Outside is where love lives (I guess) lab drama

 

Few weeks ago, I bumped into a phd friend I met last summer, let's call him Jim, on my way home from the lab. We hadn't seen each other in about 6 months now, so we caught up on how grad school been treating me and lots of other lab talks / my instagram shenanigans but one of the things that stood out to me was this particular conversation: 

"So, Jim, how's life in the lab treating you?" I asked.

Jim let out a deep sigh. "Honestly, it's been tough," he said. "The constant pressure to publish, the endless grant applications, and the academic politics – it's a lot to deal with."

I nodded sympathetically. "Yeah, I hear you. It's not an easy path."

"But you know what's been the best decision I've made?" Jim said, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Dating someone who's not in academia."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought you were all about finding someone who understands the academic life."

Jim shook his head. "Nah, man, I've been there, done that. It's much better to be with someone who has a completely different perspective on things. Someone who can take my mind off work and show me there's more to life than just research."

I chuckled. "I see your point. But don't you miss having someone to bounce ideas off of, someone who understands your struggles?"

Jim grinned. "Believe it or not, my girlfriend is actually a genius when it comes to solving problems. She may not know the ins and outs of my research, but she has a way of looking at things from a different angle that I find really helpful."

I laughed. "Okay, okay, I'll give you that. But what about the cons? Don't you get frustrated when she doesn't understand why you have to work on weekends?"

Jim shrugged. "Sure, there are times when it's hard to explain why I have to prioritize my research over other things. But honestly, it's a small price to pay for the happiness and support she brings to my life."

I grinned. "Well, it sounds like you've found the secret to work-life balance, my friend.

My question, what do you all think about this?

Friday night night fellas,

Your struggling grad student.