Graduate school can weigh heavy on one's soul. Congregate here for the confessions that current and former grad students across the world are getting off their chests about their supervisors, peers, and experiences with higher education, hosted by me, Dr. Yoah Sui. If you have a confession you'd like to make, submit it here: https://forms.gle/wtQ59sJAcFBuDPNj7
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The dreaded thesis defense. While there are arguably harder things that you have to complete as a graduate student, there are few things more important than a successful thesis defense. Ironically, for how transparent the scientific and research process is aimed to be, the defense process itself can hold somewhat of a mythical value in its obscurit…
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In this Sunday Service, Anna and I rant about the perplexity of an unpaid assistant adjunct professor position and what different forms of academic labour are valued at. Please leave us a review on whichever platform you listen to, follow us on twitter @gradconfessing, and if you have a confession you'd like to share, you can use this anonymous lin…
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Feeling like a fraud or imposter while in graduate school is so common, it may very well just be a rite of passage. But feeling imposter syndrome does not take away from your value as a graduate student nor the work and training you are doing. Our feelings may be real, but they do not reflect reality. In this episode, Anna and I chat about the stor…
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In this Twitch livestream, Anna and I rant about the issues surrounding credibility and establishing legitimacy with titles in Academia. Catch our Sunday Service livestream every other Sunday at twitch.tv/gradschoolconfessional or anytime on YouTube, and follow us on Twitter @gradconfessing.
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Dating and romantic relationships are undoubtedly important. But when combined with the stress and demands of grad school, a partner can be both a welcome blessing of relief and a curse of interpersonal conflict. Combined with a global pandemic, and you would be hard-pressed to want to date at all. In this episode, Anna and I chat about the stories…
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In this Twitch livestream, Anna and I rant about the overreliance on metrics and quantifiability of academics and how these undermine the development of both good science and good scientists. Catch our Sunday Service livestream every other Sunday at twitch.tv/gradschoolconfessional or anytime on YouTube, and follow us on Twitter @gradconfessing.…
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The thesis is an essential part of graduate school. The culmination of the training, the research expertise, and the skills acquired, the thesis can be a daunting task, made all the more difficult with unexpected roadblocks to projects and poor feedback. In this episode, Anna and I chat about the stories of grad students who saw barriers and unfore…
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In our first Twitch livestream, Anna and I rant about the caveats and idealisms of Open Access Publishing in Academia. Catch our Sunday Service livestream every other Sunday at twitch.tv/gradschoolconfessional or anytime on YouTube, and follow us on Twitter @gradconfessing.
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Much like one of those disorienting-circus-funhouse-mirror places, there is no single image of what the PhD experience will look like. Often, these differences are greatest when comparing between countries, as expectations, funding, loans, exams, and job prospects can vary dramatically. In this season finale episode, Anna and I, along with our gues…
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On its own, becoming a parent is an incredibly stressful and life-altering experience. Combined with the, often, incredibly stressful and life-altering experience of grad school, and it does truly feel like a miracle that anyone makes it out on the other side, alive and defended. That said, few can argue the fulfillment and accomplishment that come…
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Supervisors will make or break a grad school experience. Being able to draw on their knowledge, resources, and network can be crucial for any young scholar – but equally so can the abuse of power, neglect, and lack of integrity make any grad school experience a nightmare. In this episode, Anna and I discuss more confessions of grad students whose s…
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Second-generation academics are offered the unique perspective of the scholarly route from a young age. Often times, this leads to advantages in the form of networking, experience, and advice; but can also present unique challenges and interpersonal conflicts with parents. In this episode, Anna and I discuss with Michaela Khan, the confessions of s…
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First generation academics are a lot of things: sometimes immigrants, sometimes underprivileged, sometimes lucky. But all first-gen academics share a common thread – they are the first in their family to glimpse and experience the culture of academia and the vast environment of knowledge and privilege that comes with it. In this episode, Anna and I…
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While this may be hard to believe, as it turns out, getting a masters or PhD in itself is…not that impactful. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s no doubt important to us as students. But it can be very hard to see this impact translate to the real world. It’s not necessarily our fault though; the academic system does not encourage this definition of …
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This one time, when I was in Grade 2, we were given a quiz. On the surface, this quiz seemed really easy (if not, sort of long), but we were told that the first thing we should do is read all the instructions. Being the rambunctious boy I was, I did not. Had I read the instructions all the way through, I would have realized that the last question s…
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Ghouls, goblins, graduate supervisors. You need look no further than your very own graduate department to find an assortment of monsters. In this final spooky special episode, Anna and I discuss the confessions of grad students who reminisce about their own close encounters with monsters, including bloodsuckers, night watchers, and middle-aged sire…
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In life, we often have pivotal moments. Moments that shape us, what we believe, and how we act, for the rest of our lives. Many times this is the result of a challenging but rewarding experience. Sometimes, it's because you're late again, and someone yells at you. This is the latter. In this (potentially) final bite-size confessional, Anna and I ch…
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Ah, the academic publishing process. A veritable forum of equity, inclusivity, and fairness. I’m just kidding, academic publishing is an absolute circus. In this spooky special episode, Anna and I discuss the confessions of grad students who recount their publishing horror stories related to authorship struggles, desk rejections, and peer reviewer …
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Grad school is many things. Difficult. Rewarding. Educational. Dangerous? In this bite-size confessional, Anna and I chat about a grad student who was asked a sinister sounding question by a participant while recruiting for their study. If you have a confession you'd like to share, you can use this anonymous link (https://forms.gle/jfGHFwDfSZ67ce7r…
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Malfunctioning equipment. Endless paperwork quests. Constant meetings but nothing gets done. All prime examples of curses. In this spooky special episode, Anna and I discuss the confessions of grad students who were cursed with aimless approval paperwork, glitching ethics applications, and the dreaded screen of death.If you have a confession you'd …
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Ah, Thanksgiving. A time to reflect. A time to be grateful. A time to…stress-write your first graduate paper. In this bite-size confessional, Anna and I chat about a grad student whose turkey got cooked after they left their research paper to the last minute. If you have a confession you'd like to share, you can use this anonymous link (https://for…
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Roommates. Sometimes friends, sometimes strangers, always a nightmare. In this spooky special episode, Anna and I - along with our very first guest host, Anisa Morava - discuss the confessions of grad students who realized the harsh realities of living with friends who acted like monsters, were scared to death with frighteningly high utility bills,…
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You know the type: narcissistic, egotistical, petty, and easily slighted; unfortunately, not the greatest type of person to have as your supervisor. In this bite-size confessional, Anna and I chat about a grad student whose supervisor's ego puts strain on their relationship and discuss the ego and power imbalances in student-supervisor relationship…
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Believe it or not, there is more to life than just grad school. Extra-curricular activities, student committees, sports and recreation, and creative passions are only a few of the incredibly important things that can help broaden our horizons and keep us motivated (and sane) during graduate school. In this episode, Anna and I discuss the confession…
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Yelling. Improv. Jumping jacks. Not what you'd expect to find in your typical graduate stats class - or at least, not to anyone listening in. In this bite-size confessional, Anna and I chat about a grad student whose stats professor's quick wit landed him a concerned look from some passing students.This is the last week to support our podcast and e…
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Episode 6 - Confessions of a Grad Student with the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Project
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Ever have a project that didn't quite go as you expect? Yeah, us too. Practically the only guarantee in research is that if something can go wrong...something will go wrong. In this episode, Anna and I discuss the confessions of grad students who were involved in projects that seemed to be riddled with roadblocks, barred with ethical issues, and in…
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WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE. Preparing for a presentation can be stressful. Presenting as part of a competition is stressful too. Having your presentation changed right before you go out is even more stressful. Realizing you forgot your memorized speech right in the middle? Only one word really sums that up. In this bite-size confessional, Anna and …
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Teaching assistants: they mark, they proctor, they email, they cry, they organize, they teach, they cry, they get yelled at, and they cry. In this grad school confessional, Anna and I discuss the confessions of current and former grad student TAs who overestimated their confidence in a topic, resisted coercion for marks, and fielded some awkward ad…
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Ever have the jitters or nerves before giving a lecture? Even if you stumble on a few words, you probably won't have something like this confession happen to you - especially after hearing it. In this bite-size confessional, Anna and I discuss the story of a former grad student who probably wishes they'd "spit it out" before lecturing. Support our …
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In this episode, Anna and I discuss academic supervisor struggles in grad school and share the confessions of grad students who have trouble with their supervisor's name, have "worked" alongside tyrannical supervisors, and have thoughts on the traits of the ideal supervisor. Support our podcast and enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card! You can ente…
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In this bite-size confessional, Anna and I discuss the confession of a grad student whose miscommunication with a participant leads to a bit of a wardrobe malfunction.If you have a confession you'd like to share, you can use this anonymous link (https://forms.gle/jfGHFwDfSZ67ce7r8) or email us at thegradschoolconfessional@gmail.com.…
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In this episode, Anna and I discuss money (or the lack thereof) in grad school and share the confessions of grad students who put off dental emergencies, have to work three jobs to make ends meet, and are fed up with the university business model. If you have a confession you'd like to share, you can use this anonymous link (https://forms.gle/jfGHF…
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In this episode, Anna and I discuss stress in grad school and share the confessions of grad students stressed over juggling parenthood, dealing with substance abuse, and feeling isolated. If you have a confession you'd like to share, you can use this anonymous link (https://forms.gle/jfGHFwDfSZ67ce7r8) or email us at thegradschoolconfessional@gmail…
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In this episode, Anna and I share some new grad student confessions about ethics applications woes, being in the wrong place at the right time, and supervisor struggles. If you have a confession you'd like to share, you can use this anonymous link (https://forms.gle/jfGHFwDfSZ67ce7r8) or email us at thegradschoolconfessional@gmail.com.…
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