat White]

Hey, I read Semenza for a proseminar!

 

So, mikers86, what's uninviting about it? Just curious. As someone who didn't know anything about anything when I began studying literature I found it really helpful.

[Kamisha]

Why must GradCafe put a limit on positivity! Thanks everyone for your suggestions and keep them coming. The academic stuff is great, but I also want to place an emphasis on the grad student lifestyle (i.e. eat well and clothing yourself on a budget, ways to de-stress, how to not murder your colleagues, etc). 

 

I’ll be looking for contributors, as well, if you want to submit articles

[Kamisha]

On 2/19/2014 at 7:17 AM, ArthurianChaucerian said:

I have a book on my self that I have consulted an embarrassing amount of times that I think you would find really useful--it was actually given to me by a former professor and, lo and behold, one of my current professors printed a copy of the first chapter out for my cohort and gave it to us on the first day of class during year one of my MA. It's called Graduate Study for the 21st Century: How to Build a Career in the Humanities. It is WONDERFUL. I have a few friends applying to MA/Ph.D programs and I'm planning to give these as gifts when they're accepted. It's truly a wonderful, helpful book written by someone with clear knowledge in the field. I'm sure many people have read it (maybe even you!) but I can't stress enough how much I have enjoyed it and consulted it. 

 

Excellent! I’ll check it out and follow you. If you want to see what I’ve put together, it’s here: http://www.pearlspolishandprose.com. I kind of want to grow this into something cool and it would be awesome to have it as a collaborative project with grad students across the US. 

 

Also--equally obsessed with vlogging. I watch way too many stupid videos on YouTube. What is it about them that is so addicting?!

[ArthChauc]

I knew someone would bring in Semenza. The book is fine, but it's also not a particularly inviting approach, and I found he made it sound like his way was the ideal way to survive, which just isn't the case. It's a good read to know what the "reality" is, though it yet again needs updating.

Just read The CHE's various sections and you'll have a good sense of the issues in the profession that grad students are facing. Time to degree, adjunctification, debt, alt-ac, to name a few.

 

I think the book is a good first step--I will agree that his tone is a little cynical and defeatist, but so is the Chronicle's. It's one of the few books I know that sort of lets you dip your toes in the water, so to speak. I think reading it with a grain of salt might be necessary, yes, but overall it's a good, informative read.

[mikers86]

I think the book is a good first step--I will agree that his tone is a little cynical and defeatist, but so is the Chronicle's. It's one of the few books I know that sort of lets you dip your toes in the water, so to speak. I think reading it with a grain of salt might be necessary, yes, but overall it's a good, informative read.

 

I agree - informative but you should also take it at face value. It's a good guide to help you get started. But keep in mind that even if you follow everything he suggests, there is still no guarantee, which I suppose is implied by his cynical and a little defeatist tone. That's what I was trying to get at but hadn't had enough coffee to articulate it. And the Chronicle is definitely the same way, but I think that's what happens after years in academia.

[Strong Flat White]

I agree - informative but you should also take it at face value. It's a good guide to help you get started. But keep in mind that even if you follow everything he suggests, there is still no guarantee, which I suppose is implied by his cynical and a little defeatist tone. That's what I was trying to get at but hadn't had enough coffee to articulate it. And the Chronicle is definitely the same way, but I think that's what happens after years in academia.

 

It's quite possible that I'm a weirdo minority, but I actually felt inspired reading Semenza...like, yeah, ok, tough gig but let's roll up the sleeves and do this thing. Which I think is the right attitude to have. The longer I'm in the field, the more optimistic I get despite learning and knowing how uphill the battle is. I'm not trying to be contrary, here - I really think there is another way to read Semenza, and I offer that perspective to would-be readers reading our conversation. 

[hashslinger]

From a later-grad student perspective, I found Semeza to be both helpful and problematic for the reasons other people have described here. It's good that he demystifies grad school and tells you what exactly is expected of you in the seminar room, at the academic conference, on the job market. And his own background as a "working class" (as he puts it) grad student is especially useful for those who come from a similar background.

 

For people who are coming straight from college, I think it's a good primer for knowing how to behave in grad school--like, no, it's not just an extension of undergrad; you're expected to do all the reading (or behave that you have), attend all classes, attend department functions and talks, and basically treat grad school like a job. This may seem self-evident for most, but I see new grad students every year who just don't know what's expected of them, or that their professors are holding them to much higher standards than they do undergrads (and judging them harshly for not speaking up in class or arriving on time).

 

I personally found the book really helpful for the way it lays out your teaching responsibilities. He makes the point that you should value teaching and seek to do a good job but also minimize the amount of time you spend agonizing about undergrads. I've applied a lot of his advice about keeping "teaching stuff" confined to a certain part of the day and using the rest to work on research. I don't have the book in front of me right now (and it's always checked out of our library), but I believe he offers some really helpful tips for minimizing email interactions with students and with encouraging use of your set office hours (rather than allowing student demands to dictate when you come to campus or answer your emails).

 

I also found the exam chapter and "two-page-a-day" dissertation recommendation to be really useful.

 

What I found not useful--Semenza's micromanaging attitude toward personal habits. Like, I don't need to know how to organize my files or my bookshelves, thanks. I also don't need to be told how to manage my personal life. YMMV, I guess, because some people do find that kind of thing helpful. What I also find really annoying is his suggestion that you just "work harder" to balance the various aspects of your life, even to the point of sacrificing sleep. I know that "just work harder!" is the order of the day in a capitalistic society, but I can't stand the way Semenza piles on. It's like he espouses this sort of ridiculous Ben Franklin-esque work ethic. I'm surprised that he doesn't include charts about how he structures his day, or his own errors or temperance, industry, frugality. I almost expect him to say something like, "Eat not to dullness, drink not to elevation" or "imitate Jesus and Socrates."

 

The whole "women over 35 have high-risk pregnancies" also seems outdated and sexist to me--especially that we now know that women's post-35 fertility isn't quite as doomed, and that men also have a "biological clock" too.

 

Minor things I find super-annoying: the idea that one must never be ill in graduate school. Seriously, if you're sick, stay home from seminar. No one expects you to come to class with a raging fever. A minor cold, yes; pneumonia or flu, no. I also hated the fact that he says he puts so much stock in numeric teaching evaluations when looking at job candidates--right after trashing the whole idea of teaching evaluations. He definitely needs to make up his mind about that. 

[Kamisha]

From a later-grad student perspective, I found Semeza to be both helpful and problematic for the reasons other people have described here. It's good that he demystifies grad school and tells you what exactly is expected of you in the seminar room, at the academic conference, on the job market. And his own background as a "working class" (as he puts it) grad student is especially useful for those who come from a similar background.

 

For people who are coming straight from college, I think it's a good primer for knowing how to behave in grad school--like, no, it's not just an extension of undergrad; you're expected to do all the reading (or behave that you have), attend all classes, attend department functions and talks, and basically treat grad school like a job. This may seem self-evident for most, but I see new grad students every year who just don't know what's expected of them, or that their professors are holding them to much higher standards than they do undergrads (and judging them harshly for not speaking up in class or arriving on time).

 

I personally found the book really helpful for the way it lays out your teaching responsibilities. He makes the point that you should value teaching and seek to do a good job but also minimize the amount of time you spend agonizing about undergrads. I've applied a lot of his advice about keeping "teaching stuff" confined to a certain part of the day and using the rest to work on research. I don't have the book in front of me right now (and it's always checked out of our library), but I believe he offers some really helpful tips for minimizing email interactions with students and with encouraging use of your set office hours (rather than allowing student demands to dictate when you come to campus or answer your emails).

 

I also found the exam chapter and "two-page-a-day" dissertation recommendation to be really useful.

 

What I found not useful--Semenza's micromanaging attitude toward personal habits. Like, I don't need to know how to organize my files or my bookshelves, thanks. I also don't need to be told how to manage my personal life. YMMV, I guess, because some people do find that kind of thing helpful. What I also find really annoying is his suggestion that you just "work harder" to balance the various aspects of your life, even to the point of sacrificing sleep. I know that "just work harder!" is the order of the day in a capitalistic society, but I can't stand the way Semenza piles on. It's like he espouses this sort of ridiculous Ben Franklin-esque work ethic. I'm surprised that he doesn't include charts about how he structures his day, or his own errors or temperance, industry, frugality. I almost expect him to say something like, "Eat not to dullness, drink not to elevation" or "imitate Jesus and Socrates."

 

The whole "women over 35 have high-risk pregnancies" also seems outdated and sexist to me--especially that we now know that women's post-35 fertility isn't quite as doomed, and that men also have a "biological clock" too.

 

Minor things I find super-annoying: the idea that one must never be ill in graduate school. Seriously, if you're sick, stay home from seminar. No one expects you to come to class with a raging fever. A minor cold, yes; pneumonia or flu, no. I also hated the fact that he says he puts so much stock in numeric teaching evaluations when looking at job candidates--right after trashing the whole idea of teaching evaluations. He definitely needs to make up his mind about that. 

 

Wonderful suggestions. Thank you! 

[Strong Flat White]

Well it's nice to see that your buttons can also be pushed when being told really pedantic or obvious things!  As you recently wrote to me, Hashslinger, you may know these things, but others may not.  As to some common ground, now that we've corrected each other in kind, I have to agree that some grad students do need to be reminded to act like grad students. I like your phrasing that it's not an extension of undergrad. Some people just miss the boat on this, and it's hard to watch.

[Kamisha]

Well it's nice to see that your buttons can also be pushed when being told really pedantic or obvious things!  As you recently wrote to me, Hashslinger, you may know these things, but others may not.  As to some common ground, now that we've corrected each other in kind, I have to agree that some grad students do need to be reminded to act like grad students. I like your phrasing that it's not an extension of undergrad. Some people just miss the boat on this, and it's hard to watch.

 

Seriously...quite a few of my co-workers miss the boat. The DGS has given two separate presentations on academic professionalism and they still post about their students on Facebook and Twitter. It’s unbelievable. That’s definitely going to be one of my posts. 

[ArthChauc]

I think the take away from this is to read the book and decide for yourself.

[Kamisha]

I think the take away from this is to read the book and decide for yourself.

 

Haha yeah, it got a little off topic, didn’t it? 

[mikers86]

I think the take away from this is to read the book and decide for yourself.

 

Indeed. Preferably a used copy or Kindle edition if possible to minimize cost.

[ArthChauc]

Seriously...quite a few of my co-workers miss the boat. The DGS has given two separate presentations on academic professionalism and they still post about their students on Facebook and Twitter. It’s unbelievable. That’s definitely going to be one of my posts. 

 

I post about my students all the time on my Facebook and Twitter. I'm also only Facebook/Twitter friends with people I know and my stuff is always protected and appropriate. 

[SleepyOldMan]

What I thought was most helpful about the book is the idea that your success as a graduate student and beyond is determined by the extent to which faculty come to view you as "one of us," which is true in any profession.  This is evidenced in all sorts of ways, things as simple as being appointed to serve on department committees while a graduate student, but there really is nothing more important.

[ArthChauc]

I guess I should note that my "post[ing] about my students" is moreso me posting about struggles teaching the course/getting a point across to students and seeking advice from professionals I'm friends with rather than anything else on Facebook. My Twitter, however, is anonymous and spares no one. 

[Kamisha]

I post about my students all the time on my Facebook and Twitter. I'm also only Facebook/Twitter friends with people I know and my stuff is always protected and appropriate. 

 

I mean they make fun of their students or talk about how frustrated they are with them. 

[Kamisha]

Let me pose this question: as current or future graduate students, what questions would have/want answered about grad school culture (separate from the academic culture)?

[ArthChauc]

What to wear as a graduate student in English. Sounds ridiculous, but the array of dress from tenured profs to adjuncts to grad students is all over the place. Some guys are in button downs and dress pants, others are in t-shirts. I'll go to class one day dressed like I'm going to an interview and the next just jeans and a blazer. Some of our tenured profs dress like crap and others are in cocktail-looking dresses every day. 

 

Can we please standardize this? For a while I was wearing jeans, a sweater, and a scarf every day and my thesis advisor referred to it as my "uniform". Blahhh.