Comments on: The things I didn’t believe in graduate school http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/05/the-things-i-didnt-believe-in-graduate-school/ Blogging one sidereal day at a time Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:19:57 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Mark http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/05/the-things-i-didnt-believe-in-graduate-school/comment-page-1/#comment-26114 Mark Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:37:01 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=706#comment-26114 I never got a PhD, or even an MS. It was my misfortune (or fortune?) to be an undergrad who somehow wound up with a fair amount of friends who were either chemistry or physics grad students, all with stories of the struggle - Tales of sadistic advisers, potentially lethal experiments, impossible hours. After some months listening to this, I asked myself: Why would I want to put myself through this? And so, I took my BA in Physics and ran off to join the circus known as Industry. I never got a PhD, or even an MS. It was my misfortune (or fortune?) to be an undergrad who somehow wound up with a fair amount of friends who were either chemistry or physics grad students, all with stories of the struggle – Tales of sadistic advisers, potentially lethal experiments, impossible hours. After some months listening to this, I asked myself: Why would I want to put myself through this? And so, I took my BA in Physics and ran off to join the circus known as Industry.

]]> By: Jeff http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/05/the-things-i-didnt-believe-in-graduate-school/comment-page-1/#comment-25232 Jeff Sat, 09 Aug 2008 23:37:52 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=706#comment-25232 Pamela, Great post. >Perhaps the Center for Backyard Astrophysics can help… Or global-rent-a-scope: Timed right it can observe 24hrs a day anytime (weather notwithstanding). All you need is internet connection and some money - the rates are very reasonable. Of course your research needs to be aligned with their capabilities. http://www.global-rent-a-scope.com (I have no affiliation with them at all.) Pamela, Great post.

>Perhaps the Center for Backyard Astrophysics can help…

Or global-rent-a-scope:
Timed right it can observe 24hrs a day anytime (weather notwithstanding). All you need is internet connection and some money – the rates are very reasonable. Of course your research needs to be aligned with their capabilities.

http://www.global-rent-a-scope.com

(I have no affiliation with them at all.)

]]> By: Beth http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/05/the-things-i-didnt-believe-in-graduate-school/comment-page-1/#comment-25211 Beth Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:14:47 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=706#comment-25211 "What I hadn’t realized in my return to academia was how little time life as an academic would leave me to just learn." Get off the university committees unless you really need to be there. Learn to say "NO!" It's hard, but it's a skill definitely worth learning. I never wished any of my committee members to disappear, and it saddens me that one of them died all too early. Everyone who is honest with themselves has doubts at some point in earning the PhD. That's part of why some us, like me, walk away and never go back. I can look back and see what might have been. But I also look at my life now and have no regrets. Being a grad student is a grand and wonderful adventure. Like kindergarten, it is wasted on those who don't know what they've got until it's gone. Drat! Have to get back to getting ready for classes in two weeks. Responsibility looms. “What I hadn’t realized in my return to academia was how little time life as an academic would leave me to just learn.”

Get off the university committees unless you really need to be there.

Learn to say “NO!” It’s hard, but it’s a skill definitely worth learning.

I never wished any of my committee members to disappear, and it saddens me that one of them died all too early. Everyone who is honest with themselves has doubts at some point in earning the PhD. That’s part of why some us, like me, walk away and never go back. I can look back and see what might have been. But I also look at my life now and have no regrets.

Being a grad student is a grand and wonderful adventure. Like kindergarten, it is wasted on those who don’t know what they’ve got until it’s gone.

Drat! Have to get back to getting ready for classes in two weeks. Responsibility looms.

]]> By: erika http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/05/the-things-i-didnt-believe-in-graduate-school/comment-page-1/#comment-25197 erika Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:55:26 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=706#comment-25197 Hi Pamela! I've always wanted to go to grad school and become a professional astronomer but with the given circumstances, I can't. That's why I really look up to you because you're all I ever wanted to become - a woman astronomer, an achiever and a promoter of astronomy. I'm indeed one of your fans :D. Maybe you're just too overwhelmed with the things you're doing right now. You've really have done so much. Not all people can do those things and consider it as a blessing. Just think of it as a path to getting the best thing in life - the prize of having some time alone and doing what you've always wanted/chose to do. I also know your efforts and passion in sharing astronomy to others. I am doing exactly the same thing and I thank you for being an inspiration. Please don't get tired yet :D. Ad Astra Per Aspera! :D (A rough road leads to the stars) Hi Pamela!

I’ve always wanted to go to grad school and become a professional astronomer but with the given circumstances, I can’t. That’s why I really look up to you because you’re all I ever wanted to become – a woman astronomer, an achiever and a promoter of astronomy. I’m indeed one of your fans :D .

Maybe you’re just too overwhelmed with the things you’re doing right now. You’ve really have done so much. Not all people can do those things and consider it as a blessing. Just think of it as a path to getting the best thing in life – the prize of having some time alone and doing what you’ve always wanted/chose to do.

I also know your efforts and passion in sharing astronomy to others. I am doing exactly the same thing and I thank you for being an inspiration.

Please don’t get tired yet :D .

Ad Astra Per Aspera! :D
(A rough road leads to the stars)

]]> By: Nicole http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/05/the-things-i-didnt-believe-in-graduate-school/comment-page-1/#comment-25192 Nicole Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:50:18 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=706#comment-25192 "I personally cried a lot, wished spontaneous teleportation to an alternate universe on more than one person, and decided I was utterly crazy..." Thank you, thank you, thank you for reminding us who are still in grad school that we are not alone in these thoughts. I'm going to appreciate my journal club much more now! “I personally cried a lot, wished spontaneous teleportation to an alternate universe on more than one person, and decided I was utterly crazy…”

Thank you, thank you, thank you for reminding us who are still in grad school that we are not alone in these thoughts.

I’m going to appreciate my journal club much more now!

]]> By: Mike http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/05/the-things-i-didnt-believe-in-graduate-school/comment-page-1/#comment-25188 Mike Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:59:41 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=706#comment-25188 On the other hand, McDonald is one of the better places to be for long observing runs. I practically ived in that 30" dome. On the other hand, McDonald is one of the better places to be for long observing runs. I practically ived in that 30″ dome.

]]> By: Freiddie http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/05/the-things-i-didnt-believe-in-graduate-school/comment-page-1/#comment-25187 Freiddie Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:49:32 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=706#comment-25187 Does this still mean I should go to grad school? Does this still mean I should go to grad school?

]]> By: Richard B. Drumm http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/05/the-things-i-didnt-believe-in-graduate-school/comment-page-1/#comment-25184 Richard B. Drumm Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:40:45 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=706#comment-25184 Pamela: You need an observatory. That's all there is to it! You've got to find the time (on weekends at least) to catch some photons! I'll bet that there's an amateur near you with deep pockets and a Paramount & a Ritchey-Chrétien who'd love to do a little hard science. Perhaps the Center for Backyard Astrophysics can help... Rich Pamela:
You need an observatory. That’s all there is to it! You’ve got to find the time (on weekends at least) to catch some photons! I’ll bet that there’s an amateur near you with deep pockets and a Paramount & a Ritchey-Chrétien who’d love to do a little hard science. Perhaps the Center for Backyard Astrophysics can help…
Rich

]]> By: Andrew http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/05/the-things-i-didnt-believe-in-graduate-school/comment-page-1/#comment-25179 Andrew Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:29:50 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=706#comment-25179 Nice post. Really enjoyed reading it. Nice post. Really enjoyed reading it.

]]> By: Saganist http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/05/the-things-i-didnt-believe-in-graduate-school/comment-page-1/#comment-25178 Saganist Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:09:21 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=706#comment-25178 Your post makes me nostalgic for something I never experienced! Well, I was a grad student but not in astronomy, and I loved getting productive alone time in the middle of the night. I'm sorry you can't spend as much time just learning, with everything clamoring for your attention. Maybe this is why we need to go to Mars, so we can get an extra 39 minutes every day. :) Your post makes me nostalgic for something I never experienced! Well, I was a grad student but not in astronomy, and I loved getting productive alone time in the middle of the night. I’m sorry you can’t spend as much time just learning, with everything clamoring for your attention. Maybe this is why we need to go to Mars, so we can get an extra 39 minutes every day. :)

]]> By: Georgia Bracey http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/05/the-things-i-didnt-believe-in-graduate-school/comment-page-1/#comment-25175 Georgia Bracey Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:50:52 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=706#comment-25175 "...failures of weather, equipment, software, satellites, and sometimes all of the above. (I experienced all of the above.)" I want to hear the story of the exploding satellite!!! ;-) Georgia “…failures of weather, equipment, software, satellites, and sometimes all of the above. (I experienced all of the above.)”

I want to hear the story of the exploding satellite!!! ;-)

Georgia

]]> By: Pamela on being a graduate vampire | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine http://www.starstryder.com/2008/08/05/the-things-i-didnt-believe-in-graduate-school/comment-page-1/#comment-25173 Pamela on being a graduate vampire | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:18:51 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=706#comment-25173 [...] Pamela Gay has written a nice post on what it was like to be in grad school, complete with being a night owl. She observed far more than I ever did; using Hubble meant waiting for the data to be delivered (on tape! by mail! or by me driving up to the Space Telescope Science Institute and picking it up!) and not needing to stay up all night. Though, for my Masters, I did observe every night for two weeks in a row, inducing almost literally waking nightmares… but that’s a tale for another day. Go read Pamela’s. As usual, she speaks truth. [...] [...] Pamela Gay has written a nice post on what it was like to be in grad school, complete with being a night owl. She observed far more than I ever did; using Hubble meant waiting for the data to be delivered (on tape! by mail! or by me driving up to the Space Telescope Science Institute and picking it up!) and not needing to stay up all night. Though, for my Masters, I did observe every night for two weeks in a row, inducing almost literally waking nightmares… but that’s a tale for another day. Go read Pamela’s. As usual, she speaks truth. [...]

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