My livelihood..
As I'm continuously struggling with my current career path (Neuroscience Ph.D. grad. student), I'm seriously starting to wonder if I could possibly help to support my husband and future family by being a..vegan blogger...vegan caterer..vegan..something. It's my passion! It's what I'm always wanting time to do more of! My school stipend is what we are basically living off of (we are pretty darn frugal), but I'm just not feeling very happy with my choice! (having to directly deal with, participate in, hear about various forms of animal testing/suffering doesn't help anything..) BUT, I don't have to pay for my schooling..PLUS I'm getting paid to go to school..so it's a very difficult problem. The cost of living is pretty high where we live, and the job market is HORRID. I need some support! Any ideas? I know it's strange to ask..but what do you think you would do?? :'(
i would do what i am comfortable with. if i didn't feel that my career choice was ethically (or whatever else) sound i wouldn't partake.
have you given serious consideration to your options yet?
How much longer do you have left before you get your Ph.D.? Having the Ph.D. doesn't mean you have to work in something that involves animal testing, but could possibly help you get bumped up on the payscale if you work for someone other than yourself.
Yeah..this is my first year, so I have at least 4 left. There are many factors that are playing into my current feelings (animal testing, bad faculty fit, hard classes, etc..), but I haven't yet really considered my other options. I'm currently on academic probation (from a biochemistry C first semester)..so I might not have a choice anyway..I've always thought that if I could just make it through (like you said HH)..then maybe I could make a difference and choose what I want to do..but sometimes that doesn't even seem possible. It's just a hard thing.
Are you thinking of dropping grad school and starting a vegan career? I think that college is a time of hardship and you do have to give up some comforts. But, the rewards may be worth it. Do you already have a masters or did you go into your Ph.D program with a B.S?
Maybe you could start blogging and/or catering on the side and see how it goes. Good luck with your struggles. Also, perhaps a vegan neuroscientist would be beneficial to the world! ;)
If iIwas in your situation I would stay in school--but only untill I figured out what I really wanted to do! Droping out without a plan is not smart either--especially when your faimily is living off your $$--but fear not! I have a little saying that helped me out when I was all "what do I do????"
That probably sounds really lame--but I was really stuck for a long time when I came across that--I wrote it out and posted it on my tv where I would see it all the time and day after day I would see it and say it over in my head--"who am I? who am I?" well--I finally figured it out and when I made a decision--it was my decision and no one elses!
We all know how awesome you are--don't worry--I'm sure you will figure it out and untill you do, go liberate some lab rats :)
capture is a smart vegan cookie. I agree with her. Quit if it's right for you, but don't quit until you've figured out something else to do.
capture is a smart vegan cookie. I agree with her. Quit if it's right for you, but don't quit until you've figured out something else to do.
Awww! HH! That's so sweet! but if you read my blog you will learn how tragicly stupid I am...