It’s so hard; I feel like I won’t be able to get into graduate school

Even if you get admitted, you still have to pay tuition, right? . .

::( It seems that having a graduate degree from a not-so-good school isn’t of much use

Hard work will surely pay off, but not necessarily in a good way

Prepare well, and once you make a decision, stick to it to the end.

The development of postgraduate students can be described using the concept of a “ceiling.” Imagine a scenario in which several people are in a large box, forced to huddle inside and tolerate one another – this could be seen as a portrayal of new graduate students. The only way to breathe fresh air and keep the body relaxed and comfortable is to continuously raise the ceiling at the top of the box. So, how do those who are part of it behave? The first type is the “monk ringing the bell” type. Anyway, the ceiling can’t fall down, so there’s no danger from lying down; it’s even comfortable to lie on your stomach. Only a fool would bother to worry about the height of the ceiling – standing up is so tiring! The reason such people come to these boxes isn’t to learn how to stand upright, but to find a quiet place to rest. That’s what those people are like whose families have arranged everything for them, waiting only for them to obtain a master’s degree in order to bring honor to their family. The second type is the “imitating the ugly in vain” type. Curling up is uncomfortable; seeing that many people around are trying to push against the ceiling, one tries to do the same, only to find no reaction. Realizing that no effort will work, one gives up and decides it’s more practical to find a more comfortable position to curl up in. Those students who complain all day long that their supervisors aren’t helpful probably fall into this category – it’s not that they don’t try hard enough, but rather that the surrounding circumstances are unfavorable: I want to learn, but my supervisor isn’t willing to teach me; what does that have to do with me?! But have you ever thought about it? The essence of graduate study is to solve problems independently. How much of the vast amount of learning resources available on the Internet have you actually taken the initiative to use? Another group that fits this description believes that obtaining a master’s degree from a good university means possessing the same level of competence as outstanding students from that university; they think that a supervisor’s research skills equate to their own academic competence; they assume that the excellence of their seniors will naturally transfer to them, forgetting that there is no such thing as a “Northern Sea Divine Skill” or a “Star-Sucking Art” in this world. The third category is the “Kuafu chasing the sun” type. Maintaining a curled position for a long time will surely lead to complications, so it is necessary to strive for self-change. So you rush around in all directions, jumping up and down, but the ceiling doesn’t rise that easily. Perhaps your head is bleeding and your feet are blistered, yet the ceiling remains unchanged. Thus you face a difficult choice: should you continue to struggle by pushing and jumping? It’s already hard enough to persist on your own, and those crawling around you start complaining that you’re hurting them, mocking and laughing at you, saying that “in the end you’ll end up lying on the ground just like us,” maybe even in a worse situation than them. So you stop trying, cease your efforts, and the image of a solitary fighter is established; what you don’t know is that the ceiling has actually begun to loosen – you only need to try once more to be able to breathe freely, but the bonds imposed by those who hold you back prevent you from achieving this. That is what happens to those who initially had academic aspirations but were unable to persevere under the strange looks from those around them. The fourth category is the “Old Man Who Moved the Mountains” type. Curling up is an unbearable state of survival that must be addressed. No matter how many times it’s tried, no matter how much the scornful ones mock, no matter how exhausted one becomes, believe that one can surely overcome the limits set before them. He would examine the box’s structure, reflect on ways to crack it open, and seek the understanding or even support of the crawlers. Thus, you will find that there are hidden windows on all four sides of the box to allow air to circulate; the ceiling is controlled by a hydraulic system and can be raised depending on the force applied. There are no heavy objects placed on the ceiling nor is it locked. Eventually, you can let sunlight enter the box and let a gentle breeze clean the air, while you stand there gracefully and can jump whenever you wish. As for those who crawl, the sunlight is extremely uncomfortable for them; lying on the ground for long periods has damaged their bones, making it difficult for them to stand again