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Academia Ghetto Thread

Started by Mesozoic Mister Nigel, September 05, 2014, 05:51:06 PM

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Mesozoic Mister Nigel

Quote from: LMNO on December 20, 2016, 04:25:10 PM
I had eyed being a "professional student" back in the day, but now I'm glad I didn't do that.  Those people are awful.

Yep. And that's how you get professors.

I suspect, from my experiences so far, that hard sciences are the worst for this, because of the degree people must sacrifice their personal lives to pursue those avenues of study. While it may make social rejects and freaks such as myself into productive contributors to society, it also robs them of a lot of opportunity for interpersonal learning and emotional growth, with the result that they have trouble managing emotions and conflict in a mature adult manner. This is a problem when they are managing graduate students who also have not had the opportunity to learn those skills, and it turns into a cycle of emotionally immature professors mentoring emotionally immature graduate students who then become professors, and so on. 

I feel really fortunate in my lab, because all the other students are also older and have significant life experience and people skills that they learned outside of academia. In fact, of my cohort, which is admittedly very small, half of us are over 30, which is a huge departure from the traditional student trajectory. This gives me some hope for the future of the culture in biology, at least here at PSU, but my cohort is only 11 people so it's not like we're more than a drop in the bucket, and I doubt it's a robust trend because PSU trends toward nontraditional students. But outside of my lab, the dysfunction runs deep, and I can see it in my advisor as well, who is a lovely person and a brilliant researcher, but prone to overly emotional outbursts of frustration that are, frankly, childlike in the way her emotions cloud her reasoning and lead her to impulsive behavior. I feel fortunate that I recognize that and am able to work with it, but it's so reflective of the cultural environment in research -- and she's one of the better ones -- that it really gives me pause about pursuing a PhD in Biology.
"I'm guessing it was January 2007, a meeting in Bethesda, we got a bag of bees and just started smashing them on the desk," Charles Wick said. "It was very complicated."


Mesozoic Mister Nigel

I've been researching epidemiology programs, and although it doesn't formally exist at OHSU, I think I want to pursue neuroepidemiology; it really seems to tie all my academic interests and background together, opens doors to both field and clinical research in human populations, and gives me an avenue for influencing policy without having to actually become that most dreaded of all beasts, a public policy bureaucrat. Plus, it would allow me to indulge my love-hate relationship with statistics, which I am particularly good at even though I feel about statistics much like I feel about pie dough; get your hands in it as little as possible and get it over with before you fuck it up irreparably.
"I'm guessing it was January 2007, a meeting in Bethesda, we got a bag of bees and just started smashing them on the desk," Charles Wick said. "It was very complicated."


Nephew Twiddleton

Been a while.

Nigel, good to know what I might have to be looking forward to when I get to grad school as far as the other people go.

So, I see the last thing I posted was pretty much last year. This past semester it was Game Theory & Evolution, Genomics, Organic Chemistry, and Independent Study I. My Genomics professor is also my Independent Study PI. Failed Orgo lecture, but passed the lab, A's in Genomics and Independent Study, B in GT&E. This semester coming up (my last as an undergrad) is Microbiology, Microbial Ecology, Physics II and Independent Study II. Microbial Ecology is a graduate level course--my professor invited people who aced Genomics.

And then that will be that. In theory, I'm preparing to apply to grad school, but I'm dragging my feet on that a little. I'm having trouble thinking about what to put in my personal statement. Aside from that I have to write an application for a fellowship that has a deadline in three weeks. On the bright side, maybe I can just recycle some stuff from that, since it will be put towards my independent study.
Strange and Terrible Organ Laminator of Yesterday's Heavy Scene
Sentence or sentence fragment pending

Soy El Vaquero Peludo de Oro

TIM AM I, PRIMARY OF THE EXTRA-ATMOSPHERIC SIMIANS

Nephew Twiddleton

Oh! I knew I had something in the back of my head re: people who are emotionally incapable.

We had a final quiz in Organic  Chemistry lab and it counted for a good chunk of the grade. Now basically if we had done our notebooks right and put everything we were supposed to in it, the answers were in the notebook. We could bring our notebooks in, but nothing else. One of the lab students went to go in and he had torn pages out of his notebook--they were loose pages. Now, we were all told not to remove the duplicate pages, only the original copies and attach them to the lab reports. The TA told him he couldn't bring those pages in. So he starts to protest, saying "but they're the carbon copies!" When the TA doesn't budge, he shouts, "Well just forget about it!" and storms off. Which was strange and hilarious to me. He'd only torn out a few pages. All of the answers might have been on the pages that weren't torn out and he'd get an A on the final. Worst case scenario, those pages were important and maybe he misses 5 questions. But instead he flips out and gets an automatic 0, just because he couldn't shrug off him fucking up something obvious. It seemed bizarre even taking into account he might be 15 years younger than me.
Strange and Terrible Organ Laminator of Yesterday's Heavy Scene
Sentence or sentence fragment pending

Soy El Vaquero Peludo de Oro

TIM AM I, PRIMARY OF THE EXTRA-ATMOSPHERIC SIMIANS

Mesozoic Mister Nigel

WOOOO TWID, COMING DOWN THE HOMESTRETCH!!!

Having now had an entire quarter of getting to know students from the teaching side, I am betting that student was not doing well in the class, did not take good notes, and was looking for an excuse to blame someone else for his poor performance. Not being allowed to take torn-out pages from his notebook (or, more likely, notes he had copied from someone else and was claiming were his) was probably not the reason he walked off, but rather, the excuse he will use when he has to retake the class.
"I'm guessing it was January 2007, a meeting in Bethesda, we got a bag of bees and just started smashing them on the desk," Charles Wick said. "It was very complicated."


Nephew Twiddleton

Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on January 05, 2017, 08:36:50 PM
WOOOO TWID, COMING DOWN THE HOMESTRETCH!!!

Having now had an entire quarter of getting to know students from the teaching side, I am betting that student was not doing well in the class, did not take good notes, and was looking for an excuse to blame someone else for his poor performance. Not being allowed to take torn-out pages from his notebook (or, more likely, notes he had copied from someone else and was claiming were his) was probably not the reason he walked off, but rather, the excuse he will use when he has to retake the class.

That seems pretty likely. On the way in, I quipped to the TA, "well, at least I'm not at the bottom of the class!"
Strange and Terrible Organ Laminator of Yesterday's Heavy Scene
Sentence or sentence fragment pending

Soy El Vaquero Peludo de Oro

TIM AM I, PRIMARY OF THE EXTRA-ATMOSPHERIC SIMIANS

Mesozoic Mister Nigel

Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on January 05, 2017, 08:43:49 PM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on January 05, 2017, 08:36:50 PM
WOOOO TWID, COMING DOWN THE HOMESTRETCH!!!

Having now had an entire quarter of getting to know students from the teaching side, I am betting that student was not doing well in the class, did not take good notes, and was looking for an excuse to blame someone else for his poor performance. Not being allowed to take torn-out pages from his notebook (or, more likely, notes he had copied from someone else and was claiming were his) was probably not the reason he walked off, but rather, the excuse he will use when he has to retake the class.

That seems pretty likely. On the way in, I quipped to the TA, "well, at least I'm not at the bottom of the class!"

I've definitely noticed a substantial difference between students who are struggling to understand the material, and students who are trying to half-ass their way through the class. It's the half-assers who tend to try to cheat. Irony... they usually cheat by copying from other half-assers, because the strugglers aren't going to help them (they're working too damn hard at really learning) and the top students definitely won't help them.
"I'm guessing it was January 2007, a meeting in Bethesda, we got a bag of bees and just started smashing them on the desk," Charles Wick said. "It was very complicated."


Nephew Twiddleton

Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on January 06, 2017, 12:04:06 AM
Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on January 05, 2017, 08:43:49 PM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on January 05, 2017, 08:36:50 PM
WOOOO TWID, COMING DOWN THE HOMESTRETCH!!!

Having now had an entire quarter of getting to know students from the teaching side, I am betting that student was not doing well in the class, did not take good notes, and was looking for an excuse to blame someone else for his poor performance. Not being allowed to take torn-out pages from his notebook (or, more likely, notes he had copied from someone else and was claiming were his) was probably not the reason he walked off, but rather, the excuse he will use when he has to retake the class.

That seems pretty likely. On the way in, I quipped to the TA, "well, at least I'm not at the bottom of the class!"

I've definitely noticed a substantial difference between students who are struggling to understand the material, and students who are trying to half-ass their way through the class. It's the half-assers who tend to try to cheat. Irony... they usually cheat by copying from other half-assers, because the strugglers aren't going to help them (they're working too damn hard at really learning) and the top students definitely won't help them.

That sounds about right. Two days before the Genomics final draft was due, I was waiting for my GT&E classmates to talk about our final presentation. I had already submitted my final draft (in fact, I got the grade for it the day before, because, I like Genomics), and a classmate who I've never even noticed came up to me and was like "Hey, you're in my Genomics class, right?" "Umm... there's only one Genomics class?" "Yeah, can you help me with..." "No. I'm :waving at my laptop: busy doing something else for another class" "Ok, how long are you going to be here today?" "As long as I have to for :wave at laptop" this. Then I'm going to go to work because I need money."
Strange and Terrible Organ Laminator of Yesterday's Heavy Scene
Sentence or sentence fragment pending

Soy El Vaquero Peludo de Oro

TIM AM I, PRIMARY OF THE EXTRA-ATMOSPHERIC SIMIANS

Mesozoic Mister Nigel

Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on January 06, 2017, 05:39:26 AM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on January 06, 2017, 12:04:06 AM
Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on January 05, 2017, 08:43:49 PM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on January 05, 2017, 08:36:50 PM
WOOOO TWID, COMING DOWN THE HOMESTRETCH!!!

Having now had an entire quarter of getting to know students from the teaching side, I am betting that student was not doing well in the class, did not take good notes, and was looking for an excuse to blame someone else for his poor performance. Not being allowed to take torn-out pages from his notebook (or, more likely, notes he had copied from someone else and was claiming were his) was probably not the reason he walked off, but rather, the excuse he will use when he has to retake the class.

That seems pretty likely. On the way in, I quipped to the TA, "well, at least I'm not at the bottom of the class!"

I've definitely noticed a substantial difference between students who are struggling to understand the material, and students who are trying to half-ass their way through the class. It's the half-assers who tend to try to cheat. Irony... they usually cheat by copying from other half-assers, because the strugglers aren't going to help them (they're working too damn hard at really learning) and the top students definitely won't help them.

That sounds about right. Two days before the Genomics final draft was due, I was waiting for my GT&E classmates to talk about our final presentation. I had already submitted my final draft (in fact, I got the grade for it the day before, because, I like Genomics), and a classmate who I've never even noticed came up to me and was like "Hey, you're in my Genomics class, right?" "Umm... there's only one Genomics class?" "Yeah, can you help me with..." "No. I'm :waving at my laptop: busy doing something else for another class" "Ok, how long are you going to be here today?" "As long as I have to for :wave at laptop" this. Then I'm going to go to work because I need money."

They never seem to be able to figure out how to start or join study groups, either. They just do that, whatever that is, instead.
"I'm guessing it was January 2007, a meeting in Bethesda, we got a bag of bees and just started smashing them on the desk," Charles Wick said. "It was very complicated."


Bruno

My department (along with a couple others) at the Vo-Tech college just moved into their shiny new building across the street from the Nissan plant. We had a 2 1/2 week break for the holidays. They started moving the equipment out of the old building about 3 weeks before the break which, of course made it very difficult for students to use said equipment for their schoolwork. Now that the new term has begun, they're not actually ready to begin classes. The classroom came self-assembly required, so we're spending the first two weeks of the new term putting together chairs and tables, installing drop-down outlets, miscellaneous other wiring, and who knows what else before we begin our actual studies.

They also have a rather strict attendance policy. 5 tardies in a 4 month term and I am "in jeopardy" of being suspended. My first day I got there about 30 seconds late. One of the instructors looks at me like he wants to fight, and says "YOUR LATE!" I look back at him, nod, and reply, "yuh-huh", and take a seat. So not only are they wasting the better part of a month of my time, and expect me to perform free labor for them in lieu of making actual academic progress, I better be there by 7:45 am SHARP, or they'll kick me out.

In spite of all this, I'm not too terribly disgruntled. After all, financial aid is paying for all of this, so at least I'M not actually paying for this mess out of my own pocket, but there are some there who are, and they're pretty steamed about it, and rightly so.
Formerly something else...

Nephew Twiddleton

Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on January 06, 2017, 03:46:07 PM
Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on January 06, 2017, 05:39:26 AM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on January 06, 2017, 12:04:06 AM
Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on January 05, 2017, 08:43:49 PM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on January 05, 2017, 08:36:50 PM
WOOOO TWID, COMING DOWN THE HOMESTRETCH!!!

Having now had an entire quarter of getting to know students from the teaching side, I am betting that student was not doing well in the class, did not take good notes, and was looking for an excuse to blame someone else for his poor performance. Not being allowed to take torn-out pages from his notebook (or, more likely, notes he had copied from someone else and was claiming were his) was probably not the reason he walked off, but rather, the excuse he will use when he has to retake the class.

That seems pretty likely. On the way in, I quipped to the TA, "well, at least I'm not at the bottom of the class!"

I've definitely noticed a substantial difference between students who are struggling to understand the material, and students who are trying to half-ass their way through the class. It's the half-assers who tend to try to cheat. Irony... they usually cheat by copying from other half-assers, because the strugglers aren't going to help them (they're working too damn hard at really learning) and the top students definitely won't help them.

That sounds about right. Two days before the Genomics final draft was due, I was waiting for my GT&E classmates to talk about our final presentation. I had already submitted my final draft (in fact, I got the grade for it the day before, because, I like Genomics), and a classmate who I've never even noticed came up to me and was like "Hey, you're in my Genomics class, right?" "Umm... there's only one Genomics class?" "Yeah, can you help me with..." "No. I'm :waving at my laptop: busy doing something else for another class" "Ok, how long are you going to be here today?" "As long as I have to for :wave at laptop" this. Then I'm going to go to work because I need money."

They never seem to be able to figure out how to start or join study groups, either. They just do that, whatever that is, instead.

It's so weird. It's like, if you wanted me to help with your final report (whatever help she was expecting at the final draft phase), the time to ask was not during finals week.
Strange and Terrible Organ Laminator of Yesterday's Heavy Scene
Sentence or sentence fragment pending

Soy El Vaquero Peludo de Oro

TIM AM I, PRIMARY OF THE EXTRA-ATMOSPHERIC SIMIANS

Nephew Twiddleton

Quote from: Emo Howard on January 06, 2017, 04:49:12 PM
My department (along with a couple others) at the Vo-Tech college just moved into their shiny new building across the street from the Nissan plant. We had a 2 1/2 week break for the holidays. They started moving the equipment out of the old building about 3 weeks before the break which, of course made it very difficult for students to use said equipment for their schoolwork. Now that the new term has begun, they're not actually ready to begin classes. The classroom came self-assembly required, so we're spending the first two weeks of the new term putting together chairs and tables, installing drop-down outlets, miscellaneous other wiring, and who knows what else before we begin our actual studies.

They also have a rather strict attendance policy. 5 tardies in a 4 month term and I am "in jeopardy" of being suspended. My first day I got there about 30 seconds late. One of the instructors looks at me like he wants to fight, and says "YOUR LATE!" I look back at him, nod, and reply, "yuh-huh", and take a seat. So not only are they wasting the better part of a month of my time, and expect me to perform free labor for them in lieu of making actual academic progress, I better be there by 7:45 am SHARP, or they'll kick me out.

In spite of all this, I'm not too terribly disgruntled. After all, financial aid is paying for all of this, so at least I'M not actually paying for this mess out of my own pocket, but there are some there who are, and they're pretty steamed about it, and rightly so.

Making a fuss over being 10 minutes I can see, but 30 seconds is having trouble finding a parking spot or the bus was late.
Strange and Terrible Organ Laminator of Yesterday's Heavy Scene
Sentence or sentence fragment pending

Soy El Vaquero Peludo de Oro

TIM AM I, PRIMARY OF THE EXTRA-ATMOSPHERIC SIMIANS

Mesozoic Mister Nigel

Quote from: Emo Howard on January 06, 2017, 04:49:12 PM
My department (along with a couple others) at the Vo-Tech college just moved into their shiny new building across the street from the Nissan plant. We had a 2 1/2 week break for the holidays. They started moving the equipment out of the old building about 3 weeks before the break which, of course made it very difficult for students to use said equipment for their schoolwork. Now that the new term has begun, they're not actually ready to begin classes. The classroom came self-assembly required, so we're spending the first two weeks of the new term putting together chairs and tables, installing drop-down outlets, miscellaneous other wiring, and who knows what else before we begin our actual studies.

They also have a rather strict attendance policy. 5 tardies in a 4 month term and I am "in jeopardy" of being suspended. My first day I got there about 30 seconds late. One of the instructors looks at me like he wants to fight, and says "YOUR LATE!" I look back at him, nod, and reply, "yuh-huh", and take a seat. So not only are they wasting the better part of a month of my time, and expect me to perform free labor for them in lieu of making actual academic progress, I better be there by 7:45 am SHARP, or they'll kick me out.

In spite of all this, I'm not too terribly disgruntled. After all, financial aid is paying for all of this, so at least I'M not actually paying for this mess out of my own pocket, but there are some there who are, and they're pretty steamed about it, and rightly so.

So... they're not ready for students, but you damn well better not be 30 seconds late? Sounds like THEY need to be suspended for lack of academic progress.



"I'm guessing it was January 2007, a meeting in Bethesda, we got a bag of bees and just started smashing them on the desk," Charles Wick said. "It was very complicated."


Cain

Considering re-writing/expanding on a couple of my University papers and throwing them up on Academia.edu.  I'm thinking terrorism in history might be a good niche to claim as my own.

Mesozoic Mister Nigel

Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on January 06, 2017, 06:55:06 PM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on January 06, 2017, 03:46:07 PM
Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on January 06, 2017, 05:39:26 AM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on January 06, 2017, 12:04:06 AM
Quote from: Nephew Twiddleton on January 05, 2017, 08:43:49 PM
Quote from: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on January 05, 2017, 08:36:50 PM
WOOOO TWID, COMING DOWN THE HOMESTRETCH!!!

Having now had an entire quarter of getting to know students from the teaching side, I am betting that student was not doing well in the class, did not take good notes, and was looking for an excuse to blame someone else for his poor performance. Not being allowed to take torn-out pages from his notebook (or, more likely, notes he had copied from someone else and was claiming were his) was probably not the reason he walked off, but rather, the excuse he will use when he has to retake the class.

That seems pretty likely. On the way in, I quipped to the TA, "well, at least I'm not at the bottom of the class!"

I've definitely noticed a substantial difference between students who are struggling to understand the material, and students who are trying to half-ass their way through the class. It's the half-assers who tend to try to cheat. Irony... they usually cheat by copying from other half-assers, because the strugglers aren't going to help them (they're working too damn hard at really learning) and the top students definitely won't help them.

That sounds about right. Two days before the Genomics final draft was due, I was waiting for my GT&E classmates to talk about our final presentation. I had already submitted my final draft (in fact, I got the grade for it the day before, because, I like Genomics), and a classmate who I've never even noticed came up to me and was like "Hey, you're in my Genomics class, right?" "Umm... there's only one Genomics class?" "Yeah, can you help me with..." "No. I'm :waving at my laptop: busy doing something else for another class" "Ok, how long are you going to be here today?" "As long as I have to for :wave at laptop" this. Then I'm going to go to work because I need money."

They never seem to be able to figure out how to start or join study groups, either. They just do that, whatever that is, instead.

It's so weird. It's like, if you wanted me to help with your final report (whatever help she was expecting at the final draft phase), the time to ask was not during finals week.

Oh hell no. I think that falls under the "Failure to plan on your part does not equal an emergency on my part" clause.
"I'm guessing it was January 2007, a meeting in Bethesda, we got a bag of bees and just started smashing them on the desk," Charles Wick said. "It was very complicated."