Thread by @kylieeemac

The important topic of disability and grad school came up a few days ago. Here are my thoughts/advice based on my experiences so far:

#disabledSTEM

1/20

As you can imagine finding an open and understanding mentor is crucial. There need to be clear expectations from them AND you need to communicate what you expect from a mentor in response to your health. 2/20

Your expectations of them are key if you are having a spike in symptoms. They need to know the range of your limitations and how you plan to keep your work moving while you take more time/energy for your health. 3/20

So don’t be shy about speaking up when something is difficult for you so that your mentor is aware of your limitations and adjusts their expectations accordingly. If they can’t handle those discussions you want to learn that as early as possible (ideally rotation!!). 4/20

But remember, your PI isn’t disabled and may not have much exposure to your health experiences. Surrounding yourself with diverse mentors can help so that your PI doesn’t have to get the situation right away for you to feel supported. 5/20

Don’t forget the basics. Respect your body. What food you put in it, how much sleep you give it, exercise, relaxation, etc. consistency with the health factors you can control makes things much easier. 6/20

Know your triggers (physical and mental) and respect them to the best of your ability. If you know you have a stressful window coming up strategize reducing triggers and enhancing self care (ie: more sleep, more exercise/yoga/meditation, etc). 7/20

Have a list of quick fixes for both physical health and mood. For me simple things like a dance party by myself in my living room, or walking on the trails behind my apartment, or even just going and reading out in nature. 8/20

I like having a list written down (I grow the list as I notice little things that lift my spirits or relax me) so I can options to choose from when I’m having a hard day. These are the sorts of things that never come to mind when your having a heavy day. Trust the list! 9/20

Find something outside of lab that brings you joy or makes you feel capable!! Grad school is a wild mix of feeling proud/accomplished and like a complete idiot/imposter. Try art/creative past times, hiking, having books you read for fun, SciComm, going to meetups, etc. 10/20

Check in with yourself once a month to evaluate how your work flow is meshing with your health. Be honest and don’t get behind on making adjustments to accommodate yourself. 11/20

Don’t compare to other grad students. Your baseline list of concerns and considerations look different than theirs. Find #disabledSTEM people who you relate to and make you feel less alone in these experiences. 12/20

Allow yourself to unplug guilt-free when you don’t feel well. But have pre-planned parameters for this in case you experience worsening symptoms during a particularly hectic window or if you are experiencing disease progression. 13/20

Set appropriate boundaries with the people in your life outside of grad school in regards to time and energy spent. 14/20

Inform those who tend to take up the most time/energy that grad school is a priority and often a large time/energy commitment so you will have less to give for a few years. 15/20

Try counseling. Ask a handful of phd’s if they seemed counseling during their degree and often times you will get a handful of yes’s. This is hard for all of us, and you’re juggling act can get dialed up a bit harder at times. 16/20

Seek disability accomodations right away so that the paper work is established making it easier to access accomodations if you end up needing them. 17/20

Get a pet if you can swing it without adding more stress. I was never a cat person but wow has my cat enriched my life in these crucial years. 18/20

Don’t fear medical leave if it is necessary for you to take it, don’t let stigma/guilt keep you from prioritizing your well-being. Health issues do not mean you aren’t excelling in your program. 19/20

Grad school and disability can be a tough juggling act. Health comes first and your program will still be there for you to work when you are feeling up to it!! 20/20