I am not going to tell you guys the normal story of a graduate student. It is entirely my story or the story of a handful like me. However I think it's interesting.
The thing you are supposed to do is research in grad life and probably that implies you are supposed to do nothing else. It is not like I am doing research 24 hours and I don't have time. It is like I don't have anything else to do in my leisure time. I agree 29 and beer can lift your mood up for a while but it is certainly not the thing you look forward. I think you need something more...probably a friend...a girl friend...?? When you step up to the 24th year of your life (whatever your parents say), girl friend is not a luxury, rather necessity and you should have one. You know why you feel so bad if you don't have one? You would always see other grad students are talking about their wives or children.and you don't get to participate. Some also talk about their girlfriends/boyfriends and you are supposed to go to a party with your significant other half(what does that mean???). Let me tell you a story. When I started my graduate life in 2009, there was a Korean guy in my department, who was wandering why he does not have a girlfriend etc. I tried to console him and wished him best of luck. Last month I met him in the department with his wife and she was pregnant..!!!.. It made me happy. I think there's still hope. However you feel different (and try to be indifferent) when your fellow college mates start to think about marrying within next year.
They only way I can be in peace is by looking at some emails exchanged between me and XXX, some months ago and I realize having a girlfriend is pain. And some time I feel the other way around. Sometimes I try to analyze why I don't have enough female friends...reduced sample size...(higher study...!!!). All these analysis everyday ends in me feeling sleepy and going to bed...!
