unbrokenthread

Mordekaiser, I'm interpreting this as you saying that since you think most people are fat because of their own actions, it's a) a character flaw, b ) okay to judge them for it and c) it's OK to cast blanket judgments on the whole group, even though some of them have little to no control over their weight even with medical supervision? So therefore it's okay to stigmatize people who are fat through no fault of their own just because other people might be at "fault"?

Just checking, am I understanding you correctly?

I haven't heard anything, and nothing is reflected in my OPUS. I know it's only Feb 3, and historically we should expect to hear by Feb 15-20, but...I'm dyin' over here.

Correct, there is no requirement. 

How about coming in to work 1 or 2 hrs earlier, before anybody else gets there? That gives you time to set up your own reactions, do your most important tasks, etc before people come along asking for favours. 
 
Putting in earphones and listening to music as you work is a good way to deter casual question-askers.
 
Lastly, don't sweat too much. You aren't expected to be perfect, and everybody understands that it takes a while for new PhDs to settle in and get stuff right first time. 

E/E, G/VG, E/E
Strong reviews. Damn it, reviewer 2!

Definitely. At least until your "Honors and Awards" section grows to a point where you've got something much more impressive to replace it.

haha, as someone in part of both groups (oh the anxiety!) in the recent past, since 2010, NSF has always announced first and then a week or so later NDSEG announces. not claiming its intentional just observing 
 
NSF:
2014: Tuesday, April 1, 2014 @ 2:00 AM
2013 : Friday, March 29, 2013 @ ~2:00AM
2012: Friday, April 1, 2012 @ ~2:00AM
2011: Tuesday, April 5, 2011 @ ~12:50AM
2010: Tuesday, April 6, 2010 @ ~1:00AM
2009: Friday, April 10, 2009 @ ~1:00AM
2008: Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ ~2:00AM
2007: Monday, March 23. 2007 @ ~11:20 PM
 
NDSEG:
2014: April  10
2013: April  3
2012: April 13
2011: April 18
2010: April 12
2009: March 31
2008: March 29?
2007: April 2

Penn State Philosophy, PhD (F15) Rejected via E-mail on 12 Mar 2015 ♦ A 12 Mar 2015
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0a/0w/8r (of 10). I got 99 problems, but deciding which program to attend ain't one.

Always look on the bright side right?

It depends on how it's worded: "you really hired this *&^clown?" is definitely going to burn the bridge.  Tactfully letting them know exactly why otherwise-qualified candidates are heading elsewhere, on the other hand, is pretty hard to misperceive.  If their reaction is to throw their weight behind a professor who willing acts this unprofessionally when interacting with people outside the department, then I would argue it's not a bridge worth saving.
 
That said, I'm a non-traditional student with other options; my views may be different from those who "need" to become situated in academia.

Thank you all for your help!

I eventually did not attach the April 15 resolution, since I could not understand how binding this agreement is for graduate schools.I think schools legally can do whatever they want including revoking offers.

I was also considering adding the department head while I was replying the email, but I thought this may be unprofessional again.

I wrote a two-line e-mail, just saying nothing more than "I decline your offer. Thanks."

But the online webpage asks why I declined to attend the university. If someone ever reads it, they will see my complaints.

I was very lucky to have multiple offers in my hand. I hope everyone gets the offer he/she deserves.

Really? Even if I change my mind in like mid May? but you're right about the black mark thing. I guess I shouldn't risk my career on this.

Definitely start looking at housing! What I did:
 
1. Found a place to live*, and then began moving arrangements
     1a. I'm flying out, so I began taking stock of what I could sell before I moved. I'll be shipping most things. I hate doing this last-minute, so I've already sold a bunch of stuff -- it's a relief to know I won't have to worry about it. I looked at the cost of shipping my books USPS media mail (cheeeap!!!), the cost of shipping my bike (Amtrak checked baggage was cheapest at something like $20, but there are tons of other options), etc. I decided to buy a good amount of furniture at IKEA and have it delivered locally once I move in. For everything else (like a mattress - I didn't like IKEA's offerings), I'll figure that out later.
2. Mapped out public transit routes to stores I'd probably frequent (grocery, retail, etc) - Google maps is great for this. In doing this I also learned about the public transit "system" in my new town (and the discounts the university offers for it!).
3. Started looking at utility companies/prices (since we have a choice in ATL for many of them) - electric, gas, trash, TV/internet, etc. You might want to take note of who the providers are and write down their phone numbers somewhere to save yourself time later. I was able to schedule my electric to be hooked up (yes, even this far in advance) on the day I move in.
     3a. If you have a phone provider that operates in both your home country and the USA, talk to them if you want to continue being serviced by them. Your account may change, you'll want to know about your options, etc.
4. Found flight/hotel arrangements for the move.
 
* I looked at the prices of apartments and rental houses, and found that (at least in Atlanta) the price of sharing a house with somebody was cheaper than most apartment offerings. I signed my lease just days after I got my acceptance letter because I had been looking for a while. The housing markets CAN be really competitive in college towns. When considering where to live, factor in traffic time, housing needs, the price of gas, etc. Traffic in Atlanta is awful so I looked especially for housing close to the university, and I found a place that's just right.
 
ETA: One of the other things I looked at (since I'm taking a bird with me, and planning to get a dog, and my housemate has a cat) was pet resources. Vet clinics in the area (and the reviews for the vets there). Dog parks. Hiking trails. Doggy daycare, and the approximate costs for any services I'd be interested in. Etc etc. doggoes.com and bringfido.com have been good informational resources.

Definitely start looking at housing! What I did:
 
1. Found a place to live*, and then began moving arrangements
     1a. I'm flying out, so I began taking stock of what I could sell before I moved. I'll be shipping most things. I hate doing this last-minute, so I've already sold a bunch of stuff -- it's a relief to know I won't have to worry about it. I looked at the cost of shipping my books USPS media mail (cheeeap!!!), the cost of shipping my bike (Amtrak checked baggage was cheapest at something like $20, but there are tons of other options), etc. I decided to buy a good amount of furniture at IKEA and have it delivered locally once I move in. For everything else (like a mattress - I didn't like IKEA's offerings), I'll figure that out later.
2. Mapped out public transit routes to stores I'd probably frequent (grocery, retail, etc) - Google maps is great for this. In doing this I also learned about the public transit "system" in my new town (and the discounts the university offers for it!).
3. Started looking at utility companies/prices (since we have a choice in ATL for many of them) - electric, gas, trash, TV/internet, etc. You might want to take note of who the providers are and write down their phone numbers somewhere to save yourself time later. I was able to schedule my electric to be hooked up (yes, even this far in advance) on the day I move in.
     3a. If you have a phone provider that operates in both your home country and the USA, talk to them if you want to continue being serviced by them. Your account may change, you'll want to know about your options, etc.
4. Found flight/hotel arrangements for the move.
 
* I looked at the prices of apartments and rental houses, and found that (at least in Atlanta) the price of sharing a house with somebody was cheaper than most apartment offerings. I signed my lease just days after I got my acceptance letter because I had been looking for a while. The housing markets CAN be really competitive in college towns. When considering where to live, factor in traffic time, housing needs, the price of gas, etc. Traffic in Atlanta is awful so I looked especially for housing close to the university, and I found a place that's just right.
 
ETA: One of the other things I looked at (since I'm taking a bird with me, and planning to get a dog, and my housemate has a cat) was pet resources. Vet clinics in the area (and the reviews for the vets there). Dog parks. Hiking trails. Doggy daycare, and the approximate costs for any services I'd be interested in. Etc etc. doggoes.com and bringfido.com have been good informational resources.

Congrats to all the winners!!
 
G/F
G/F
F/F
 
Lots of remarks about my grades making me noncompetitive and that the application needed further development (which is super true). Did say that my LORs were very strong.
Will try again next year!
 
(why the f*** did I get downvoted for this?)

Congrats to all the winners!!
 
G/F
G/F
F/F
 
Lots of remarks about my grades making me noncompetitive and that the application needed further development (which is super true). Did say that my LORs were very strong.
Will try again next year!
 
(why the f*** did I get downvoted for this?)

Congrats to all the winners!!
 
G/F
G/F
F/F
 
Lots of remarks about my grades making me noncompetitive and that the application needed further development (which is super true). Did say that my LORs were very strong.
Will try again next year!
 
(why the f*** did I get downvoted for this?)

Congrats to all the winners!!
 
G/F
G/F
F/F
 
Lots of remarks about my grades making me noncompetitive and that the application needed further development (which is super true). Did say that my LORs were very strong.
Will try again next year!
 
(why the f*** did I get downvoted for this?)

Congrats to all the winners!!
 
G/F
G/F
F/F
 
Lots of remarks about my grades making me noncompetitive and that the application needed further development (which is super true). Did say that my LORs were very strong.
Will try again next year!
 
(why the f*** did I get downvoted for this?)

are you okay

A wild Fastlane Message appeared.
 
Grad Cafe used Anxiety.
 
Fastlane Message ran away.

Who is staying awake until results come out?

This week, the productivity of eager young minds lies entirely in the hands of a select few. NSF, do it for America. Do it for the smell of fresh cut grass on a baseball field, for apple pie, and bald eagles, and Jon Bon freaking Jovi. Release them from the spell of Pokemon, 2048, looking for glitches in HTML source code, cross referencing results, indexing tweets, and taking the joy out of April fool's day. For life, liberty, and the pursuit of never visiting this page ever again. 
 
Roll tide NSF, roll tide. 

You are.

Hahaha. I nearly spit out my drink!