Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School [Paperback]

Adam Ruben (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 13, 2010

This is a book for dedicated academics who consider spending years masochistically overworked and underappreciated as a laudable goal. They lead the lives of the impoverished, grade the exams of whiny undergrads, and spend lonely nights in the library or laboratory pursuing a transcendent truth that only six or seven people will ever care about. These suffering, unshaven sad sacks are grad students, and their salvation has arrived in this witty look at the low points of grad school.

Inside, you’ll find:
 
  • advice on maintaining a veneer of productivity in front of your advisor
  • tips for sleeping upright during boring seminars
  • a description of how to find which departmental events have the best unguarded free food
  • how you can convincingly fudge data and feign progress
 
This hilarious guide to surviving and thriving as the lowliest of life-forms—the grad student—will elaborate on all of these issues and more.

www.facebook.com/stupiddecisiontogogradschool

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A hilarious, and exquisitely thorough, rebuttal for every time your parents bring up 'The G-Word.'" --Rob Kutner, writer, “The Daily Show,” “The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien,” author, Apocalypse How"
 
 
“The academic world is so full of humorless wonks and pedants, that Ruben arrives like a crazed party-crasher. It's as if a tweedy committee coma has been interrupted by someone from the roller derby. This very funny book also slings many sly arrows into an overstuffed and moribund culture that needs repair and reconfiguration.” -- Compound Calico, Moderator, RateYourStudents.blogspot.com
 
 
"Adam Ruben's book is funnier than even the funniest dissertation, thesis, lab report, or legal brief.  I wish my law school casebooks had been 10% as enjoyable to read." - Jeremy Blachman, author of Anonymous Lawyer
 
 
“Indispensable for any prospective grad student who wants to get a jump on his or her anxiety requirements. This book proves that years of obscure, excruciating academic toil can, in fact, make a meaningful contribution to society as a source of comedy.” -- Jay Katsir, writer for “The Colbert Report”
 
 
“Why waste a few years in grad school when you can waste a few bucks on this hilarious and insightful book instead?  You'll end up with the same career prospects (zero), but have had a lot more fun."  -- Jeff Kreisler, author of Get Rich Cheating
 
 
"Hilarious!  Adam Ruben has nailed the graduate student experience, and has done it with a great sense of humor....this is a true survival guide for anyone foolish, er, ambitious enough to embark on an advanced degree."-- Dexter Holland, Grad School Sufferer and Sympathizer (Lead Singer, The Offspring)
 

About the Author

ADAM RUBEN spent seven years at Johns Hopkins University earning his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology. While there, he parlayed his healthy disdain for academia into a stand-up comedy act, which he has performed at clubs, colleges, and private functions from Boston to San Diego, recently opening for Dane Cook's Tourgasm at the Warner Theater in Washington, D.C. and earning second place in the Funniest Jewish Comic Contest at the Laugh Factory in Times Square.  For five years, Adam has taught an undergraduate stand-up comedy class that has quickly become one of the most popular January "Intersession" courses at Johns Hopkins University and culminates in a final show open to all students. He's written humor pieces for The National Lampoon and appears weekly on Food Detectives with Ted Allen.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press; 1 edition (April 13, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307589447
• ISBN-13: 978-0307589446
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.5 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #59,303 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Adam Ruben spent seven years at Johns Hopkins University earning his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology. While there, he parlayed his healthy disdain for academia into a stand-up comedy act, which he has performed across the country, recently opening for Dane Cook's Tourgasm at the Warner Theater in Washington, D.C. and earning second place in the Funniest Jewish Comic Contest at the Laugh Factory in Times Square. For six years, Adam has taught an undergraduate stand-up comedy class that has quickly become one of the most popular January "Intersession" courses at Johns Hopkins University. He has written humor pieces for The National Lampoon and appeared weekly on the Food Network's "Food Detectives" with Ted Allen.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I laughed until I was sobbing July 22, 2010

By Charlotte B.

Format:Paperback

I got my Ph.D. 8 years ago at a very reputable program in my field, and this book left me helpless with laughter. Spot-on humor that's so funny it hurts. I LOVE that another reviewer said this was shelved in the Grad School section rather than in the humor section, that is PERFECT!
Seriously people, don't go to grad school thinking that it will be a fun or fulfilling experience. Really.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny for grad students August 27, 2010

By Misty Riddle

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book had me laughing! I read it on the bus to the university ever morning (yes, I am a grad student and cannot afford a car, or a parking pass for that matter). I would recommend it to any science grad student.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent gift for grad students. June 20, 2010

By Janelle

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Even those of us who have loved the grad school experience can relate to the hilarious and ironic circumstances that Dr. Ruben describes. Most people question their life choices at some point, but this book reminds a person to smile. It might be a good idea to read this BEFORE grad school, just to make sure you have the sense of humor to survive it. =) Dr. Ruben did a great job on this and he ends on a high note.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny because it's sad-but-true April 13, 2010

By Steve

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

In the 5th year of my phd, I'm loving this book and how incisively it makes the quirks of school hilarious. It's a lighter, wryer, funnier PhD Comics.

If you're a grad student, or thinking about it, read this book!

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I laughed and laughed ... then whimpered April 13, 2010

By Diane Muir

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

At the age of 50 (I'm a Ninja, the author says), I've chosen to return to school. What better way to affirm my decision than by reading a book telling me it's a stupid, stupid decision.

While much of the worst of grad school won't actually apply to me since I'm doing a good percentage of this degree online, every descriptive word he uses tells me that he has experienced the good, the bad and the very ugly.

This book is a quick, wonderful read. It will make you laugh, make you question your decision (if only for a heartbeat) and will affirm the fact that you are completely insane for desiring more education in a system designed to suck you in and bleed you dry. I can hardly wait. No really, I can hardly wait!

Honestly, I've been away from the world of academia for 30 years and am now reminded (because of the great tips - ok, that's a little tongue in cheek) of the ins and outs that I had forgotten when I left those hallowed halls. I'm pretty sure that these humorous reminders will pop up when I least expect them and most need them.

I will ensure that everyone I know who is preparing to enter grad school gets a copy of this book, if only to laugh and commiserate with the insanity of the decision. Pure entertainment, pure enjoyment, pure literary gold (oh, I think that's his phrase for the book too!)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It's funny (and sad) because it's true March 16, 2012

By Keeley B.

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Let's be honest: grad school, for many, many people, is a depressing experience, in the clinical sense. Luckily, this book, while light on actual advice, serves as a reminder to step back and laugh at the whole situation every so often. The author is blunt and sarcastic, the illustrations are completely ridiculous, and both of them make me laugh out loud every time I pick it up. (I think my favorite picture is the bear who is in grad school.) If you know a struggling grad student, buy them this book. It may not be terribly sophisticated, but a little humor goes a long way.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun to read March 12, 2012

By Fumiyuki Ito

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I purchased this e-book a little while ago, and have not finished reading it yet (half-done). But it would be allowed to write down my interim impression on this book: it is fun to read this! I do not recommend you to read this in public transportation (like trains, buses and subways), because you can burst into laugh from time to time. It can give you a quick guidance on how graduate school would be and what grad-students are doing there. I wish I have had such a book when I was an under-graduate almost 25 years ago.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This is not an advice book September 2, 2011

By Book dallier

Format:Paperback

This is not, I repeat not, an advice book for surviving graduate school. This is simply a hilarious book about graduate school (and graduate student "life"--if it can be called that). Nonetheless, I think that anyone with any connection to academia will find it, if not useful, hugely entertaining.

I've read every page at least five times by now and can guarantee it is all really funny, quality material. Nerds and smart-but-not-too-serious people of all stripes, even those outside academia, will surely appreciate the jokes in here.

I was pleasantly surprised at the payoff of my investment in this book. I've been reading it, over and over and over, for a bunch of months now. It is still as entertaining as ever, and promises to be for as long as I am in grad school. Which could be long, to say the least.