• Question: Do you have a social life?.

    Asked by ladyj to Betul, Bridget, Ceri-Wyn, Laurel, Maria on 14 Jun 2010 in Categories: . This question was also asked by beeobrien, brainbadonde, aimeeenglish.
    • Photo: Betul Arslan

      Betul Arslan answered on 12 Jun 2010:

      I guess the question is whether or not I spend my whole life in the lab, the answer is (gladly) no. I am in fact a very social person, I often go out to wild to camp/hike/caves, I like to dance tango and I love to travel. I think having an active social life makes me more productive. Of course there are times where I have to dig my head in the experiments – literally – but I think I am good at rewarding myself 🙂

    • Photo: Maria Pawlowska

      Maria Pawlowska answered on 13 Jun 2010:

      It’s essential!! Without my friends I’d think I’d go crazy. Not only do you need support when things go wrong and you know you can leave the lab and just hang out with people who will make you feel better but you also just need people to talk to and make sure you’re a sane well-rounded person.

    • Photo: Bridget Waller

      Bridget Waller answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      Yes, my cats and I have a rich and happy life… (and sometimes we socialise with real humans) 🙂

    • Photo: Laurel Fogarty

      Laurel Fogarty answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      I do manage to have a social life although being a PhD student does demand that you work long hours (its a labour of love!) I am quite lucky here because I have a big lab group and we go out often after work and at the weekends. Luckily I live with my boyfriend so I get to see him every evening!

      St.Andrews is a pretty quiet town so most of the time we have to make our own entertainment with beach parties and bbqs and things like that, of course we are in Scotland so that only works out when it isn’t raining…

    • Photo: Ceri-Wyn Thomas

      Ceri-Wyn Thomas answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      Ha ha! Yes I do have a social life- but it’s tempting to believe that scientists and people who work in academia are shy/boring boffins who dress badly and have no friends. I promise most of us aren’t like that at all! My department at the university is really sociable; we get together every Friday evening for drinks and discuss anything and everything but work! Through being in a lab group and going off to conferences and doing fieldwork in far-flung locations you tend to make very good friends that you stay in touch with throughout your career. I also see my ‘non-scientist’ friends a lot and socialise with them. Being a scientist usually means being even MORE sociable!

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