#awkwardacademia

PhD student Janet Small has established a reputation as consistently receptive to, “unnecessary, harsh, and ultimately misguided criticism,” beamed her supervisor. Her colleague, Dan, agrees. “She never argues,” added Dan, nodding. “And she’s always smiling. I like that. I wonder if she’s seeing anybody.” Small, who organizes LGBTAQ+ student gatherings, shared that she expects little from her colleagues and supervisor, whom she perceives as self-interested and unimaginative, but wishes them the best. Adding that she always ignores Dan’s advice, she holds the record for departmental doctoral student publications, a fact she shared while smiling.