Aarohan 2023

Neeldhara Misra  •  IIT Gandhinagar

Being a successful Grad Student

Aarohan 2023

Neeldhara Misra  •  IIT Gandhinagar

Being a successful Grad Student

...from the Windows on Theory Blog

〞

Nobody can give you wiser advice than yourself.

– Marcus Tullius Cicero

The Balancing Acts

Act I

Breadth
V/s
Depth

Act I

Breadth
V/s
Depth

Act I

inadequately prepared
V/s
Depth

Act I

Breadth
V/s
Depth

Act I

Breadth
V/s
no big picture

Act I

Breadth
V/s
DEPTH

It helps to be organised*.

To avoid overwhelm, work backwards from how much time you have. (c.f. time blocking)

〞

Philosophers are people who know less and less about more and more, until they know nothing about everything.

Scientists are people who know more and more about less and less, until they know everything about nothing.

– Konrad Lorenz

phdcomics

Act II

Perseverence
V/s
Pivoting

Act II

Perseverence
V/s
Pivoting

Act II

stubborness
V/s
Pivoting

Act II

Perseverance
V/s
Pivoting

Act II

Perseverance
V/s
impatience

Act II

Perseverance
V/s
PIVOTING

Knowing when to quit is not easy.

Guidance + Intuition + Luck

〞

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There’s no use being a damn fool about it.

– Anonymous

Act III

Saying yes
V/s
saying no

Act III

Saying yes
V/s
saying no

Act III

overcommitted
V/s
saying no

Act III

saying yes
V/s
saying no

Act III

saying yes
V/s
miss opportunities

Act III

saying yes
V/s
SAY NO

It helps to know your priorities!

〞

If you’re not saying “HELL YEAH!” about something, say no.

– Derek Sivers

Act IV

Perfect
V/s
good enough

Act IV

Perfect
V/s
good enough

Act IV

it never gets done
V/s
good enough

Act IV

Perfect
V/s
good enough

Act IV

Perfect
V/s
careless :(

Act IV

Perfect
V/s
good enough

Know your temperament, and fine-tune if it is extreme.
Use external feedback to help with calibration.

〞

Perfect is the enemy of good.

– Proverb

Act V

Brooding
V/s
asking

Act V

Brooding
V/s
asking

Act V

Stuck & lonely
V/s
asking

Act V

Brooding
V/s
asking

Act V

Brooding
V/s
Lazy

Act V

Brooding
V/s
asking

Don't be afraid of doing your homework.
Equally, don't be afraid of asking.

Act V

Brooding
V/s
asking

Also: break things down &

celebrate small wins!

〞

How would you know well if you don't ask at all?

How would you ask well if you don't know at all?

– Martin Uzochukwu Ugwu

Act VI

Reading
V/s
Writing

Act VI

Reading
V/s
Writing

Act VI

aren't writing enough
V/s
Writing

Act VI

READING
V/s
Writing

Act VI

READING
V/s
AREN't READING Enough

Act VI

READING
V/s
Reinventing the wheel

Act VI

READING
V/s
fundamentals unclear

Act VI

Reading
V/s
Writing

The notion of a desirable proportion isn't an universal constant - and will be very contextual.

Practice both skills often early on, you'll need them all in varying degrees as you go along.

〞

I kept always two books in my pocket, one to read, one to write in.

– Robert Louis Stevenson

Act VII

luck
V/s
Work

Act VII

Luck
V/s
Work

Act VII

you have no motivation
V/s
Work

Act VII

to put in the work
V/s
Work

Act VII

& rely on eureka moments
V/s
Work

Act VII

LUCK
V/s
Work

Act VII

LUCK
V/s
failures are disappointing

Act VII

LUCK
V/s
since you take the blame

Act VII

Luck
V/s
Work

Your hard work is necessary but not sufficient.

It's good to recognise that luck is a non-zero factor in "success".

Also: there's no replacement for a solid work ethic!

〞

Not many people have had as much bad luck as I have, but not many people have had as much good luck, either.

– Tig Notaro

Act VIII

Organization
V/s
Chaos

Act VIII

Organization
V/s
Chaos

Act VIII

distracted by planning
V/s
Chaos

Act VIII

organization
V/s
Chaos

Act VIII

organization
V/s
inefficient

Act VIII

ORGANIZATION
V/s
Chaos

Leverage your natural temperament,

but if you are consistently frustrated, explore

developing the habits you need for your situation.

All you see is clutter... however.

Act iX

journey
V/s
destination

Act iX

journey
V/s
destination

Act iX

lose focus
V/s
destination

Act iX

Journey
V/s
miss the fun!

Act iX

Journey
V/s
destination

Act iX

journey
V/s
destination

Your big goals are the North Star.

Look up at the sky every so often to be sure you're on track.

But for the most part, don't forget to be present through the journey!

〞

When we make staying focused on the process our real goal, we experience a sense of success in every moment.

〞

The Summit is what drives us, but the climb itself is what matters.

– Conrad Anker

Act X

Quality
V/s
Quantity

Act X

Quality
V/s
Quantity

High quality with non-zero quantity is generally OK.

High quantity with moderate quality may or may not be optimal.

Also: fairly contextual. Find out what makes sense in your field.

Check out the replies here.

Some more pointers here.

Imagine a circle that contains all of human knowledge:

This is The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D., created by Matt Might,
a professor in Computer Science at the University of Utah.

[Matt has licensed the guide for sharing with special terms under the Creative Commons license.]

By the time you finish high school, you know a bit more:

This is The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D., created by Matt Might,
a professor in Computer Science at the University of Utah.

[Matt has licensed the guide for sharing with special terms under the Creative Commons license.]

With a bachelor's degree, you gain a specialty:

This is The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D., created by Matt Might,
a professor in Computer Science at the University of Utah.

[Matt has licensed the guide for sharing with special terms under the Creative Commons license.]

A master's degree deepens that specialty:

This is The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D., created by Matt Might,
a professor in Computer Science at the University of Utah.

[Matt has licensed the guide for sharing with special terms under the Creative Commons license.]

A master's degree deepens that specialty:

This is The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D., created by Matt Might,
a professor in Computer Science at the University of Utah.

[Matt has licensed the guide for sharing with special terms under the Creative Commons license.]

Reading research papers takes you to the edge of human knowledge:

This is The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D., created by Matt Might,
a professor in Computer Science at the University of Utah.

[Matt has licensed the guide for sharing with special terms under the Creative Commons license.]

Once you're at the boundary, you focus:

This is The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D., created by Matt Might,
a professor in Computer Science at the University of Utah.

[Matt has licensed the guide for sharing with special terms under the Creative Commons license.]

You push at the boundary for a few years:

This is The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D., created by Matt Might,
a professor in Computer Science at the University of Utah.

[Matt has licensed the guide for sharing with special terms under the Creative Commons license.]

Until one day, the boundary gives way:

This is The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D., created by Matt Might,
a professor in Computer Science at the University of Utah.

[Matt has licensed the guide for sharing with special terms under the Creative Commons license.]

And, that dent you've made is called a Ph.D.:

This is The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D., created by Matt Might,
a professor in Computer Science at the University of Utah.

[Matt has licensed the guide for sharing with special terms under the Creative Commons license.]

Of course, the world looks different to you now:

This is The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D., created by Matt Might,
a professor in Computer Science at the University of Utah.

[Matt has licensed the guide for sharing with special terms under the Creative Commons license.]

So, don't forget the bigger picture:

This is The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D., created by Matt Might,
a professor in Computer Science at the University of Utah.

[Matt has licensed the guide for sharing with special terms under the Creative Commons license.]

This is The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D., created by Matt Might,
a professor in Computer Science at the University of Utah.

[Matt has licensed the guide for sharing with special terms under the Creative Commons license.]

Keep pushing.