My favorite part of grad school is avoiding what needs to get done by any means possible. Currently, that means binge watching Parks and Rec for the millionth time. The struggles these lovable characters face are just too real for a grad student like myself. From Leslie to Tom, the Parks folks get what its like to be overwhelmed, under prepared, and constantly stressed.
1. When your friend asks why you missed class:
Because nothings worse than sitting through class without your bestie.
2. When you didn’t do the reading but you contribute in class and your professor praises your insight:
There's a certain kind of high one gets when they sound smart with absolutely no preparation.
3. When you start to question if you picked the right profession:![]()
Everyone hits that point when you start to realize what you've gotten yourself into, and start to question if this is the right path.
4. When anyone asks how grad school is going:![]()
Smiling takes an energy I haven't possessed since the first week of classes.
5. When that one kid won’t stop asking irrelevant questions in class and you can't contain yourself any longer:
You know when you start to whisper louder and louder about how annoying that one classmate is and your friends start giving you that "oh no" look because your discontent isn't so quiet anymore.
6. When classmates are arguing and turn to you for help:
Because you have your own problems to attend to
7. Your go-to response when you don't know the answer to a question the professor ask:
Time to skim for words that will make it sound like you have any idea what you're talking about.
8. When you don’t know how you’re ever going to get through a reading for class:
Luckily a glass of wine pairs nicely with a reading you won't remember in the morning anyways...
9. When a classmate raises their hand while you're talking so they can say how wrong you are:
Just don't be that person. Ok?
10. When you come to class dressed up for an interview:
11. When your classmates talk about getting their work published:
12. When a classmate tries to talk about something they know nothing about:
...and you try to stay quiet...
...but you just can't:
13. Waking up after a night of drinking like:
...and then doing it again the next weekend...
14. When you get assigned a partner for group work:
Group work will forever be the bane of my existence.
15. Trying to talk to potential employers at a networking event:
Nothing like having your professional future rely on forced conversations with strangers!
16. When you haven’t hit the minimum page or word requirement yet:
Word counts should die a fiery death.
17. When you bomb a paper and question your entire life:
Riddles are super fun...
18. When your professor is about as engaging as a wall:
19. When you're desperately just trying to make it through to the end of the semester:
It's fine. Everything's fine.
20. So sometimes you just have to...
I deserve this entire pizza and venti frappe.
21. When you finally graduate and get to see your friends and family again:
I don't know if I remember what my brother looks like anymore...
22. But they then ask you what your plans for your future are:
How bout we not talk about the thousands of dollars I just spent on this degree?
