Allouette

Honestly, before reading this forum, it didn't even occur to me to buy a gift for any of my rec writers; I had planned on just a thank you card in addition to popping into their offices to chat about how the season turned out. I'm inclined to agree with Science!, in that my gut reaction to gifts is that they can be inappropriate (or at least, that it can be pretty grey territory in terms of choosing an appropriate gift that does not put the recipient in an awkward spot). That being said, I think this gift-giving and thank you business is really dependent on the culture of your university, and your individual relationship with your rec writers. I can easily imagine situations where gifts would be more or less appropriate. For that reason, I'd probably ask around your school (especially if you're in contact with people who recently graduated and who were in the same situation) to get a better sense for what the norm is for each situation. With that disclaimer, if it were me personally sending a gift, I would definitely shy away from anything alcoholic, because people can be very particular about what they drink (if they drink at all!) and I think it has the potential to be a sensitive subject.

Take a lesson from the Michael Scott School of business http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b46szWQXRHg

land bridge

bar stool

Guys, what is this magic with embedded videos? But regardless, that sucks, PhDreams. Sloths to cheer you up?

Fruit bat

PhDreams, I've told you before and I'll tell you again, you are simply the best! Armadilla, it's a skype interview, so I suspect I'll only be talking with my POI (who is not Wrangham). I'm so incredibly exciiiited though!

So I get to eat my own words from earlier! I got an invitation for an informal chat via skype from Harvard! :D Seriously, guys, my fragile emotions cannot handle and more wild oscillations. Decision time, happen faster please?

I feel you, apotheosis! My biggest problem was staring at my data for literally hours, then typing a sentence, sighing, and giving up for the night. Most of my tips are probs a little obvious, but... To minimize distractions, I am madly in love with SelfControl (http://selfcontrolapp.com/). To get my blood flowing to the brain, good music without lyrics (I vote Tchaikovsky's violin concerto in D minor). To make myself actually produce words, I was a big fan of working with someone else. By that, I mean sitting with one of my insanely patient, awesome friends and working with them literally beside me. They helped me by making me feel like I had to be productive because I was in front of someone (the pressure!), doled out hugs and encouragement when needed, and nagged me when I got distracted/didn't write for a little while/tried to slack off. Also, I found it useful to have someone to talk through my thoughts with when I hit a wall and didn't even know how to make heads or tails of where to go next (although given that my go-to work enforcer is an engineering student, by that I mean talking at him while he looked vaguely bemused at how animatedly I was ranting about conservation legislation). But then again, I'm a very verbal learner, so talking through my data was immensely useful in terms of organizing my thoughts and helping me move forward on the actual thesis.

Beach bums

Yep, that's the one. As someone who has neither high math scores nor a quant background, I knew going in that it was a shot in the dark. But, I figured better take that shot than always wonder! I'm not going to contact profs until later because it's still very early to be hearing back (I was corresponding with a prof before submitting the app and was told decisions were made in mid- to late-Feb).

Had the creepiest dream about child ghost/zombies bleeding from the eyeballs last night. Pro-tip: don't fall asleep with Criminal Minds playing in the background. In other news, Apotheosis, that dance is FABULOUS and I really hope your dream was premonitory because that would make any thesis seminar oodles more interesting.

Today is a bummer day... Results search informs me someone heard from my dream program about an interview, but radio silence in my inbox. Anyone happen to know if Harvard's HEB program always interviews (i.e., am I out of the game)? Lexicon, I hope the waitlist shifts in your favour!

Guide dog

clover leaf

Mine is still blank, Eager! My fingers are crossed for you, I hope it means you hear (very) soon. Lucky you for being a nut who has a date!

#Anthropologystudentproblems One of my referees got malaria the week after I asked him to be a reference... YES, SO DONE. But it's nearly February! Any day now! Any... Day... Now... (scuttles off to refresh her email)

Agh, I just got an email alert on my phone, and the only part of the subject line that showed up was "Your applicatio..." and my heart fully stopped. But turns out the full subject line was 'Your applications are finally in, right?', and it was just an email from my godmother asking me when I'd hear back from schools. I love the woman, but I could have killed her. I should send a memo out to all my friends and family: "To prevent accidentally sending Allie into an unstoppable (and potentially homicidal) rage, do not use the words 'admission', 'application', 'rejection' or 'graduate school' in email subject lines from now until April 15th. Love you!"

classic movie

reflux drum

little dipper

A lot of my friends are taking a year off before applying, so whenever anyone starts rolling their eyes about my whiny freakouts, I'm too happy to remind them that they will be in my shoes next year and I will remember every eyeroll when they come to me for sympathy.

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