Leaf Jumping

Dear Undergraduates,

You see us at the front of your labs, TAing or teaching.  You watch us complain about our papers and our proposals and we always throw out the intimidating but nebulous RESEARCH.

And yet, you intimidate us more by the fact that you know what you want to do with your lives and you do research on future jobs and graduate school and fellowship opportunities.  We used to be where you are.  Will you ever be where we are?

But where are we?

Jumping in big piles of leaves with all abandon; we are children, once again, without a care in the world and without the weight of our research on our shoulders.

And you just stare at us in shock.

When you get where we are, maybe you will understand why.

Love,
Me (a graduate student)