I was sent to this science poster competition. In The past my advisor has always had a student win and I was really hoping to win (I thought my poster was pretty good). Didn't win and what's worse, a student from the "rival group" won. This means at our next weekly meeting they'll keep talking about how this student won and I didn't.
I feel like I shouldn't be this disappointed about it but I am.. I just feel like a huge failure.
You did fail. You should feel like a failure. Are you a millennial? Do you want a snowflake participation medal?
If a single prof has always had a winning student, the competition is obviously pretty minor. I wouldn't worry about it.
There are different categories, and usually 2-4 winners per category. Admittedly I was probably in the hardest category (compared to my advisor's students from previous years) but it still stings...
Maybe it's just the competitive fire in me but it really sucks... might pretend to be sick for our next group meeting so I don't have to deal with this.
Guhhhhhhhh wrote:
I feel like I shouldn't be this disappointed about it but I am.. I just feel like a huge failure.
Did you at least get a participation medal?
Pics of the poster?
Guhhhhhhhh wrote:
it really sucks... might pretend to be sick for our next group meeting so I don't have to deal with this.
It does suck. Laying out pretending to be sick is even worse than losing. It will make your disappointment worse. Do not do it. Go to the meeting. Move forward.
Ugh I just don't want to see them congratulating the other student and me feeling like shit because I didn't win...
Guhhhhhhhh wrote:
Didn't win and what's worse, a student from the "rival group" won. This means at our next weekly meeting they'll keep talking about how this student won and I didn't.
This would be like the 5:45 mile kids talking about how the 4:15 miler had a bad day and ran 4:25and got last at the state meet. Those losers can't talk if they weren't good enough to be in the competition. If they do, just ask them, "where's your poster?"
Well the other people at the meeting are not students, they are the other student's advisor and some other advisors and post-docs
You're supposed to be there. Show up.
Everybody loses sometime. Move forward.
You should even congratulate the winner. Smack them on the butt and say "Good Job!"
I did congratulate the winner and was generally pleasant. Just sucks feeling like I lost it for my advisor, while the other advisor has the winner.
Guhhhhhhhh wrote:
There are different categories, and usually 2-4 winners per category. Admittedly I was probably in the hardest category (compared to my advisor's students from previous years) but it still stings...
Maybe it's just the competitive fire in me but it really sucks... might pretend to be sick for our next group meeting so I don't have to deal with this.
Yeah, but to my original point, it must be a pretty damn small competition if one prof always has a student who wins. My school's undergraduate poster competition includes something like 350 students. Even if there are a few different categories, no single prof is winning every year. And that's just a little competition within my school with no outsiders.
A competition that is small enough that one prof can win every year is too small to worry about.
I've been a judge for these contests. Occasionally there's a clear winner, and there are always some that aren't very good, but usually there are several good ones and the judges disagree on which one should be the winner.
You lost the toss-up this time. Tough luck. Or maybe yours wasn't as good.
This competition has around 200-250 posters each year. There are about 7-8 different categories which each have 2-3 winners. In the last three years my advisor has had someone win in one of those categories.. this is the first year it hasn't happened.
I won't name where the competition took place to preserve some anonymity but I'd guess it's a place that most people would recognize.
Guhhhhhhhh wrote:
I feel like I shouldn't be this disappointed about it but I am.. I just feel like a huge failure.
Life goes on. I promise.
I guess I have to try to come back next year and have something way better...
Ugh this stings though. My advisor is out of town and returning next week and I'm dreading seeing him.
Your adviser only has one student?
Guhhhhhhhh wrote:
I guess I have to try to come back next year and have something way better...
Ugh this stings though. My advisor is out of town and returning next week and I'm dreading seeing him.
Of course you are dreading seeing him. Why?
Because are going to have to sleep with your advisor now.
It is used by people all the time to graduate from the Ivy League schools.