Defining the Challenges

When you’re struggling in a class, balancing too many commitments, or feeling anxious about your research, it’s important to know that you are not alone.

Filtered by

Academic/Professional Performance

Overcoming setbacks and improving performance in classes and research

Academic/Professional Performance

Overcoming setbacks and improving performance in classes and research

Balance

Managing time, energy, and competing priorities

Career/Paths

Finding a fulfilling academic or career path

COVID

Reflecting on the effects of a global pandemic on life as a student

Stress & Mental Health

Coping with mental health concerns beyond the typical stresses of student life

Transition to MIT

Adjusting to a new cultural and academic context

All Challenges

  • Read more: Jennifer

    Defining a Dissertation Project

    I internalized the fact that I did not know what I was working on as an inadequacy of myself and not being good enough, smart enough to think of an idea.

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    Jennifer
    Graduate Student
  • Read more: Mary

    Struggling with Self-Doubt

    Facing the quals challenge really made me feel like I was not necessarily going to be competent enough to do it. I might not even be capable of doing it.

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    Mary
    Graduate Student
  • Read more: Jeba

    Working on Class Performance

    Even despite all the work I was putting in, I didn’t see any improvements in my grades.

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    Jeba
    Undergraduate Student
  • Read more: Katie

    Working on Class Performance

    I was left with the official lowest score in the class…I started questioning whether I should still be a neuroscientist, whether this was the path for me.

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    Katie
    Undergraduate Student
  • Read more: Evan

    Overcoming a Failed Research Project

    This is debatably the most important project I’ve had in my life so far and why is it coming to a total halt right now?

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    Evan
    Graduate Student
  • Read more: Gerardo

    Struggling with Self-Doubt

    I kept on kind of questioning my ability to be here, my competencies.

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    Gerardo
    Graduate Student
  • Read more: Pradeep

    Struggling with Self-Doubt

    I was not able to identify an interesting problem to work on after so much effort. Like, am I even competent? Am I fit to do research if I’m not able to do this very simple task?

    Meet

    Pradeep
    Graduate Student