As a former graduate student, I found this round-up of advice for graduate students really interesting. Says Travis Saunders, who co-hosts the smart and topical PLOS blog Obesity Panacea:
Grad school is not always an easy ride. In fact, it can sometimes be a soul-sucking experience. But it can also be an incredibly fulfilling experience that leaves you waking up excited to head to the lab every morning (seriously!)
Saunders, who is himself a graduate student, goes on to talk about his involvement in the blog roundtable organized by fellow blogger Atif Kukaswadia. Topics include how to choose an adviser, what to do if you're falling behind or losing interest in your research project, and what it takes to be a successful graduate student. The series of posts is over, but Kukaswadia is encouraging current and former graduate students, as well as faculty members who serve as mentors to maintain the discussion in the posts' comment threads. Says Saunders:
If you have even a passing interest in grad school, then take a few minutes and read through the posts that sound most relevant to you. The posts are broken down into easily-digestible chunks, so you can get through them all rather quickly. And if you’ve already played the grad school game or have gone on to *gasp* supervise grad students, then please add your own two cents in the comments section.
