Things that are cool about getting a Ph.D. in Astrophysics:
- Hanging out with smart, interesting people
- Learning awesome facts about the universe and really trying to get your head around the reality of things that seem entirely fantastic
- Being paid to learn about something you find interesting
- Not working in the food and beverage industry (much as my two year stint at SBUX after college was good for me at the time)
- Motivating and wonderful teachers and advisors
an organization dedicated to righting the gender imbalance in astronomy
Things that are not cool about getting a Ph.D. in Astrophysics:
- Imposter Syndrome
- Feeling like there is not enough time to manage all of your obligations well
- Realizing that some classmates from your college graduating class already have incomes that are triple or quadruple yours, and that this probably won’t change with age
- Realizing how dismally odds are stacked against anyone starting out in this field ending up with a secure career in the field appropriate to their end education levels
- Unaware or unintentional sexists
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