Questions tagged [emotional-responses]
On emotional issues such as guilt, discouragement, jealousy, anxiety or feelings of inadequacy affecting academics and researchers.
60
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How should I deal with becoming discouraged as a graduate student?
I am a third year (starting fourth year in the fall) PhD student in mathematics. I've passed all qualifying exams and am currently doing research. As far as I can tell, I am not doing poorly. I have ...
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280
votes
9
answers
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How to effectively deal with Imposter Syndrome and feelings of inadequacy: "I've somehow convinced everyone that I'm actually good at this"
Imposter syndrome is a psychological phenomenon wherein an individual is convinced that they do not deserve the success that they have achieved despite (perhaps extensive) empirical evidence to the ...
- 20.8k
176
votes
21
answers
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How do you come to terms with the fact that you might never be among the best in your research community?
I am currently a PhD student advised by a new (and awesome, in my opinion) theoretical computer scientist in the field of optimization. This was my dream ever since I took a class on convex ...
user42273
136
votes
14
answers
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Is there a place in academia for someone who compulsively solves every problem on their own?
To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how I'm still in grad school.
I've been researching under one professor's wing for two years now, ostensibly shooting for a PhD (note: no topic yet), and I have ...
- 1,217
22
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8
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Can an emotional letter of motivation be harmful in a PhD application?
Today some of my friends were discussing a motivation letter. One friend's application was rejected. One reason his friends find out is that the letter of motivation is very emotional. So I was ...
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193
votes
15
answers
24k
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How to stop hopping the learning chain and actually begin somewhere?
Here is what I feel whenever I find something interesting and feel like pursuing it :
Oh so I like X (Computer Graphics), let me read up papers/books about it.
Ok let me begin with reading up Y (...
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96
votes
10
answers
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What makes academic failure different from failure in another career?
It is my understanding that academia as a nebulous whole has its own culture and speaks its own language that makes it a very different environment to work in compared to other so-called "industry" ...
45
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6
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How can I clear myself of emotional attachment when reading reviewer feedback?
I have received feedback from reviewers on my latest conference paper (this is in Computer Science).
It was an acceptance, which is nice.
I feel I really need to consider in depth the reviewer ...
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97
votes
12
answers
17k
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How to help reduce students' anxiety in an oral exam?
Oral exams can have various pedagogical benefits in certain circumstances, but can also make some students feel anxious. After watching several students nervous-sweat their way through such an exam, I'...
- 109k
19
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6
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8k
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How to deal with fear of failure as a PhD student?
I am working on a mathematical topic that is basically my own concoction. I have days where even the simplest thing takes ages to do and I realize that's because, deep down, I am terrified that ...
- 4,069
116
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9
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How to stop feeling guilty about unfinished work?
My biggest challenge as a PhD student is best summarized by the following from PHD Comics:
"Piled Higher and Deeper" by Jorge Cham
www.phdcomics.com
A consequence of working in research is that the ...
- 109k
47
votes
9
answers
9k
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How to comfortably interact with famous professors?
I know that they are "just as human as we are", but I feel somewhat uncomfortable to talk nonchalantly with the top-notch math researchers and professors in my department because of their social ...
user23758
41
votes
3
answers
14k
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How does an Erratum on one's own paper affect one's career as a researcher?
I'm still early in my scientific career, with only a few papers published. However, I've discovered a typo in a non-critical equation of my paper, and one of the graphs in the same paper should have ...
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5
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What specific techniques can help someone facing mental health problems (depression, anxiety, ADHD) have a productive academic career?
Question originally found here
In the past few months, I have been diagnosed for depression, anxiety, and ADHD. While learning this has been helpful, treatment made my already poor performance worse. ...
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75
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9
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I wasted six years of my life getting a PhD degree. What should I do, and how will I survive?
I struggled with low self confidence throughout my bachelors, masters and PhD in chemical engineering. After spending two years in Masters and six years in getting a PhD degree, I am lost at what I ...
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54
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14
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10k
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How should I deal with discouragement looking at others success?
I'm a master CS student. I had so many troubles in my life. I didn't have proper schooling and were in difficult situations which led to me being not so good compared to my peers now at the graduate ...
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51
votes
7
answers
6k
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How do I overcome fear of rejection when writing academic papers?
I don't know how to put it. I have never published before. Previously my one paper was rejected, that was because the experiments were not ready and my advisor asked me to still submit it just to have ...
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40
votes
8
answers
11k
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Overcoming depression and getting back on rails with PhD work [duplicate]
I'm a first year PhD student (computer science), and I've felt that I lost this year up to now due to some life difficulties. I'm getting no financial support and I was forced to teach to get some ...
200
votes
11
answers
28k
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Postdoc overwhelmed by incomplete work
I take on more than I can handle and everything is left incomplete. Constant reminders from my previous supervisor, my current advisor, and colleagues, increases my anxiety level and sometimes I end ...
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142
votes
13
answers
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Why is my mood dictated so much by how well my research is going?
I'm a senior PhD student at an American university. I have found over the course of my degree that my mood has largely been influenced by how well my research is going. If I make a small break-through ...
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55
votes
5
answers
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How to differentiate "imposter syndrome" from actual lack of suitability for grad. school/academia?
A lot of graduate students/applicants, it seems, suffer from "imposter syndrome." Typically, these are bright, high-achieving students, who nonetheless doubt their ability, and this most ...
user124395
52
votes
6
answers
12k
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How to overcome discouragement on finding major error in work just before paper submission?
Recently, we were working on a new idea in physics and engineering. At the end (after writing almost 6 drafts and even ready to submit draft) only I realized that I had made a stupid error in ...
- 629
46
votes
4
answers
9k
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Meeting dishonest ex-supervisors at large international conference -- Should one speak out?
I have returned to my country after one negative experience as a postdoc in China.
In short, I was hired based on false salary & funding expectations supported by shady vague contracts written in ...
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39
votes
9
answers
9k
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Left academia for a job with a publishing company. Is it normal to feel guilty or "settled" about a decision? How to overcome the feeling?
After PhD and a year of postdoc in mechanical engineering, I accepted a position of a scientific editor with a publishing company. The pay is decent but not great. I have been working in the new role ...
- 478
35
votes
5
answers
11k
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How to deal with constant pressure given by advisor
I am a third-year PhD student in mathematics from a very reputed institute in my country. I have one problem to share and discuss that is related with my guide. He is a senior professor in our ...
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32
votes
10
answers
10k
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ls it wrong to not have any research ambitions after PhD and postdoc experience?
I did my PhD and 1 year postdoc in mechanical engineering from a top 20 world ranking school. Though it took me longer than others to get my PhD (5.5 years), I published 5 first authored papers there. ...
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31
votes
6
answers
8k
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Is feeling lonely and uncomfortable in my (foreign) country of study a valid reason to drop out of a PhD?
I've been studying for my PhD in Sweden (I moved from the UK in January 2014). It's been alright. I've had difficulties before, and I've thought of quitting it, but I pushed through. I don't speak the ...
- 319
28
votes
2
answers
8k
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How do I stop feeling intimidated by my advisor?
Whenever I meet my advisor and interact with him, in class or otherwise, I can't help feeling intimidated. I feel scared of the fact that I may fall below his expectations, and I become tongue-tied ...
- 281
22
votes
3
answers
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Motivation to write the dreaded dissertation
Ok... so I have hated graduate school since day one but have slogged through because I couldn't find anything else to do (I have applied for hundreds of jobs as an escape route with no success). It ...
21
votes
1
answer
4k
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How to cope with feelings of powerlessness on a PhD?
I am currently a third year PhD student of pure mathematics.
I've been dealing with a feeling of burn out for a long time now. Quite frankly I struggle to find interest in anything related to my ...
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21
votes
4
answers
34k
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Quitting after 5 years - miserable and depressed [closed]
I'm a fifth year graduate student in the life sciences. To cut to the chase, I hate this PhD, I hate research and I hate academia. It didn't used to be this way.
I have been juggling three different ...
- 219
6
votes
1
answer
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Is it common to feel anxious when reading papers?
I am a graduate student, and I often feel strangely anxious when reading papers. I was wondering whether the same is true for other people.
There are basically two scenarios where I feel that way:
a)...
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99
votes
4
answers
21k
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I'm feeling discouraged after getting tenure; should I quit?
A few months ago, and seven years after I obtained my PhD, I finally got tenure. Hence I have a permanent position in academia.
After a few months in this new position, I find myself thinking of ...
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89
votes
17
answers
22k
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As a TA, how to react if I come across a Facebook group in which students insult me?
I am a PhD student in Europe and also TA for some bachelor's degree classes for my supervisor.
Just by chance, I have found an open Facebook group (normally, the group aims to create an interaction ...
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83
votes
14
answers
19k
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How do really talented people in academia think about people who are less capable than them? [closed]
To be more specific, how do really top professors think about students who are much less smart than them, the students can be their Ph.D. students or just students who were taking his/her class.
This ...
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73
votes
7
answers
12k
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How to care less about teaching?
Fifth year math grad student as of this Fall. ABD, currently on target for six years in total.
I have very strong feelings about the way courses should be taught, graded, and organized. I have ...
60
votes
11
answers
17k
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How to deal with unnecessary stress introduced by the supervisor?
I am doing my PhD in a high prestige UK university.
I am finishing my second year and I have funding for three years in total.
I have already two papers finished (pending to be published) and ...
- 924
57
votes
7
answers
12k
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My student told me his mother has cancer, what do I do?
Today I saw that one of my students in the class was looking very sad. He sat down at the end of class and he looked like he was in a bad mood. After all the students left the classroom I called him ...
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47
votes
11
answers
10k
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How do I continue work if I love my research but hate my peers?
I am an established researcher in my discipline, which is a sub-field of computer science. In the last years, I have successfully published papers and generally enjoyed doing research, as in ...
- 1,275
44
votes
15
answers
10k
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How should I control my nervousness, so as not to disturb my presentation on the day of a conference?
My paper is successfully accepted in a very prestigious and reputable conference, to be presented orally in one of the presentation sessions. This is my first time that I am going to give such a talk ...
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43
votes
11
answers
13k
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Thinking about leaving academia for good. I am feeling guilty and disappointed in myself. Any thoughts/advice?
I have a PhD in mechanical engineering and am currently a postdoc. I have been fairly productive in my research, published fair amount of papers during my 5 years PhD and 1.5 years of Postdoc ...
- 867
42
votes
8
answers
10k
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How to deal with unavoidable failure in my first year of tenure-track applications?
I got my PhD recently. I applied to many tenure-track positions and got selected for several onsite job interviews. Yay. However I have actually been told in no uncertain terms by several trusted ...
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41
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9
answers
8k
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How not to lose confidence in front of supervisor?
I have been working on my doctoral thesis with a very well known professor in the field. I am going to finish 1 year of my study with him. As usual, we have been meeting every week at least once on ...
- 12.8k
39
votes
8
answers
10k
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Is Relocating Necessary in Academia?
Despite experiencing a lot of drama and negativity at my university, I love my city and hate the idea of relocating. Sometimes I even think of reapplying there just so I could stay in this city (this ...
user124395
26
votes
3
answers
4k
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Dealing with discouragement during the academic job hunt
Similar to this site's question on impostor syndrome, what strategies would people recommend for dealing with self-doubt and discouragement on the academic job market?
It's not that I think I'm an ...
- 2,873
25
votes
2
answers
9k
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Gap year before post-doc?
I have been in a rush to accomplish academic goals since I remember myself. Started my PhD right after undergrad and did my Masters on the same time. Now I am about to submit my thesis and feel kind ...
- 353
22
votes
5
answers
6k
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How do I talk to my professor about my anxiety/depression?
I am 22 years old and I have recently began my first year of grad school. It is very overwhelming. Everyone seems to have more developed thoughts than I do, and all my classmates are 2nd or 3rd year ...
- 229
21
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5
answers
8k
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Trouble finding job after disappointing PhD in India [closed]
Started PhD in 2014.
Mistakes that I have committed:
I did my PhD in a topic that was not the area of expertise of my PhD supervisor.
I was doing computational work, while the past graduates on the ...
- 275
19
votes
5
answers
4k
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Is mathematical research stressful?
Richard Hamming, in one of his talks about research, said that scientists have to put up with stress, and he talked about his ulcers (and he was amongst other things a mathematician). I thought ...
16
votes
4
answers
2k
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Is it research to just combine other people’s work?
I am currently a second-year undergraduate double-majoring in math and computer science. I am currently doing a joint research paper with one of the faculty in my university.
My advisor gave me ...
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