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Nicole Lee Schroeder, PhD

23 Sep, 8 tweets, 2 min read

If you're an undergrad and you've never been to office hours please please please just go. Just go. Tomorrow. Book a meeting online with your prof or show up. You don't need to be struggling to go. And if you're struggling you should definitely go. 1/8

It might seem super intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. And it's time that YOU are already paying for. It's your time to come get help, to talk about career plans, or to ask any questions you might have about my profession. Here's what usually happens in office hours: 2/8

Scenario 1: A student comes in and admits they're struggling with a class concept - we strategize about how to solve the problem. And they leave my office with an email full of resources they can use to work on the issue they're having in class. 3/8

Scenario 2: a student comes in and tells me that they're struggling with bigger issues outside of class. I make sure they know about the services on campus and locally that can help. And I make sure to help the student start an action plan to secure help. 4/8

Scenario 3: a student comes in to talk about specific career choices. I lay out whatever I know about the field and its requirements (whether that's more schooling or certification or other requirements). The student leaves with a better idea about what's out there. 5/8

Scenario 4: a student comes in to ask about careers in history. We chat about museum work and education and public history and library studies and every other intersection that I think might interest them. They leave with some tips on approaching the job market. 6/8

It doesn't have to be overwhelming or scary. Office hours are there to benefit YOU in whatever way you might need help. And if you ARE struggling in the course, it's so much easier to go in and get resources before falling further behind. 7/8

Your prof will not think less of you. They will not make fun of you. They will not judge you. Office hours are there so we can provide help. And getting to know you better in office hours gives us the info we need to write letters of rec for you. 8/8 #AcademicChatter #HigherEd

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More from @Nicole_Lee_Sch

Nicole Lee Schroeder, PhD

@Nicole_Lee_Sch

17 Sep

I was only able to move to my postdoc because I lived with my parents, rent free, for the past year. Having a job lined up in April didn't help me get through the summer, having a home did. I worked a side job all summer but still wouldn't have been able to make rent 1/10

And medical costs. Instead, living at home allowed me to pay off about 10K in undergrad loans. And it allowed me to pay for my medical costs, which under student health cap at 11K a year. 2/10

Over the summer I had to buy secondary health insurance to cover a two week gap btw plans - two weeks cost $400. Bc you can't buy short term insurance if you're disabled, and you have to buy a full month of coverage. 3/10

Read 10 tweets

Nicole Lee Schroeder, PhD

@Nicole_Lee_Sch

10 Sep

This term I'm realizing a lot of students in the liberal arts aren't sure how to/aren't comfortable with reading academic articles, books, etc. But this is vital! So here's a thread. 1/10

I just want to start by saying I remember crying over my workload at Colgate because as a first generation student, and a chronically ill/disabled student, I was totally overwhelmed by the page counts I was expected to read. 2/10

Now I know that I should have been skimming. And I should have been taking thoughtful notes, using notetaking software, that I could use to build a personal archive of content. 3/10

Read 10 tweets

Nicole Lee Schroeder, PhD

@Nicole_Lee_Sch

2 Aug

I've been getting a lot of media outreach lately from journalists, which is wonderful, but I want to be explicitly clear about my background and my advocacy work. 1/5

I am happy to talk about my particular disabilities (EDS, MCAS, Arnold Chiari Malformation, orthostatic intolerance) and all that comes with being disabled/chronically ill. 2/5

I'm also happy to talk about the history of medicine and disability history. And always delighted to discuss accessibility in higher ed, disability community building, and what measures we can take to ensure equitable access to college. 3/5

Read 5 tweets

Nicole Lee Schroeder, PhD

@Nicole_Lee_Sch

29 Jul

My mom couldn't believe that I haven't met the work credits for Disability (SSDI) despite working for over a decade in the US. I logged onto my Social Security portal to show her I'm short on credits. 1/4

My five and a half years in graduate school don't count as "work" because I wasn't an "employee." This is something that grad school robs away from graduate student workers. I worked 60 hours most weeks, taking on multiple part time jobs just to supplement my stipend. 2/4

Regardless, in the eyes of the govt I didn't work full time during that period, and apparently I didn't work nearly enough. This is why student unions matter. This is why labor negotiations matter. This is why higher ed reform matters. 3/4

Read 4 tweets

Nicole Lee Schroeder, PhD

@Nicole_Lee_Sch

17 Jul

My parents were checking their retirement benefits today so I signed onto the Social Security website to check my own benefits. I don't even have enough work credits to apply for disability, all because I chose to do a PhD. 1/8

I've worked at least 2 jobs, oftentimes 3 at a time, since I turned 16. I've made myself so much more sick than I would be, just to scrape by. And I'm faced with the fact that I can give and give and give to the academy and it will give nothing back. 2/8

I worked at McDonalds at age 18 because I thought I "needed" to do an unpaid internship to get into grad school. I couldn't afford my car or my professional work wear, so I worked 40 hours a week at the American Antiquarian Society, and 20 at McDonalds. 3/8

Read 8 tweets

Nicole Lee Schroeder, PhD

@Nicole_Lee_Sch

16 Jul

In less than a month I'm moving to start my new postdoc. And I'm just not ready to be visibly disabled in public again. For years I struggled with my cane and my neck brace and the unrelenting stares and nosy questions of strangers. 1/7

During the pandemic I could brace at home without the weight of those looks. I could accommodate myself well enough that I didn't need my cane and I could rest my hypermobile joints more throughout the workday. 2/7

It is crushing to be stared at all the time when you're in public. And I know people don't even realize they're doing it, but it makes me feel so unsafe. As a woman, I already feel unsafe in the wider world. But my mobility devices add another layer of paranoia. 3/7

Read 7 tweets

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