Words of Wisdom from Doug Shaw:
The University of Michigan is pretty careful about who they admit. You would not have been admitted here if you didn’t belong here, so stop comparing yourself others and get back to studying.
When I got my degree, I checked the back: Nowhere did it say how hard or easy I found my classes, or mention that day I told my mentor I was going to drop out, or discuss that qualifying exam problem I found easy that my friend found hard. It just said “Ph.D.”
You belong here. You can do it. Dumber people than you have done it, so you can, too. That last sentence was the entirety of the pep-talk that Math 115 Coordinator Pat Shure gave me that prevented me from dropping out. Although she did preface it by saying non-ironically, “Oh, for Heaven’s Sake!”
If you can, make at least one friend that is not working for the University. Those friends, particularly after year four, will help you stay grounded and sane.
Spotlight on Doug Shaw
