As part of bootcamp, our program typically hosts a BBQ, where the first-years can meet older students, get advice regarding labs and classes, that sort of thing. And as one of the student directors of bootcamp this year, I was thinking about advice that I could offer--that I wish I might have known when entering grad school.
This post is a modified version of an email I sent to one of my friends congratulating her on her graduation from Macalester and offering advice for her first year of chemistry graduate school. Names and places have been removed for privacy, but the advice is largely the same. I've included some gifs and added comments where necessary to explain some of my thoughts. Some of the advice is meant to be humorous, but much of it is serious and potentially applicable to older students.
1) Never be embarrassed to attend a seminar just for the free coffee/cookies/pizza/beer.
You might discover a field or project you never even knew existed.
2) NOBODY uses Comic Sans on their posters or power points.
Corollary: Nobody uses papyrus either.
3) Make sure you treat administrative staff with the utmost respect.
These people know all of the ins-and-outs of the system. They can make your time in grad school easier, or they can make it much more challenging. Your choice.
Corollary: Make friends with the admin assistants that have candy.
4) Advice from my Labmates: Don't F*** s*** up. And when you do, make sure you're learned something.
It's not a matter of if--trust me, you will screw up. One of the professors at UCSF gives the same speech to all the new students on the first day: "95% of what you do on a daily basis is fail. It's the 5%, it's when things work, that's when the magic happens!"
5) Don't relate your self-worth to whether your experiment is successful or not.
See #4 above. To quote the biochemist Allan Wilson, "If everyone whose experiments failed stopped doing science, there wouldn't
be any science."
6) Don't forget to enjoy your time there and laugh a bit.
WhatShouldWeCallGradSchool
PhD Comics
The Hermitage
Corollary: Make sure you have outside hobbies/interests/friends beyond grad school.
We know you love your subject--or you wouldn't be here. But everyone needs a break now and again, no matter how awesome it is. Go surfing, go dancing, play soccer, play video games--whatever helps you clear your head.
7) Remember to think about your mental/emotional health when joining a lab.
A lab environment that works well for one student may not be work another student. If your program does lab rotations during the first year, pay attention while you are rotating. How do people get along in the lab? What kind of work-life balance is there? Some people like more social labs, while other just prefer to come and get their work done. What is the science like? Is this topic something you will enjoy for the next 4-6 years? How available would you like your advisor to be? Generally, younger professors will be more accessible, but might lack some of the funding of more established professors. Conversely, joining a well-established lab might mean that you rarely see your advisor, as they are often very busy. Ask advice from multiple people before you settle on a choice. Again, what works for some people might not work for others.
Corollary: Pick the advisor, not the project.
8) NEVER be afraid to ask for help.
You are a first-year. Nobody expects you to be an expert on the research and/or the methodology in a particular group. Ask professors, ask older students, ask postdocs, ask your classmates--chances are somebody at your university knows how to do what you need.
Corollary: There is no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to research.
As Isaac Asimov said, "The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureak' but 'That's funny...'"
Corollary: If someone gives you papers to read, read them. Don't just skim the abstract and think you know what is happening.
Corollary: Know WHO to ask for help.
Certain people are much better at giving advice or explaining experimental methods than others. You don't want this to happen:
9) Grad School is Hard
You will spend the first year feeling like an impostor, not really sure why you were let into the school in the first place. You are convinced that at any moment, they're going to find out exactly how little you know. This is normal--and trust me, you are not the only one in your class who feels like this. Many people in my class were convinced that they were "the dumb one" that somehow snuck into graduate school. They brought you there for a reason. If you feel stuck, just listen to Neil's advice:
10) Enjoy it!
Welcome to grad school! We all like to complain from time to time when experiments aren't working, but honestly, I still can't believe someone is giving me money to research a topic I love. So...have great conversations with classmates and leaders in the field, travel to conferences in different countries, experiment with new ideas, enjoy your flexible work schedule, eat good food at department functions....the list goes on!
