“I wear the chain I forged in life! I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it…It is a ponderous chain!” –the ghost of Jacob Marley, on his decision to seek a History PhD
On October 29, the Department
kicked off the season of gloom and doom with its annual PhD Scareathon. Aptly held around
Halloween, the event is intended to present the realities (here synonymous with
‘terrors’) of pursuing a career in academia. Hostesses of Horror Dr. Hartnett
and Dr. Martinko relayed ghastly tales from that learned place beyond
the MA, from abysmal employment statistics to bleak anecdotes of the Sisyphean existence and madding daily life of the History
PhD student. Drs. Giesberg
and Rosier served as supplementary affrighters to ensure each student ended the evening in a swivet or, at the very least, some degree of existential agony.
Every year, of course, a few brave souls fail to heed these warnings, intrepidly venturing into the 5+ year abyss. For those of you who have taken that fog-drenched fork in the road, what have been, or what are, your experiences as a PhD student? What advice do you have for those looking to join you on the academic other side?
Every year, of course, a few brave souls fail to heed these warnings, intrepidly venturing into the 5+ year abyss. For those of you who have taken that fog-drenched fork in the road, what have been, or what are, your experiences as a PhD student? What advice do you have for those looking to join you on the academic other side?
Well done, Alex! Sends a shudder down my back.
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