When I was back in the US, the most commonly-asked question was, "So... when are you coming back?"
Depending on the situation, my answer was, "I have no idea." or "I have a contract through June 2013." or "I have a contract through June 2013, and then I hope to find another postdoc position in Zurich." or "Maybe never."
And, to be honest, they all are true. I have no idea when I'll move back to the US, and it might be never. But I only have a contract through June 2013, at which point I'll need to make some choices. And, since some of the best institutes for environmental chemistry research are right here in Zurich, it does make some sense and I'd like to find a post-doctoral research position here after I finish my research in the McNeill group. But, most days I have no idea.
I entered graduate school because I knew that I liked chemistry but had no real idea about what I wanted to do when I grew up. Five years sounded like a really long time, and I figured I would figure out what I wanted to do by the end of that time. Then I would find my job and settle down, most likely in Minneapolis.
Of course, five years later, I still don't exactly know what I want to do, only that I really do like chemistry. And, my choices, rather than getting decreasing, have actually gotten more numerous. When I started graduate school, I only considered options in the US, and, if we were being honest, only in Minnesota. Now, I have so many options spread out over two different continents. The world is my oyster, and I have no clear idea of what to do.
Rather than freak out about what I don't know, I've decided to take the route of loving where I am and what I'm doing, and moving on when that is no longer the case. I believe that things will eventually become clear- that my choices will become more obvious. Case in point: I never planned to leave Minnesota, much less to move to Switzerland, yet here I am. Things just worked out, and I am quite happy. Thus, I think that things will work out again the next time I have to make a big choice.
Of course, there are choices that need to be made now, as I am entering the last few months of my PhD. I will be defending my PhD on June 21 in Minnesota, and then starting a year-long postdoc with my current group. My first assignment will be field work in the arctic up in Alaska, which I am pretty excited about! After that, I'll have to start applying for jobs and thinking more about what I want to be when I grow up. Until then, I'm pretty happy to be where I am.
Depending on the situation, my answer was, "I have no idea." or "I have a contract through June 2013." or "I have a contract through June 2013, and then I hope to find another postdoc position in Zurich." or "Maybe never."
And, to be honest, they all are true. I have no idea when I'll move back to the US, and it might be never. But I only have a contract through June 2013, at which point I'll need to make some choices. And, since some of the best institutes for environmental chemistry research are right here in Zurich, it does make some sense and I'd like to find a post-doctoral research position here after I finish my research in the McNeill group. But, most days I have no idea.
I entered graduate school because I knew that I liked chemistry but had no real idea about what I wanted to do when I grew up. Five years sounded like a really long time, and I figured I would figure out what I wanted to do by the end of that time. Then I would find my job and settle down, most likely in Minneapolis.
Of course, five years later, I still don't exactly know what I want to do, only that I really do like chemistry. And, my choices, rather than getting decreasing, have actually gotten more numerous. When I started graduate school, I only considered options in the US, and, if we were being honest, only in Minnesota. Now, I have so many options spread out over two different continents. The world is my oyster, and I have no clear idea of what to do.
Rather than freak out about what I don't know, I've decided to take the route of loving where I am and what I'm doing, and moving on when that is no longer the case. I believe that things will eventually become clear- that my choices will become more obvious. Case in point: I never planned to leave Minnesota, much less to move to Switzerland, yet here I am. Things just worked out, and I am quite happy. Thus, I think that things will work out again the next time I have to make a big choice.
Of course, there are choices that need to be made now, as I am entering the last few months of my PhD. I will be defending my PhD on June 21 in Minnesota, and then starting a year-long postdoc with my current group. My first assignment will be field work in the arctic up in Alaska, which I am pretty excited about! After that, I'll have to start applying for jobs and thinking more about what I want to be when I grow up. Until then, I'm pretty happy to be where I am.
