Random Raves : Let us eat cake

[salty mud]

Second year of university almost complete. Just my final (and possibly hardest) year to go and then I'm officially an educated man.

 

[Borachio]

And then your education truly begins?

 

[salty mud]

If by that you mean stalling the inevitable having to get a job and enrolling onto a Master's degree course, yes.

 

[Borachio]

I wonder who will be the first to spend their entire lives in full-time education.

 

[cybrxkhan]

I wonder who will be the first to spend their entire lives in full-time education.

My aunt spent almost her entire life in full-time education, until very recently when she realized she wasn't getting anything out of it (or, rather, the uni didn't approve of her phd thesis or something and she was pretty stubborn so they just compromised and gave her a masters). She's close to 50 now, has quite a bit of debt, is unmarried and will likely continue to be unmarried now given she's starting to not be attractive anymore (she used to get hit on by guys my age), and generally it's not that pleasant

I won't repeat her mistakes, at any rate.

 

[Borachio]

Oh, I don't know. I've met some very attractive women in their 50s. I think it's a good age to be: you're finally no longer interested in proving things to other people, or yourself.

Mind you, it's possible to be totally unattractive at any age, including 50. I think it's more a matter of manner than appearance.

 

[azzaman333]

If by that you mean stalling the inevitable having to get a job and enrolling onto a Master's degree course, yes.

Go a PhD, it's what the cool kids are doing.

 

[salty mud]

Go a PhD, it's what the cool kids are doing.

I am considering it. It's a lot of hard work though, and some say the benefits don't outweigh the stress and four years worth of work. If I find a PhD I am truly interested in and dedicated to though, I would certainly consider it.

 

[Antilogic]

I am considering it. It's a lot of hard work though, and some say the benefits don't outweigh the stress and four years worth of work. If I find a PhD I am truly interested in and dedicated to though, I would certainly consider it.

Dude, no.

Just don't.

It's horrible.

And it's not always four years.

They lie.

 

[Kennigit]

I always thought it is typically 5-6. Though I guess the years are a bit ambiguous since some folks get a masters "along the way" so to speak, when really it is just going through doctoral program (so it is segmented like 2 years for master 4 for Ph.D., but it's really a 6 year Ph.D. and "paperwork" to get the masters).

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

Awww shucks guys I'm blushing. The amount of times I've clicked on the site to log on and backed out, just because I felt like a useless piece of you know what......I blew a small fortune and my mega awesome USA trip became a pipe dream. But thank God with the help of my brother I did JUST manage to complete one thing. I just got back yesterday from 5 weeks in Bali where we built this. I spent the first week in bed lol and I'm out the other side fitter, healthier and happier than ever. Hell I might even be in love lol.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[salty mud]

Dude, no.

Just don't.

It's horrible.

And it's not always four years.

They lie.

Care to share? Did you finish your PhD?

 

[cybrxkhan]

Oh, I don't know. I've met some very attractive women in their 50s. I think it's a good age to be: you're finally no longer interested in proving things to other people, or yourself.

Mind you, it's possible to be totally unattractive at any age, including 50. I think it's more a matter of manner than appearance.

In my aunts case I suppose it's more "not as attractive as she once was" rather than "suddenly became an ugly old hag", or perhaps more rather "can't look like her own daughter anymore" because seriously a few years ago with some strategic usage of make-up and such she could pass off as my age. It helps that she's intelligent and has a certain charisma, so guys my age would swarm over her.

To be honest I'll agree with you, I don't think it matters much as she's smart and charming, I guess in a way that some guys like, she's the kind that would know how to push the right buttons on a guy. It's more that she herself can't get over the fact that she's just old, even though there's nothing to be ashamed of.

Dude, no.

Just don't.

It's horrible.

And it's not always four years.

They lie.

Can you believe I used to think people could easily get PhDs in two years on average?

 

[SamSniped]

Random question, but where did VRWC/bhsup disappear to? Haven't seen him in forever.

 

[Borachio]

He just got fed up one day (with being misinterpreted, or something, I think), said he'd had enough and went.

Which is a shame, as I thought he was very likeable.

 

[Antilogic]

Care to share? Did you finish your PhD?

Not yet, but I hope to this year.

If I'm being a bit more serious, you are going to find that, depending on the field, as many doors are going to close up for you as open up. Unless you are dying to go to academia, you don't need a Ph.D. Oh, and if you want to go into academia, you might have to do a post-doc between your thesis and becoming a professor, which is another 1-3 years off your life slaving away.

Master's is generally all you need, and on average you will make more money over your lifetime with a master's degree because there isn't that much of a jump up to Ph.D. pay and you get set back several years doing it. Also, you don't have free time, your standard of living is generally sucky, and you get to watch all your friends be real adults while you waste away. Maybe my experience has just been uniquely terrible, I don't know. But I don't recommend it, and I would have picked differently years ago had I known what I know now.

Can you believe I used to think people could easily get PhDs in two years on average?

I wish.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I am considering it. It's a lot of hard work though, and some say the benefits don't outweigh the stress and four years worth of work. If I find a PhD I am truly interested in and dedicated to though, I would certainly consider it.

Everything Anti said especially about doors closing - getting a PhD without work experience can lock you into an academic career you may not want.

Plus, unless your life goal is to be a professor, you probably are not qualified to make that life decision this early. Wait till senior year to truly consider it, though if you think it's something you might want to do, it doesn't hurt to start pursuing paid research positions on campus.

 

[GamezRule]

Just finished my first year of college.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Random question, but where did VRWC/bhsup disappear to? Haven't seen him in forever.

He just got fed up one day (with being misinterpreted, or something, I think), said he'd had enough and went.

Which is a shame, as I thought he was very likeable.

He does this from time to time, he will be back.

At least he announced his absence unlike some other po....

ZOMG rLf!!!!

Glad you are back and much relieved, I was genuinely worried about you.

 

[Camikaze]

Moderator Action: Moved some posts from the Comings & Goings thread - please read the rules of that thread.