[shrimpx]

Tragically, a non-trivial number of Ph.D. students commit suicide. It's natural to gradually put all your eggs in the imagined Ph.D. outcome (e.g., an idealized notion of a professorship) with increasing depth as the years wear on. After multiple years and a huge emotional and intellectual commitment, if you start to see the cracks in the structure, and you cannot reconcile the newly perceived reality with your model and goal, it can be absolutely devastating.

[jessaustin]

An experience I had as an undergrad of walking around a not-yet-bleached spot on the sidewalk in front of Pierce played some role in my not going to grad school.

[andrepd]

Bleached? In what sense?

[webmaven]

A concrete surface (such as a sidewalk) needs to be cleaned with a bleaching agent in order to remove bodily fluid stains, which can otherwise persist for years.

[andrepd]

Oh...

[jessaustin]

They put up a barrier and some "biohazard" signs around the spot, until they had a chance to clean the concrete thoroughly. It would be unseemly for students to trod on the remains of their recently deceased schoolmate.