Hardbound copies of my thesis were finally delivered the other day. I'd honestly forgotten about them when they came, and started playing, "Guess the Present" with the unopened package for a while - shaking it, feeling how heavy it was, reading all the words on the box, etc., after carrying it in from my doorstep. What a let-down when I opened the box.
Anyway, it's nice to see everything in print, looking professional. B and G agreed it's customary to send one copy to your thesis advisor, as a thank-you present, or something. I guess it's a tradition. But all the ones I'd seen on my advisor's shelves were printed paper copies held together by those plastic binder rings. Maybe his shelf is telling... how his "style" (if you can even call it style) of advising involves completely ignoring his students during their final six months or so prior to their defense because he has no advice or job contacts.
I will never forget the meeting he scheduled with me about six weeks before my defense. He began, "You have no job offers yet, so what is it you're doing wrong?"
He never even offered to keep me on as a postdoc, for financial security alone. I was unemployed for FOUR LONG MONTHS. No paychecks. Nothing. I had to buy my own health insurance. And I'm supposed to send this guy a bound copy of my thesis that cost me ~$100 to print?!
I just talked myself out of it. Thanks, Blogspot. The book's mine.
4 comments:
We got fancy hard-bound copies of our master's thesis. They smelled funny. Sorta like moldy dirt.
I remember meeting that advisor during a time a long time ago and how he told me that he'd help me get a job and how he was really great at supervising his students.
Makes me happy I didn't sign up with him. Guess it solidifies that the end results would be what it was. I always wondered if things would have been different had I picked who I was supposed to pick...since I went to that place solely for that person.
I remember that! And at C's house you were telling me that I don't have to ever worry - he will find me a job after 4 years.
Well, he didn't help me at all.
Also, did you know that *someone else* is getting ready to graduate this Fall? Without a job offer!
Let's count how many students graduated without job offers... add me, plus him, carry the one... that makes... ALL OF THEM!
This reminds me of some stuff that's happened recently at work. I think I'll blog about it.
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