Grad students find a calling and career
Moving up on the academic food chain brings a new set of challenges and rewards
"We're sort of in the middle of the academic food chain," said Pete Levine, a Hopkins graduate student.
Most undergrads talk about the life of a grad student as if it's a thing to be feared and dreaded. Or, at the very least, something to be pitied and avoided at all costs. That's why it might be surprising that, despite low pay and an enormous workload, many graduate students at Hopkins actually seem to be -- if you can believe it -- happy.
Coming from diverse backgrounds and involved in a variety of different studies, many share an appreciation for the institution of which they're currently a member and a student -- and that's a good thing.
That's not to say, however, that the life of a grad student is without its fair share of challenges.
Jenn Zosh, a second-year grad student in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, misses her friends from the University of Delaware, where she studied psychology as an undergraduate student. She also said she wishes there were more hours in the day.
"The worst part is not having enough time to do everything that you would like to do," Zosh said. "There aren't 40 hours in a day. There doesn't seem to be enough time to attend classes and seminars, conduct research, read papers, be a teaching assistant, run experiments, analyze data and have a social life."
Other grad students also miss the camaraderie of the undergraduate experience.
"It's socially not as much fun as college," said Adam Ruben, a fifth-year biology grad student at Hopkins who previously attended Princeton University. "During college, you're going out and meeting new people, living on your own for the first time, staying up until all hours, having meaningful conversations or playing music. Grad school is kind of an involuntary step into a quieter life."
Despite this, Ruben still thinks attending grad school is "a good transitional step between college and real life. You work a full-time job, but you still get to do a few collegiate things."
Pete Levine, just starting his third year as a graduate student in the Writing Seminars department, has earned his M.A. from Johns Hopkins and is now working towards an M.F.A. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and worked in public relations and at Kraft Foods before attending Hopkins.
He said that the worst part about being a grad student is "the pay."
"Though, at the same time, very few fields are going to offer people like me money to do what I love to do the most," he said.
And what does he think is the best part? The "flexibility" of the job.
"We are here to work on our projects, and there aren't a lot of restrictions on how we do it," he said.
Levine also pointed out an additional perk -- the Rec Center.
"It's a pretty nice gym, and we don't pay anything for it," he said.
Even though the work is hard, tireless and often thankless -- and even though they are exposed to difficult challenges and unusual situations -- they're here for a reason.
"The program to which I'd applied is an excellent one, and they had an attractive financial arrangement," said Levine. "Also, the Homewood campus impressed me. I liked the quads, the quiet, the buildings, etc."
Ruben felt the same way.
"I was attracted by my department's flexibility and scope. Once in the biology department, you can try all kinds of labs, even some in other departments," he said.
Zosh is most appreciative of the resources and faculty. "The best part of being a grad student at Johns Hopkins is the resources and the faculty that are here," she said. "Having the top researches in the field all in one place makes it a terrific place to do research and grow as a student and researcher."
"The resources [at] Hopkins seem to be great. The services offered by the library are a huge help to anyone conducting research here," Zosh said.
While the opportunities for growth and learning are great for grad students at Hopkins, it does seem as if many miss the undergraduate experience.
"It is important to make the most of your time as an undergraduate and to appreciate the fact that all of your friends are within walking distance or right down the hall," Zosh said.
And Zosh has one final piece of advice for undergrads. "Make the most of your school and your experience here at Hopkins," she said.
Because, for all you know, you might soon be following in her footsteps.