Sunday, January 15, 2006

Grant Writing Learning Curve

The things I learned writing my first grant:

1. The order you submit your grant to your advisor for review/revisions will not be the order in which you get it back to make the revisions.

2. Don't expect some people in your lab who are not concurrently writing a grant to be understanding of the fact that you are trying to meet the grant deadline.

3. You discover the many software faults of Microsoft Word.

4. Figures randomly jump around as if possessed by some demonic force.

5. Text boxes that seemingly disappear reappear to bite you; presumably possessed by the same demonic force.

6. No matter how many times you review the final copy, you will keep finding more mistakes that you did not notice before.

7. Files don't like going back and forth from PC to Mac and will mock you as a result.

8. Despite having submitted your grant, you will continue to have nightmares about trying to meet the grant deadline.

9. You will feel a sense of accomplishment after you submit your grant for at least a few days.

10. Regardless of whether the grant actually gets funded, you can be proud of the fact that you submitted it and make it through the entire process.

11. No matter how hard your advisor is on you normally, he will be happy that you got it submitted.

12. Don't underestimate the power of a bubble bath.

2 Comments:

Blogger Michelle said...

All very true, including number 12!

Wednesday, January 18, 2006 11:24:00 AM  
Blogger Katie said...

I don't think that I have yet fully recovered from writing my grant. I am still so VERY tired! Thanks for the comments. It is good to know others out there exist in the "grant suffering". In this case, I am afraid misery loves company!

Wednesday, January 25, 2006 11:23:00 AM  

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