Grad student Memes

Posts tagged with Grad student

The True Definition Of 'Et Al.'

The True Definition Of 'Et Al.'
The scientific paper hierarchy in its natural habitat! The professor laughs maniacally while getting all the credit, while that wide-eyed grad student who spent 3 years in the lab, sacrificed weekends, and survived on ramen noodles gets demoted to "et al." – academic speak for "those other people who did everything but don't get their names on the PowerPoint slide." Next time you see "et al." in a citation, pour one out for the sleep-deprived souls behind the scenes. The scientific community's version of "and the rest" from Gilligan's Island theme song!

Quantum Mechanics Doesn't Apply To Grad Students

Quantum Mechanics Doesn't Apply To Grad Students
Physics textbooks: "Quantum mechanics only applies to tiny particles!" Meanwhile, grad students scattering themselves through the double-slit experiment after their 14th cup of coffee. The rules say I can't exist as both a wave and a particle, but my sleep-deprived brain begs to differ. Breaking physics one mental breakdown at a time!

The Silent Thermodynamic Guardian

The Silent Thermodynamic Guardian
Ever notice how those thermodynamic tables in the back of chemistry textbooks are printed on what must be military-grade paper? While chemistry majors peacefully snooze through their existential crises, some poor soul had to experimentally determine the Gibbs free energy of 4,827 different compounds at standard conditions. These unsung lab warriors literally set themselves on fire so you could skip that calculation and still pass Physical Chemistry. Next time you flip to those tables, pour one out for the graduate students who probably lost their eyebrows measuring the heat of formation of dinitrogen tetroxide.

The Mighty Arabidopsis: Tiny Plant, Enormous Research Pain

The Mighty Arabidopsis: Tiny Plant, Enormous Research Pain
Plant biologists cowering in fear before the mighty Arabidopsis? Yep, sounds about right. This little weed has terrorized grad students for decades. While other scientists get to work with charismatic megafauna or explosive chemicals, plant biologists are stuck begging this unassuming mustard relative to please, PLEASE germinate properly this time. It's the lab rat of the plant world—if lab rats had the power to crush your publication hopes with a single wilted leaf. The best part? After spending five years of your life studying it, nobody at family gatherings will have any idea what you're talking about. "No, Aunt Carol, I don't study 'arabi-whatsis' because I failed to get into medical school."