Contributor Shimi Rii

Shimi Rii’s peer-mentoring group. From left to right: Donn Viviani, Chris Schvarcz, Shimi Rii, Brenner Wai{credit}Credit: Dan Sadler {/credit}

Almost an hour had passed since my committee members had excused me from the room where I had just taken my PhD Qualifying Exam. It wasn’t a good sign. When my advisor finally appeared, I took one look into his eyes and the outcome was clear: I didn’t pass. As I left the building in a zombie-like state, my phone rang. It was a fellow PhD student who had taken her exam in the past year. She understood the complexity of my emotions at that moment, helped me analyse each question and answer as well as the psyches of each committee member, and she even cracked a few self-deprecating jokes to keep me from melting into a puddle of worthlessness.

Shortly after the failed exam, my advisor moved across the country and I contemplated quitting school. Thanks to many influential people in my life, I stayed, passed my second attempt at the exam, and was even awarded a fellowship. Now, when I’m asked about graduate school survival skills I emphatically claim, “go and find yourself a learning community.” Continue reading →