confidence and science

[Hannah Dvorak]

In article <30h0i8$ctg at bbs.pnl.gov>, ca_mcallister at pnl.gov (Chrissy
McAllsiter) wrote:

> In article <30f1uf$bo8 at nermal.cs.uoguelph.ca>, sannis at uoguelph.ca (Seanna Annis) says:
> >
> >I really love this newsgroup !  I thought I was the only person who was 
> >nervous, insecure and tentative starting my Master's.  I could not 
> >believe what I had gotten myself into.  I am now completing my PhD, and 
> >my confidence, ability to speak up, and general disregard on nonsense 
> >from others have all increased.  I can't believe what a timid soul I 
> >was.  The confidence of learning new techniques and eventually getting 
> >them to work has rubbed off on my personality.  I still don't know if 
> >this happens for all women (or men) as grad students.  I have some 
> >friends who bailed out after or during Master's.  One friend in particular 
> >could not learn to take the failure of her experiments as something that 
> >sometimes just happens, rather than a personal failure.  I think learning 
> >that ability or discovering it has helped my personality.  I no longer 
> >feel the necessity to have everyone like me, accomodate people all the 
> >time, or most of all take the blame for things beyond my control.    
> >Though it has been a very long haul, I am really glad I went to grad 
> >school.   
> >Seanna    sannis at uoguelph.ca
> >  
> 
> Wow!  I, for one, am glad to hear someone say something like this.
> I am contemplating heading off to grad school next year, but sometimes
> feel overwhelmed by the thought of it.  Being in my present job, I have
> discovered an assertiveness in myself that I didn't know was there 
> (which is not the same as the arrogance I was talking about in my last
> post).  Seanna, do you have any advice for someone who is probably
> in a mental position somewhat similar to yours prior to going to
> grad school?
> 
> Chrissy McAllister
> ca_mcallister at pnl.gov