PhD is quite stressful. According, to Berkeley study on graduate student wellness,  almost half of the PhD students are sort of depressed! I can also testify that I sense darkness and stress when I walk the corridors of PhD offices.

Despite being so stressful, there are things that we can be thankful as a PhD student.

  1. Free tuition and stipend. Of course, many would argue that our TA and RA work make up for financial support. That is true. However, we should still be thankful that we get enough money to study.
  2. Flexibility. As PhD students, we easily work 10+ hours a day and have no weekends. Personally, I used to study/ research 10-14 hours a day before. Yeah, it can be crazy. But despite the high workload, we have flexibility. I am thankful that I can go shopping on the weekdays when Costco is less crowded. I am thankful that I can go to nice restaurants when there is no one (Yup, I go when they open). I am thankful that I can go to school after the morning rush hour.
  3. Resources. PhD students have more access to data bases that cost a lot of money. I am thankful that I can use Capital IQ for research and my investment. Also, PhD students get to borrow books for a longer time, which is AWESOME!
  4. Research. We can focus on research. Of course, often we are doing things that others want us to do but yet we do have some time for our own research, which is AMAZING! Professors are really busy with administrative tasks and other things that we, PhD students, are an exception.
  5. Free Food. We know where the free food is. We are thankful for the free food. It saves us time and keeps us healthy.

PhD is hard and stressful but let’s not forget the good things and be thankful.

Please list other things that PhD students should be thankful for 😀

 

 

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