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Joker Self-Portrait

ANONYMOUS

Anonymous self-portrait, "Clown"
A PhD is closer to juggling than one might think."
"

ANONYMOUS

A PhD grad is often seen juggling multiple roles and activities at any given time. If you observe a PhD student in the wild, you might notice all the roles they are juggling: sometimes a student, a mentor, a washer of flasks and jars, a nutrient provider to their (favorite) organism, a writer, an organizer—basically, any role you throw at them, they will try their best to juggle that too.

Ball

This reminds me of a famous clown joke, and I'll end with my version of it:

 

PhD student: "Doctor, I am exhausted. I’ve been handling multiple projects, never-ending experiments, and deadlines. My advisor is often unhappy with my progress, and I feel stuck."

 

Doctor: "The treatment is simple. The famous scientist Dr. Pagliacci is in town, giving a talk on how to maintain a work-life balance and achieve your goals during a PhD. Go and attend his talk; it should lift your spirits."

 

PhD student (bursts into tears): "But… Doctor… my advisor is Dr. Pagliacci."

About Anonymous

They are a biology PhD. student at one of the premier institutes in India.

Anonymous

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