 |
 |
Recently, I heard some graduate students grumbling about life at the university. It seems that they feel academically overwhelmed and frustrated with all the work they have
to do. Coupled with this feeling is that no one seems to understand their plight. This is a common sentiment shared by graduate students studying in the United States.
Many years ago, in the fall of 1997, a Stanford University graduate student, Jorge Cham, had an epiphany (a sudden manifestation of the essence of the meaning of something)
about graduate study and life as a graduate student. He started to sort out the obstacles he encountered during his graduate studies. It became quickly apparent to him that many other graduate students across the country shared the same sentiment.
Using his personal experiences coupled with other graduate students’ observations, he compiled lists of various experiences and or challenges that graduate students encountered,
for example: the difficulties of scientific research, the perils of procrastination, the complex student-supervisor relationship, the countless meetings and the endless search for free food. He personified each character with some traits that you might recognize.
Here is a list of characters that appear in his work:
Nameless Hero: He is a graduate engineering student who is forever procrastinating
but he is the favorite of Professor Smith, his academic advisor.
Cecilia: She is a female engineering student who is truly a “Geek”, loves chocolate
and cookies.
Michael Slackenerny: He is very devious and clever.
Gerard: His major is Medieval Scandinavian Cultural Philosophy. He is the lowest paid
graduate student on campus but he is always politically correct.
Dee: She is an undergraduate who is forever on her cell phone and likes to eat a lot.
Mariko: A Japanese student who decides to quit her PhD program in the middle of her
research. Goes back to Japan and opens her own company.
Steve: (aka the Golden Boy). He is remarkably clever and is known for always getting
positive results on his research.
Allison: She focuses on her studies and cannot be bothered by watching World Cup matches.
Professor Jones: Older professor who is clueless on non-academic research topics, such
as: love life and future careers.
Professor Rivera: He has a laid back attitude to being an advisor.
Professor Smith: An intimidating and unsympathetic individual. He tries to “Fit In”
with his students but it does not work.
Jorge Cham knew that to keep the reader’s attention he had to devise a method outside of just recording these observations and experiences. Too much verbiage would be boring
and the points he wanted to emphasize would be missed. So, he wisely decided to employ humor in the form of the comic strip, to stir and maintain interest. This very effective strategy quickly gained the attention of graduate students across the country.
He now travels across the country talking about the perils of graduate study.
Finally, I would like to leave you with some topics that were covered in his comic strips. I am sure many of you can probably relate to some of these topics.
“The F-1 Student Visa Process Explain” June 23, 2008
“Where do you sit in Class/ Seminar?” May 16, 2008
“The Grant Cycle” May 6, 2011
“The World Cup vs. the PhD” June 11, 2010
“Your Thesis Committee” November 16, 2012
“The Author list of Giving Credit where credit is due” March 13, 2005
“The Origin of the Thesis” February 25, 2009
“Marriage vs. the PH.D” March 24, 2010
Time permitting please go to the following web site,
http://www.phdcomics.com to see if you can relate to some of these stories.
I hope this article will put a smile on your face as you continue your work at the university.
Your efforts are truly appreciated.
Bob Chudy