mouse13

I am told that I am hired by the university as a teaching assistant. I have completed all of my teaching assistant requirements. Today I found out that I am supposed to have known that I am a research assistant. The only piece of paper that says that I am supposed to be a research assistant is my "ta assignment". This says that my teaching assistant assignment is to be a RA for a certain professor. After receiving this assignment I continued to receive information about being a TA from both my department and the university. I don't understand how I am supposed to know that I am a research assistant when everything else that I received says I am a TA. The moral of the story is, new or future graduate students, be perfectly certain about your funding because you will be blamed for mistakes other people make in informing you of your duties.

I am done with my third week of graduate school now. I finally got into a reading rhythm this past week. I joined a reading group for one of my classes. I am glad that I worked working out into my weekly schedule! All in all I am adjusting gradually to the reading load of my degree program and I haven't lost much sleep!

I have recently felt excluded in one of my classes that has older students in it. I try to be nice but the exclusion remains and is sometimes encouraged by the professor. It is continually upsetting because I am still adjusting to the reading workload. All my other classes are filled with supportive people and professors.