Research meeting debriefing

I have this experience approximately once a week:

A meeting approaches. I dread it, I feel confused and unprepared. I briefly consider dropping out of grad school to professionally serve fries or perhaps tutor rich kids.

The meeting happens. I leave the meeting with enthusiasm and newfound understanding. Life is suddenly full of delicious opportunities.

Someday, I want to be the kind of advisor that inspires students this way. (And maybe I'll be lucky enough to have students who are more competent grad students than I am now.)


This post's theme word: quiddity, "the essence of someone/something," or "a trifling." It has the nice property of having two meanings, and serving as its own opposite.

Where is everyone?

Usually by this time the office is full of grad students; right now there are only four, counting me. Where is everyone? Is today a holiday that I don't know about?

I'm not complaining. The quiet and lack of interruptions means that I've been fairly productive with a minimal amount of stress.

And yet... deadlines loom. Thesis!


This post's theme word: sciolist, "dabbler; an amateur who engages in an activity without serious intentions and who pretends to have knowledge."