Rotation Lab gone wrong?

[SarahSapouckey]

HI, I am a first year student, just joined a Interdisciplinary Molecular and Cellular biology program. I loved this program because it was a interdisciplinary program which has PIs from all over the biomedical sciences program and covers many different topics. However, now that I am HERE and going to seminars and taking the classes, I find it is all genetics. Every seminar is genetic work, the required classes are all covering genetics material, which I assume will change soon, but it really seems to be the emphasis of this program. I know genetic tools are really the driving force behind science right now and are very important. But I guess it is not what I thought I would be studying.  To make matters worse, Somehow got sucked into my first rotation lab being a project studying binding specificity of a transcription factor. In a small lab with only one graduate student and some research assistant. The grad student (6th year) is the only one working on this project so I work closely with him. The problem is, even though when discussing the work with the PI it sounded like a great chance to learn new techniques and get some big data, I DO NOT like this project or the work. I also do not enjoy working with this student. He is very arrogant, loves to rip others works to shreds, and even told me he likes to challenge other scientists and how easy it is at this school. And to top it off, he had the guts to tell me MCB students (my program) are the joke of the school and used to be considered the worst students. Thanks. He constantly talks about how his lab is the only one doing good, hardcore biochemistry and biophysics, and how no one else wants to do this kind of work because it is hard. He also is constantly telling me one thing, changing his mind, arguing with the PI, and gets mad if I do something differently than he does, even if it is EXACTLY as the PI showed me.  It is making me miserable and dread going to school. The lack of interest in classes, the terrible experience in lab, and the fact that I moved literally half way across the country and left all my friends and family (except my boyfriend who moved with me) are really adding up and I am thinking about leaving already. I KNOW I should stick it out. I talked to the director of the program to see if leaving a rotation early was an option, apparently it really is not usual and doesn't happen, but now He is very insistent that I want to leave and quit. SO now I am afraid I look like a quitter even though I told him I want to stick out the month. I guess I just don't know how to handle this lab situation and also don't quit know how to handle all this stress at once. Oh, and everyone keeps repeating over and over and over how class grades aren't a big deal, almost everyone gets As, no one wants you to fail, but I took an exam last night and it was so difficult! I can't imagine they will grad it THAT easy. There is only 1 upper student who I am comfortable talking too and I have already went over all this with her and she suggested I wait it out.  The other students really aren't that approachable, despite how during interview weekend everyone kept saying how nice everyone is here. DO be honest, now that I have been here for 2 months, they are just like the rest of the country, not any nicer, if anything, they shun me! (I don't want to say where I am so no one gets offended if someone on this forum is from there haha).

[dr. t]

Did you have a question here? What do you want advice on?

[TakeruK]

I'm sorry to hear about these troubles. How much longer is your rotation? You should not have to deal with the abuse from the other graduate student, but I do think you should wait it out if the rotation will be over by January. In the meantime, I would suggest that you find other allies to help you deal with the arrogant older student. Maybe you can talk to the PI and get assigned to different tasks where you don't have to work with him.