the boundary of a PhD: where we are

hi friends :)

just wanna share u all a link.
*i'd like to really write them by myself at e 1st time tho, but i declined that idea when i thought about copyright (although i really can just copy-paste-rephrase it and just state e referral source link at e end of the post, however rephrasing them might deviate the 1st intention of making it sound funny).
so here is the link: The illustrated guide to a Ph.D.

so Keep Pushing.

Enjoy! :)

5 Stages of PhD

Inspired from "5 stages of grief" with some modifications and arrangements.

1. Acceptance
Feel the excitement on becoming PhD student? See.. you would be working towards the most prestigious degree in society where all people think that you are the chosen people. In addition, well.. steady stipend during the next 3 or 4 years? An offer which is too god to refuse.

"Hooray.. I was accepted"; "I will become PhD student's model. Publishing 7 high impact journals? I am confident that I can. etc..etc.."

2. Depression
As time goes by, you realize that the things do not always go well. Whenever you have bad outcomes and you see that extremely good results in the journals you just read. Whenever you can't do the job because your boss has no enough money or no equipment.. or whenever your boss blame you for not following his/her suggestions

"Why it doesn't work" "It's not supposed to be like this"

3. Anger
Bad results, no publications until your stipend period is reaching its end, plus there is no sign from your boss that he/she will let you graduate very soon. Hey.. he/she said that he/she still have plenty crazy ideas to explore on your thesis work.

"Aaarghhh.. I was fed up." "I am going to be crazy with all these things"

3. Denial
You realize that PhD may not be best life decision for you. You simply do not passionate enough to do the research thing and pursue all possible opportunities to expand your work given all limiting constraints you (and your boss) have. In addition, you may gain envious on your 'no-brain' friends do well and earn more than you do.

"May be I should not take PhD in the first place" "What the hell I was thinking before?"

5. Bargaining
Dear my beloved professor.. Please let me graduate. Thank you.


~AYS~
laginyarikerja..adalowongan?

300710

Below is the way the school announces and makes freak proper encouragement for the student to attend a conference. (It might only applied to our school though)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear all

This is for your information. Any interested student please note that you will be required to provide your own conference support from project funds or similar sources. School will not be providing conference support.

The Inaugural International Conference of bla. bla. bla.. will be held at University of bla.. bla.. (6000 kms away)

The deadline for submission is two weeks from now.

~AYS~
menatapagustuskelabu

The conference

For postgrad students, any conference is perfect networking platform where many academicians and professors are around. In addition, the conference organizers always generously provide these 'tea breaks' and 'long hour lunch'. Thus, it's just 'perfect' for idea exchange, grasp some lights for your research for the experts, and (if you are lucky) get a job offer (as postdoc/professor of course).

You can imagine that, there were 'nerdy alien' discussion throughout the corridor. Some (good) students were talking proudly about their work, where they could do something extraordinary before (in fact, it is something usual using 'my boss' standard and to be honest, my boss is extraordinary). Standing alone in the corner and slowly munch your meals is strongly not recommended. What can you gain by that?

I am not against these arrangements, but for me hearing those 'Pandora like' language during lunch is just.. torturing. A 'proper English' conversation on any 'career networking' are much more refreshing.

AYS

barupulangconferencedisingapurlho

Question and Answer

" Why the result you show is this and that? How is the procedure of your experiment. How can you explain?"
" I add this compound and this then the result is like that. The explanation is here... "
" I don't understand. Explain to me tomorrow morning "

The next day.

Come in the morning, do lab work, search paper, and still wait until almost lunch time. Then boss ask other lab member to call me...
" You read my mail yesterday?"
" Yes "
" I don't understand about your last reply "
" Yes, I know "
" Why don't you come here this morning to explain?"
.
.
.
" Well, I think person who don't understand is the one who should approach first. "

Give Thanks

PhD may not be a perfect position, may not be a perfect job, may not be a perfect status... or condition. In fact it's a risky choice to be taken after you finish your undergrad degree. Whether you can be success in research area and continue career as professor, or may stuck in post doc forever after that. Or else, you need to switch career from research.

Well, life is the matter of choice, isn't it?

Whether you think this choice is right or wrong is actually the matter of your mind to choose it. If you think it's wrong, so it would be wrong forever... and ever. If you wanna focus how wrong it is why you chose this particular project, this particular professor, this particular course, and of course this particular status as PhD candidate, you'll gonna stuck there forever.

Well, PhD may not be the best choice or pathway for some (or maybe all) of us, but let us stop to think that it's wrong or how wrong it is or how pity we are inside PhD. Even that it's really really really wrong, stop thinking about the wrongness... At least from the mistake we have learnt something new in our life. No experience would be wasted, no matter how bad it is. The simple way is just... keep moving on.

To think how bad our current condition won't bring us forward. To complain about difficult research won't make it easier. In fact it just makes it harder. Stop complaining and start working. Start to smile for your work though it is tough. Coz only toughness can make you to be stronger person.

I'm not a perfect person without any single complain. In fact I did it due to some of my unbearable circumstances. However, after some time, I realize that it's just something that's not too right to do that. By complaining, you just cannot move forward. You are just stuck on your current condition. It won't change anything. Mostly it would make it worse.

The key of moving forward is by start giving thanks.
Thanks for the current position we have with this stable income.
Thanks for this particular job we have.
Thanks for peers and friends around us.
Thanks for everything.

Well, actually I'm not a wise person to tell people about all of this things. But at least, I just wanna enlighten our day. With a simple thanks and gratitude.


Regards
~HgS~

Fleeing Faraway

If I had the option to flee, would I take it?
It is indeed not an easy decision
When I looked back this past (almost) four years
On all those efforts and courages that I have put
It's really pathetic
Even though most of them are indeed futile
Unfortunately, I do not have that option
I am not a risk-taker
It's hard to imagine that I wouldn't have any income
If I was stubborn and took the option even though I did not possess it
Well, that is the only reason I can think of
On why I still here
If I had no other option but flee
That may be the case
Because I know myself, my intelligence, aptitude, and ability
That have been pushed far beyond what they supposed to
In addition to deterioration of my brain quality
Or if it is a matter of jealousy
A sign of desperation?
For those are the reasons why so many efforts were in vain

Maybe, it is the time to make that option available
Then I can flee faraway from this world
With peace in mind as I will have made the right decision
For my better life.

~AYS~
dalamkeadaanputusasa

Afternoon Talk

Conversation between me and colleague...
" Hi, you look so busy? "
" Yup..."
" What are you doing?"
" I'm looking for job."
" Oooh ic. Hmm, can I ask you for a help?"
" Yes?"
" If you find any job that that has the requirement suits me well, can you let me know also?"
" What criteria you want?"
" First of all... no research job"
" Errr ok. Then?"
" I think teaching job would be interesting. In any private school or polytechnic. Something that give me chance to meet many people and interact a lot."
" How about something like marketing or any banking."
" Quite interesting... as long as there is no research job."
" Ouw ok. Got it. Something else?"
" Well, I look for good payment and one important thing is..."
" No research job? "
" Exactly."
" Ok."
" Well, let me revise my requirement a bit. If then it's really really really difficult for finding job outside research for me. I may still consider back to do reserach."
" Why?"
" As long as that research job has no affiliation to this lab "
" :s "

The "PROF"

What does the acronym 'PROF' stand for? Literally, 'Professor'. Another meaning (taken from one of prof where I did my undergrad) is (P)erfect, (R)ational, (O)riented, and (F)unctional

PERFECT
He/she is a perfect figure, who can guide and nurture his/her students. A role model on 'research' aptitude and attitude.
vs
He/she is a perfect figure in front of other profs working in the same area. It is mandatory to snatch grants needed to sustain his/her work.

RATIONAL
Especially in the expected research outcome, based on the money he/she has, its probablity of success based on established theory, and his/her expertise on the area.
vs
Especially in the number of papers he/she should publish within a given time period. It often results in irrational working hours for his/her students.

ORIENTED
The research orientation is set for clear achievement, a further step (or leap) towards certain ultimate goal.
vs
The research orientation is to publish as many papers as possible, to fulfil certain requirement.

FUNCTIONAL
is capable to manage his/her students based on their unique aptitude for mutual learning
vs
is capable to manage his/her students up to their maximum time and effort they can give.

'Simbang' for me. How 'bout u?

~AYS~
ngantuk

Among Teacher, Researcher, and Professor

Teacher's job is to make something complicated to be simpler. (to make the students understand easier)

Researcher's job is to make something simple to be more compicated. (to make it sounds more scientific)

Professor's job is to make nothing to be very complicated.