So I will to start with my favorite version of "what to expect when you're expecting" for new graduate students: "Some modest advice for graduate students" by Dr. Stephen C. Stearns.
Some of the talking points are a bit on the pessimistic side. (I am often accused of being a pessimist with a dark sense of humor - maybe that's why I like this article so much?). But I do think these points reflect the reality of the transition to grad school while avoiding the standard, boring list of suggestions/caveats.
1. Always Prepare for the Worst.
2. Nobody cares about you.
3. You Must Know Why Your Work is Important.
4. Psychological Problems are the Biggest Barrier.
5. Avoid Taking Lectures - They're Usually Inefficient.
6. Write a Proposal and Get It Criticized.
7. Manage Your Advisors.
8. Types of Theses.
9. Start Publishing Early.
10. Don't Look Down on a Master's Thesis.
11. Publish Regularly, But Not Too Much.
My 5 years at Wyoming (2 for MS and 3 so far for PhD) do not make me an expert on graduate school, but I have certainly experienced (un)avoidable failure and exciting success during the past several years, most of which is reflected in Dr. Stearns' list.
More on this soon (whenever I can't come up with anything else to post!).
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READING: Segarra et al. (2009) Coupling soil water and shoot dynamics in three grass species: A spatial stochastic model on water competition in Neotropical savanna. Ecological Modelling.
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