It is that time of the year where many aspirants will be applying for grad school and tenure track positions. I just wanted to share some advice that I wish I had known when I was going through these things. [continued below]
Applicants are often ridden with self-doubt during these phases. I know I was. If I knew better, I would have trusted myself and my potential much more. So, let me say this out loud - Believe in yourself and your potential as you go through these processes.
Any outcome in life is not a true reflection of your abilities and potential. There is A LOT OF NOISE in all these decisions and you might get unusually lucky or unlucky.
If you achieve your desired outcome(s), do remember to remain humble and be kind to others who were not as lucky.
If you did not achieve your desired outcome(s), remind yourself that this is not the end of the world.
If you did not achieve your desired outcome(s), remind yourself that this is not the end of the world.
Life, at its core, is all about having a good time. So, learn to enjoy anything you do in life including the process of applying to grad schools and tenure track positions. If you achieve a lot on paper and hate your day to day life, you have already failed miserably by default.
You might encounter unpleasant situations, might have to deal with unpleasant feedback and people, don't let these bring you and your spirit down. Have self-care routines in place that will help you keep your sanity and passion for life intact.
I can't emphasize the importance of self-care enough. Please spend at least a little time each day doing things that you really really enjoy and are preferably unrelated to work. The goal of this is to make sure you are relaxing enough to feel excited about what you are doing.
Your emotional and physical health affect your performance. The happier you are mentally and the healthier you are physically, the more likely you are to do any given task well. So, give yourself time and permission to take care of your physical and mental health.
It is OK and actually very important to re-strategize as you go through the process. It is OK to decide you don't want to attend an interview you had committed to earlier (but please respect others time and effort and let them know this as soon as you can)!
I just want this advice to reach all those applicants who might need to hear it. So, please do retweet! @eredmil1 @roboticwrestler @red_abebe @mmitchell_ai @timnitGebru @srijankedia @ceobillionaire @2plus2make5 @jenheemstra @adityagrover_ @AnimaAnandkumar
@black_in_ai @wimlds @WiMLDS_Boston @francescadomin8 your followers might find the above thread interesting. Please RT if you think its useful.
