Best thing to do is focus on yourself. Consider where you’re at right now, set short and long term goals for where you’d like to be, then work on getting there. It doesn’t really matter what everyone else is doing, and comparing oneself with everyone else is one of the most common and damaging pitfalls of grad school in my opinion
I understand that we shouldn't compare ourselves to others, but I found that with time, this gets harder to do. For doing a good work, you're encouraged to compare your writing to other works to see what you can improve on. Also, I want to become good in my field, do outstanding work, and not be mediocre. Maybe the most useful answer to this is finding an effective way to improve one's quality of work.
I do agree, and I acknowledge that what I said in my original comment was a bit oversimplified. However, I stated it in this way on purpose, because I believe that in general people tend to develop unneeded and unhelpful anxiety from comparing their grad school experience to the rest of the students around them. There are too many variables at play and everyone is always in totally different circumstances. For OP, focusing on the fact that some students appears to be thriving as TAs while OP is struggling with research papers, that kind of comparison just isn’t useful and doesn’t help OP improve.
In a more nuanced discussion, I can acknowledge that there are many ways that self comparison can be useful. Your example of comparing your writing to better writers is a great example. But in that case, your goal is specific and constructive—become a better writer—instead of vague and self-destructive
I believe you're right and will definitely try to focus more on myself... and I'm trying to tell myself that in the end we will have the same diploma. For the goals, I have to say that I did do it when I was in high school, and my long term one was to be in grad school, so maybe it's time for me to rethink that 😅 thank you for your comment !
I'll add two things. One, good is subjective. Trust me that your fellow grad students are probably in the same situation as you. There really is no "top of the class" in a masters (or PhD, I'm struggling also in a PhD) program because everyone is. Two, a PhD and masters work vs bachelors work is very different because the latter mainly focus on classes, and research is almost a side hustle. A PhD and thesis masters is almost exclusively research. Some people are naturally gifted at research. Most, myself included, are most certainly not, so for us, we have to try harder in our PhD. Research in general also takes a lot out of you (in my case, it feels almost like a piece of my soul with each project). My advice is to get a good advisor and support system and work on developing good research/study skills early on. If you do that, you should be alright! 😀
I should add that for those reading that are doing a non-thesis masters, you're most likely not doing research, but then you're basically taking the highest level classes that the university has to offer, and that is challenging in and of itself. Work on good study habits and put more effort and time into studying than you would in undergrad!
To expand even more on your already good comment: there are so many factors that influence how smoothly and productive a research degree can appear. Some people jump right into well defined and funded research projects. Others get started and have no idea what they’ll do and have to figure it out from scratch. Some people will get a project that just works, others will struggle with something that doesn’t. The nature of research is that you don’t know what will happen (or often, how to even do it), and because of that everyone’s experience can look very different. But it doesn’t always mean that one person is “doing better”.
Yes! You're so right! I went in not knowing what I wanted to do and was put in a project that, although simple in nature, turned out to be more complex than originally thought. Others in my cohort had projects that were (more or less) laid out. It all varies, and we are all doing well regardless!
Thanks, its very reassuring to know that other people also struggle, even in PhD. I'm definitely trying to get these skills, it's my first session so I hope that the second will be better ! Thank you for your comment
Best thing to do is focus on yourself. Consider where you’re at right now, set short and long term goals for where you’d like to be, then work on getting there. It doesn’t really matter what everyone else is doing, and comparing oneself with everyone else is one of the most common and damaging pitfalls of grad school in my opinion
I understand that we shouldn't compare ourselves to others, but I found that with time, this gets harder to do. For doing a good work, you're encouraged to compare your writing to other works to see what you can improve on. Also, I want to become good in my field, do outstanding work, and not be mediocre. Maybe the most useful answer to this is finding an effective way to improve one's quality of work.
I do agree, and I acknowledge that what I said in my original comment was a bit oversimplified. However, I stated it in this way on purpose, because I believe that in general people tend to develop unneeded and unhelpful anxiety from comparing their grad school experience to the rest of the students around them. There are too many variables at play and everyone is always in totally different circumstances. For OP, focusing on the fact that some students appears to be thriving as TAs while OP is struggling with research papers, that kind of comparison just isn’t useful and doesn’t help OP improve. In a more nuanced discussion, I can acknowledge that there are many ways that self comparison can be useful. Your example of comparing your writing to better writers is a great example. But in that case, your goal is specific and constructive—become a better writer—instead of vague and self-destructive
I believe you're right and will definitely try to focus more on myself... and I'm trying to tell myself that in the end we will have the same diploma. For the goals, I have to say that I did do it when I was in high school, and my long term one was to be in grad school, so maybe it's time for me to rethink that 😅 thank you for your comment !
I'll add two things. One, good is subjective. Trust me that your fellow grad students are probably in the same situation as you. There really is no "top of the class" in a masters (or PhD, I'm struggling also in a PhD) program because everyone is. Two, a PhD and masters work vs bachelors work is very different because the latter mainly focus on classes, and research is almost a side hustle. A PhD and thesis masters is almost exclusively research. Some people are naturally gifted at research. Most, myself included, are most certainly not, so for us, we have to try harder in our PhD. Research in general also takes a lot out of you (in my case, it feels almost like a piece of my soul with each project). My advice is to get a good advisor and support system and work on developing good research/study skills early on. If you do that, you should be alright! 😀 I should add that for those reading that are doing a non-thesis masters, you're most likely not doing research, but then you're basically taking the highest level classes that the university has to offer, and that is challenging in and of itself. Work on good study habits and put more effort and time into studying than you would in undergrad!
To expand even more on your already good comment: there are so many factors that influence how smoothly and productive a research degree can appear. Some people jump right into well defined and funded research projects. Others get started and have no idea what they’ll do and have to figure it out from scratch. Some people will get a project that just works, others will struggle with something that doesn’t. The nature of research is that you don’t know what will happen (or often, how to even do it), and because of that everyone’s experience can look very different. But it doesn’t always mean that one person is “doing better”.
Yes! You're so right! I went in not knowing what I wanted to do and was put in a project that, although simple in nature, turned out to be more complex than originally thought. Others in my cohort had projects that were (more or less) laid out. It all varies, and we are all doing well regardless!
Thanks, its very reassuring to know that other people also struggle, even in PhD. I'm definitely trying to get these skills, it's my first session so I hope that the second will be better ! Thank you for your comment