What Grad School Is REALLY Like

"Just more undergrad classes?" Yeah, I WISH.

Posted on February 28, 2013, 18:52 GMT

Jessica Misener

So you decided to go to grad school. Congratulations!

Knowledge is pretty freaking cool.

Someday you'll get a fancy diploma that will help you earn more money, or whatever.

But you know, a lot of people think that grad school is just like a continuation of undergrad. And it's definitely NOT.

For example, this was your school spirit in college:

School spirit in grad school: Ain't nobody got time for that.

Social life in college:

Social life in grad school:

Leaving a progress meeting with your advisor in college:

Leaving a progress meeting with your advisor in grad school:

Your apartment in college:

Your apartment in grad school:

Drinking coffee in college:

Coffee in grad school:

Dating in college:

Dating in grad school is more like:

In college, your main job is to consume knowledge.

In grad school, you're supposed to be the one PRODUCING the knowledge.

Fridays in college: no class.

Fridays in grad school: IT NEVER STOPS.

Your best friend in college:

Your best friend in grad school:

In college, you study really general things.

In grad school, you focus on something so specialized you can discuss it with literally two other people on the planet.

Spring break in college:

Spring break in grad school: field trip to the archives.

And finally, in college you feel pretty confident, because you were at the top of your class:

But guess what? Everyone at grad school was the smartest kid at THEIR college, so now you're like:

But, college:

Grad school: