Life During Grad School

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “Ask for help! You don’t need to know everything. people won’t think you’re stupid — it’s smart to ask questions!”
• “Don’t jump into working with the first advisor that comes along.”
• “1) Thinking grad school is like an undergraduate. 2) Not taking risks on their own. It’s the best learning experience, even if it leads nowhere. 3) Constantly comparing yourself to peers. Everyone is different, everyone grows from different starting points. It’s fine as a guide, but not a measure of success. 4) Not finding life or joy outside of school/work.”
• “It is a mistake to consider that research is a 9 to 5 job.”
• “Prioritizing quantity over quality.”
• “The biggest pitfall that I see new students making is not properly understanding the PhD process as an apprenticeship. It’s a low-paid job that you take to gradually acquire skills, in which your advisor and the program feel educational responsibility toward you. It’s not purely school, and it’s not purely a job, but instead has characteristics of both. The idea is that working cooperatively as a junior partner is the best way to learn. Some students err in treating the PhD purely as a job, executing tasks for an advisor and forgetting to think for themselves. Other students think the PhD is about their personal development and that they are creating “their” research (forgetting that someone is paying them), and end up alienating colleagues and missing out on the experiences that would actually help them grow. It’s a mistake to think either “I am here only to help my advisor”, or “my advisor is here only to help me”. The reality is in between.”
• “Becoming isolated, intimidated, or overwhelmed. Grad students are here to learn and grow, so by definition they don’t know everything they need to know at the outset. Work with faculty (not necessarily just the advisor) and students to develop strategies for organizing knowledge and ideas in your field.”

Biological Sciences Division, no research group

• “Don’t run yourself into the ground. Grad school is a marathon, not a sprint. We all need to take time to reflect from time to time to be our most creative selves. When you are excited about your work- go for it! dig in and enjoy! But don’t feel guilty taking time away from work for friends, family, and hobbies.” 

Physical Sciences Division, before qualifying exam, small research group

• “Collect information for committee meetings for at least 3 months. Planning for it earlier is helpful.”
  
• “I think the biggest pitfall is worrying that you’re off track and letting that add to the stress that grad school already entails. A part of that pitfall is being afraid to ask questions to your advisor or cohort or other faculty. Ask any and all stupid questions if they help you feel like you’re doing the right things.” 

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “Burning out and overworking yourself. Prioritize looking after yourself.”
• “Not understanding expectations of advisor or grad school, especially for first generation college students. Ask lots of questions so you know you’re on track and progressing.”
• “The biggest mistake I probably made my first year is constantly worrying that I was making big mistakes. Depending on your funding situation, it’s ok to take your time finding an advisor and/ or a thesis topic… graduate school is really long!”
• “One of my biggest pitfalls early on in graduate school was getting hung up on details that weren’t ultimately important to my research. Undergraduate classes are usually contained to small areas of study and detailed exploration of the material is manageable. Another thing that was difficult at first was the amount of freedom I was being given. It’s really important to step up and take control of your project early on. This may vary depending on who your advisor is, but once I started to feel that it was my own work and that I was developing an identity as a researcher my work benefited.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “One of the biggest pitfalls, I think, is to compare yourselves to your peers and older students too much. It’s easy to exacerbate your imposter syndrome if you’re constantly thinking about other people. Everyone is coming from a different background, and some people have more experience than you do in certain areas, that’s just normal. Focus on developing the skills you want to, and don’t worry about what other people are doing. If you are interested in being as good as someone else at something, ask them how they got that skill.”
• “1) Isolating yourself. It’s very easy to isolate yourself, especially in the first year. Especially for people who are not naturally social. You WILL need support in your phd, so find ways to have a community, within or outside the university. Talk to your fellow students, most of them are as confused and as lonely as you. Even those that look like they are doing brilliantly are probably feeling some level of imposter syndrome. 2) Deciding what your PhD project is going to be too early. Give yourself time to figure out what options are available, don’t tie yourself down to a set project as soon as you start. 3) Abandon your hobbies and non science related interests. It is always possible to work harder, study harder, do more. You need to create time and space in your life for other things, and it will be hard. None of us feel like we are working ‘hard enough’. We always feel like there’s more that you can do, because there is. But that doesn’t mean you should. Remember, your PhD is a marathon. Invest into things outside of your science that will help you stay sane.” 

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• ” I think the biggest pitfall that I have experienced and continue to experience in grad school is the imposter syndrome. Basically feeling like you don’t belong because everyone is smarter and harder working than you. It can definitely lead to some unhealthy work habits.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “1. Picking your advisor or project too soon – you have several rotations for a reason. 2. Comparing yourself to others – everyone progresses and learns at their own pace. 3. Not laying out the expectations and framework for your project soon enough.” 

Social Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “I think I missed out on some peer events (workshops, socials) due to class schedules not overlapping. If I go back in time I shall get to know people in my cohort better so now I can be more constructive/less confused when they talk about their research proposals and personal interests.”

Physical Sciences Division, small group

• “Remember that grad school is different from undergrad, and your expectations should be different too. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by everything you have to do, but you need to learn to prioritize what’s most important to you.” 
• “The biggest pitfall is working too hard too fast, leading to burnout. The first year should be a time of cohort-building and becoming comfortable in the environment. It should not be a time of weeding out and over-working.”
• “Spending a lot of time doing things that don’t actively get you closer to your goals (although it’s often hard to know if something that feels useless will actually be helpful on some level). I would say 80% of graduate school for me was taken up either by rabbit holes or failures that contributed to later successes. One strategy for avoiding rabbit holes is making sure you and your advisor are on the same page. It might seem like you’re being given free reign to explore ideas, but ultimately if what you’re exploring isn’t within the purview of your advisor, nobody benefits.”
• “Feeling pressure to get results quickly. A PhD is a marathon, not a sprint — you don’t want to burn yourself out. – Comparing yourself to others. Everyone has their own PhD journey. Ultimately you can only control so much of your research — it’s not useful or helpful to try to hold yourself to an arbitrary standard. – Being afraid to ask for help.”

Biological Sciences Division, small group

• “This is such an individualized issue. Let’s see, being too concerned about getting “all A’s” like you may have done as an undergrad, not spending any time in the lab and then feeling trepidation about starting experiments because you’re lacking basic skills, feeling like you’re not as good of a student as you thought you were…the list is really endless. I think the biggest mistake is to think that you are alone. You’re not.”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “Ask for help sooner! go to student counseling if you’re feeling overwhelmed. You are not alone and talking it over with someone can help immensely. Exercise more, drink less, invest in relationships and social interactions even when research feels all-encompassing. People + exercise balances out research/work/stress.”
• “I wish I had much better time management skills.”
• “Grad school is a lot easier than the following step.”
• “People told me many wise things that I ignored. Every PhD student should realize that it’s hard to have unique issues and therefore that standard advice likely applies to them too.”
• “Get your research done, but work hard to stay broad. Read widely, meet with as many outside speakers and other visitors as possible, circulate at conferences.”

Physical Sciences Division, no research group

• “Make time for fun. It’s ok.”

Biological Sciences Division, no research group

• “Apply to a few fellowships even if you don’t think you will get them. It is worth it for the experience of writing the application and you might get them!”

Physical Sciences Division, before qualifying exam, small research group

• “Prepare for committee meetings earlier in year 1.”
•  “Don’t be afraid to try out different research, and if you’re interested do it early on. If you want something, there’s usually a way to make it happen. And it’s okay to say no, value your time and don’t spread yourself too thin.”

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “If you’re part of any sort of marginalized group in STEM, your identities will become ammunition for someone to discredit you. Don’t ever stop advocating for yourself.”
• “Wish I sought out more collaborative work.”
•  “I wish that I’d been more social earlier in grad school. I was very focused on classes and research, but it’s also a great time to make friends.”
• “It’s a marathon, not a sprint”

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “Build code from day one with the plans for the future, scalability.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “I wish I would have taken my work-life balance more seriously. I was spreading myself too thin across so many things and I should have invested more time into my mental health and learned to say no.”
•  “I would have taken a gap year. I would have also been less ambitious with my project.”
•  “Everyone does their PhD differently, and there really is no point in comparing yourself to others. Everyone comes from such different backgrounds, does such different work, and has such different aspirations for the future, that PhD experiences are essentially incomparable. I know this logically, but it’s often hard to remember emotionally.”
• “Don’t compare yourself to others and try to see the good in everything, even failures. And SLEEP! Get a solid 7-8 nightly.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “Don’t take your classes so seriously. Try in them but as long as you get a B it’s all good. There is no difference between an A and a B in any individual class.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “Choose your advisor carefully, and know what you want to get out of your degree.”

Social Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “This is actually my second run in grad school, but I wish someone could tell me to pursue a grad school career without the prejudice that I want to do this because academic jobs are stable, flexible, respectful and happy. We shall be treating different jobs equally and on that ground chose what to study for and where to go.”

Physical Sciences Division, small group

• “Timescales for research are very different from timescales for problem sets, class projects, etc that you are used to from undergrad. A single research project will take months to years to complete, and you need to adjust your expectations accordingly”
• “Take it slow and try to enjoy it, don’t stress yourself out. There’s plenty of time in graduate school for second chances and if research progress is slow that is totally normal and not a big deal!”
• “I wish I’d been a better communicator with my advisor. I wish I’d not been so insecure before my qualifying exam, as it led to some unhealthy behaviors.”
• ” It’s okay to slow down.”

Biological Sciences Division, small group

• “I wish I had some better professors. I wish I had paid more attention to certain parts of certain classes. It really goes so fast. I was told that, and I continue to tell students that, but it’s not something that students really appreciate until they’re through it.”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “I think personal fit is the most important thing. Can you talk to these people? Can you ask them for help? Is everyone a good person? If someone/something rubs you the wrong way, trust your instincts. Personally, I think the science will follow — as long as you get along well with your advisor.”
• “Talk to existing students in the group, and perhaps especially previous students, to get a sense of things. Also read papers from the group to get a sense of the science.”
• “Find a topic that you are genuinely interested in and that you think you may own. Find an advisor that matches your need for scientific input and personal support.”
• “Look not only for topics that interest you, but also for an advisor who will be a good mentor. Ask for help if you’re confused or overwhelmed, but also be respectful of your advisor’s time and think about problems and your approaches carefully and critically.”
• “Pick someone who you think you can learn from. The advisor doesn’t have to be your main source of emotional support, but you should feel energized and excited by talking with them about the science. Don’t pick an advisor or group that feels oppressive or belittling, even if the science itself is exciting. Check for red flags – are other grad students in the group happy? Do people have good career outcomes? Make sure you are happy not only with the broad science goals of a project but with the day-to-day tasks you would be engaged in. If you hate troubleshooting equipment, don’t try for a lab project, no matter how thrilling the potential results. You need to enjoy the everyday activities of your life.”
• “What is it like to talk to the potential advisor about your scientific interests? Find out if others who work/have worked with this person happy are happy about the experience.”

Physical Sciences Division, no research group

• “Find someone you are comfortable talking to. These people are not just your scientific support, but your emotional support, too. You will experience a range of emotions, difficulties, and challenges in graduate school. You want to be surrounded by people that allow you to be YOU.”

Biological Sciences Division, no research group

• “Choosing an advisor is primarily about finding a good fit with their project ideas- if you love the work it will make many other things manageable. It is also important to consider the compatibility of your personality with your advisor and the community support in their lab or school. You can be lacking a bit in some of these things, but ideally you want a good fit in all those facets.”

Physical Sciences Division, before qualifying exam, small research group

• “It’s a balance. The perfect advisor may not have the perfect research and vice versa. The day-to-day will be interacting with your advisor and group mates and doing the routine tasks. The bigger picture is that you’re becoming an expert on a very particular subject and learning all the nuances and details of the topic. Whether your balance of those two mindsets would be fulfilling and interesting should guide you in your decision process.”

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “See if your advisor consistently has a life outside of work. I say “consistently” because some advisors will take really fancy vacations two weeks of the year, which make them look like they have a life, but they regularly work 80 hours a week for the rest of the year. Pay attention to how long they stay at work and when they leave work.”

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “Key is probably finding a PI who is doing the type of research you are interested in. All else equal, this is the main thing that will keep you going when the going gets tough. At the end of the day, grad school is essentially a solo endeavor (by design), and if you are not doing research you are excited about, you are going to bounce out.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “Talk to alumni and current students. Ask specific questions. How involved is this advisor? Do they have time for you? What methods are commonly used in the lab? How does the advisor/group deal with funding and equipment? What were the more challenging parts of the older students with their advisors? Does your personal style match with the advisor? Some people need an advisor who will be very involved in their project, and some prefer a lot of freedom. Is your advisor sympathetic to personal problems students might have? Do they have a good track record with minority students? Do they promote work/life balance? Identify what it is you want out of this phd and think about how good of a fit it will be. In my personal opinion, it’s better to compromise on what kind of science you will be doing than going with an advisor that doesn’t fit your personality but does exactly the type of science you want to do.”
• “It’s all about fit. What is important to you? What do you NEED in an advisor? Discusseverything upfront. When/ how often will you attend conferences? Will they pay? How long does it take to graduate from that lab? Will you meet weekly or not?”
• “Find an advisor who values your work-life balance. Decide what kind of advisor you want early on. Do you want someone hands-on or hands-off? How often do you want to meet? Are they early-career or late-career? How stressful is it to present at their lab meetings? How casual/ formal do you want your relationship to be. How big of a research group do you want? Will they go to bat for you if you need them to? These are all different based on your field, but if you decide your criteria it will be easier to make a decision. I looked for someone who was doing interesting science and also cared about my life outside of work.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “I would say look for a group where you feel comfortable with the people and research advisor. The research itself should be interesting as well but doing exciting research will suck if you are miserable the whole time.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “Look at their publishing record and recent activities to see what kind of research they’re doing and if it interests you. If you can, talk to previous lab members. Pick someone who has time to be an advisor- this person is supposed to help guide not only your thesis, but your career as well. Make sure all involved are people you can get along with reasonably well for the duration of your project.”

Biological Sciences Division, PhD student – past qualifying exam, small research group

• “Everyone needs something different from advisors, but I think some universally important things are that you are comfortable with them, can reach them easily for a variety of needs, and feel supported. Choose an advisor that will be okay with you saying that you need to take a mental health day (or week). I value being able to have candid conversations about aspects of grad life other than research with my advisor.”

Social Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “In my field, I do not feel an obligation to stick to one particular advisor or one particular topic especially in the early stage, always try to talk to as many as possible, and ask advice on projects they may have interest/experience in. PSD, past qualifying exam, small research group Choose an advisor that understands your strengths and is interested in your personal development. In terms of a group it comes down to a matter of personal preference but I strongly recommend attending meetings because they are a good way to judge group culture.”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “Choose someone you get along with well- this relationship is so important”
• “Choose a group in which you feel comfortable and enjoy spending time with everyone. These are the people you still spend the most time with at work for the next 5 years or more!”
• “Find people you genuinely get along with. ~5 years is a long time to be stuck with anyone. Also try to gauge if all members of the group are happy, and if not, why not. This can be a sticky subject but is nonetheless important to navigate. Also: don’t just pick an advisor based on ‘prestige’ – ultimately, your research will speak for itself, regardless of the other names on the papers.”
• “Research advisors/groups are extremely variable, and there isn’t a universal best answer that will work for everyone. It’s important to consider both your interests, career goals, and working style. Talk to current and past members of the group. Question to think about: How much interaction do you want with your advisor? Are you comfortable talking with them? Can you ask them “dumb” questions? What is their publication record? What have past members gone on to do? How big is the group? How often does the group meet and how much interaction is there between lab members? Is it a supportive environment? Competitive? Do you find the projects interesting? Does the faculty member already have tenure? Do they have a history of students failing their qualifying exam? Are there spoken or unspoken work expectations/standards? How many years has it taken other recent students to finish?”

Biological Sciences Division, small research group

• “Communicate extensively with his/her/their current and former students, postdocs, staff. Likewise, talk to students, postdocs, staff from other groups and see if the advisor’s/group’s reputation matches.”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “At least once a week. The meetings can be personal check-ins, discussing a paper that’s relevant/confusing/exciting, brainstorming ideas, etc.”
•  “At least once or twice a week, if not more. Good way to keep tabs, to make sure things are on track (both from student and advisor perspective).”
• “I recommend that graduate students should have a 1 hr meeting with their advisor weekly if possible. Graduate students should become qualified enough to discuss their research progress, broader questions around their research topic, perspectives and outlook. As they progress in their field, the best graduate students should be able to match or exceed their advisor’s knowledge and foresight.”
• “This depends on the advisor. Ask them how they usually run their group.”
• “The timing varies tremendously, according to fields and individual advisors. In a big group, you would get less face time with an advisor – if the group is 30+ people, you won’t get a weekly private meeting, there just aren’t enough hours available. Your day-to-day mentorship would then be from senior PhD students or postdocs instead. In a small group, you might have a regular weekly or biweekly meeting with an advisor, or be able to stop by your advisor’s office spontaneously. No matter what the schedule, make sure that you prepare for each meeting. Have some results to show, and a draft plan for the next phase of work, and defined questions. The goal of the meeting is both to reassure your advisor that you are making progress, and to solicit the input that you need to move forward.”
• “Weekly or biweekly, even if brief and informal. Goals not just reports on “progress” and guidance about that, but professional issues of all kinds, from a cool new paper to questions about career development.”

Physical Sciences Division, no research group

• “Varies student to student. There is no right answer for everyone. The goal of the meetings should be for the student to state what they’ve done and where they go next and then to have a discussion with the faculty member about pros and cons of those choices and what other options there. “

Biological Sciences Division, no research group

• “At first I would recommend meeting every week or every other week, then tapering off to maybe once per month as you become more independent. The goal should be to discuss your progress, what you are struggling with, what you are excited about, and how your advisor can guide you.”

Physical Sciences Division, before qualifying exam, small research group

• “We’re scheduled for once a week one-on-one, but there are often rainchecks. There are also group meetings in the week. The advisor usually leads the meetings by nature.”

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “Once a week for individual meetings for 30 minutes and once a week for 1 hour for each research project with everyone involved in the project. Individual meeting goals vary but are typically about program milestones, future studies, or professional development. Individual meetings are student led and research project meetings have a common agenda”
• ” I meet with my advisor around two times per week. The most important goal of these meetings is to make sure you are on the same page. Make sure that your advisor is making their expectations clear and make sure that you are effectively and honestly communicating your progress and difficulties with your advisor.”
• “I meet with my advisor pretty sporadically. Sometimes it’s daily, sometimes weekly, and sometimes we go a couple months in between meetings. As a student I’ve always led the meetings. I have collaborators outside my advisor, so my advisor’s involvement in different research projects varies. “

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “Weekly or more than weekly. Typical goals are to present, find and get feedback so you keep making progress. Otherwise you are liable to spin your wheels for weeks or months at a time.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “I meet with my advisor either weekly or bi-weekly depending on how much I need to meet with them. I lead the meetings with what I’ve been working on or have concerns about. We meet about anything and everything. We meet about research progress, reading an interesting paper, stress I’m experiencing, classwork, leading lab meetings.”
•  “I would say in the first year, you should meet at the very least twice a month, and the goal of that would be to get to know each other and get on the same page. I did a guided reading with my advisor and it was very useful. As for who leads the meeting, it’s very specific to an advisor, I would say. You certainly should feel comfortable leading the meeting, but if you don’t want to, a lot of advisors are willing to be the ones leading the conversation.”
• “I meet with my advisor 1-2 times per week, but we are both flexible to cancel or change the days if needed. These meetings help keep me on track with my work and allow us time to have great interesting discussions about what I am learning. For the first year, my advisor led the meetings, and it has transitioned to me leading the meetings. “

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “I meet with my advisor about once every two months. This is way less than normal butit’s the way my advisor works and is one of the reasons I picked the lab I did. The goal of these meetings for me is always to try and figure out where to go next with my research. My meetings are always to present new data/analysis.”

Biological Sciences Division, PhD student – past qualifying exam, no research group

• “I typically meet with my advisor once a week and communicate with him via email more frequently. I lead these meetings; I usually have a list of things to discuss that we go through. After I discuss all of my points, he will bring up things he’d like to discuss. The goal of these meetings should be to resolve problems you’re having, or figure out what to do or who to contact to resolve the problem, and to make a plan forward to make progress on the project.”

Social Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “Once per quarter in 1st year, once per month currently. Goal of these meetings are: 1) reflecting on updates of existing projects; 2) ask his opinion on any potential new projects I have had in mind; 3) report on academic planning on taking courses/TA-ship/finishing up quals; 4) free chatting.”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group 

• “Once per week. Give updates, ask questions that have come up”
• “I meet with my postdoc advisor once per week. The goal is just to update the advisor on progress and get feedback on what I should be focusing on in the coming weeks and months.”
• “Daily, or as needed. Advisor leads the meetings. Although they have more of a round table feel on Zoom. The goal of the meetings is information sharing, analysis, and deciding next steps. Ultimately, more regular meetings can maximize productivity, so long as they are efficiently executed.”
• “I didn’t start meeting with my advisor regularly one-on-one until the end of my PhD, which was definitely a missed opportunity. For most of grad school, I would touch base with my advisor in a weekly group meeting where everyone in our lab gave an informal research update. I didn’t feel like I had “enough” to justify meeting with him one-on-one. While I was writing my thesis, I started popping into my advisor’s office to ask quick questions, discuss a figure, etc. This informal style worked very well for both of us, and I regret not getting comfortable with that earlier. I’m hesitant to say I lead the meetings, because honestly bringing down the formality level and treating them more like casual conversations worked a lot better for me. I would always go to my advisor’s office with something specific I wanted to talk about though.”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “Remind your advisor of your needs. They may be juggling many people & projects and sometimes you might feel neglected. It’s almost certainly not intentional — speak up! Be an active member of your research group — in the beginning you might be mostly asking questions, but later you will be providing insights and feedback. Start the engagement early.”
• “Communication. If things aren’t going well, best to mention it rather than try to hide it.”
• “If you respect your colleagues, you work hard and you think often, you will earn respect and you will eventually do something worthwhile.”
• “Ask senior students in the lab.”
• “Try not to take things personally, get some distance on the situation. Remember that your advisor and the senior students and postdocs in the group have many constraints and pressures on them. Try to generate interactions that are mutually beneficial – you get education and support, and the rest of the group gets whatever it is that they need. Be “constructively selfish” – think about how to make it easy for people to give you what you want. Be helpful and volunteer, offer to take on tasks that help others. At minimum you gain ‘karma’ points that will encourage others to help you later, but also you have a chance to learn something new. The way to learn how to write a research proposal, for example, is to offer to help one.”
• “Trust on both sides is crucial. Be honest with the advisor, expect the same in return. Set realistic short-term goals in consultation with the advisor and work to meet them; if you can’t in a particular case, say so and recalibrate as needed.”

Physical Sciences Division, no research group

• “Initiate conversations, don’t leave it to the advisor or research group to do so. No one is a mind reader. If there is something you want to discuss or ask about, do so.”

Biological Sciences Division, no research group

• “If you struggle to connect with your advisor or group try to remember to start your meetings by checking in with them as human beings before jumping into business (e.g: how are you holding up?). This can help build your mentor-mentee relationship. When you want to talk business, try to direct your meetings by bringing a few different topics to discuss regarding your project (e.g.: a new figure or table, a question about techniques, or a new paper you have read).Some students find that their best mentor ends up being a person other than their advisor like a postdoc, other faculty member, or senior student- and that is fine!”

Physical Sciences Division, before qualifying exam, small research group

• “Be clear when you need help. Be clear what you want from your advisor: More suggestions? More opportunities for meetings/summer schools? Suggestions on career? Communicate with your fellow group members, since they can provide you with an academic support and their experience in grad school”
• “Sometimes the advisor is the parent and sometimes they’re the child. You’re a smart adult and you can learn how to deal with both sides. Academics aren’t usually top shelf in terms of communication skills, but try your best to keep a clear and open channel of communication between yourself and your advisor.”

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “My advisor has always encouraged me going to conferences, which has been really important to me finding resources and project ideas semi-independently. My working relationship with my advisor works really well when he asks broad-picture guidance questions and I fill in the details. It’s been really helpful for me to have other connections that can help me with the details.”
• “The most important step is knowing what you can rely on them for and what you can’t. If your advisor or labmates have a bad idea it’s a lot more effective to show them than to tell them. Pick your battles carefully.”
• “Be direct and concise in your communications (email, slack) with them. Don’t be shy to reach out to them multiple times. If they don’t reply, it’s typically because they haven’t gotten to it. BSD, past qualifying exam, small research group I wish I had a good answer. Look for support from other students or other faculty/staff. If your advisor is making you miserable, tell someone.”

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “Key move is trying to understand your advisor’s working style. You will have more luck adapting to their work style/ schedule where possible. Again, managing up is pretty key here. You are an adult and will be treated as such if you act like one. Pro moves are making bargains with your advisor.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “I never hide anything from my PI and we are very explicit about our expectations for each other. If I’m nervous about doing something or need help on something, I tell him about it and I don’t wait until I’m totally underwater to do so. If I don’t want to do something (e.g. go back into the lab during the summer in covid times), I tell him why and he supports me. I don’t try to manage my research group, I’m close friends with all of them so I don’t really have to.”
• “Don’t be afraid to give them deadlines and follow up frequently. I communicate my needs as they come up and always send reminder messages when a deadline for a letter is approaching. Don’t think of your PI as just your boss but rather a senior colleague.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “Make sure to have boundaries about when they can expect responses from you and/or when they can schedule meetings with you. These don’t even have to be explicitly stated, it’s possible to be “busy” on a weekend just because you want some time off.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “I think this varies per advisor – for example, I know my advisor likes to go on tangents about other projects or notable figures in the field, so I make sure to have a list of things I want to get through. Figure out what makes your meetings unproductive and what makes you frustrated about them and make a plan of how to address it.”

Social Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “1) Always keep in touch; 2) Bring up any thoughts/questions even if they are not sophisticated, it brought the group/advisor closer to you; 3) Know each other’s schedule, make every meeting counts (e.g., if someone you meet less frequently, be more prepared for a compact meeting when you finally meet, and keep what shall be updated since last time, make a memo to revoke last meeting materials, etc.).”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “It is often best to switch advisors if your relationship with your advisor is problematic. It is hard to navigate the power dynamics in a healthy way.”
• “Be civil. Be humble. If you’re not getting along with an advisor, try to address this directly and if there is no progress, change advisor. Avoid the temptation to tear other people down to ‘clear your path’. Everyone in your group should be invested in your success, and you in theirs.”

Biological Sciences Division, small research group

• “Communication, obviously. But, you also need to do you. If you have a family, or a pet, or a similar schedule-constraining life situation, make it clear what you schedule is going to be from the start. Set up expectations from day 1.”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “The thesis topic should be something important and worth spending several years on. But it should also be doable. Getting papers published and completing research milestones is more important than struggling for 5+ years with an important but intractable / too difficult question. Save those questions for later in your career.”
• “Less relevant to physics. This happens organically.”
• “That it is the single most important decision before diving into the research, and that nobody can tell them what is the most promising topic for them”
• “The process of choosing your specific thesis topic varies by research area and advisor. In some cases it is basically assigned – if funding for PhD students comes from grants with specific deliverables, then those deliverables are what the PhD students in the group will be working on. That doesn’t mean they are bad projects – presumably they were funded because they are exciting and relevant. In other groups, students have more flexibility and are expected to play a major role in developing a research idea, but topics must still be consistent with your advisor’s interests and with your funding source (presuming there is grant funding). In most cases you would use your first-year research work to help you understand your interests and skills and what kind of project suits you best. In all cases, students should be reading deeply about their field and thinking of how to advance it. Even if your project is assigned, be aware of WHY it was considered exciting, and keep an eye out for extensions and modifications that were not originally considered. All research projects evolve and the PhD student is expected to play more and more of a role over time in setting research directions. Pick a committee whose members can help you in some way, either with science or other input. The committee is supposed to be your supporters, not just judges.”
• “Topic must involve a set of hypotheses whose answers will be interesting no matter what the result, and should be modular so that meeting presentations and publications can occur before completing the dissertation.”

Physical Sciences Division, no research group

• “You’re not contractually obligated to anything, and don’t be surprised if things change in the future. Remember, grad school is about learning skills that can be applied to different topics that interest you in the future. Think of your thesis about skill development…it’s good if it’s in the context of a subject that you’re passionate about, but ultimately your career focus may or likely will shift for any number of different reasons in the future. Having skills to navigate that successfully is critical.”

Biological Sciences Division, no research group

• “Your thesis topic will be somewhat limited by your choice of advisor and their funding. This is why it is so crucial to have similar interests with your advisor, so the project choices they have will be exciting to you. Find committee members who fill gaps in knowledge that your advisor has about your project. Try to meet with committee members individually to discuss your project and get their take on the pitfalls and promise of the work.”

Physical Sciences Division, before qualifying exam, small research group

• “To find a good thesis topic, you should keep talking to your advisor. Trust their judgement about the field, and the feasibility of particular questions. For a thesis committee, start with getting to know the faculty members in your department (and outside your department if you want to work interdisciplinary); think about potential projects you could work with them as a way to judge if you should consider inviting them; you can ask for suggestion from your advisor, refer to the committee members for a senior student, and ask for someone who you took a class from.”
• “I would suggest forming a committee of faculty you like and want some connection with over the course of your program. Don’t worry if their research isn’t perfectly aligned with yourthesis. On selecting a thesis topic, still figuring that out myself. I’d say talk with a lot of people whose research seems related to your interests and get an idea of what’s yet to be done in the field.”
• “Work on different projects earlier in your PhD and then choose one to expand upon for your thesis. You want to make sure you have multiple projects in case some of them don’t work (or you can’t expand upon due to extenuating circumstances, like COVID).”

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “I think it’s good to keep an open mind and talk to a lot of prospective advisors if you can. The people you’ll be working with and the circumstances you’ll be working under matter as much as if not more than the topic itself.”
• “Read enough papers to be able to identify where knowledge in your field is missing. An excellent pedagogical question I was asked in my qualifying exam was to name the specific researchers that would learn more about their field by reading my work.”

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “I think the thesis topic kind of naturally falls out of research in the first two years, I would caution about planning this out too much… because who knows how it will progress. Good to get committee members who are supportive. It’s less important to very carefully curate a group of faculty with the exact mix of research interests you think will benefit you most. All faculty will bring useful ideas to the table. Having generally supportive committee members will make you stress less. Faculty in different departments or schools bring a fresh perspective.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “Find something you’re really interested in that has room for advancement, but also some basis in the literature so you don’t go down a rabbit hole where nothing works out. I started with a previous pilot project in the lab that I found really interesting, and then just made it my own in years 2-3 with the new things I was learning about. For my thesis committee, I tried to pick as many women as I possibly could who were relevant to my research, and I had to pick professors my PI was friendly with so there wasn’t any room for arguments.”
•  “1) Use your experience as a starting point. Think about what you already know and how you can incorporate it into the questions you are interested in. It’s going to be really hard to start from scratch, so the more you can use from previous experience, the better. 2) Think about what methodology goes into your project and who can teach you the methods you don’t know. Be specific: if there is no one who knows how to do something you want to do, maybe try to go a different direction. 3) Your thesis that you propose is not going to be the thesis you will graduate with. It’s ok, take that pressure off. 4) Think about how you will pay for the things you want to do. Discuss that candidly with your advisor. 5) If you want to do something that your advisor is not particularly involved in, find a collaborator or a committee member who is. Don’t try to do everything on your own, it’ll just make you go slower and not actually benefit you in any way. Learn from the people around you. As for the committee, think of people who you are comfortable with, those who you will feel comfortable disagreeing with. Remember that the committee is there to help you achieve your goals, they are not grading you. Use them the way you need to.”
• “It is easy to feel like you need to pick quickly or pick the first idea thrown around, but don’t feel rushed. You have time to explore many options, even if you feel like your advisor is eager for you to get going.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “Selecting a thesis topic is the result of a conversation with your thesis advisor. It should be something that you are interested in but that also fits in with the goals of the lab. Keep this in mind when picking an advisor and lab. For a thesis committee I would say picking people that can help you is the best option. Also make sure to get people with diverse opinions though, both scientifically and otherwise.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “You’ll be with this project for the next 4+ years, so make sure it’s something you’re interested in. That doesn’t mean you have to be doing the same things for that long; make sure that there are facets in the project that will occupy you and interest you for that time. Think about the feasibility of completing your project in your goal timeline . Ultimately though, you will probably do different, side projects adjacent to your field, so don’t worry too much about fitting all of your interests in. For the committee, pick people knowledgeable about your topic but who can provide different perspectives so that they can still challenge you on the topic.”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “Choose something you are super excited about, as the goal of a thesis is to become *the* expert in the world on the topic. You will likely end up studying something similar after your Ph.D as well (if you are interested in continuing research work), so you definitely want to be super interested in the topic!”
• “Choose a topic that you want to be your contribution to your field for years to come. Ultimately, if you stay in academia, you will likely branch off of your earlier work, but it will be what you are known for. Choose a committee who you get along with, and who have expertise that can improve your work. In choosing an external committee member, consider picking someone who you want to act as a secondary advisor and possibly be a letter-writer for youdown the line when you’re applying for jobs or fellowships.”
• “Aim to find a thesis topic that interests you both in the big picture and in the detailed execution. Find something you enjoy (or at least don’t hate!) in the day to day and care about on the whole to keep you motivated. At some point during my PhD, I saw this illustrated guide and it really helped give me perspective”

Biological Sciences Division, small research group

• “I did this way too long ago to really comment. But, do something that you think is interesting and will lead to other ideas…and choose something that ensures that you will have on site and/or close by resources and mentoring.”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “Make time for exercise, socializing, being outdoors, taking time away from work/lab. Some of my clearest thinking happens on long walks. Your brain can’t function optimally if your body is not functioning optimally — so eat well and exercise. Break big tasks up into manageable pieces. Rather than “read background literature about ocean acidification”, list specific papers and cross them off as you read them. Big tasks feel neverending and insurmountable, which is terrible for your motivation. You need small accomplishments every day — even if it’s just reading the results section of a difficult paper. Brick by brick! Balancing the urgent action items and the longer-term (often more important) ones is a continual challenge. Maybe carve out time each week for longer-term investments — going to a seminar in another department that’s not directly related to your research; reading newspapers in Nature /Science that aren’t directly related to your research; have coffee with a student/postdoc/faculty to discuss your work, even if it seems non-urgent; etc. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the urgent items and push everything else to the back burner. But think about it like investing money — if you put a little bit in each month, you’ll be wealthy in the future — if you wait til you’re 65 to start investing, you’ve missed out!”
• “Time management is an essential skill. Treat it as something you have to learn (just like python), and take it seriously.”
• “A PhD is not a side gig nor a 9 to 5 job. It is a vocation, a passion, and an opportunity to be 100% committed to it. If that is not your stuff, you can get a job that pays more and has a rewarding career profile.”
• “Block off times for research so you don’t put it off in favor of other activities.”
• “Everyone needs to find a routine that works for them – be thoughtful about experimenting with your work practice to find what makes you most productive. It is important to remember that the PhD is not a 9-to-5 experience. You need to give yourself the option of pushing forward on a paper or experiment when it is going well, and the expectation is always that students put in more time than for a regular job. First, you can’t do good research unless you are deeply interested in it – if you never wake up on weekends thinking about your topic and wanting to put in some hours, the PhD may not be for you. Second, a PhD is a uniquely low-paid period in your life and you want to get it done as soon as possible, so that you can move on. Balancing that workload with maintaining your happiness and sanity is something each person must negotiate. Don’t isolate yourself. Some students take advantage of the flexibility of the PhD experience with a ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality – they take extended time to travel or pursue hobbies and recharge after periods of long work hours. Others need to ensure that they have more regular breaks.”
• “Schedule a specific time block every workday for reading (and, later, for writing). If that block expands with what you’re doing, that’s great, but having a reserved block will ensure that something does happen. Keep a notebook on reading and resulting ideas. Also schedule down time, which is also essential.”

Physical Sciences Division, no research group

• “Build in time for yourself. It’s easy to get caught up in work, particularly around deadlines, but science has shown that we’re more creative and productive when we’re rested and give ourselves breaks.”

Biological Sciences Division, no research group

• “Coursework tends to take precedence early on, and then research dominates, and finally writing. Try to work regular hours if you can, take time for exercise and/or hobbies at regularly scheduled times throughout the week.”

Physical Sciences Division, before qualifying exam, small research group

• “Take ownership of your schedule and keep away from burnout. Some things will have hard deadlines, some things can be dropped altogether. In the pandemic, I would repeat the same sentiment. Take care of yourself, talk to your advisor as much as you feel comfortable, and work sustainably.”

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “Try your best to maintain consistent hours. It was more difficult while taking classes, but I made sure I went to bed and woke up at the same time everyday. It’s easier to control my hours now that I’m mainly working on research on my own timeline. As for working at home, if you can, make sure you don’t work where you rest so you can keep some sort of separation.”
• “I don’t think I’ve figured this one out yet… It’s important to have a schedule, and to build breaks into that. Don’t feel guilty for taking breaks! If you’re not well-rested, it can take 10 hours to do something that you could otherwise get done in 4. Some days/ weeks you might need more rest than others, and that’s ok. If you’re kind of stuck on research but you still want to work/ feel productive, try doing a different kind of work like reading a paper.”

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “I am bad at time management. If you are like me, you will quickly become involved in too many projects. My advice is to try to carve out big chunks of time devoted to different projects rather than just jumping around, which is what I do. Treat it like a job if you like.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “Pre-covid: I try to keep a normal work schedule where I keep the same hours each day. I worked a lot on the weekends, which is probably not good, but I like not having people messaging me on slack all the time while I’m trying to work. As a field researcher, I had to learn to deal with working insane hours in the field while not being an unpleasant person to work with. Past few months: I keep the same hours each day, but if I’m feeling too stressed out about work and feel like I’m getting nothing done, I just stop working and do something more productive with my time (e.g. cleaning or cooking). I pay more attention to my productivity, so I think I can manage it better. I remind myself that if I can’t get something done today, I can probably do it tomorrow and there’s almost no difference. I also stopped working on the weekends, and I think my productivity increased”
• “Find time to rest. Even if it makes you work less. Do something other than your job. Make it a rule. It’s so so hard to do, but you really have to find ways to do it. Take weekends off. Take holidays.”
• “The most important thing is to check in with yourself and set boundaries for how much you want to devote to PhD work versus other things in life. Everyone has a different balance, but identifying yours and doing your best to stick to it is essential to prevent burnout and boost mental health. I have been doing well by restricting my work to 9-5ish, and making sure that I take the majority of weekend time off. I for-see getting busier in upcoming years, and my plan is to work longer hour days but maintain my weekends. During the pandemic, my schedule fell apart for the first few months and my productivity and happiness did also. Recently, working to build routine back into my life has really helped.”
• “Work life balance is KEY. I almost never stay in the lab past 7pm unless there’s a good reason. I make time for extracurriculars (sports, clubs, etc) and typically work a half day one weekend day. I plan my week very carefully using a google calendar so that at most times of the day I have specific tasks to work on. During the pandemic, I was having a hard time motivating at points so I would have weeks where I wouldn’t get much done. Once we switched to shift work, I told my boss that if assigned to the evening shift I would also not work past 7pm because I know that’s not a productive time for me. Now things almost feel back to normal except that I have to wear a mask at all times.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “I try to keep a consistent work schedule as much as possible. This isn’t always doable though and there are long days. Personally I try to come in earlier because I know I hate being in the lab late at night but this definitely depends on the person. This honestly hasn’t changed too much throughout my PhD. As far as how much this has changed during the pandemic: not much. I work in a biological research lab so after the initial lock down I’ve been back in the lab basically as normal. Coping with a pandemic is hard, don’t really have too much advice other than to remember to take time off.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “Different schedules work for different people, so find out what works for you. I try to treat my PhD like a job- I work 8 hours a day, then don’t work outside of those hours. My first/second years, I would work any time of day. But I noticed I’m not very productive outside those hours, so I decided to focus on working those 8 hours instead. Working more doesn’t necessarily mean being more productive.This hasn’t really changed during the pandemic, but it is much harder for me to focus during the day. My main advice for working during the pandemic is to make sure you get outside or do some sort of activity every day. Give yourself breaks – working 8 hours isn’t better than working 6 hours if you wasted 2 hours. Most importantly, don’t be too hard on yourself!”

Social Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “My work schedule is sort of motivated by meeting schedules with groups/advisors, so it is not always regular. I personally like working in continuation when it feels like so, but switch to brainstorming new ideas if I find myself not in that mode. But always keep a calendar for each one of your projects, make some deadlines on when to reach what conclusions and keep track on how far they go. Things over the past few months: I am keeping up my work schedule fine for the first few months but got disturbed for like a month or so lately, got back to normal after attending a summer school and meeting new people in my field. So advice is, get used to the new norm and quickly adjust your thoughts and goals so you don’t get into this idea that “the world is never going to be as good as before” because “we are working to make it better”.”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “Grad school is a job- treat it that way, and try to set boundaries for the times you will work “
• “Don’t over-work yourself! Whatever schedule keeps you healthy is good, this is different for everyone. Personally, I started grad school working a lot, realized I needed to cut back, and now work ~6-8 hour days as a postdoc. During the pandemic, I have realized that no matter how hard I work jobs will be extremely scarce, so I have stopped worrying about working a certain amount and just try to enjoy it.”
• “It’s important to keep a good work-life balance. Becoming invested in your work can be a motivator but can also introduce bias and lead to burnout. From my own experience, working on evenings and weekends was almost never necessary. Similarly, I think it’s fair to go easy on yourself during a pandemic (most people I know are, including faculty). Just do what you can.”
• “I found it very difficult to adjust to the open research schedule after classes ended. For me, it was very important to find ways to define my work. I started using the Pomodoro Technique (focus on a given task for 25 minutes, then 5 minute break), made to do lists, and set deadlines for myself. I was also struggling with guilt over not working constantly, so I bought myself a desktop for my office to create better boundaries.”

Biological Sciences Division, small research group

• “As for COVID, respect that everyone is experiencing this time differently. Working at home is wonderful and doable for some, and completely not for others. Just ask for and give respect for that. “

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “Getting papers published, getting exciting new lab data (or making an exciting new data plot), coming up with a new idea all your own.”
• “Learning how to do research, and then actually doing something original.”
• “Finding something that nobody found before and getting it published and recognized. “
• “Making a new discovery – having the world suddenly make a bit more sense, seeing something that no one else has. Working in collaboration with so many smart people. The teamwork aspect of science is something you cannot find in most other professions.”
• “Transitioning from student to working scientist. Camaraderie with other students.”

Physical Sciences Division, no research group

• “The “Aha!” moments of discovery or comprehension that come with devoting time and energy to a new problem.”

Biological Sciences Division, no research group

• “Finding something new that no one has never found! You are on the cutting edge of science- it is always hard, but sometimes incredibly rewarding.”

Physical Sciences Division, before qualifying exam, small research group

• “Research going well. Having the chance to work on different things that you are interested in.”
• “Those moments you don’t see through imposter goggles and recognize that you’re becoming a skilled researcher. Also time spent with friends and becoming more yourself.”

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “Meeting other researchers at conferences/workshops who are excited about the same things you are!”
• “For me, the biggest joy has been feeling like I’m truly an expert on something, and that I get to share that with other people.”
• “The feeling that I contributed to a field as an individual.”

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “Mostly get to control your own schedule. Get to do what you are passionate about and not be a corporate drone.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “I have a lot of really wonderful friends who are all going through the same stuff as I am, everyone is so smart and passionate about science, and I really love what I’m doing and I get to manage my own time and project.”
• “The people you are surrounded by are kind of incredible. It’s rare to find a place where you can meet so many like minded people.”
• “There is definite joy in the work itself (i.e. discovery), but also in the satisfaction of hard work done and seeing your progress. One thing that brings me joy consistently is thinking back to when I started; how much I’ve learned and how much my confidence has grown.”
• “The community, doing great science, living in Chicago.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “I actually really like my research which is good. Also though, make sure to take advantage of all the events put on by different groups, there’s a lot of free food/drinks.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “Working on cool research in cool facilities! Making progress on interesting, relevant research is great.”

Social Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “Flexible timetable and always free to approach any ideas I have interest in (for now).”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “Growing your capacity for problem solving, and becoming an expert in a topic that fascinates you. Meeting people with common interests.”
• “Generally, the little successes brought me the most joy. Submitting a paper, having a friend succeed and going out for dinner to celebrate, finishing the semester.”
• “Making lifelong friendships. Being able to contribute new ideas to the world.”
• “The immense happiness that comes when your code actually works as expected. Getting to explain your results/projects to others and see them get excited. The bonds you form with others as you suffer through this together.”

Biological Sciences Division, small research group

• “The sense of satisfaction of coming up with a question and working to answer it. The incredible cohort of students/friends that go through this process with you. “

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “Stop watching TV as a way to “relax”. “
• “Working M-F 9 to 5 to working 12hrs/day 6 days a week. “
• “I switched advisors; in retrospect should have done that more quickly.”
• “I had a very old-school advisor, the most difficult change was to assert my own understanding of the most important scientific issues in my field.”

Physical Sciences Division, no research group

• “I was more direct in my conversations with my advisor. “

Biological Sciences Division, no research group

• “I got pregnant with my first child late in grad school- it was planned and I was very happy but it meant that I had to accelerate my timeline to finish up before he was born. It was very difficult and I went through a fair amount of stress in trying to wrap up my last chapter, but it was the right time for me and my family and I have no regrets.”

Physical Sciences Division, before qualifying exam, small research group

• “I had to set work hours for myself in order to maintain a work-life balance. I see myself as more than just a researcher, so I have to carve out time and boundaries for my other interests. “

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “Finding a hobby that required consistent effort & had measurable goals. For me, it was endurance sports; consistent effort because if I stopped for any period of time, it would be more difficult to start again and measurable goals like distance or time. For others, it was climbing, painting, music classes or groups, etc.”
• “I decided to try a field of research totally different from my undergrad research, which was scary at first, but I’m very happy with that decision.”
• “I switched advisors in my first year because I felt like it wasn’t a good fit. It was honestly a terrifying experience but has been crucial to any success I have had in graduate school.”
• “Starting taking weekends off after qualifying exams. It’s made me way happier and healthier”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “I like to travel a lot to go see friends and family, and I had to tone it down because it was just exhausting to try to keep up with everything.”
• “I took a quarter off for mental health reasons and it was the best decision I’ve made in grad school”
• “I had to tell my advisor a few months in that I wanted to change my research topic. I had to schedule more frequent meetings with my advisor because I wasn’t getting as much done without them–I don’t always want to do them, and often feel stress going in, but they are an important part of staying on track for me. And finally, I had to tell my advisor I wanted to cancel my fieldwork this past summer because of COVID. It was very hard and I had many doubts (and I cried after) but it ultimately felt good to stay true to myself.”
• “Adjusting my schedule to that phase of the project I’m in and also the place I’m at mentally. Like in the summers I typically don’t work weekends to get the full Chicago summer but then I work more in the winter to compensate. Set boundaries for yourself.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “I recently started working earlier in the morning so that I could still get out of work at a reasonable time. Even though I’m not working less it’s nice to still have my evenings free. Would I call this a “difficult” change? No. But I thankfully haven’t had too many issues so far with grad school. “

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “At some point, I thought about changing advisors – my research progress was slow, there were facets of my project I hadn’t anticipated and didn’t want to do, and my advisor wasn’t being helpful. I learned to talk to my advisor about these things and be more direct about my problems. But I also started thinking about the things I want to get out of grad school – what computer programs I want to know, how many publications I want, what kind of things I want on my resume. When I get stuck, I think about grad school not only as time to finish my project, but time to build the skills I will need for my career.”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “Switching advisors. It’s extremely stressful because you feel like you have to prove yourself all over again, but after the initial hurdle it was very rewarding.”
• “At one point I had to throw an entire project in the trash because it wasn’t working and it was taking time away from other more promising projects. It was hard to stomach but ultimately led to good things.”
• “I enjoyed getting involved with a lot of other activities throughout grad school (teaching fun courses, volunteering, mentoring undergraduates, going to seminars, etc). However several years in, I realized I was never going to finish at the rate I was going. I essentially cut out everything that wasn’t directly helping me finish my thesis work. That’s not to say I worked all the time. I maintained a good work-life balance, but work was only things that took me closer to graduating. It was definitely a difficult decision, but I think it was a necessary change to get me to the end.”

Biological Sciences Division, small research group

• “No summers off!”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “UchicagoGrad, student counseling, the writing program for feedback on manuscripts/proposals. Div school cafe. ask around for people’s favorite study/work spots (cafes, libraries, etc). The Japanese Garden in Jackson Park. The Lakefront Trail.”
• “Best resource is always other students. Talk to them.”
• “Mental health if needed.”
•  “UChicago has multiple programs designed to help graduate students. The UChicago writing program offers both classes and individual tutoring for students working on papers. UChicagoGRAD for professional development. All students should consider going to counseling as a matter of routine maintenance – the university is paying highly trained counselors to help students with their lives so why not take advantage of that service. “
• “This depends entirely on the individual. UChicagoGrad, MyChoice, writing instruction, teaching courses, student counseling”

Physical Sciences Division, no research group

• “Find any you’re comfortable with. Remember faculty are resources, too. Anyone you trust and respect should be a resource.”

Biological Sciences Division, no research group

• “Oftentimes schools have statisticians or writing centers that can provide free feedback to students on their work. I don’t know any specific ones at UChicago.”

Physical Sciences Division, before qualifying exam, small research group

• “UChicagoGrad has career suggestions. “
• “Oh yeah, all the tools to make things go faster: Google Scholar, Zotero, Mendeley, Stack Overflow, Github. For help with life as a grad student: UChicagoGRAD, CI+I, GRIT, counseling, Netflix “

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “LaTeX/Overleaf for writing papers, which makes formatting and citation so much easier, UChicagoGrad, identity-based affinity groups like women & NB in X STEM field, get a therapist outside of the university because they are more long-term than student counseling.”
• “There are a lot of mental wellness resources available for students, definitely check them out! “
• “People that have been in your research group or department for a while are extremely valuable resources. They have been through what you are going through. If you want to continue in academia, connections are crucial.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “Student life: UChicagoGrad, Zumba classes, intramurals, GRiT, Jackbox Party Pack 3 Work life: LaTeX, Google Drive File Stream, GitHub, Slack, a planner, a monitor”
•  “Student Counseling is great. We also have really good insurance for long term therapy and I greatly recommend using it. Having a professional support system would be useful for absolutely anyone. “
• “Counseling! It can be scary to make the first call to set up a meeting, but no one asks you to justify why you are calling.”
• “Yes to all of these examples! Definitely take advantage of everything, go to all free events, join intramural teams or clubs, take advantage of living in Chicago, while also doing some dope research.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “MyChoice: post-grad school career advice UChicago Student Wellness: actually pretty good mental health help UChicagoGrad: I used it for the help with writing fellowships Chicago Center for Teaching (CCT)”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “UChicagoGrad and MyChoice have been helpful for me. “

Social Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “UChicagoGrad, Writing Classes.”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “Midway2 is an awesome computing resource, and the RCC has many seminars that introduce people to computing techniques. “
• “I love Mendeley as a citation manager. I have been using it since I was an undergrad and it feels like a library of almost everything I’ve ever read or cited. Also don’t discount all the faculty in your department as resources. Early career faculty in particular have freshly navigated a lot of the things you’re navigating, and are equipped to help out. Never hurts to have additional mentors.”
• “Citation management programs (like Mendeley) are amazing!”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “This is probably best identified in conversations with advisors and other students.”
• “I have no idea how to maximize fellowship success, but everybody should try.”
• “Having independent funding gives you more flexibility in your choice of project, and removes the burden of TAing. It also helps your advisor so earns you gratitude (every dollar you raise is one your advisor does not have to), and writing a fellowship proposal is good practice for an academic career. That being said, for each potential proposal, read the criteria carefully, and read bios of prior applicants so that you target your efforts effectively. The NSF graduate fellowships require an outreach/teaching component, for example.”
• “Varies enormously among fields. Consult with the advisor AND with committee members.Apply for all doctoral fellowships you can (NSF, NDSEG, NASA, etc). It helps your advisor grow their research program, and helps you by lessening your TA burden (in the PSD). And it looks great on your CV.”

Physical Sciences Division, no research group

• “Any. It looks good on a CV and reduces stress on the advisor in terms of supporting you.”

Biological Sciences Division, no research group

• “NSF graduate research fellowship program- due in October or November of your first or second year, details on the NSF GRFP website. There are usually department specific funding sources that are likely to be less competitive that you should definitely seek out. Apply to several opportunities per year, but don’t let them eat all your time. I recommend applying to a few very competitive fellowships because it is good experience to apply and write the proposal. Ideally your advisor should guide you in what to apply for and help edit your application materials. Make sure to give yourself and your advisor lots of lead time to get feedback (1 month notice before the deadline minimum). “

Physical Sciences Division, before qualifying exam, small research group

• “Fellowships from NSF (U.S. citizen only), NASA (open to international students) “
• “NSF GRFP, Hertz, Ford, NASA. Not being required to TA feels liberating and being independent of your advisor’s funding gives you the freedom to choose the work you want to do.”

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “NSF GRFP, Ford, NDSEG. Would not recommend Soros; the application is very emotionally taxing for very few slots. Review committee also seems to like people putting their trauma on display, which is not particularly healthy.”
• “I was supported by the NSF the last three years of graduate school, which is great because otherwise I would have been worried about finding a new funding source every quarter. There are so many fellowship opportunities available and you can schedule an appointment with the fellowship office to see which ones you’re eligible for. “
• “Apply to anything that makes sense, as long as you are not over-committing yourself. External funding adds to your CV, can increase exposure of your work, and usually improves your relationship with your advisor.”

Physical Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “Apply to all the big graduate research fellowships. Having outside money will free you up from TA. Even if you don’t get them, good experience writing grants.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, small research group

• “GRFP. Honestly I wish I tried harder to find external fellowships during my earlier years. It would be nice not to worry about funding or TAships. Also you wouldn’t have to worry about falling within your PIs grant if you wanted to go down different avenues.”
• “Independent funding is very hard and competitive. I would say try for everything but remember that getting rejected is not a reflection on you as a person.”
• “GRFP and F31 are the main ones in our department that I’m aware of (not for international students). UChicago Grad is a great place to get writing help and older grad students are a great resource to get an extra set of eyes.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, large research group

• “NSF GRFP is a pretty good funding source but it is very competitive. The advantages of independent funding is that you can feel more free to work on stuff that interests you as your advisor isn’t directly funding you anymore.”

Biological Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “Funding opportunities can be specific to the graduate program, but I recommend the Graduate Fellowship in STEM Diversity if you’re interested in working in the national lab system and the NIH F31 if you’re in a health-related field. The UChicago Grad office is great for helping you find funding opportunities and reviewing applications. Independent funding gives you more leeway in determining your thesis project and these programs can also provide great opportunities to make future career connections.”

Social Sciences Division, past qualifying exam, no research group

• “I think looking into field-specific grants in other universities (especially the ones your advisor may have contact with) will be a good idea. But overall not having too much experience in that.”

Physical Sciences Division, small research group

• “This depends strongly on your sub-field. For planetary science, the NASA FINESST program is worth applying for every year, and requires your advisor to help you submit a NASA proposal. Obtaining independent funding provides enormous advantages, as you can work on the science you’re most interested in. “
• “Agouron Geobiology Fellowship. Schlanger Ocean Drilling Fellowship. Simons Origins of Life Collaboration Fellowships. NSF, NASA fellowships. Advantages are that you probably get paid slightly more, your advisor appreciates not having to pay for you, and you get to put a shiny fellowship on your CV as proof that you can ‘sell ideas’…which is honestly half of what academia is.”