"Being a graduate student is like becoming all of the Seven Dwarves. In the beginning you're Dopey and Bashful. In the middle, you are usually sick (Sneezy), tired (Sleepy), and irritable (Grumpy). But at the end, they call you Doc, and then you're Happy." [1]
Graduate education constitutes an investment in human capital with the intent of producing highly skilled professionals who are able to identify and address specific issues relevant to their national contexts and the wider globalised society. [2] What is less often acknowledged, is the fact that this intense education requires an equally arduous psychological transition. This transition is even more critical in the scientific realm, where the pursuit of a research based degree requires the intellectual evolution of a student from that of an undergraduate, capable of acing tests based on textbook knowledge to that of an independent-minded and original thinker, who is willing to initiate and execute research that is often times novel. [3]
As a Chemistry graduate student, the journey from ignorance to enlightenment is comparable to taking a trip without a compass (or GPS navigation since we’re in the 21st century). You will be faced with many different challenges and feelings of inadequacy which can deliver huge blows to your self-confidence. The combination of low-praise from advisors, high stress when reactions don’t work, and low pay (which is often late) creates the perfect environment that will devalue any individual.
Successful mastery of this journey will require that you remain motivated during the ebbs and flows that will accompany your research. An undeniable necessity that will help to keep you motivated is to first have a strong bond with your research topic, as your research will become the focal point of your life for the next 4 or more years. This bond will definitely prove to be essential, as it will help you to remain committed to your research topic without finding it tiresome.
In addition to having a strong bond with your research topic, the following are some general pointers that should serve as a survival guide [4]:
2. Be organized, manage your time wisely and have a constant routine that you stick to. Take advantage of organizational tools, such as Google Calendar and even the good old paper day planners.
3. Do not let your physical and mental health slip. Quite often many graduate students skip a meal. This in turn, will adversely affect your metabolism, which can lead to changes in your sleep patterns. Also exercise at least 1-2 times a week, as this is a great way to release and lower stress levels.
5. Remember, that you are not alone in this process even when our work is often solitary. Get to know the other graduate students in the department plus the persons who are working in your lab. Share your ideas with them, as they may be able to offer you some insight and assistance with regards to your research.
6. Have a good support system of friends and family who can help you relax and roll with the punches that come with doing research.
7. Remind yourself regularly that being a graduate student won’t last forever. There will come a day when you will look back on this time and you will come to appreciate all the experiences and lessons that you learnt along the way.
References
2. Kearney, M.L. The Role of Post-Graduate Education in Research Systems. UNESCO Forum on Higher Education, Research and Knowledge. March 5-7, 2008. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001593/159388e.pdf
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