Academia-An anonymous Red Flag

Let’s take a break from talking about relationships, love and romance. Because if you think red flags just exist in relationships, then this writeup is for you. Do you know the dark secrets behind academia and how taunting it is to set up a career in this so called ‘revered’ sector? To me it feels a lot more like we are shifting to an era where science, scientific innovations, inventions, researches and discoveries are all taken for granted. Because, even today there are millions of science enthusiast, struggling with sacrificed lives to get noticed and accepted among a pool of people who run on treadmills from 9 to 5.

If you aren’t into research, I bet you wouldn’t understand the agonising pain that people in academia go through. It’s more like building blocks on cloud nine, knowing the risk that it might collapse any moment. More like facing failures almost everyday. And if you think that we get paid in millions for this, then I’m sorry. Because even after receiving a Doctorate a.k.a the most advanced degree in any field, the moment we step out into this world, our career is still a big question mark. For most firms, we are over-qualified and for a few of them, “Our research interest doesn’t really get along with yours”. And yet, we thrive to take baby steps in achieving our dreams. The sole reason for all of this being, “Our passion towards the subject” ( To me it’s biology, to be precise it’s Patho-biology).

https://www.verywellmind.com/10-red-flags-in-relationships-5194592

Here are a few unsaid list of red flags that academia/PhD career thrusts upon

1. In a relationship with your PhD, you always feel your existence questioned. Is this going to work? Is it worth all the time and risk? And of course, most of the time you’d feel isolated and alone, because, imagine a post-lunch journal reading session. I bet no relationship would leave you lost like this does.
2. Could there even be a more jealous partner than your PI? That person is going to constantly stay clingy. Keep asking for updates. Make sure you are focused. Share research papers, conferences (and sometimes bills/purchases) and whatnot.
3. And after all this you definitely are going to lose all contacts with friends and family. Because with the amount of pressure that a PhD degree thrusts, it’s almost always impossible to still remain a human.
4. Your personal space is no longer yours. It belongs with the lab, the scientist, the experiments, the sample and everything that drives you through the day. No matter if you are sleep or awake, this is going to keep coming back to you again and again. Because you volunteered for this.
5. Everyday during this period is going to be, “A walk of shame”. Because, everyone is going to make you feel a little more dumb. The friends that you shared benches with are all settled and moving ahead in life, where you’d feel staggered and stuck. And on top of this, your colleagues and Advisory committee is going to ask you such questions that all you’d wish would be for your heart to stop in the middle of the committee meeting. How guilt-struck and ashamed would you feel when someone just throws years and years of your work into trash stating, “Why did you even do this?”. Come on man, Do I look that dumb? Idk. Whatever.

Imagine coming face to face with failures almost every other day, because we don’t really know where we started, what is happening or where we are headed. This is how in reality our lives look like. So, next time you find an individual trying to build a career in academia, give them a thumbs up. Tell them they aren’t alone and it’s all okay because their contributions would all matter somewhere, if not here/today. If you have one in your family, just go give them a warm hug and a cup of coffee (Only because I want one right now, because my research work is just starting to scoop out my brain), also because we deserve so much love and respect.

And to all my fellow academicians, don’t worry. We are all through it. Maybe not together, but on different barques on the same sea. It would all matter someday, until then, keep believing and working.

Because your existence matters, so does your research! Cheers!