Name One Thing: Advice for graduate students from those who’ve been there.
Welcome to Name One Thing the interview series where I ask academics, researchers, postdocs, and other professionals what they wished they’d known when they were in in graduate school. Today’s guest is Dr. Alex MacDonald, a recent graduate student and postdoctoral researcher, who shares his perspective on toxic productivity, maintaining balance and well-being, and gaining perspective in graduate school.
About Today’s Guest
Name: Dr. Alexander MacDonald
Degree: Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering
Current role: Postdoctoral Researcher
1) Name one thing you wish someone had told you when you were a graduate student.
Graduate school can be a very lonely and stressful place, and the loneliness and stress can make the mind develop some pretty weird beliefs that are out of touch with reality. Keep an eye out for these beliefs and nip them in the bud when they show up. They share the common architecture of having unrealistic and contradictory standards that stack the deck against you. Beliefs like “if you are not exhausted, it means you are not working hard enough”, or “a career in academia is the only form of success there is”. I think the worst of these beliefs is “your entire self-worth as an individual resides solely on your performance as a researcher”. Don’t believe this garbage. If you made it as far as graduate school, it means that you are a passionate, intelligent, driven, resourceful individual who has a lot more going for them besides just being good at school. Even if you think you are underperforming as a researcher in graduate school—which you are most likely not—remember that you are a valuable multifaceted individual with a lot of good to offer those around you.
2) Hindsight is 20/20, name one thing you would do differently in graduate school.
As trite as it might sound, I would have taken better care of my physical health. Time does not stand still in graduate school, and if you don’t take care of your physical health, no one else will do it for you. I have learned the hard way that with physical fitness comes emotional fitness, and I definitely needed more of that in graduate school. A little bit of exercise goes a long way. Find some sort of physical activity that makes you feel good and is good for you. Your body and your mind will thank you for it.
3) You are a big proponent of coaching and, in fact, have coaches for other areas of your life. Name one thing coaching has helped you with.
I think what coaching has helped me the most is to gain perspective. Oftentimes, I will stress about something, and after talking about it with my coach, they make me realize I am making a storm in a teacup just because of the way I am looking at the situation. Gaining perspective often comes in the form of getting clarity on my real goals and priorities. It makes a huge difference to be able to get guidance from a professional who has been through what you are going through, who has helped others in a similar situation, and who can give you perspective on what the road ahead looks like.
Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, Dr. MacDonald! Toxic productivity saturates graduate school and self-care is so often sacrificed in the name of productivity. Your reminder of the importance of keeping in balance is a vital nudge in our hectic world! Thanks also for sharing the benefits you receive from coaching. I may be biased but I wholeheartedly agree. Even coaches have coaches!
Wishing You All the Best in Your Academic Success.
–Dr. Cristie Glasheen, Your Graduate Student Success Coach.
Admissions Coaching
Applying to graduate school? Want to maximize your chances for success? Check out our admissions coaching services. From strategy through acceptance, we’re with you every step of the way.
Master’s Degree Coaching
Want help earning your Master’s Degree? We can teach you everything from academic writing skills, to studying smarter not harder, to improved time management and productivity.
Ph.D. Coaching
Earning a Ph.D. or Professional Degree? Stressed to the max and not getting the support you need from your advisor? We can help! Just click the big pink button. It’s okay, we know you want to.
Master Academic Writing
Our unique document review services are part masterclass in writing, part editing service. We review your document with a critical eye and provide you with real feedback that you can apply to all of your academic writing.
I.M., Ph.D. in Economics
What’s been the most helpful? “It has been useful to look at problems from a different/more helpful perspective. I like that I have been able to work on my thesis sustainably without burning out, considering that I have a full-time job. I usually feel very motivated to work on my thesis after the meeting with Cristie, and having weekly meetings helps me be accountable and drastically reduce my procrastination. I also really appreciate the knowledge sharing of resources and the work smarter, not harder approach (e.g. AI suggestions, Andy Stapleton videos, Focusmate, programs that help with identifying duplicates, etc).”
S.C., Professional Development Coaching
It’s so very evident how much Dr. Cristie cares about my progress and successes. It gets me through the hard days knowing how much she is genuinely routing for me. She’s gone out of her way to be responsive and supportive and help me get past the blocks I kept running into. She really did help get me unstuck and now I’m staying that way.
K.G., Ph.D. Public Health
Just got this in my email – [Dissertation] Approved with no restrictions! THANKS, COACH!
A.M., PhD Student, Economics
Successfully submitted my online [grant] application! It was an unknown journey for me, but what I now do know is that it was possible greatly thanks to you. So thank you so much!
T.N., PhD. Evolutionary Biology
I’m a doctor!!! Wooo! The presentation went well […]. Thanks so much for all of your help getting to this point! I really appreciate it!
Alex, Ph.D. Environmental Science
Having Cristie as a coach was one of the best investments I made in graduate school. Period. She was instrumental in helping me pass my comprehensive exam and finish my research proposal, all while giving me the tools to manage two other projects I was juggling at the time. Despite being laser-focused and results-driven in helping me achieve my academic outcomes, Cristie is also very human and reminded me that graduate school is more than just academics and that you have to make time for yourself and for fun stuff.
G.G., Ph.D. Bioinformatics
I just wanted to let you know I successfully defended and will be graduating in a couple weeks!
Thank you again for all your help […]!
A.M., Postdoc, Atmospheric Science
Hi Cristie, I just wanted to let you know that I finished my presentation on time… one day ahead of schedule! That’s a first for me. Thank you for your help keeping me on track with our coaching sessions!
H.N., Masters in Public Health
Just want to appreciate the incredible Cristie and how wonderful of a mentor she is. I’d want to be your student and to learn from you over and over again! There’s absolutely no one half as good as you’re. Thank you for being a part of my journey. My heart is SO full now that I’m done with my degree and I reflect on the huge role that you played in making it true. What a gem!
F.N., Ph.D. in Environmental Economics
What’s been the most helpful? “Breaking down tasks that overwhelm me. Navigating many difficult decisions that are crucial towards achieving my PhD. Getting feedback on my work. And tracking the work in progress which is often invisible.”
“I think Dr. Cristie does an amazing job. I have tried the free coaching provided by my institution and I would rather pay Dr. Cristie.”
A.S., Ph.D. Candidate, Industrial/Organizational Psychology
I PASSED [the oral comprehensive exams]. Thank you so so so so so much! I could not have done this without you! [redacted for privacy] I can’t believe it’s over […] The beginning of the end is finally here! I’m so happy!!!
A.S., Ph.D. Public Health
Finished! My dissertation was defended on 01-July and I am an official Ph.D.! What an incredible journey. I am so grateful for our interactions and still apply [your] lessons in life.
K.H., Doctor of Physical Therapy Student
It has been a crazy semester but it is going really well. Just finished 2 of my courses and feel really good about them. I feel like I have been able to use so much from working with you the last year to make this semester go amazing.
M.H., Ph.D. Toxicology
Dr. Glasheen! I passed with barely any revisions requested of me. I am able to submit my dissertation tomorrow morning […]!
Thank you for all your help!
A.S., Ph.D. Epidemiology
I don’t know how other people who are balancing work and family manage to finish their dissertations without a coach, but I am so glad [other client] told me about you. This was the best decision I could’ve made. I’m so thankful.
R.H., Admissions Coaching for Master’s Higher Education Admin
“Hi Dr. Cristie! (…)
I’m happy to report I got into all the programs I applied for!
- [Redacted] University: fully funded, plus $24,000 stipend & health care (…)
- University of [Redacted]: no scholarship offered, did not apply for GA positions.
- [Redacted] University: offered 50% tuition, GA position offered up to 66% tuition. (…)”
*Some content redacted for privacy.
Interview Disclaimer
We aim to share diverse perspectives and experiences. The views, opinions, and experiences shared by our guests in this interview series are solely their own. Their participation is not an endorsement of our services, products, or views, nor does it imply an endorsement of their services, products, or views by us.
Related
