This is my fifth year doing my PhD.
I decided to write this series of articles because I think it is about time to share what I have learned throughout the past four years. What can you do if your advisor is a jerk? How to maitain a good relationship with your advisor? How to do research? And so on.
To begin, I think I am going to introduce the PhD program I am in. You come in as a fresh meat and take all the courses you need in the first semester, and then you take the qualifying exam after the first Christmas. You will have your thesis proposal at your second year and then one committee meeting each year afterward. After one committee meeting, one plan-to-finish meeting, and one final committee meeting, you can have your defense. Hopefully, you can/will graduate in five years.
Oh, I forgot to mention that you choose your advisor during your first semester. We have an interesting program: you need to talk to 6 professors and then find your best match before thanksgiving. The professor will sign your form after thanksgiving if he/she is interested in you as well. This is when I met my first advisor, professor Salmon.
If you were/are a PhD student, then you may find yourself in your articles. Don't worry. Everyone has the same issue. This is the first thing you need to learn when you are doing your PhD. I hope my experience can help you work out your issues. If you are planning to do a PhD in the future, then I hope my experience can help you decide if PhD is the right route for you. If you are a professor and you are a jerk, then I hope you can see how your students suffer and show them some mercy. If you are a nice professor, please keep it this way, we need you!
Let the journey begins :)
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