Saturday, February 18, 2012

Postdoc Blues

So I've been doing this postdoc thing for about 10 months now.  It's really surprising how different being a postdoc is from being a student - but that's a good thing!  It means I'm learning new things, unlike postdocs who are just data chugging like a cheap tech.  I've written a review, coauthored a few papers some of which didn't get outright rejected, reviewed papers, applied for a few fellowships and even got one, am mentoring students (I currently have an undergrad, a very needy master's student, and a rotating grad student), presenting at conferences, leading committees, am currently writing the skeleton of an R01 and am taking a class as required by my fellowship.  Oh yeah and producing (somewhat kickass) data.  That's a long fucking list and there just aren't enough hours in the day.  I am feeling overwhelmed to the point that I lost control of my normally publicly cool self and swore at the janky-ass lab printer.  Très professionnelle. 

How I feel most days
Of course, it doesn't help that recently there have been two deaths (one a family member, one a family friend) in as many weeks and yet another sinus infection.  Nonetheless, I need to find a way to balance out my responsibilities.  I'm not sure how to do that, but I do know that it's a skill that I will need to be successful down the tenure track.  But all I want to do is take a long nap.

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