- #1
tim_lou
- 682
- 1
Ah.. been coding and waiting for plots for a couple hours. Time to chill for a bit...
What to do?
What to do?
Click For Summary
Discussion Overview
The thread discusses various ways to take breaks while working in a lab environment, particularly during periods of waiting for computational tasks to complete. Participants share personal experiences and suggestions for relaxation and entertainment during these breaks.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory
- Conceptual clarification
- Debate/contested
Main Points Raised
- One participant suggests watching TED talks if internet access is available and headphones are on hand.
- Another proposes reading relevant articles and collaborating with others to generate ideas, although they note their current status as an undergraduate limits their ability to do so.
- Some participants recommend outdoor activities like snowshoeing or skiing as a way to relax, linking these activities to their experiences in graduate school.
- There is a humorous exchange about the nature of entertainment in research, with one participant suggesting visualization of complex physics concepts as a form of entertainment.
- Several participants mention the importance of social interaction during breaks, with one sharing experiences from an industrial lab and another noting the lack of colleagues to engage with in a university setting.
- One participant shares their experience of reading about quantum field theory (QFT) as a way to unwind, despite finding it somewhat sleep-inducing.
- A later reply emphasizes the importance of monitoring code execution to avoid issues like infinite loops and suggests practical coding strategies to manage time effectively.
- There is a light-hearted comment about seeking unconventional forms of entertainment, which adds a humorous tone to the discussion.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants express a range of opinions on how to take breaks, with no clear consensus on the best approach. Some prefer physical activities, while others lean towards social interactions or reading. The discussion remains open-ended with various suggestions and personal anecdotes.
Contextual Notes
Some participants express uncertainty about their current level of expertise and how it affects their ability to engage in certain activities, indicating a potential limitation in their suggestions. Additionally, there are references to specific environments (industrial vs. university labs) that may influence the feasibility of certain break activities.
- #2
mgb_phys
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
- 7,906
- 15
www.ted.com if you have a fast link and a pair of headphones
- #3
humanino
- 2,538
- 8
Read articles relevant to your field. Find out something clever to do about the crap others write. Then send emails around to see if somebody else would like to do it with you. They'll work and you'll receive credit as well. Soon enough, you will not even have to make plots anymore.
- #4
physics girl phd
- 930
- 3
Time to chill: Go snowshoeing, ice skating or skiing! (this is why I went to Colorado for grad school.. and although I gradauted in 5.5 years, many students take this too far and take 7+ years to graduate!)
- #5
tim_lou
- 682
- 1
humanino said:
Sorry but I'm not at that level yet... (still an undergrad). It sounds like a good idea though to read some papers, but I needed some entertainment
. I ended spending some time on youtube (and physics forum) and tried to study some more physics... still... the programs haven't finished running and the plots aren't done yet.
- #6
Crazy Tosser
- 182
- 0
tim_lou said:Sorry but I'm not at that level yet... (still an undergrad). It sounds like a good idea though to read some papers, but I needed some entertainment
still... the programs haven't finished running and the plots aren't done yet.
No it's not that "you are not at that level". You just need entertainment. Don't make up excuses :P
Sit back and try to visualize space-time and all the particles in it, moving, colliding, interacting, and yet obeying laws of quantum mechanics, shrinking and slowing down and time because of special relativity, etc... If you get real good at that, you might even get an insight, write a revolutionary paper, and become a famous physicist :P
Welcome to CT's definition of entertainment lol.
- #7
humanino
- 2,538
- 8
Seriously, I agree. If there is something more entertaining than reading papers, give up research !Crazy Tosser said:
- #8
Topher925
- 1,563
- 7
When ever I needed a break in from the lab I would always go mac on the chicks working security or shoot the @#$% with guys in other labs. This was at an industrial lab though, if your at a university lab you may not have this option.
- #9
rootX
- 480
- 4
orisinal.com
But, I watch anime + (dinner/lunch).
But, I watch anime + (dinner/lunch).
- #10
tim_lou
- 682
- 1
Topher925 said:
I usually end up just bothering my friends... and no work ever gets done that way. But today, I'm the only one, so no one to annoy.
I just went to the library and grab some books on QFT for some relaxing reading... read for about 10 minutes, feeling sleepy already (like I said, it's relaxing reading). Check to see how my program is doing... still running (hey, running is better than failing... those annoying segmentation faults). It's time to go home I think. Hoping that my code doesn't run into an infinite loop... tomorrow should be a better day when I get some results.
- #11
humanino
- 2,538
- 8
Do not ever run codes blindly. Make sure you include monitoring at all steps.tim_lou said:
A very handy feature you could consider to include into your code : display the percentage of the task done. Usually, I time the first 10% before walking out for a coffee break. I already know when my program should end (as well as, how much it will occupy on disk). Also check for memory leaks btw !
- #12
Danger
Gold Member
- 9,805
- 251
Do you have the number of a reliable hooker?
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