A few days ago, I had a long conversation with a friend from high school. It was a rhetorical conversation and we were trying to figure out what would happen if we could go back into time by a few years. If we knew all that we know today, would we make the same decisions, take the same jobs, react to situations the same way?
I felt that I would more or less live the same life all over again, would take the same decisions, but with a different perspective.
To start with, if I could undo something from the student/postdoc years, it would be the amount of time and energy I wasted feeling insecure about the future. Had I known then that institutes like IISERs would come up or that there would be so many openings for mathematicians in India, I would not have worried so much.
Instead, I would have channelled all that energy into learning more Mathematics and working on research problems with more focus and determination.
In terms of career moves, I would more or less take the same decisions, but would have a more objective understanding of what those decisions entail. For example, I think I would still join N1 = IISER Kolkata. But, I would not enter with rosy perceptions that all is great: I would have thought carefully about things that were not so favourable (for example, lack of proper living conditions, social life) and would have made better arrangements to be comfortable and self-reliant (like keeping a car, possibly staying out of "campus" etc). Most importantly, I would have joined with the awareness that people often move in pursuit of better career opportunities. That kind of objectivity/clarity would have mitigated most of the distress that I felt in my last few months there. [1]
Would I move to New1 = IISER Pune? Of course :-) But, it is best that I moved here from another place as I am better able to appreciate the atmosphere and the opportunities that this institute offers.
Generally speaking, if I could live the last few years again, I would do the same things, but would try to be more rational and less emotional. I would be a lot more patient with unreasonable colleagues during faculty meetings or while organising institute activities. I would more willingly consider the possibility that perhaps I was being unreasonable, not them. At the same time, I would speak up more forcefully in some situations than I did the first time over. I wouldn't stress about things that were not under my control and would be more proactive about things that were. I would still write this blog, but probably wouldn't write some of the posts (they are now removed).
But, most importantly, knowing all that I now know, I would never, ever miss a deadline!
[1] But, there is much to be said about rosy perceptions. Had I not had rosy perceptions, I would have become cynical and aloof from the very beginning and this would have hindered professional functioning. Many people disguise negativity as objectivity and bring much pain to themselves and their colleagues/students as a result!
I felt that I would more or less live the same life all over again, would take the same decisions, but with a different perspective.
To start with, if I could undo something from the student/postdoc years, it would be the amount of time and energy I wasted feeling insecure about the future. Had I known then that institutes like IISERs would come up or that there would be so many openings for mathematicians in India, I would not have worried so much.
Instead, I would have channelled all that energy into learning more Mathematics and working on research problems with more focus and determination.
In terms of career moves, I would more or less take the same decisions, but would have a more objective understanding of what those decisions entail. For example, I think I would still join N1 = IISER Kolkata. But, I would not enter with rosy perceptions that all is great: I would have thought carefully about things that were not so favourable (for example, lack of proper living conditions, social life) and would have made better arrangements to be comfortable and self-reliant (like keeping a car, possibly staying out of "campus" etc). Most importantly, I would have joined with the awareness that people often move in pursuit of better career opportunities. That kind of objectivity/clarity would have mitigated most of the distress that I felt in my last few months there. [1]
Would I move to New1 = IISER Pune? Of course :-) But, it is best that I moved here from another place as I am better able to appreciate the atmosphere and the opportunities that this institute offers.
Generally speaking, if I could live the last few years again, I would do the same things, but would try to be more rational and less emotional. I would be a lot more patient with unreasonable colleagues during faculty meetings or while organising institute activities. I would more willingly consider the possibility that perhaps I was being unreasonable, not them. At the same time, I would speak up more forcefully in some situations than I did the first time over. I wouldn't stress about things that were not under my control and would be more proactive about things that were. I would still write this blog, but probably wouldn't write some of the posts (they are now removed).
But, most importantly, knowing all that I now know, I would never, ever miss a deadline!
[1] But, there is much to be said about rosy perceptions. Had I not had rosy perceptions, I would have become cynical and aloof from the very beginning and this would have hindered professional functioning. Many people disguise negativity as objectivity and bring much pain to themselves and their colleagues/students as a result!
3 comments:
I would have made some major changes regarding certain basic things...
Very nice post. Sensible advice.
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