Postgraduate: Why research is never easy?

Few times in Life I've came across statements saying that Postgraduate studies are not as hard as working in the real world. Often, postgraduate students are underestimated by people who directly dived into the industry right after obtaining their first degrees.

How must I say this. It might look easy doing Master's by coursework, all you have to do is attend class, complete assignments and answer exams, but it's not fair to consider that as EASY. And to consider postgraduate studies by research as EASY, is ridiculously ridiculous.

Having a job in the real world is not that easy either. But most people are well informed about it. What they don't know is the challenges these postgraduate students are facing, even when all they did all day long was sitting in front of their computers.

The first and foremost about being a postgraduate student is that they have to forget about having a routine in their lives. Life would be very unpredictable, as well as their research progress. Sometimes they can have summer in Miami, sometimes they face the tsunami. Sometimes Life is like heaven, but most of the times it's like Hell. But what kept them going? The curiosity, the bounce-back-from-great-fall thing, the urge to keep investigating  Why What How When Which. It's not like those book exercises you've done where you can peek for the answers at the back, you never know if it's right or wrong. 

And research is not about being right or wrong. It's about the outcomes and how they justify it. That's what researchers do. that's why it's called Research. Repeat and search. Search and repeat. Repeat and repeat searching. So if you think research is easy, think again. and again.

Doing research, they have to be imaginative. They have to put their minds into whatever they are doing, having simulations in their minds, and have in-depth understanding of the subject. It's not a matter of intelligence, it's a matter of passion. If you fall in love with a girl or a guy, you'll probably do anything to understand her/him. In this case, you'll first develop interest in the subject, when you have interest, you'll become curious, that's when you'll investigate more and more about them, treat them and see their reactions, and analyse what's best and what's not for them. Simple but you yourself know it can be complicated, right? And that also applies in research ^__^

Being a postgraduate student doesn't restrict them from creating new networks and research opportunities with the industry. Postgraduate students are funded to attend conferences, as well as presenting a part of their findings through poster presentations or full research paper presentations. They can get to meet the people from the industry, senior researchers, and develop networking with other postgraduate students, which eventually will become a researcher in the future. Thus, a postgraduate student isn't really that nerdy with spectacles wearing labcoats, isolated in the university laboratory, and sometimes even forget the day and date. No. 

As far as I'm concerned, postgraduates are future lecturers/researchers. They are the next generation of academicians and experts that will ensure the success of many many generations to come. They will be a part of the machine that produces professionals in various fields, therefore, what they are doing now, should never be underestimated, as their efforts now, isn't only about themselves, but for the future of the next generation, and also, for our nation.

My deepest appreciation goes to all postgraduate students out there. Whatever Hell you're dealing with right now, just keep going, just keep believing, that one day, you'll finally reach it. Dreams do come true. I believe ^__^

With every step you climb another mountain

With every breath it's harder to believe

You'll make it through the pain

Whether the hurricanes

To get to that ONE THING ;)

No Boundaries - Kris Allen