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Elizabeth Dunn is a Ph.D. student in Information Science at the University of North Texas. She works for Tarleton State University in Stephenville,Texas, in the College of Graduate Studies, and also as an adjunct faculty instructor for Tarleton’s College of Business Administration.
The new year has arrived and we are well on our way into 2019. If you’re like me, you’ve got a list of resolutions and goals for the year. These may include things like working out, striving towards publications, and embracing new tools to make your graduate student career more successful. We are fortunate to live in a sophisticated time when databases are online and the cloud exists. We have more tools for student success at our fingertips or in the palm of our hand than our academic predecessors. But not all tools are tactile; some are more abstract.
One of my favorite tools for success in graduate school is humor. In fact, like the Irish proverb says, I believe that a good laugh is one of the best cures for anything (along with a long sleep). Here are some reasons why:
Humor lifts your spirits. Have you ever been upset about something and someone makes a small joke that totally changes the spirit of the conversation? Amazing isn’t it? Laughter has this incredible power to make us feel better. Your body reacts in a myriad of positive ways when you have a laugh, some of which include the release of endorphins (our bodies’ happy serum), the relaxation of muscles and parts of the cardiovascular system, and even boosts the immune system by decreasing the release of stress hormones. Open your mouth for a spoonful of laughter every day!
Find a friend. Sadly, there is an epidemic of depression among graduate students. This is often attributed to the unfortunate loneliness that seems to be a common ailment of graduate students. It’s easy to see why: we regularly spend hours upon hours by ourselves and often neglect the relationships and activities that once occupied our time in the name of the academic sacrifice.This statistic is staggering, but one of the ways to cope with your feelings is to find a buddy (and/or be a buddy!). During the gap between finishing my master’s and starting my Ph.D., I became very good friends with a graduate assistant in my office. She and I shared a sarcastic sense of humor and, as I watched her struggle to balance her social life, good grades, and her role in my office, I found that I could relate to her because of my past experiences. She has now moved on to her career, but she and I still send each other grad school memes and meet up for the occasional dinner. We bonded over the humor we found in the struggle.
Search the web. There are also some seriously funny groups devoted to student humor on various social networks, such as Facebook. If you want a laugh and to know that you’re not alone, check out pages and websites such as PHD Comics. As in research, be creative in your search for a laugh. For example, you could simply Google the words “graduate school is,” like I did. Agree or disagree with some of the results of my search, I think we also could all find some humor here.
(My favorite: Grad school is hell. Sounds like a war movie …Coincidence: I think not.)
Don’t take yourself so seriously. Listen —we get it. You’re a graduate student and you’re smart. You want to be taken seriously as an academic and hope to be a stellar scholar. You study and spend most of your free time investigating the intellectual mysteries of life. You tell yourself that you like it and the sacrifice is well worth the difference you’re going to make in the world. In keeping up with these standards and a rigorous schedule, we often find ourselves feeling guilty for having fun. There are many reasons why you should lighten up and find the value in humor. Ironically, you should take humor seriously!
In my opinion, the whole damn world is taking some things too seriously. Now, I realize there are serious issues that require a serious approach. But folks, nobody gets out of this thing we call life alive. Let’s all have a laugh and treat each other kindly and perhaps we will obtain a new perspective on our more austere tasks. Put a sense of humor into your toolbox and integrate it into the things you do. Find reasons to use your funny bone! In doing so, you’ll perhaps discover that you’re feeling better, making new friends, and developing positive personal strategies to help you navigate the true challenges of life.
How has having a sense of humor helped you?
[Image by Pixabay user SnapwireSnaps,and used under a Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication. Google screenshot courtesy of author.]
