Calling all PS thesis-tacklers, researchers, and students!

[katamari]

Dockman: Congratulations on the publication! YAHOO! That is amazing news! Now you can focus on enjoying your vacation!

AmberGretchen: Congrats on getting through the first round of interviews! We will be pulling for you through the second round!

WishfulThinking: Good luck getting the venue! As for your advisor, I would suggest talking to her. She may just think that, since you are interested in law, focusing on the policy will look better when you use this as your writing sample with your applications (my first thought after reading this). You may just have to emphasize that you are really interested in the Social Justice programs because of your love for theory and see how you can keep it. It may also be fruitful for you to think of a way to narrow the project while still keeping both aspects. Good luck with the phone conference (always so awkward).

I am so totally jealous of everyone on semesters right now. I wish our Autumn quarter was starting. . .

Good luck to everyone! Keep on being awesome researchers and scholars!

 

[choro72]

Dockman, congratulations!!!! When is it going to be published?
Looking forward to those pictures

I won''t go into details. Another week wasted with insignificant programming. Still, my chin is held high, and I am plowing through towards the important stuff. Thank you Wishful, Katamari, Amber for your support

 

[gwendolyn]

Just wanted to pop in here and let you all know I''m still following your progress! Also, a HUGE congrats to Dockman!!! How wonderful that you are being published!! Great work!!! (I also love how you''re going to wing it with the possible proposal

) Congrats!!

 

[dockman3]

Thanks everyone for the kind words. Right now, the absolute final draft is due in 30 days, but we''ll return it by next week and then it get put in the line for publication. I think they have about a 3 month backlog of papers to publish right now, but we''ll see.

I leave for my trip tomorrow, so I''ll let you all know how it goes when I get back!

 

[Delster]

Congratulations Amber on passing that nasty test, and to dockman on your publication! Woohoo, both of you!!!

Amber we're all rooting for you. Chin up chuck, you will get through this. Sending lots of good vibes!

dockman, hope you have a wonderful vacation, proposal or no proposal. Enjoy it and take lots of pics to show us

Everyone else, apologies for being AWOL, I'm working like the clappers on something and also spending a half hour every morning and evening trying to reach the once again incognito supervisor. Le sigh. I will update more next week. Right now I'm sore and tetchy about the whole thing

Now for all of those who long for an Irish get-away, and for me who wishes I was back there again, please find below one virtual vacation

Although, be warned, that water is coooollllddd

 

[princesss]

Congratulations, Dockman!

Not much is going on in my semi-academic life at the moment. I''ve gotten a taste for non-fiction books, and am currently going through some of the books I didn''t read as carefully as I would have liked to the first time. Next on my list is "The Book of Jerry Falwell", which I read a few years ago for a class, and seems like a very interesting re-read.

GMAT work is going a little more slowly. As in, not at all. But I''m going to pick up a prep book today/tomorrow and start doing exercises. Yay. Fun. (Can''t you just feel the joy?) But I''ve got to master this test, so I''ve got to do it.

 

[WishfulThinking]

Date: 8/13/2008 11:35:19 AM
Author: princesss
Not much is going on in my semi-academic life at the moment. I''ve gotten a taste for non-fiction books, and am currently going through some of the books I didn''t read as carefully as I would have liked to the first time. Next on my list is ''The Book of Jerry Falwell'', which I read a few years ago for a class, and seems like a very interesting re-read.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA my interest is peaked. Jerry Falwell? That''s kind of amazing, I must look that book up. I am a proud member of the facebook group called "Jerry Falwell is dead, but sodomy lives on."

I just googled at book, out of curiosity, and I''m glad I did! I <3 Susan Harding, by the way. I was just talking to FI about her, since she is contemplating the anthro program at UC Santa Cruz. Anyways, that book sounds incredibly fascinating. It really fits my current interests in language, religion, politics and US "conservative backlash," etc. so I might have to pick it up. I am borderline obsessed with semiotics/semantics right now, and am taking a class this Fall which is relevant to that.

choro- Keep plugging through! I''m sure all of your hard work will pay off. Continued good wishes.

gwen- Nice to see you here!

dockman- Definitely let us know how it goes, and good luck to you! I''m sure no matter what happens your trip will be fantastic.

Delster- I can''t believe your supervisor is still incognito. That sounds so frustrating. *hugs* I don''t blame you one bit for being tetchy! That photo is STUNNING. Oh, how I long to be there. Someday I''ll make it!

 

[princesss]

Wishful, it''s really interesting! And I''m currently in NC and basically residing in the land of mega-churches (and the Billy Graham parkway), so it should be interesting (even more than it was when I was in VA, land of Mr. Falwell himself). Definitely read it!

 

[katamari]

Oh my gosh, Delster. That is beautiful! Thanks for the virtual vacation!

Have fun on your real vacation, Dockman!

Good luck to the GMAT crew. Pop quiz: How do you determine the volume of a cone?

 

[princesss]

Date: 8/14/2008 4:37:32 PM
Author: katamari
Oh my gosh, Delster. That is beautiful! Thanks for the virtual vacation!


Have fun on your real vacation, Dockman!


Good luck to the GMAT crew. Pop quiz: How do you determine the volume of a cone?

Pour vodka in it, take a shot, and figure out how drunk you are?

 

[WishfulThinking]

Princess, that is too funny!

I am a little frazzled today. Sorry if this turns out to be super long. I am having what can really only be described as a educational existential crisis. Here''s the run-down...

I am supposed to be applying to law school over the next few months. I''ve wanted to do this since I was a little kid, no second thoughts. That is, until the middle of last year when I fell in love with Gender Studies and theory and working on what could still be described as legal/policy issues, but approached from the other side. That was when I decided to go for a dual degree to do both at once. Easy, right?

Well, not so much. Honestly, the dual degree programs might just kill me. They''re INSANE, and I think I would be getting in a little over my head if I did the two at once. It''s twice as much money in application fees this fall AND I don''t even know if it''s what I want to do anyways. It''s also twice as much work: twice as many essays, twice as many transcripts to send, twice as many offices to call. I am not sure I am willing to spend all of my time and money on something I don''t even know that I want to do.

I had always thought I HAD to go to graduate school right after my undergrad graduation this year for financial reasons. Well, it turns out I actually DON''T have the independent loans I thought I did; mine are all govt. issued. This means if I were to take time off I would pay off the loans while I was out, but be able to defer them again when I go back to school. I am not sure why I thought I had an outside loan, but when I checked today to see if I was correct and I wasn''t I began to think about the scary alternative: The Year Off.

Thinking about it relieves a lot of the pressure I feel, both emotionally/academically and financially. It means I can focus on my thesis without spending 10+ hours a week in LSAT prep courses [$$$$$] to help me get into schools I am not sure I want to go to. It means I can try to up my GPA without being stressed to the max figuring out applications. I will be a MUCH more qualified and impressive applicant if I were to apply after graduation. It means I won''t be wasting time and money on tuition and courses at a type of school that I am having serious second thoughts about. It also means I can buy some time to figure out what I want to do before I plunge in. The added bonus is that I might be pretty burned out by the end of next year, and having a break from academia might be something I need to do for emotional reasons.

I have been lying to myself, which is hard to admit. Don''t get me wrong- I want to ace the LSAT and go to Berkeley and be successful, but I am not sure whether I want that out of a 20 year habit, or because it''s going to help me to do what I want to do with my life. I am driven no matter what I do, and a perfectionist, and I have poured a lot of my heart and energy into this law school dream, but I worry that what I usually think of as passion is really just my insane drive to succeed against all the odds.

I also worry that I have no idea how to get a job, no clue what I could do for a year [two?] to be able to support myself, and will still be moving blindly across the country with very little useful job experience. Maybe I will do Teach For America or something...

What should I do? Am I just being insane? Has anyone else ever felt like this?

 

[Elegant]

Congrats Dockman!! That''s awesome.

I have been MIA - I finally got a teaching job after interviewing and searching for a month and a half. The dissertation has been put on hold and I have barely been visiting PS! Talk about withdrawals.

I hope everyone is doing well - my vacation is almost over...thanks for the beautiful aerial shot Delster! Looks gorgeous.

 

[princesss]

Wishful, it sounds like you know what you need to do.

If you take a year off, you can work and study. No worries about not focusing on your thesis, no worries about grades....you can regroup. You can also think about what you''re more excited about, and what you want to work on.

There is no point in wearing yourself out. Seriously, Wishful, I think you''ll be able to study to be a better lawyer (and/or a kick-butt Gender Studies queen) if you''re not completely mentally exhausted.

What does your FI think?

 

[AmberGretchen]

Oh wishful honey, can I just tell you that I actually think its really good that this is hitting you now and not 3-4 years into a graduate program? What I mean by that is that I think what you are feeling is totally healthy and normal. Pretty much every PhD, MD, and JD student I''ve met (and I''ve met a lot) has gone through this at some point.

And almost all of them (myself included) say they wish they had taken time off between undergrad and grad school (if they didn''t) or that they are glad they did (if they did). It really allows you to clarify what you want to actually do with your life, and will make graduate school a much better experience for you if/when you do decide to go.

I have no doubts that you''ll be able to find a job - you are clearly very bright, and driven, and energetic. The best advice I have there is to work your network - call all your friends and relatives and friends of friends and start putting out feelers for what''s out there. Teach for America is a great option (I have several friends who did it) but there are others as well.

Please try not to beat yourself up too much - I think its great that you are realizing this now, and I think it will serve you really well in the long term.

 

[WishfulThinking]

Thanks Princess and AmberGretchen.

I was feeling pretty frantic all of yesterday, but I feel much more calm now.

Princess- You''re completely right about regrouping; in fact, I think that is the thing I need most. I want to feel like I have all my ducks in a row and am more confident about what I want to do. I had a pretty bad breakdown my first year in college that led to some time off [which was financially difficult] and I don''t want a repeat performance. I should have taken a year off between hs and college, and not doing so created a problem for me. The last thing I want to do is set myself up for the same scenario all over again!

FI is really supportive. Up until last year she was sure she was headed to law school as well. She had an epiphany about it, and discovered what she really wants to do, which is not law school, but getting a PhD and maybe becoming a professor. I was there for her during that time, and she is being just as loving and supporting to me right now. It helps that she really understand where I am coming from. We''re SO similar [eerily so, in some ways] and the same things she was hesitant about are things I am facing right now. I know she made the right decision about what she wants to do, and she will stand by me as I try to figure out what the best decision for me is. It could go either way at this point, but it''s nice to know she will be there for me no matter what.

Amber- Thanks so much for the reassurance. I agree that it is SO good that I am figuring this out before I even started grad school. I know a lot of people who have taken time off, and I''d always envied them, but was sure I wouldn''t be able to. As soon as I realized I could, the wheels started turning and my denial seeped away.

I am a little worried about the job part, since the economy is so bad and I have no marketable skills to speak of. Honestly, though, I am not the first college grad to need to find a job, and I''m sure I can manage. At the risk of sounding rather arrogant, I know a lot of people who are far less motivated and capable than I am, and they''ve found jobs and manage to support themselves, so there is no reason I can''t!

I am definitely going to hit up the Career Development Center at my college, our Alum network [which is fantastic!] and a few other connections as well. Teach for America is also on the table, but I want to make sure I cover all of my bases.

Thanks again for the support, both of you. I ran this by my parents today and they''re both being really supportive and nice. That''s one of my major hurdles, so I''m keeping my fingers crossed that the rest of my hurdles go somewhat smoothly as well!

 

[katamari]

Hi WishfulThinking: I just thought you might want to hear from someone who did take time off, because I really have mixed feelings about whether or not it is a good idea. I obviously believe that you will make the right decision for you, but for what it is worth. . .

Pros:
1. Like AmberGretchen says, I one of the few students in my cohort who has never suffered from ''burnout.'' I still love what I do, never question it, and am generally excited about working. (I do, though, procrastinate like a mofo, but I don''t see this as a symptom of burnout, fwiw).

2. It was nice to earn some extra money so that I had some savings for the grad program. Our funding package is quite, um, modest and it would be hard to live without that cash.

3. I did some things with my life that I might not have been able to do had I gone straight to school (travel cross country, be young and immature, . . .)

Cons:
1. My year-off quickly became three-years-off. I got attached to my job and coworkers, got settled into a 9-5 life and the lifestyle it provided and it made quitting really hard.

2. I had to go back and earn a 2nd bachelor''s degree because when I contacted the programs I was interested in (top programs who fund you), I was told it is generally looked down upon to take time off because it means you are not serious or dedicated. Of course, there is some variation here--one top program required work experience, but the overall consensus what that you were a less serious student if you took non-necessary time off.

3. It seriously delayed my life timeline. A PhD program is long (taking me 6 years), so I entered at 26, will get my PhD at 32, will not have tenure until 38-40 which means I will not be able to stop working like crazy until 38-40. I think now that I would rather have the extra three years later in life.

So, again, it can be a good thing (I promise I am not trying to talk you out of it), but really think about it and about how it will impact the things you want to do with your life before you decide. Also, if you do, I suggest you firmly establish how much time you will take off and stick to it at all costs! (i.e. When you get your job, make sure they know it will only be for X, and consistently remind them and you of this).

Also, I think it is a good thing to always be reassessing you what. If you really like the gender theory, then consider the PhD program. But, if you really want to practice law and address gender equality, you might just want to go to law school only. Does this make sense? If you want to practice, you can always request or download syllabi and ''take'' courses on your own, so you may not need the PhD. (I don''t believe this to be true of law school, right? You can''t just pass the bar without a law degree and become a lawyer, right?). Personally, I would only go the joint program route if the PhD offers opportunities I am really interested in and that wouldn''t be open to me without both degrees.

Really, though, all just stuff to think about. You will know what to do, and it will be the right decision.

 

[katamari]

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR TEACHING JOB, ELEGANT! WOO HOO!

 

[WishfulThinking]

Congrats, Elegant! I must have missed your post before!

Thanks for weighing in, katamari. I really appreciate the multi-faceted perspective you gave, and it was just what I needed in order to start thinking about exactly what I want to get out of the year I am going to take off. I''ve made the decision, and it''s the best thing I could have done. Knowing the obstacles you encountered is really helpful.

It is ONE YEAR. Non-negotiable unless I apply for a program like Teach for America that is two years, but I don''t think I am going to do that. I need the money, I need the time, and it will be nice to be able to settle down after the cross-country move we''re doing next June without having to start school that Fall. It seems like it''s easy to get sucked into stuff, so I will avoid it from the get-go and stay strong!

As far as I know, none of the schools I am applying to think time off is a bad idea. The vast majority of applicants they report are actually NOT college seniors, which is good news for me, I guess. I am also pretty young, and I''d be starting school again at the age of 23, so even a six year program would be alright in terms of a timeline. It''s a really good thing to consider, though.

I am definitely more into the theory part. Hands down. I think my niche is in connecting theory to policy and government, but on the theory side of things, not the law/govt. side. I just can''t do in law what I can do with the theory; my brain is just happier there, and much more efficient at navigating things. I have also oddly enough never wanted to PRACTICE law, so I think the law degree would potentially be superfluous. [You definitely have to pass the bar to practice law, and I am 99% sure that you have to have graduated from law school...] I don''t think a dual degree is just overkill and a headache and will result in my having a degree I don''t need and an expense I can''t afford.

I really appreciate everyone being so supportive and helping me work through this. Once again, this thread is a lifesaver. You''re all my heroes.

[And I am going dress shopping tomorrow!!!!

]

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Date: 8/18/2008 10:26:35 PM
Author: WishfulThinking
Congrats, Elegant! I must have missed your post before!


Thanks for weighing in, katamari. I really appreciate the multi-faceted perspective you gave, and it was just what I needed in order to start thinking about exactly what I want to get out of the year I am going to take off. I've made the decision, and it's the best thing I could have done. Knowing the obstacles you encountered is really helpful.


It is ONE YEAR. Non-negotiable unless I apply for a program like Teach for America that is two years, but I don't think I am going to do that. I need the money, I need the time, and it will be nice to be able to settle down after the cross-country move we're doing next June without having to start school that Fall. It seems like it's easy to get sucked into stuff, so I will avoid it from the get-go and stay strong!


As far as I know, none of the schools I am applying to think time off is a bad idea. The vast majority of applicants they report are actually NOT college seniors, which is good news for me, I guess. I am also pretty young, and I'd be starting school again at the age of 23, so even a six year program would be alright in terms of a timeline. It's a really good thing to consider, though.


I am definitely more into the theory part. Hands down. I think my niche is in connecting theory to policy and government, but on the theory side of things, not the law/govt. side. I just can't do in law what I can do with the theory; my brain is just happier there, and much more efficient at navigating things. I have also oddly enough never wanted to PRACTICE law, so I think the law degree would potentially be superfluous. [You definitely have to pass the bar to practice law, and I am 99% sure that you have to have graduated from law school...] I don't think a dual degree is just overkill and a headache and will result in my having a degree I don't need and an expense I can't afford.


I really appreciate everyone being so supportive and helping me work through this. Once again, this thread is a lifesaver. You're all my heroes.

[And I am going dress shopping tomorrow!!!!

]

More congrats to elegant and dockman!

Wishful I wanted to weigh in again. We sound SO similar! I worry like you do about money and burnout. I am very burned out as far as undergrad goes, so I worry I will get burned out sometimes during law school. In the past I have also questioned whether my desire to go to law school was to feel successful or to go to law school. I believe it's more to go to law school and help people, but that took a lot of soul-searching and time to get to. I know if I keep pushing I'll make it somehow. I am considering a MPA/JD degree program and wondering if that is a bit too much as well. But..I am not sure taking time off is a good idea for me. It'd be great for FI..give him more time to work at his current job and more time for us to relocate; however, I want to have kids. And if we're going to have kids before 30..which I insist we do if possible..then I need to go to law school NOW and not later to even have a dream of paying off my loans before babies.

So confusing. Anyway, just wanted to commiserate. Again, I know how you feel. You'll make the right decision, just take it one step at a time.

ETA: I just wanted to say you're 100% right about schools preferring those with more work experience to college seniors. Some schools even list that as one of their top criteria. Some care more than others, but it is a helpful advantage to have. Unfortunately, I don't have it.

 

[katamari]

WishfulThinking: I think that if you stick to your timeline, you will be fine. That is totally the biggest issue I had with my break. Yeah, I agree with you on the theory. I am totally a thinker and not a doer.

But, I have friends who came to grad school thinking they were getting activist training, and it is so not that (at least not in my department). I would NEVER discourage someone from getting a PhD, I think it is the best thing ever. So, glad to hear that is what you love to do.

Good luck with dress shopping! You know we want details!

SarahlovesJS: That is interesting to know about law school preferencing life experiences. I guess it makes sense, though, since you are being trained for a practicing occupation.

And, I totally hear you on the family issue. I had just figured I wouldn''t have kids, but SO really, really wants them. Scheduling in the pregnancy and everything is really difficult. You will be fine, though. SO''s mom is a developmental specialist and she has sent me a ton of articles detailing how 30-33 is the best time, physically for a woman to have children. It''s actually way healthier for you and the baby than being pregnant in your 20s.

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Just wanted to say thanks Katamari!

It''s nice to get some reassurance.

 

[WishfulThinking]

Sarah, I am more and more convinced with every post here that we think very similarly about these things. Thanks for being here for me so much in this thread and giving so many thoughtful responses. I have absolutely no doubt that you''re going to help many people, and I''m so glad that there are people like you out there that want to use law to help people. Helping people is so underrated.

I keep bouncing back to that same thing: I want to help people. I''ve begun to think of things a little bit differently, and I like the new perspective. Maybe I should help people using my biggest strengths, and maybe law isn''t that strength. I used to think of law and government as positions of power from which the only change must stem. I no longer believe that; I''ve just read too much Foucault to hold onto that notion.

I don''t want to think about things in a way that frames law as the ONLY way to accomplish things. It''s one way, and it''s obviously effective, and it''s perfect for people who are good at it and use it for those purposes, but recognizing that it isn''t ALL about that has been good for me. I feel really good about the progress I''m making in the way I think, and absolutely relieved, as if a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders [totally corny imagery, but you get it!] I''m ready to figure this out!

I think not having kids is part of what makes my decision easier than it otherwise would be. I have to worry about getting old [lmao] before I get my degree, but I don''t have the same sorts of concerns that other women and couples face when determining their timeline of life events.

Katamari- I will definitely stick to the timeline; in fact, it will be my mantra! I am both a thinker and a do-er, but I like to think what I am doing [

Hannah Arendt

] and make sure the two parts of me are always working with each other to accomplish my goal. I am definitely not looking for grad school to be activist training... I don''t need training!

I do think theory can be a catalyst for activism, but that is, as I''m sure you know, a long-raging ''debate'' in academia. Everyone I have met with a PhD thinks it''s the best thing ever... I gotta get myself a piece of this pie.

**I bought my dress today! I started a thread in BWW!

**

 

[WishfulThinking]

UPDATE: I spoke with my advisor [the nice temp one, not the scary one I''ll have in a week

] about my grad school musings and tentative decision and she was THRILLED. She tried to play it cool and pretend that she wanted me to think about it and weigh all my options and all that, but I could totally tell that she was a little excited about the possibility that I might do a theory degree and become a professor.

She knows me SO WELL, and we both know all about my love/hate relationship with law/government [she is the exact same way... I am a mini-her], so it does make sense to both of us on that level. She has a lot of faith in me and my intelligence and abilities, and I trust her opinion about my strengths and weaknesses because she knows my brain probably even better than I do at this point.

The bottom line is that she would NEVER tell me to do one thing over the other, but she gave me some great advice and was excited because she thinks more than anything that my choice to wait to make the decision about what to do for grad school by taking a year off is a good one. She also gave me a quick run-down of what poli sci PhD programs are looking for, and she thinks it will make me look better to take a year off anyways, which is really what I needed to hear.

She also told me I''d do well and be successful no matter what I choose... I really needed to hear that as well.

We also spoke about my thesis, which is back on track! We agreed that my research question is still too broad, and I changed some stuff around. For the interested, my methodology is a rather Foucauldian discourse analysis, but I''m backing off trying to incorporate the theory aspect as prominently as I was planning to. It was kind of redundant at some points. I am still planning to use Foucault''s theory of biopower as a framework for my analysis, but focus mostly on social and governmental discourses surrounding Welfare reform and abstinence education programs and legislation. The programs work by not working, yada yada yada, their failure perpetuates their need to exist, yada yada, they always call out for reform but the reforms are never successful- all of this is supposed to incorporate the ideologies of normative citizenship/subjects [white, upper middle-class, heterosexual] and their "deviant" alternatives.

In conclusion: I am happy, I got some great advice and feedback both here and from a trusted friend and professor, and I feel a lot more confident about everything. I am unbelievably calm and collected as I prepare to go back to school on the 31st, which is a huge change from what I was feeling about a week ago. I am so rejuvenated! I also think I have some thesis talking-points I can give to the evil advisor come Sept 5th.

Oh right- AND I GOT MY WEDDING DRESS! I am still so thrilled about that.

I hope everyone else is doing well, and I can''t wait to hear what you''ve been up to!

 

[Elegant]

Thanks for the congrats you guys! I have been popping in and out of PS for a few weeks now...it sucks...and I have totally been neglecting and avoiding my dissertation too - ugh.

I am excited about the job but feel a tremendous sense of loneliness - nothing is familiar at all. I start tomorrow and I am a bit nervous, but once I meet my new students and get to know them everything should be fine.

Off to lesson plan!

Thanks again!

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Hi Wishful!! I just wanted to check in and see how your studying is going and how the semester is going?

How is it going for everyone else?

 

[WishfulThinking]

Elegant- I hope the first weeks of your new job are going well. Good luck!

Sarah- I am doing pretty well right now! My advisor is totally psyched about my thesis, which makes me feel warm and fuzzy and more secure. I meet with dragon lady in two weeks, when she will become my advisor instead [WAH!] and we will see how that goes, but I have a lot of great and convincing talking points and I think she will have to be impressed.

I haven''t actually started the semester yet, though. I move in TOMORROW! FI and I are dorming together, but in a suite with our own bathroom. It is very apartment-like, which is fun. I see her tomorrow-finally!-after two months of being apart. I''m excited. This week is going to be a great one! I start work in the Gender Studies department office, get to walk for Convocation in my cap and gown for the first time [!!!] and do all these other senior things with the incoming first year students. So fun! Classes start on Thursday, so I''ll probably be insane starting then.

I am nervous because a few of my professors are new to the college, so I don''t have much idea about their teaching styles or anything else, but I''ll survive, I''m sure. My classes are also SO amazingly interesting.

How is everything going with you? Have you started classes yet?

I hope everyone else is doing well, and holding up well now that summer is coming to and end and fall is beginning. Good luck with everything and stay strong!

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Hi wishful!! That is awesome about moving in with your FI even if it is in a dorm, still cool

I am doing pretty well..very tired, very tired.

I started classes last week, so I am jealous!! I am only taking 12 credit hours this semester for the first time (usually do 15-16), but it seems my extracurriculars have ramped themselves up.

It''s nice to be so involved..but sometimes gets a bit stressful dealing with so many people when it seems I''m one of the few fully responsible ones.

So I have to make it through today..(stuff to do until around 9 PM or so..

) then try to get some sleep. I got some sleep last night, but not much. I guess some is an improvement for none. My classes today aren''t too bad they''re generally easy..I''m a TA for one so I just sit there then I have a seminar-type class after lunch. It''s what I have to do after that''s stressful.

FI has the day off today, he''s a lucky one! It''s nice being a senior, like you said. It''s both happy and sad at the same time for me, I guess I''d say bittersweet because I am happy to be finishing up with everything and both happy and sad to be leaving. Sorry to be such a downer!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Hey everyone - sounds like some of us have been busy.

Wishful, congrats on finalizing your decision. It sounds like you are putting some really mature and insightful thinking into this, and I''m sure that whatever route you ultimately decide to take with graduate school will be the right one, because of your mature and intelligent approach to the decision

Sarah - so fun to move in with the FI - you guys are going to have such an awesome year

elegant - congrats on the job

Sorry you''re feeling kind of lonely - I really hope that abates somewhat once you start working, and I''m sure it will.

Well, I have a not-so-happy update. I did not get an offer from one of the companies that was recruiting me all summer. I''m incredibly disappointed, because I thought I was a good fit with this company and that my interviews had gone well, but I guess they didn''t agree. Its especially tough because several others in my study group did get through to the final round of interviews, and so that makes things a bit awkward and even though I know I shouldn''t be jealous or upset, its hard not to be.

I''m trying to focus on casting a wider net and reminding myself that someone will most likely offer me a job - I think I have decent qualifications, and I''m extremely enthusiastic and excited about what I am applying to do. Mostly I believe it, but sometimes I really doubt myself and the system, and worry that I''ll come away without any offers at all

 

[katamari]

AmberGretchen: So sorry to hear about your job search. It is quite frustrating to have to go through something of that extent and not have it payoff. Are there any similar companies or jobs that you could look out for? I guess the best thing is that you have a solid idea of what you want to do. I don''t go on the market until next year, but I have already decided to stay on the market until I get what I want. Hopefully you have that option. The system certainly does suck for PhD placements in every discipline I have heard of. Is there anything you could do to make yourself more marketable to the types of job you want (like a postdoc or something).

Wishful: How exciting to be moving in with your fiancee and starting your senior year. I am sure you are going to have a great year!

Sarah: I hope you get to rest soon! And have a great year, too! Your senior year will be such a great time that it won''t matter if you''re tired.

Elegant: How did your first day go? Any regrets by starting the job? Or is it ''the one''?



I just ended my summer quarter and am in a crunch to get out two fellowship/dissertation funding apps and get a paper in review by the end of the summer. I have until the 24th, so hopefully I should be okay. But, I am going with my SO to Europe on the 10th (to the 23rd), and really want to be done with everything by then. Not so sure if that will happen, but will keep working. It is very nice to only do your research without having to worry about working (particularly grading).

Advisor2 is kind of upset with me because I went two weeks without working on our paper (was busy grading final papers and exams and working on the apps), and I have to meet with her tomorrow. It shouldn''t be too bad, but we all know that an unhappy advisor = an unhappy student. Advior1 is ok, though (why I am a big advocate of having two advisors), so I am trying not to let things with A2 get me down too much. (That, and I do think she has the right to be frustrated with me given the tight deadline we are working toward). Now I am going to bed, so I can get up early and hit the books

(or, probably SAS tomorrow) and have something to wow her with to try to win her back to my side

How is everyone else doing?

 

[dockman3]

Hey everyone! Glad to hear that things seem to be progressing more or less for everyone. I just wanted to stop by and give a quick update.

In case you haven''t heard yet, I''m back from my trip to Yosemite and no, I didn''t end up proposing while I was there. I created a whole thread for that if you want more details and pictures. In the spirit of this thread, I''ll just say that I''ve cut back on my PS time to give me some more PhD time. I realized that I was spending an inordinate amount of time on here, so I''ve cut back. However, that doesn''t mean that I won''t keep coming back.

My work is going alright, but this current experiment just doesn''t want to cooperate. I know I''m close to getting it to work, it just isn''t happening right now. I''ve got a conference paper due at the end of the month, so I''ll be working on that in the upcoming weeks. So I''m pretty busy right now.

On a more positive note, I decided to go ABD this semester, which means that I don''t have to TA or anything. I have no responsibilities other than my research this semester, so its really nice. Hopefully I can get a lot done so I can graduate in May.

Well, that''s an update of my academic work for now. Keep up the good work everyone!