I agree that graduate life is not nearly the same as undergraduate life, especially if you're married. Try finding a place to live on campus that looks better than aging war barracks. There's nice stuff for singles, but not for married people. Thus, we had to commute from off campus, and often missed interesting events due to scheduling issues (do I go home to my resources and get things done, but not come back for the event because that'll eat another 90 minutes out of the day, or do I putz around campus for three hours waiting for interesting event/lecture/etc?).
As a graduate student, I really did not feel included. Frosh have their whole time of welcome, even transfer students. The grad students are going "huh" when people talk about the jump, the midnight on the quad, and all of that good stuff.
Even as alums, it's little better. Look in the back of the Stanford Magazine at the alum notes. The undergrads get a separate column for each class. The graduate students are lumped in by college. Do you ever see anyone in the Stanford Magazine talking about the fun they had at grad school? No, it's the fun of undergrad, or the research they did in grad.
I loved my graduate work at Stanford, but I do agree with the author of this post. When you're cramming to get projects finished during dead week and come out of hours in the library to find the undergrads playing ultimate frisbee..

yeah dude. palo alto sucks. you didn't mention how everywhere you go, the guys outnumber the girls 5:1. that makes palo alto truly the most horrendous place on earth. unless, of course, you happen to be a girl. but if you're a stanford grad student, odds are that you aren't. so sucks to be you.
i have four letters for you: UCLA.

You guys don't get it: Grad school is where Serious people come to do Serious things so that.... so that.... uh, Shape up or ship out! Yeah.

Cheers to that! Thanks for writing with that awesome bitterness. I needed that. This is probably my crappiest day in grad school. My research doesn't really work and doesn't really matter and I think I'd rather stare at the ceiling for 3 hours than even consider going in to the lab tomorrow. I hate this right now and, for some reason, knowing that I'm not alone really helps. I sure hope a PhD means something other than you just gave yourself ulcers and fuc*ed up your life.

5th yr PhD. No juice left in the brain. No motivation to write, eat, sleep. Time is passing. Need to GET OUT. Yet can't. STUCK. No money. Life at a stand still. Need a vacation. But again, no money. Shouldn't complain. Could be worse.

Yeah...grad school sucks -- a lot. Nights of frustrated yelling, bitching, and crying are normal responses from my experience. It's no fun and probably the worst part of my life so far.
However, after looking for jobs for Physics bachelors degrees (as I am), grad school is the only option unless I plan on making less than $40k for the rest of my days.
So, I can either be poor, or I can be poor and hopefully end up as "Dr." someday. Man, grad school sucks.

I’d prefer reading in my native language, because my knowledge of your languange is no so well. But it was interesting!

oh man. grad school has made me hate the whole world. as the article stated, above all, happy people, and most often in the form of undergrads.
but the worst thing of all is that in my program the faculty treats us grad students like undergrads. ridiculous! i used to have a job. i used to have fun. i used to smile, quite often even.

I just finished graduate school and I am soooo glad I'm done! I was only in school for two years getting a master's so I can't complain compared to a PhD but believe me, it was a BAD two years. I had full time, intense classes and three days of internship (aka PAYING to go to work). Those two years were filled with lot's of stress and severely lacked anything good. I could not even think of getting a PhD now so you all are stronger than me. Personally, I'd like to reform the grad school experience - who's with me?
I start my REAL job tomorrow. YAY! Here's to 9-5 hours and pay checks! Sorry I'm gloating. If you haven't yet finished your hellish grad school experience, I say you will be more than fully entitled to gloat your hearts out when you do!