Nautiloid
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Everything posted by Nautiloid
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I think if I keep working 12 hour days every day of the week I'm gonna have a mid-20's stroke.
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Grades were better this semester! Just one B this time.
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Finally looked at my grades from last semester. No A's.
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Things are on the upswing for me. I'm finally over the feelings of defeat my last rotation left me with, and I'm super into what I'm doing in this one. I find myself wanting to devote all my time to the lab because the research is so interesting. Unfortunately this comes at the end of the semester and I'm not doing so hot in one of my courses. I don't regret taking it because it has helped me see whether or not I was really interested in the topic, but I do wish I wasn't struggling to make above a 70% on the exams. Supposedly this is normal for a school like this, but I'm not used to it. Why write a test that you know can't be passed by the majority of students? Who learns anything from that? I suppose there's plenty to be learned in failure, but that's only true when you're given a chance to contemplate it and correct yourself. I'm beginning to remember all the things I hated about classes/tests/grades in undergrad. Guess I was wrong to assume that all wouldn't matter as much in a research focused program. Oh well. Here's to hoping I don't fail out before I've even had the chance to start thesis work.
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The PI I rotated under just gave me a pretty abysmal review. Why? I'm too "passive." I mean, I would have asked more questions if you'd seemed to care at all whether I did or didn't. Instead I tried to gather information from your graduate students who were of absolutely no help, and made asking questions so unpleasant that I chose to avoid it whenever I could. I've never been so frustrated with a lab. The experience made me seriously question if I was cut out for this kind of work. I've lost all confidence in myself at this point. I'm paranoid, and I feel that if I don't know every little detail by yesterday, I'll be booted from the program. I keep thinking that I should just quit to save them the trouble. Ufffhhhnnnnnngghhh. Needless to say, the impostor syndrome is hitting me like a brick in the face.
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I just realized that during this rotation I went almost 4 weeks without taking a single day off from lab work. What. Is. Wrong. With. Me.
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Boyfriend got a job!... but it's in Los Angeles. Guess our relationship is gonna be long distance again. Sigh.
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Well. That was the worst presentation I have ever given. Here's to hoping the next one doesn't feel like trying to slice swiss cheese with a hammer.
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Why is it that every time I begin work in a new lab it's like I've forgotten everything I know about science?
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First rotation set up, and I've got a project! Now I get to freak out about how little knowledge I have on the subject. Yaaaaay.
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What are your 4 dream jobs? Are you qualified for any of them?
Nautiloid replied to Authorization's topic in Jobs
1. Scientist in biotech or entrepreneurial pursuits 2. Synthetic biology demigod 3. Biological consultant 4. Space suit designer (and wearer/astronaut) I'm not yet qualified for any of these! Yaaaaay! -
Biology grad programs that are easy to get in to?
Nautiloid replied to Hiimhaley's topic in Applications
For PhD programs it is generally accepted that there is no such thing as a "safe" program. It's probably a waste of effort to apply to a school that's lower ranked if you don't fit their program just because you think you'll get in easily. The good news is that if you fit and you've got what they're looking for, someone will take you. Echoing what other's have said: MS programs are good backups, especially if you're not quite sure you want to stick out a PhD. Additionally, many of these have later application deadlines, so if things start to look bad mid-March, you can still apply to many of them. However, less funding can be difficult if you have debt to pay from undergrad and don't want to rack up more. Another option is industry work, even if it's just as a lab tech. It's better than doing nothing, and will get you some lab experience in something other than academia. If you have loans from undergrad, this will help you pay them and not accrue more. -
If a POI replies to an email and signs with their first name, is it appropriate to address them with their first name in your subsequent replies? Will they get offended if you continue to address them formally as Dr. ____ ? Social conventions are hard.
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How would building (8S,9S,10R,13S,14S,17R)-17-hydroxy-17-(2-hydroxyacetyl)-10,13-dimethyl-1,2,6,7,8,9,12,14,15,16-decahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthrene-3,11-dione with a molecular modeling kit relieve stress? Who builds models of glucocorticoid metabolites in their spare time?! Perhaps I underestimate chemists...
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I'm actually pretty happy to say that Iowa seems to do a much better job than Missouri at filling potholes quickly. I believe that Iowa City is currently in the process of filling 3500 potholes reported by its residents. Missouri only fills theirs if the road has become impassable or there's surplus money available. Still, I've heard Missouri roads can't compare to the poor condition of Kansas roads which could more aptly be described as gravel than paved (a complaint from a friend of mine).
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Pretty much any state where it gets cold enough for water to freeze on roads, potholes are a major problem. You should see the Missouri roads right now. There are more shredded tires on the highways than roadkill.
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I bought my first car, a 2007 Corolla with about 50k on it, last year to commute for work. Found it through craigslist, but it did take a long time to find a good car at the right price that way. I didn't have much of a choice though since I didn't have financial help from parents and didn't want to take out a loan. I'm really looking forward to not having to drive to school every day though. I'll have the option of a 20 minute bus ride over a 10 minute drive which will be nice considering I'm used to a 45 minute drive each way. I'll probably keep my car though for weekly trips for groceries and to easily visit home for holidays.
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I gave my high school diploma to my parents when I went off to college. They keep it and my brother's displayed in their home. It's kinda sweet. As for my bachelor's, I plan on framing it and hanging it up once I have a place to do so in. Same with any future degrees. These are things I'm proud of, and I don't think it's silly to want to show them off in the right context, even if I'm the only one who looks at them regularly.
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If you haven't read Dune by Frank Herbert (and some of its sequels), go do that now. It has intergalactic warfare, philosophy of time and space, and an analysis of the nature of civilization all in one. Otherwise, I'm a fan of Aldous Huxley for deep sci-fi social commentary. If you like absurd comedy, Hitchhiker's Guide is a must read. Long Dark Teatime of the Soul, also by Douglas Adams, is good but deals more in absurd mythology.
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Mostly what other people have said about the comedy focusing on stereotypes is true for me as well. Maybe I'm just a naturally snobby hipster academic with no sense of humor though. Also, waaaaaay too much laugh-track. There's a maddening dissonance that happens when I see something that I don't find funny, but the sound of pre-recorded laughter erupts and I feel compelled to laugh with them regardless.
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How much do you guys spend per week on groceries?
Nautiloid replied to reinhard's topic in Officially Grads
Man. You guys eat a lot (or food is just really expensive where you are). I used to spend in a month what some of you guys go through in a week. It's gonna be weird having enough money to live on for once. That said, I got by on between $60-100 a month, depending on how many free dinners I could snag from the local churches and such. Lots of potatoes, lots of rice, lots of noodles, Beans instead of meat, and frozen fish in bulk. Peanut butter sandwich for lunch every damn day, and whatever fruit/vegetable was cheapest that week is what I bought. I once bought a TV dinner when I was really tired one night. That thing was much tastier than it probably should have been. I think at some point I began to seriously misjudge what a reasonable serving size for an adult human is though, because despite all the carbs, I had trouble keeping weight on. I also got pregnant woman style cravings for things like salt and butter. Don't live like me or you'll starve to death. -
I too plan on dying my hair ridiculous colors once I'm out of industry and back in academia. I actually asked the department if that was appropriate during the interview, and there was a resounding "who cares?" Of course, my experience may differ substantially between other schools and departments, but from my experience in industry, if you're not working with customers then nobody really cares what you look like. Also, I'm super excited to change my look for grad school. I've been in business casual for much to long and it's always felt stuffy to me. Can't wait to be myself again!
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I just signed the lease on an apartment about 3-4 miles from campus that allows pets (with a deposit) and I know they had one more unit available. PM me if you'd like info on the place. As for climate, prepare for cold winters and hot summers. Make sure you stock up on warm stuff: Now is a good time to look because it's on sale. You'll need a good coat, some snow boots, and maybe long underwear. Summers are humid and hot and can be oppressive to someone who's from a drier climate. Spring and Fall are the best parts of the year if you don't have allergies. From what I've seen (I've only been to Iowa City 3 times though), things are really active in the warmer months. Everything kind of slows down in the winter though. People seem way more liberal than they are where I'm from, which is a plus. Oh, and they have a really large LGBT community, so that's kind of cool too. Seems like there's a big emphasis on the pubs down town and there's a substantial music and arts scene. (Iowa natives feel free to set me straight if my impression is off).
