I’ve been downgraded

When I was a research assistant in a research grant, I had an office space with a desk and a computer in a large busy research center. Lots of things going on, people having meetings, walking in and out….a real research community. Now that the research grant that I was working on has ended, I’m now “just” a graduate assistant to my prof, helping her complete the remaining work of the now defunct grant. Since I’m not in a research grant anymore, I’ve been banished from the center and had to move to a student “suite”. I don’t even get a proper desk, just some sort of counter space and no computer. And to make things worse, most of the other students in the “suite” are away on their practicum and are seldom around but yet they hog the desks. Although I’m told that I could use any of the desks when the other students are not using them, it’s still not my desk and my space. I really hate this new arrangement. Now I’m torn between (1) boycotting the counter space or (2) reclaiming the space by totally decorating and personalizing the area.