picabo

FYI: I just got a rejection email.

I've given up hope. I'm thinking of dropping out of school, moving to Hawaii and becoming a cabana girl.

I'm not sure if this counts / is helpful, but I have a cat and spend time each day petting her (when she's not ignoring me). I find it very relaxing. I also find it very relaxing when she sleeps on my lap. Depending on which part of campus I need to be on, I either walk there (it's about a mile) or walk to a bus stop farther away.

I had to fill out paperwork. I'm not sure when you can submit the paperwork. For me, registering for classes and starting classes happened within a week of each other. The website for the loan agency probably has information about deferment. If not, you can call them and ask how to get the form. The form will be specific to the lender. In my case, I had to submit a form for my federal loans and a form to my private loans (originally borrowed from Citi and now managed by Discover)

Yes, you can defer them. It doesn't matter if you have income. The only requirement is that you be enrolled at least half-time. I have a fellowship that pays my tuition and a stipend and my loans are deferred. However, the interest does continue to accrue. You can pay it if you want or you can just let it be added to the balance.

If it were me, I'd consider three factors: 1. Differences between the apartments. If the grad apartment is bigger or nicer or has better appliances, then I might spend the extra money. 2. How loud and obnoxious the undergrads are. If there's so much noise that I can't get to sleep most nights, then I would spend the extra money. But if it's mostly just them being loud Friday and Saturday nights, then I would live there and save the extra money. 3. How far is it from the complexes to the places where I'll be spending most of my time and how convenient is it to travel between the two. For example, if there are really good shuttle routes & times for the undergrad complexes but not for the grad complexes, that would make a difference to me and I'd live in the undergrad complexes.

I have a cat and spend oodles of time in the lab. She seems okay with it. Sometimes she wants attention when I get home. Sometimes she acts annoyed because I woke her up. I find it quite relaxing to have her sitting/sleeping on my lap. My suggestions - and feel free to disregard: 1. Get a cat from a shelter. The cost is much lower than a pet store and the cat will already be spayed/neutered. 2. If you get a cat that isn't spayed/neutered, have it spayed or neutered. Female cats are very very loud when they are in heat and will wake you up. 3. Keep the cat indoors. You won't have to worry about fleas/ticks/etc, it won't run away, and it won't get hurt or killed. I was able to toilet train my cat so I don't have to deal with litter boxes. My cat isn't declawed and she's really good about using her scratching pad. It's one of those cheap $10 cardboardy ones that she can stand on. She really likes it. She scratches her claws a lot. Way more than other cats. I'm a little worried she's plotting to kill me.

If anyone is interested in finding out more, Otto Kroeger and Janet M. Thuesen wrote two really good books on the subject called "Type Talk" and "Type Talk at Work" I was at a seminar given by Otto and he's a really good speaker. (It was some sort of college freshman seminar thingy we had to do). A couple of things he mentioned: 1. Comparing introversion to extraversion: Introverts are exhausted after spending a few hours at a party and recharged after spending a few hours alone. Extraverts are exhausted after spending a few hours alone and recharged after spending a few hours at a party. 2. Comparing judging and perceiving: Judgers make lists and use them. Perceivers make lists and lose them.

I do. But with limits/exclusions/fine print: 1. I think of them more as broad categories with gray areas 2. A short 20 question internet version is not nearly as good as the ridiculously long one 3. There are degrees for each personality trait. There are some people who are really really J, some people who are really really P, and oodles of people straddling the fence.

I love this one (and happen to be wearing it right now): http://www.shoppbs.org/include/largeImage.jsp?productId=17287596 It's inspired by Downton Abbey but totally applicable to grad school

I would send a thank you email. I would also make a point of thanking her in person when I arrived on campus. But then again, I try to be really polite to offset the times when I'm really not.

I would be ok with waiting if I knew how to interpret the wait and the "you are still being considered" email. Is it just that some of the DoD offices/people are late in turning in the lists? (which means I have a chance) Or is it that all of them sent their lists of top choices (the folks who received the acceptance emails) and rejections (did people receive rejections?) and are ranking the remaining "meh" choices? (which means I need to abandon all hope). *is getting more neurotic by the day*

I'm in biosciences and have the "still being considered" email.

That's what I'm thinking. *Le sigh*

I got one of the "We are pleased to inform you that your application is still being considered for an award." email messages. Does the fact that some people got actual award notices mean that I haven't been awarded one and probably won't be? *is really neurotic*