Monday Motivation #69 (9/6/2021)

Happy Monday!

I moved to Ann Arbor the summer before I started graduate school, giving me several weeks to settle in and get to know my new campus and new research group before classes started. I was living by myself for the first time, in an apartment near North Campus where the engineering buildings were located.

My parents had loaned me their full-size, 11-passenger van to help with moving, and one afternoon I got inside this enormous vehicle to drive to Main Campus and drop off some paperwork. I had been to the graduate school building on Main Campus several times for activities, and since the administrative office I needed to visit was nearby I figured it would be a quick trip. I was wrong!

Somehow, I ended up in a left turn lane and found myself driving around the hospital campus. Ann Arbor is famous for one-way streets and oddly placed roadways, and I was soon lost in the maze of hospitals and clinics. Finally, after more than half an hour of tense navigation, I found myself back at the intersection where I’d originally turned left. This time, I turned right and headed back to my apartment to start the trip over.

My family now calls this “going back to Fuller Court” (the street I lived on), and uses this catchphrase to describe situations that have gotten so far off track that starting over is a good solution. I did eventually find the building I needed on Main Campus, by following the route to the graduate school that I’d mastered earlier and then figuring out the additional steps from there. Turning left the first time was a perfectly reasonable plan, and exploring new routes is a good way to gain experience. But it’s also important to recognize when you’re lost and need to start fresh.

That was a helpful lesson during my graduate studies, especially when my research wasn’t going according to plan. Taking a step back to re-evaluate the situation and consider alternative options helped me to refine my methods, identify new approaches, and sometimes realize that I was on a research road that wasn’t leading to the dissertation and it was time to change course. This week, I’m sharing some ideas and activities that may be helpful as you evaluate how far you’ve come already, and figure out where you’d like to end up by the end of this semester.

Katy

Three Things to Try This Week

Get Inspired — unexpected results and failed experiments aren’t always a problem; read about some of the discoveries that were made when investigations did not turn out as expected.

Get Organized — while it’s hard to predict and plan how research will turn out, it is possible to organize and structure research efforts to increase the likelihood of success. The difference between planning and organizing research is described in this article, while this post offers some practical suggestions for how to get back on track.

Get Advice — taking the time to consider wisdom shared by more experienced students may save you some struggles later on, while learning about the resources available to graduate students at MSU makes it easier to find support when you need it. Refresh your memory by spending a few minutes on the College’s graduate studies site and the Graduate School’s page.

More Resources

• The Graduate School is offering a series of virtual workshops in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) this academic year. Learn more and sign up here (the schedule is towards the end of the page — keep scrolling!).
• Fall is a great time to enjoy the many walking, biking, and hiking trails in the greater Lansing area. Find a new favorite here.
• If you’d like to contribute to campus efforts to understand the pandemic, consider volunteering to participate in the Early Detection Program (aka Spartan Spit). Everyone who comes to campus regularly this semester is eligible to sign up, and kits can be picked up and dropped off at locations across campus — including the Engineering Building. Learn more here.