A long time ago I was given an opportunity to spend some time working at a lab in a foreign university. I was invited to explore the possibility of doing a PhD there and got an appointment with a professor that might have become my PhD supervisor.

When I got to that appointment someone was already in his office. The professor invited me in, but told me to sit and wait until they finish with the other student. He then proceeded to berate the guy in front of me. He used no kind words. Told him his work on the PhD thesis was completely incompetent, he wasted his years and stuff like that. It shook me deeply that someone would do that to his student, not to mention do it in front of a stranger.

Needless to say, I passed the offer to do the PhD at that place. It's still one of my most vivid memories from the time I spent there - which was otherwise full of interesting work and I'm grateful for the people that made it possible. I still wonder if that was real or the scene was played to find out if I'm able to handle pressure like that. In either case, it left the impression of a toxic environment that I did not want to have a part in.