rogue

I posted my recent acceptance on Facebook (though I didn't say exactly where I was accepted, until later in the comments, after people asked). I don't see why I should feel the least bit weird about doing that, either. It's major, major news for me. Much more important than how hung over people are, what they ate for lunch, where their cat threw up or any of the other inane things that people deem worthy of status updates.

I posted my recent acceptance on Facebook (though I didn't say exactly where I was accepted, until later in the comments, after people asked). I don't see why I should feel the least bit weird about doing that, either. It's major, major news for me. Much more important than how hung over people are, what they ate for lunch, where their cat threw up or any of the other inane things that people deem worthy of status updates.

This thread isn't so much questions as things to consider, but I think there are a lot of things listed that you might want to ask about, or at least investigate on your own.

This strikes me as really weird advice. It's hard enough to get in to graduate programs, let alone get hired as faculty. Why would anyone give up a chance to earn a Ph.D. in a program they "really, really love" on the off chance that there MIGHT be a tenure track faculty position open there when they go on the market years later? And especially considering how much competition there will be to even get an interview for that hypothetical position. It just doesn't make sense.

You have to know your own study habits. It takes some time, but once you've understood what works best for you, you can tailor your studying to fit that pattern.

Here is what works for me:
- I never work at home, there are just too many temptations there. So, either I go to the office, or to a coffee shop, or I sit in a park or at the riverbank.
- If possible, I disconnect from the internet.
- If I'm in a noisy place and can't concentrate I put on headphones with some work-music: monotonic, wordless, not too loud (jazz, instrumental, classical).
- I work in the afternoons/evenings/nights, when I can concentrate the best.
- I arrange to have snacks, water and coffee at my desk so there's no excuse to get up and go to the kitchen.
- I try to decide on scheduled breaks. It works best for me to have short work-sessions and short breaks. e.g. 15 mins work, 5 mins break.
- If I'm concentrated and on a roll, I don't stop for my scheduled break. If, however, I'm really not being productive, I quit for a longer while and return to work later.
- I break up the work to small bits and set realistic goals, so I'm never faced with a huge ominous task.
- I make up deadlines for each bit for some time before the actual deadline. I keep those deadlines.
- I take the time to make a large to-do list on a whiteboard at my desk every week. I cross off every task I've performed; it's very fulfilling to see crossed-off lines.
- I sometimes work in small groups with like-minded grad students who also need someone to watch that they're not wasting time surfing the internet.
- ...and I embrace my procrastination. It's unavoidable. I'm happy if I can just manage it.
- When the deadline is over: I celebrate my success, and if possible - take some time off.

For larger projects, for me it's all about getting started. That is much easier to do if I break the project down to small parts and start with something easy, just so I have something already written. I always start by writing an intro that details what I plan to do (which always gets completely rewritten by the time I finish the work), and an outline of the sections+subsections I plan to have in my paper. I write down a rough summary of the results I want to report in the paper and move on to the lit review. That way I have a few pages written down before I get to the hard parts. If I'm having a bad day, a realistic goal can even be "write one page today!!," it depends on the work load and deadlines. But if that's my goal for the day then I (try to) do it, no matter how much time I spend on forums and blogs in between.

So, people don't magically recover from having once been a procrastinator when they enter grad school in their dream field? Uh oh, bad news for me....

But, seriously, I feel energized when I have something new to do. (Which is why I'm not in a field requiring lengthy research, but instead usually very short-term projects. But I've seen people in lengthy research fields struggle the same attention-span issues I have. And I feel for them!) When I do have to conquer a long-winded project, I try to find other new, exciting things to do with my spare time, to make up for the agonizing project.

Sometimes taking a brief break for an outdoor adventure, someplace I haven't been, is all I need to come back home and focus focus focus! Or treating myself to a silly movie. Or trying a new restaurant and bringing some of my work with me -- I can work on almost anything if good food's involved!

I don't save special things as rewards for doing my work, because then I'm sad looking forward to them, still procrastinate, never earn the reward but probably go get it anyway.... So I reward myself in advance and then get to work.

When that doesn't work, I try to find a friend who's interested in my research topic, and talk it over with them. Their energy can be really motivating and inspiring.

If I really still have a hard time, that means I need to tweak my research topic to something that will better sustain my interest. In general, I find it's better to tweak the topic sooner rather than later, because my disinterest will only grow over time. I finished my undergrad thesis last semester, and I actually altered my topic mid-way because, well, I was reading blogs, too, and I am not someone who reads blogs! My thesis turned out great with the revised topic, but I can only think of how great it could have been if I'd changed my topic earlier on, rather than being stubborn and sticking with something that lost its magic within the first month of research.

If you're drifting at this early stage, maybe you need to spice up your topic, too. I think early on should be the most fun part -- until you're almost finished and you're editing it!

But you didn't complete 100% of the coursework. You failed to turn in one paper. And your classmates did complete 100% of the coursework. A final exam isn't coursework. They were rewarded for doing all the assignments, which you did not do. I agree that it sucks that this opportunity for a waiver came up unexpectedly at the end of the term, but you failed to qualify for that waiver by your own action (or inaction, as the case may be).

I might approach the professor and ask if there's anything he is willing to do as far as a grade compromise for you, but I don't think I'd pursue it any higher up the chain of command than that, since you A.) didn't turn in an assignment and B.) apparently bombed the final, both of which are on you, not the prof.

Just my two cents. Good luck if you do pursue it, and sorry not to be more positive.

I got this too, and it sort of (perhaps irrationally) pissed me off. Like, I'm not good enough for your Ph.D. program, but good enough to pay tens of thousands of dollars for a useless interdisciplinary master's? Eff that. What would you even do with that degree, other than try -- who knows how successfully? -- to use it as a springboard to a Ph.D.? (Sorry. I'm grouchy today and this email hit my inbox at exactly the wrong time.)

But you didn't complete 100% of the coursework. You failed to turn in one paper. And your classmates did complete 100% of the coursework. A final exam isn't coursework. They were rewarded for doing all the assignments, which you did not do. I agree that it sucks that this opportunity for a waiver came up unexpectedly at the end of the term, but you failed to qualify for that waiver by your own action (or inaction, as the case may be).

I might approach the professor and ask if there's anything he is willing to do as far as a grade compromise for you, but I don't think I'd pursue it any higher up the chain of command than that, since you A.) didn't turn in an assignment and B.) apparently bombed the final, both of which are on you, not the prof.

Just my two cents. Good luck if you do pursue it, and sorry not to be more positive.

But you didn't complete 100% of the coursework. You failed to turn in one paper. And your classmates did complete 100% of the coursework. A final exam isn't coursework. They were rewarded for doing all the assignments, which you did not do. I agree that it sucks that this opportunity for a waiver came up unexpectedly at the end of the term, but you failed to qualify for that waiver by your own action (or inaction, as the case may be).

I might approach the professor and ask if there's anything he is willing to do as far as a grade compromise for you, but I don't think I'd pursue it any higher up the chain of command than that, since you A.) didn't turn in an assignment and B.) apparently bombed the final, both of which are on you, not the prof.

Just my two cents. Good luck if you do pursue it, and sorry not to be more positive.

But you didn't complete 100% of the coursework. You failed to turn in one paper. And your classmates did complete 100% of the coursework. A final exam isn't coursework. They were rewarded for doing all the assignments, which you did not do. I agree that it sucks that this opportunity for a waiver came up unexpectedly at the end of the term, but you failed to qualify for that waiver by your own action (or inaction, as the case may be).

I might approach the professor and ask if there's anything he is willing to do as far as a grade compromise for you, but I don't think I'd pursue it any higher up the chain of command than that, since you A.) didn't turn in an assignment and B.) apparently bombed the final, both of which are on you, not the prof.

Just my two cents. Good luck if you do pursue it, and sorry not to be more positive.

Sorry but this is a bit pathetic. If you acted "proactively" by mentioning this to them it would not look good in my opinion. This is not something to be concerned about at all.

One more thing: you asked if it was "necessary" to come out? We've established that your own comfort level is what's important, but I actually think it will be necessary further down the line to admit that you have a personal interest in your research. Some might disagree. But I think the best research lays out your personal interest on the table, then makes a really good argument (indirectly) for why you should still accept the results objectively. By the time you get to the stage in your research where you'd have to do this though, you'll have already figured out that NO one in your community is offended or maybe even surprised.

I agree that sociology has to be THE safest discipline for coming out. People who do sociology TEND TO (at the very least, SHOULD) understand social inequality and social constructionism, and I would not expect anything but acceptance from your fellow students - especially if you're heading to a place that specializes in LGBT stuff.

I would also argue that if what you're studying has anything to do with LGBTQ populations, you really won't have to come out. This is coming from the perspective of a straight person who does queer studies and is comfortable with the fact that almost everyone who only knows me for my research thinks I'm gay. Whatever your comfort level is with talking to people about your sexual orientation is what you should follow. Do NOT avoid it out of fear of being judged tho (or even worse, accommodating those who might judge you). You really should be fine.

Don't take the bad energy that's infiltrated this thread as a sign. The topic title might catch the eye of some troll(s), but they don't represent the soc community. I'm with hoobers on this one too - homophobia is SO rare in sociology (in my experience) that I thought the original "OMG" response meant "OMG it's so obvious that you shouldn't worry!" Which says something about my own reaction when I first read the question.

I am sorry.

But this queer thing is difficult to digest for me. I dont really get the concept.
I might understand the idea with time.

BJeeeeesus!!
OMG

For real. While sociology might be a safe spot to come out, sometimes it doesn't seem like a safe spot to joke around sometimes. The extreme liberal ideology makes it hard to make joke (although at times they will be tasteless), because all of the ''bleeding hearts" take everything you say so seriously. I didn't view the original comment as overly offensive, in fact--i thought it was a joke. Judging by the last reply, I guess it wasn't. However, I really feel like in sociology you're allowed to speak your mind, so long as your mind aligns with a liberal ideology. Makes it hard for people who like "shock value" comedy.

To the OP--i can almost promise you that it will not be a problem to come out to your new department, and good luck.

yeah, um, i have played the queer activist role in a number of pretty hostile climates, so while i understand and appreciate your potential willingness to try and "get the concept," it doesn't really warrant you posting a reply to a question like this about safe spaces. grad school is often a time when major life issues pop up, and there's research somewhere that shows that mental health issues come about in grad school at an alarming rate, and when wrestling with coming out questions it's really important that queer people think this stuff through for their own well being.

like what other people said, sociology as a discipline is definitely among the most queer friendly i've ever seen. i'm leaving a program in sociology at a school of education (where sexuality stuff SUCKS, by the way), and i'm starting a phd program where gender and sexuality are pretty commonly studied.

a lot of questions about whether it's okay to come out or not really depend on your sense of the school climate. i agree that carrying the burden of the closet is one that can be incredibly stressful, so really do your homework about this one. look through the student list and see if there's anyone explicitly studying queer issues, and maybe email them. if you have a decent relationship with the grad director, maybe reach out to them. i did that when i was first admitted and they kindly connected me with queer resources on campus as well as a student or two that is actively involved in the community.

if you're having trouble with finding all this info, you can PM me with info about the exact school you're going to and i might be able to see if i can look up school climate information or even local info about queer resources. it's a tough decision, but it sounds like you're working through it.

Ok this thread isn't to debate the merits or benefits of using Apple's iPhone or iPad in an educational setting. Or whine about Apple. Rather, I'd like to hear what APPs you use (or are interested in) that makes your educational experience easier. Obviously the calendar function and a To Do program are essential but beyond that, what's out there? I'm looking for some suggestions personally and would like this thread to be useful for others as well. Please make sure you include full name of the app so we can find it and at least a basic description. Kudo points if you tell us how it worked for you. iPad-specific apps are welcome here too. Links would be cool if you have them.

For example, I used 1,400 ESSENTIAL GRE WORDS by TotalTestPrep to enhance my vocabulary. This app has well, words that ETS has been known to use and presents them in a flashcard manner. Easy and cheap program to use.

Any topic area would be great from test prep to time management and so on.

I'm a fan of OmniFocus, iStudiez Pro, Oxford Dictionary of English, Evernote and Dropbox.

Omnifocus = To Do Manager with a Mac "desktop" program.
iStudiez Pro = Class and assignment scheduler. Keeps all my stuff off my "generic calendar"
ODE = Duh
Evernote = Note-taking program that syncs to a cloud and keeps desktop versions synchronized as well
DropBox = Cloud storage that synchronizes any computer you want locally (i.e. if the computer is offline, you still have access to your files and they are synced with the cloud on next login).

Without those 5, I'd be lost.

PS If you anyone hasn't up for Dropbox, do you mind following this link to help me get some more storage?

I got this too, and it sort of (perhaps irrationally) pissed me off. Like, I'm not good enough for your Ph.D. program, but good enough to pay tens of thousands of dollars for a useless interdisciplinary master's? Eff that. What would you even do with that degree, other than try -- who knows how successfully? -- to use it as a springboard to a Ph.D.? (Sorry. I'm grouchy today and this email hit my inbox at exactly the wrong time.)

This would depend on how many years you spend in a community college and where you go after the CC. In any case, definitely address it in your graduate school application and explain your reasons. Some sentence like, "in spite of my high school success, I decided it would be a prudent financial decision to initial enroll in a community college" would probably be all the explanation they needed. This might be a little cynical, depending on the extent of your financial disadvantage, but tying this decision into a story about pursuing academic excellence in spite of financial difficulties could be an asset to your application.

I hope you do not mind some unsolicited advice: transferring from a community college only saves money if you take classes that your four-year school will count towards your BA or BS. I recommend knowing in advance what four-year school you want to attend (or at least having a very short list of options) and asking that school how many transfer units they will accept, and which courses from your community college will fulfill requirements for your bachelors degree. Otherwise you might end up wasting money and time taking classes that will only earn you elective credit, or will not earn you credit at all. I know a lot of people who have spent an extra year or semester in college because they stayed at community college for two years and then were unable to transfer all of their units into their new degree.

Being on 2.5 waitlists (2 actual, one accepted but on a first-year funding waitlist) until April 15 made the decision part especially difficult. I am very, very happy with where I'll be going in the fall - it had been a top choice for me from the beginning - but it meant that I had to turn down a program that I really LOVED. Worse, I had just found out that morning that I was getting that first-year funding at that program, and had been so elated and basically thought I was going there. When I got the call from Dream School a few hours later, it was obviously amazing and wonderful and all of that, but also really confusing. I had to make a choice in a few hours that a lot of people got months to make, and the up and down of emotions gave me vertigo. Ultimately, the program I chose is not only as good of a fit for me as program #1, but has a much stabler and less stressful financial support and program structure, as well as better placement rates. Still, I've gotten little pangs when looking at the courses I won't get to take at the first school, or the email from someone I had really wanted to work with saying they're disappointed I won't attending, or looking at the pictures from my visit. So I think that's normal; you have to "mourn" that whole future you had imagined. But the truth is that if I hadn't gotten into or decided to attend the program I am going to, I would have mourned that as well, and I think ultimately my life would have been a lot harder at that other program, which probably means I wouldn't be as happy as I will be at the program I'm going to. You just have to focus on what you're getting in exchange!

Could not agree more. Wow. Just, wow.

Why would you have Facebook friends who are so out of touch with your life that they wouldn't have the slightest clue whether you already have a PhD or not? And if they're that out of touch - as in you're never ever going to speak to them directly so they'd have no idea what's really going on with you and could only deduce it, albeit errantly, from your profile - does it really if they get it wrong?