GoKawiilAnu Li’s ‘doctorette’ party included some of the elements usually associated with a bachelorette party, such as a sash, tiara and themed photo booth.
In June, Anu Li held a gathering for close friends and family at her home in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The party was themed, she wore a tiara and, together, Li’s loved ones celebrated as she moved from one phase of life into another.
It wasn’t a bachelorette party, nor was it a baby shower, although the guests were honouring a new milestone. Instead, the gathering was a ‘doctorette party’, to celebrate Li’s upcoming thesis defence. Li wore a ‘Mrs to Dr’ sash, and party activities paid homage to her research as a hydrologist at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Attendees posed in a photo booth with signs reading ‘Please fund me’ and completed a mock exam featuring trivia about Li.
Pausing to mark the moment felt important, Li says, and was something she had thought about since her earliest university days. “We only acknowledge traditional milestones, like getting married or starting a family, but there are so many other things worth celebrating”, especially a PhD she’s been working towards for years, Li says. “It’s been a team effort, but also something that I’ve really made my own, and I wanted to honour that.”
Seven tips for a graceful lab exit
Research can be relentless, and scientists might reach career milestones at any time of the academic year, meaning that it is often left to individuals to decide when and how to reflect on their accomplishments. Achievements such as earning tenure — a form of permanent academic employment common in North America — or defending a dissertation, for example, commonly mark a natural inflection point that is worth celebrating. Nature’s careers team asked researchers how they acknowledge these milestones, and learnt that such celebrations can be deeply personal, silly and over-the-top, or as simple as a cake shared with colleagues. Everyone interviewed agreed, however: you absolutely should take the time to do it.
Keep it low-key
The instinct to celebrate comes naturally to some people, but for others, being the focus of attention can feel uncomfortable. Yet, group leaders say that cultivating a supportive environment through humour and silliness can kindle bonds between colleagues and reinforce good habits around work–life balance. In turn, these close relationships can lead to greater cohesion and innovation in the laboratory1.
Fortunately, celebrations can run the gamut from spontaneous to well-planned, and it is entirely reasonable to call in reinforcements.
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