u/Scared_Fortune_1902

I’ve basically never taken a real break from academia. I went straight from university to my Master’s, then immediately into my PhD, and literally started my first postdoc in another country the same day I defended my PhD.
During grad school, I kept telling myself, “Once I finish, I’ll finally rest.” That never happened, and honestly, I’m starting to think that just doesn’t happen in this career.
During my first postdoc, I developed severe daytime sleepiness. I could sleep and still feel exhausted. I struggled to stay awake during meetings, presentations, and experiments, sometimes splashing water on my face in the lab just to stay focused.
Eventually, I saw a doctor. I was first prescribed atomoxetine and later Adderall when the sleepiness became severe again. Adderall helped me function and stay awake, although I was initially afraid to take it because of its potential to be habit-forming.
I recently moved across the country for another postdoc and, once again, started almost immediately. I’ve now run out of my medication after the move, and the underlying exhaustion and sleepiness are still there.
I honestly don’t know whether this is burnout after years of never stopping, an actual sleep/medical problem, or both. Part of me feels like I desperately need a real break, but I just started this postdoc and I’m afraid that asking my new PI for time off so soon would look bad.
Has anyone here (especially postdocs or PIs) experienced something similar? Would you prioritize a proper sleep evaluation, taking some real time off, talking to your PI, or something else?
For PIs specifically: would you see it as a red flag if a new postdoc told you they were exhausted after transitioning directly from their previous position and needed some time to recover?
I’m not looking for medication advice. I’m trying to figure out how to make this sustainable.

I’ve basically never taken a real break from academia. I went straight from university to my Master’s, then immediately into my PhD, and literally started my first postdoc in another country the same day I defended my PhD.
During grad school, I kept telling myself, “Once I finish, I’ll finally rest.” That never happened, and honestly, I’m starting to think that just doesn’t happen in this career.
During my first postdoc, I developed severe daytime sleepiness. I could sleep and still feel exhausted. I struggled to stay awake during meetings, presentations, and experiments, sometimes splashing water on my face in the lab just to stay focused.
Eventually, I saw a doctor. I was first prescribed atomoxetine and later Adderall when the sleepiness became severe again. Adderall helped me function and stay awake, although I was initially afraid to take it because of its potential to be habit-forming.
I recently moved across the country for another postdoc and, once again, started almost immediately. I’ve now run out of my medication after the move, and the underlying exhaustion and sleepiness are still there.
I honestly don’t know whether this is burnout after years of never stopping, an actual sleep/medical problem, or both. Part of me feels like I desperately need a real break, but I just started this postdoc and I’m afraid that asking my new PI for time off so soon would look bad.
Has anyone here (especially postdocs or PIs) experienced something similar? Would you prioritize a proper sleep evaluation, taking some real time off, talking to your PI, or something else?
For PIs specifically: would you see it as a red flag if a new postdoc told you they were exhausted after transitioning directly from their previous position and needed some time to recover?
I’m not looking for medication advice. I’m trying to figure out how to make this sustainable.

I previously had J-1 status and was subject to the two-year home residency requirement under 212(e). After that program ended, I returned to my home country and completed the full two-year requirement.
I later returned to the United States under a new J-1 program. My DS-2019 for this program was reviewed and marked “Not subject to the two-year residence requirement.”
Later, I traveled outside the United States and applied for a new J-1 visa so I could return. At the consulate, my DS-2019 was again reviewed and marked “Not subject to the two-year residence requirement.” However, the J-1 visa that was issued to me says “Subject to 212(e).”
I just noticed this discrepancy. Has anyone experienced this before? Does the annotation on the visa mean that I became subject to the two-year requirement again, even though the DS-2019 used for that visa application says that I am not subject? What is the correct way to determine my current 212(e) status?

I’m currently a third-year postdoc. I finished my PhD in 2024 and immediately started my first postdoc in the U.S., and I’m still working as a postdoc now.
My first postdoc was honestly a very positive experience. I had a great PI, really enjoyed the research, and was very productive, but unfortunately I had to leave because the lab lost funding. I recently started another postdoc at a different university.
At this point, I’m seriously considering moving to industry rather than pursuing a faculty position in the future. I don’t have a very large publication record yet, and after several years in academia, I’m starting to think that industry might be a better long-term path for me.
My main concern is my immigration status. I’m currently in the U.S. on a J-1 Research Scholar visa. At my previous university, I was offered the possibility of switching to H-1B status, and initially I wanted to do it. However, the university suggested that I remain on J-1 because they thought switching to H-1B could make finding my next position more difficult.
Interestingly, when I later looked for my next academic position, I had a very good response in the job market, and I wonder whether being on J-1 rather than requiring H-1B sponsorship may have helped. From what I saw during my search, several universities seemed reluctant to sponsor H-1Bs for postdocs, so I’m wondering how this works in industry.
Has anyone here moved directly from an academic postdoc on a J-1 to an industry position in the U.S.? Is it possible to work in industry on a J-1?
I’m also unsure about when I should start applying. I just started this new postdoc, so I don’t know whether it makes sense to actively apply for industry positions now or whether I should stay in this postdoc for about a year and then start looking. What would you suggest in my situation?
I’d really appreciate hearing about other people’s experiences. Thanks!

Hi! I moved from California to Delaware less than a week ago, but my car is still registered in California and still has California plates. I don’t have E-ZPass yet.
Today, I was driving from Newark, Delaware, to Rehoboth Beach on Route 1 and accidentally went through the first toll using the E-ZPass lane instead of the cash lane. I paid the next toll in cash.
Does anyone know how I can pay that first toll before receiving an invoice in the mail? I’m concerned because the California DMV may still have my old California address associated with the vehicle. By the way, I already updated my address with the California DMV, but the system wouldn’t let me update the address associated with my car.
Is there any way to look up the toll using just my California license plate and pay it online before they mail the invoice?
Thanks!

69M with a history of hypertension and high cholesterol. He is currently feeling well and has no symptoms.

Current medications:

• Rosuvastatin 40 mg once daily
• Amlodipine/losartan 2.5 mg/50 mg once daily

My father is visiting the U.S. from another country. Unfortunately, the airline delayed both of his checked bags, and his daily prescription medications are inside one of them. The airline says the bags may arrive on a later flight, but the tracking system still shows that they are searching for them, so we do not know when we will actually get them back.

He does not have U.S. health insurance. We do have a photo of his prescription from his doctor back home showing the medications, doses, and instructions.

I booked him a self-pay telehealth prescription-refill appointment for later this morning to hopefully obtain a short emergency supply until the luggage is returned.

My main questions are:

1. How concerning is it if he misses one dose of the amlodipine/losartan?
2. Is a short temporary prescription through a U.S. telehealth provider a reasonable solution in this situation?
3. Is there anything else we should be doing while waiting for the replacement medication?

I’m not looking to change his treatment or obtain a long-term prescription. I just want to make sure he can safely continue his regular medications until the airline returns his luggage.

My parents just arrived in the U.S. from another country, and unfortunately both of their checked bags were delayed. My dad packed his daily prescription medications in one of the checked bags, including medication for high blood pressure and cholesterol.

The airline told us the bags should arrive on a later flight and be delivered to us, but the baggage tracking system still says they are searching for them, so we have no idea when we will actually receive them.

My dad is visiting the U.S. and does not have U.S. health insurance. I was worried about him being without his medication, so I booked him a self-pay telehealth prescription-refill appointment through Sesame Care for later this morning. We do have a photo of his prescription from his doctor back home showing the medications and doses.

Has anyone dealt with something similar? Did a telehealth provider prescribe a short emergency supply for a visiting parent without U.S. insurance? And if you’ve had delayed international luggage containing medication, how long did it take for the airline to actually deliver the bags?

I’m mainly trying to make sure my dad doesn’t have to go without his regular medication while we wait for the luggage.

Hi everyone!

I'm moving to Delaware in early September to work at the University of Delaware. After researching many apartment communities over the past few weeks, I've narrowed my search down to these five:

• Gilpin Place
• PARQ at the Square
• Allandale Village
• Glen Eagle Village
• Colonial Garden Apartments

Since I'll be moving from out of state, I won't be able to tour any of them in person before applying.

I'm not looking for general apartment recommendations. I'm specifically hoping to hear from people who have lived in any of these communities.

My main questions are:

• Which one would you choose, and why?
• Is management responsive when maintenance issues come up?
• Are there any recurring problems (noise, pests, maintenance, safety, etc.)?
• Is garage parking available, and is it worth paying for?
• If you've lived at Gilpin Place, what are the studio apartments actually like? I haven't been able to find any real photos or videos of the studio units, so I'd really appreciate any pictures or first-hand experiences.

I'm also considering living in Claymont or North Wilmington. If you've lived in either area while commuting to UD, I'd love to hear how your experience was.

Thanks so much for your help!

Hi everyone! I’ll be moving to Newark, Delaware, to start a postdoc position at the University of Delaware. I’m looking for either a studio or a one-bedroom/one-bathroom apartment in a safe and relatively quiet area.

Ideally, I’d like to be within a reasonable driving distance of campus and have parking available. 

Which apartment complexes or neighborhoods would you recommend? I would also appreciate hearing about places or management companies I should avoid, as well as any hidden fees, safety concerns, or utility costs I should know about.

Thank you!