r/labrats • u/AutoModerator • Sep 01 '24

open discussion Monthly Rant Thread: September, 2024 edition

Welcome to our revamped month long vent thread! Feel free to post your fails or other quirks related to lab work here!

Vent and troubleshoot on our discord! https://discord.gg/385mCqr

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10

u/Prior-Win-4729 Sep 03 '24

Another month gone, and alas, I still haven't defrosted the -20C.

2

u/CDK5 Lab Manager - Brown Sep 11 '24

Same; I have like 6 outstanding freezers right now.

Lat time I did it I got in trouble because the water leaked onto the lab below us.

New England humidity ugh

9

u/Spacebucketeer11 🔥this is fine🔥 Sep 01 '24 edited Sep 01 '24

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!! 

One day I'll work 4 days a week instead of 6. One day...

Never do stem cell biology, kids

8

u/AzureRathalos97 Sep 01 '24

I recently finished my PhD in wet lab molecular biology and landed a 'dream' job with a company. Though I met my probation objectives, there were concerns on my personal development, and probation was extended.

Unfortunately this timed with my mental health deteriorating due to external circumstances (abusive flatmate and prospect of eviction, and side effects of antidepressants). My performance dropped and I lost my job.

As there's few science jobs in the area I'm in I'm looking at transitioning to different fields e.g. data/research/business analysts but I'm struggling with my self confidence. How much of a pay cut am I realistically going to take? How do I pitch myself?

7

u/1337HxC Cancer Bio/Comp Bio Sep 01 '24

Another day, another argument about collaborators trying to nuke the authorship position of computational work.

3

u/After-Distribution92 Sep 05 '24

I'm so frustrated. I'm a lab tech who's been working full time in this lab for 4 months (previously have 4+ years experience). I'm trying to apply to doctorate programs this fall so I want to be on papers. I'll do SO MUCH work for someone, literally working unpaid overtime, doing all their bench work, but they won't put me on the paper or let me do work that will get me on it. I do everything BUT synthesize the plasmids, because that would mean I have to go on a paper. Who cares that I spent weeks troubleshooting an assay, since they are the one who did the final, publish-perfect one. My contract is only a year, I really wish people here would give me the chance to earn a place on the papers.

3

u/GandalfDoesScience01 Sep 04 '24

I am starting to recognize serious deficiencies in my memory. I don't know if it's age (approaching mid 30's) or anxiety, but I worry that this will make it difficult to keep my job. I have never been particularly "detail-oriented" but this is making it much harder to keep track of everything.

2

u/Gunderstank_House Sep 20 '24

Every time someone asks me for conical tubes I get the wrong size. Fifteen sounds exactly like Fifty when these people say it. Are they messing with me?

Who decided the only sizes were two nearly identical-sounding numbers? Ugh!

1

u/crusteacake Sep 21 '24

just had my interview for a summer research program (amgen) and while I vibed with my interviewers, I HATE this period of limbo, waiting for a decision :( I wish I can know immediately whether I made it or not and move on with my life.

2

u/diminutiveaurochs metagenomics Sep 28 '24

Finishing my PhD after a lot of delays thanks to mental illness (we are talking years) and no idea how I am going to get a job that accommodates what is likely going to be a lifelong issue for me. Shit’s rough.