GOGSoc Episode VI: The GoG, the Bad and the Ugly

This is why I get really angered with the obsession with Oxbridge admissions. My left wing, non-Oxbridge peers frequently attack me for insisting on the very simple point that inequality is so strongly entrenched by the time people are 18, that this accounts for the fact that the elite professions have elites in them, a lot more than the admissions processes of Universities do. And even if we automatically allowed any person from a non-traditional background to have an Oxbridge place if they got the grades (or even just a more lenient grade like AAB), the disparity would remain the same because of the inequalities of attainment at the GCE stage. A couple of months ago at my MA graduation, all of this was confirmed when I noticed that those of my friends in my college who had come from state backgrounds all reported some time spent unemployed, or working in non ideal jobs since getting their degrees, where the more privileged graduates of the college had all seamlessly moved on to their top choice careers.

I'm convinced that the government and the media conspire to scapegoat Oxbridge in order to turn public ire away from the real root of the problem: profound, systemic income inequality that starts with where you were born and to whom.

Inequalities of achievement early on certainly stop masses of people getting to uni and to Oxbridge...but, like you said, even those who HAVE achieved enough to get to Oxbridge but don't come from 'elite' backgrounds are less likely to have access to the right networks, the ability to work for free etc to get them into these professions. Depressing reading.

I emailed supervisor to let her know I'm starting and casually mentioned I hadn't been very well this year. She wrote back saying she has to caution me that PhD life is lonely and challenging!

At least I've got a supervisor who's looking out for me, so I guess it's good she wrote that Of course the stupid part of my brain has taken it incredibly personally though

Look at the positives, it sounds like she is trying to help you and prepare you before you start. I definitely would never think that comment was meant personally!

Thanks Hopefully therapy will train my brain not to go into overdrive any time someone makes a slightly negative-ish remark I start therapy on Weds

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A couple of months ago at my MA graduation, all of this was confirmed when I noticed that those of my friends in my college who had come from state backgrounds all reported some time spent unemployed, or working in non ideal jobs since getting their degrees, where the more privileged graduates of the college had all seamlessly moved on to their top choice careers.

I definitely agree with this - six months of unemployment post-university and then eighteen months in a job that was not my ideal tallies exactly what with you're saying here! But I also wonder if there is another element at play here: I very much value the ethos of working hard from the bottom up, and consequently have eventually gone for a career where there are no shortcuts and everyone has to put in the hard graft and learn the trade from the bottom up regardless of background (although the number of unpaid internships you need to do to get into it does limit the pool of people who can enter, which is frustrating and probably a negative thing in the industry). That's an ethos that is very strong in my family, as both my parents have worked very hard for what we have. I know that some of my friends wouldn't be willing to do the job that I'm currently doing, or the one I was doing before. I made an active choice not to pursue a grad scheme because of the ethos that I described above - I wanted to start at the very bottom because I want to feel like I've completely earned my future success. When I was considering grad schemes it felt like having a comfortable life handed to me on a plate, and the thought was actually off putting rather than attractive!

Possibly not a sensible viewpoint, and obviously I have nothing against people who do grad schemes or similar, it just wasn't the path for me it's just something that I've been mulling over recently and seemed relevant to the discussion.

Even just as a postgraduate, where I guess some people figure it's a more even playing field, I've definitely experienced the sort of stuff that both of you have mentioned, i.e. friends who have finished their master's and come from a state school background are having a much harder time of it than friends who are able to at least get internships at top newspapers etc. etc. because they are from a private school background and know the right people. In fact, it's not just knowing the right people, it's that air of confidence that a lot of privately-educated individuals have...Of course this is a generalisation to some extent, but I'm convinced that it's true. And it's just the sort of confidence that can really get a person far in academia, that self-assuredness that they're so good at what they do that of course they're going to be a great academic. Or maybe I'm just jealous...

Absolutely. Especially the bit in bold - my state-school educated daughter is a recent-ish Oxford graduate and would say exactly the same.

That said, I have found a studio flat! It's nowhere near as close as I'd have liked to be, but it's lovely and in a very quiet area, plus it's been refurbished and everything's new and nice to look at. And the bed is extra comfy, I tried it

And I'm glad I'm leaving soon, because as much as I love my current flat, my Polish flatmate is unsufferable. She has got a bit too comfortable around me (because we have the same MBTI profile, she seems to think we're now best friends…) and this morning she asked me to giver her my phone so she could make a call. She didn't like ask if I'd be ok with it, she just asked for it as though it was a given that I'd give it too her. And earlier today, she had a go at me because the flat wasn't clean, seemingly forgetting that a) I'm not the only one living here, so why not one of my flatmates?, b) I was working part time and writing my dissertation while she was on holidays, c) we were all working and just kind of forgot about cleaning…

But she got really angry at me (just came straight into my bedroom without waiting for me to invite her in…) and started blaming me for the fact that her friend was here and the flat wasn't clean. She didn't even tell us her friend was coming, and I'm the one that's cleaning the house before we leave. Given how dirty these girls are, I know I'll have more work to do than she's ever done attempting to clean anything this year…

/rantover

Sounds like it's a good thing you're getting out of there! Congrats on finding a studio flat. No annoying flatmates to have to worry about anymore!

I've been ridiculously lucky when it comes to jobs, but I don't know if it's entirely because of my rather privileged background or the fact that I did a "different" degree that were perfect for the jobs I applied for (that and I was competing against 2 other people for my first job, and 7 for my second one… Niche jobs ftw.)

That said, I have found a studio flat! It's nowhere near as close as I'd have liked to be, but it's lovely and in a very quiet area, plus it's been refurbished and everything's new and nice to look at. And the bed is extra comfy, I tried it

And I'm glad I'm leaving soon, because as much as I love my current flat, my Polish flatmate is unsufferable. She has got a bit too comfortable around me (because we have the same MBTI profile, she seems to think we're now best friends…) and this morning she asked me to giver her my phone so she could make a call. She didn't like ask if I'd be ok with it, she just asked for it as though it was a given that I'd give it too her. And earlier today, she had a go at me because the flat wasn't clean, seemingly forgetting that a) I'm not the only one living here, so why not one of my flatmates?, b) I was working part time and writing my dissertation while she was on holidays, c) we were all working and just kind of forgot about cleaning…

But she got really angry at me (just came straight into my bedroom without waiting for me to invite her in…) and started blaming me for the fact that her friend was here and the flat wasn't clean. She didn't even tell us her friend was coming, and I'm the one that's cleaning the house before we leave. Given how dirty these girls are, I know I'll have more work to do than she's ever done attempting to clean anything this year…

/rantover

flatmate

That's great news. I think provided you want to make a change, therapy is a great thing. Hope it helps you!


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It is good that she's being honest with you, and warning you now. I actually think that this sort of honesty is a sign of a good advisor. For example, when I popped over to Cardiff to meet with a potential supervisor, he was a great guy and we got along well but he kept emphasising, "this project is going to involve a LOT of programming. You've got to be comfortable with coding- and fast- and I've had a PhD student drop out because they couldn't pick it up quick enough so I need you to be capable enough to do this." Didn't put me off wanting to apply with him but it was a bit terrifying. However, if your supervisor (like this dude from Cardiff) is honest from the get-go, then you know that when you're working on the PhD, they'll be honest about what they think then too- and that's the way by which people end up with great theses! I know it's easy to take these things personally (as I mentioned a few pages ago in fact, haha) but she's only saying this because it's both to your and her benefit that you know what the PhD involves and are prepared for it. When things do go wrong (which, as both of my supervisors insist on telling me, definitely will. Over and over again ) perhaps try and figure out what your best coping mechanism for those times is? I know things aren't as straightforward as that but it's good that you're going into a situation where you know what could go wrong and so can prepare yourself for those times, at least a little.

One last thing I'll say that my post-doc supervisor once said to me and that really stuck with me: although it's reasonable to care about what your supervisor thinks of you, ultimately this PhD is for you not for them and at every step it's about what you're getting out of it- what skills you're learning, etc. Because she can't fire you, she's stuck with you now, she said yes to your application and so now it's all about you! And I'm sure you'll do fantastically well and impress her anyway.

I'll stop rambling now, haha.

EDIT: You probably knew all the above anyway- I'm just procrastinating from work now haha. And Piggsil managed to say what I wanted to say but in a much less long-winded fashion. (Looking at my thesis, long-windedness is an issue...)

And I agree with llacerta, too: it's probably a positive sign that she is being frank with you!

About therapy: I've found it massively helpful for dealing with some anxiety-related issues I have, which got amplified once I started my PhD. I have done CBT for about a year now and it's been really good, couldn't recommend it enough - sounds like that might be what you're doing also?

Turns out RHUL has a UniStart programme for disabled incoming students. Hoping postgrads are allowed - if I could start there with fewer people around the campus, that would probably help ease my nerves They show you the library and tour the local area and everything

Does your PhD not start til the undergrads arrive then? My course started before that, altho admittedly I think I did start ridiculously early (2nd Sept!)

We start around the same time as the undergrads but obviously have our inductions separate from them. There's gonna be SOOOOOO many people So hopefully I can do this UniStarter thing instead and then breathe a sigh of relief!

Absolutely. Especially the bit in bold - my state-school educated daughter is a recent-ish Oxford graduate and would say exactly the same.

UniStart (the disabled persons' induction at RHUL) is in two weeks

This has all crept up on me rather quickly Had a supportive message from an old Oxford tutor of mine though, which was very nice and appreciated

You'll be fine!!

Knock 'em dead!!

UniStart (the disabled persons' induction at RHUL) is in two weeks

This has all crept up on me rather quickly Had a supportive message from an old Oxford tutor of mine though, which was very nice and appreciated

Dissertation submitted on Monday. Master's is done.

Now two weeks off before the PhD starts...



This UniStart thing sounds like such a great idea. I think it's a new induction at Holloway but I have many friends who could've done with it when they started, so I hope it makes the transition a bit easier. Very exciting!