PhD ruined relations with childhood family/friends
No.11632343 ViewReplyOriginalReport
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>Be me, an engineer.
>Moved from southern Christian suburbia to pursue an engineering PhD at a top 3 institute.
>Working on an awesome thesis in nanotech.
>Get along great with advisor and labmates, finally surrounded by like-minded people.
>Publish lots of papers.
>Visit home for Christmas 3 years ago, Grandpa asks at dinner table, "So Anon, watcha doing these days?"
>I explain my thesis in layman's terms, everyone looks at me like a deer in headlights. Aunt and uncle ask if I'm "okay".
>Highschool GF is angry, leaves early.
>Parents cry later than evening, asking me to "get help"
>"Anon, this isn't healthy, you don't need to live with mental illness"
>Texts and calls from highschool GF and friends: "Hope you're feeling better..." "Dude, are you okay?" Etc...
>WTF?
>Family and highschool friends/girlfriend are constantly concerned with my "obsession".
>Parents: "Anon, we feel like we need to tell you that you're having delusions of grandeur, no one cares about that thesis topic."
>Rumors: "Anon moved out of town and is going crazy"
>Highschool GF: "SNAP OUT OF IT ANON"
>Moved from southern Christian suburbia to pursue an engineering PhD at a top 3 institute.
>Working on an awesome thesis in nanotech.
>Get along great with advisor and labmates, finally surrounded by like-minded people.
>Publish lots of papers.
>Visit home for Christmas 3 years ago, Grandpa asks at dinner table, "So Anon, watcha doing these days?"
>I explain my thesis in layman's terms, everyone looks at me like a deer in headlights. Aunt and uncle ask if I'm "okay".
>Highschool GF is angry, leaves early.
>Parents cry later than evening, asking me to "get help"
>"Anon, this isn't healthy, you don't need to live with mental illness"
>Texts and calls from highschool GF and friends: "Hope you're feeling better..." "Dude, are you okay?" Etc...
>WTF?
>Family and highschool friends/girlfriend are constantly concerned with my "obsession".
>Parents: "Anon, we feel like we need to tell you that you're having delusions of grandeur, no one cares about that thesis topic."
>Rumors: "Anon moved out of town and is going crazy"
>Highschool GF: "SNAP OUT OF IT ANON"
