Academic Distractions

Some items in this list may actually surprise you.

Photo by Glen Noble on Unsplash

Here are 10 things you may not know are distractions for a computer science graduate student:

1. Refactor Code— You can finish your degree without ever needing to refactor your code. Don’t think because you have free time (which is merely an illusion) you have time to refactor code. Refactor code for conference submissions only — an exception.
2. The Unrelated Papers — Happens to the best of us: reading for pleasure. But in academia, this turns out to be a bad choice for various reasons. Keep focused on the topic at hand and keep at it until you make headway. Unrelated papers could serve as inspiration but there is rarely time for them at the beginning of your graduate studies. You will eventually have time for these sort of papers toward the end of your studies.
3. The todo list — Forget it!
4. Books — I read a lot of books during my graduate studies. I recommend books to anyone. However, I wouldn’t recommend them to students that are struggling with a thesis or report. Books teach you a lot but they are quick distractions that are tangents into an unknown universe. Textbooks related to your work are a completely different story — these I recommend!
5. Flu — If it’s severe, get to a doctor quick — you want this gone as quick as possible. If it’s minor, just keep warm and get a few hot teas into your system. Don’t ever think it’s okay to miss a class or a lab meeting because you have minor flu. Big distraction!
6. Travel Break — It’s always nice to take a break from work, this is highly recommended for everyone. Breaks become a distraction when they last long, so try to keep them short. While you are it, ensure to visit or talk with your family once a semester during your travels. Thinking about not visiting them for a while is also a distraction. Travel with purpose.
7. Collaborations — These are great for personal and professional growth. Just make sure they are related to your academic work or potential career. Any other unrelated collaborations and tasks are just distractions that can keep you behind.
8. Extracurricular Activities — Look, I am not pushing you to be an anti-social or anything like that. Extracurricular activities are important to socialize and bond with people. You need a little bit of it in your life. However, I would suggest that you don’t actually take this too serious if you plan on doing well in school. The analogy is that you have to eat, the same you way you have to be active. If you spend cooking or doing these activities 4 hours a day, then these quickly become distractions that are easily avoidable. Time is not on your side!
9. Software/Hardware — We are all obsessed with the latest gear and coolest apps. These are all just distractions. You can get your work done with a typewriter if that was acceptable. The point is, gadgets and apps become part of your daily life and consume energy and your time. Horrible distractions! Limit the amount of engagement you have with these.
10. Courses — You want to keep that GPA high enough to remain in school or keep that scholarship, right? So you take courses with a low workload. However, this haunts you in the future as you quickly realize that the expertise you are now lacking was taught in a course you avoided earlier because of heavy workload. Take the workload in the first few semesters and leave time and space for research in the later semesters. Course enrollment and management could be the worst distraction. Plan ahead!

You may not agree with all the points I made. That’s fine. Just be aware that distractions can come from any place. They are real and the more you avoid them the more time you will have on your side to get the job done right. I wish you well in your studies, and please get back to studying. ;)