S02E02 | Spring Renewal -- and Rejection

PhDivas

Spring is a time of renewal -- and also rejection according to the academic calendar. So. Much. Rejection: grad schools, fellowships, postdocs, jobs, publications -- all come rolling in, sometimes with a little bit of success thrown in. Track records of academic success obscure every level of academia is filled with what feels like different forms of failure. It's damn hard not to internalize. Liz and Xine try to balance celebrating individual successes for ourselves and others, allowing space for pity parties, and building community solidarity. How do we accept ourselves in the face of rejection? We help pick each other up, dust off, and try again. (And we're not fans of catchphrases like "grit" and "resilience.")