Ever wonder how the "working week" of a (maybe not so) typical grad student looks like? I'll give you mine as a case study.
MONDAY
Vowed to get up early to do some research. Eventually got to the VUB at noon. Rest of the afternoon spent grading lab reports due the following day. Finished the day lamenting the fact that no research was done.
TUESDAY
Spent most of the day (this being from 8am to 5pm) in the lab TA'ing. Figured the lack of a lunch break would at least help keep calorie intake down. Came home at 8pm exhausted, wondering if this how people with a real job feel everyday. Happy to be a grad after all
WEDNESDAY
Planned on going to two seminars. Got an idea while shaving. Spent most of the day at home working it out. Extatic by the end of the day due to marginal progression of research. Depressed 20 minutes later at the idea of how slowly it is going and how much I still have left to learn before I can say anything meaningful about it. Dinner with friends who convinced me to go to the local bar for a party.
THURSDAY
Came to the conclusion that two hours sleep is not enough, and that women + emotions + lots alcohol = bad combination. Most of the afternoon spent giving and getting a pep talk to/from a good friend, who came to the same conclusion (only substitute men for women in her case). Evening spent playing World of Warcraft
FRIDAY (today as it were)
Got up, thinking what needed to be done for the second year lab I need to teach this afternoon. Got the impression that a blog update was overdue.
At least the weekend will be fun (I hope). A friend of mine has a job as a stewardess for a train company that organises ski trains to Austria. She managed to secure a place for me on this weekend's train, so we'll do a quick citytrip to Innsbruck.
Cheers,
Dimi
