microarray

I kind of have the opposite advice. I did horrible on the GRE and i got in to a wonderful program at University of Michigan.  However, the rest of my application was really strong - ~3 years of research, great LOR, high GPA, and first generation college student and non-traditional student.
 
 
Additional advice that I have is to contact professors as early as you can, develop good relationships with them, and keep in good contact throughout the whole process. I didn't get a chance to develop relationship at University of Oregon and i'm convinced that's why I haven't even heard from them. Do this regardless if you are going straight into a lab or on lab rotations. It will help you determine where you'd like to go and who you get along with, etc. Also, get in touch with their grad students. Ask them how their expectations have been met with their advisor and likes/dislikes about them.
 
Start drafting your statements early and ask profs to look them over. Also, contact the people who you'd like to write letters for you early.  Remember they're super busy and need time to write a letter for you.
 
 
*ps i just realized i posted in the philosophy forum. hopefully this advice is still helpful for you guys! I saw the topic on the most recent forum!*

To be fair, I was hoping that people that are child free by choice (and will most likely never ever ever have/want kids) would post here. Child free is a 'movement' if you will.

lab at NASA

Get over yourself please.

PhD students are more important. Get over it please.

Oh god. Wool socks. Can do. They seem so cozy.

I didn't think first year would be hard enough, so I'm having a baby this summer.

I always run max PSI because I worry about pinches.  I wish my boyfriend (king of the pinch flats) would listen.  He's only just now starting to.
 
However, mine had this tiny shard I couldn't find in them causing slow leaks as of last week.  It took me and two wrenches to find it but that was what was causing it.  It made me go batty because I thought I was getting pinches on my brand new x-check.

To be fair, I was hoping that people that are child free by choice (and will most likely never ever ever have/want kids) would post here. Child free is a 'movement' if you will.

pinch flats can be easily mitigated by running high psi. thats why I run 115+ even on 25 tires, and put baby powder each time I put on a tube to make sure nothing's caught. most of my flats are caused by debris cutting my tire, which I can later remove and patch up. some of these gashes are like 1/4", whch you cant patch up with the sealant, or can only be accessed from the inside (like wires). you must encounter those every once in a while. and I never throw away tubes.. all of mine have at least 2 patches on it, some proly as many as 4 or 5. I have around 6 tubes in rotation, and they wont be retiring until they're at least 15 patches in, or until we colonize Mars. but clinchers are what I know, and I think they require less maintenance. ymmv

This is a great thread - let's keep the exchange going!
 
I'm the Queen of Scheduling, time prioritization is key!
 
- I'm a fan of freezer cooking, it prevents me from unnecessarily eating out, provides healthier options than boxed/packaged foods. I spend one Saturday a month selecting 10 key recipes (I switch them up every so often), go grocery shopping, and prepping the foods. The following morning, on Sunday, I assemble the meals. I make typically 10 casserole dishes and 10 crockpot meals (5 recipes for each and then double it). It's the exact amount needed for the weekdays and I either cook or dine out on the weekends so I get that fix in then. Every night before bed, I take one out of the freezer and if it's a crockpot meal, I put it the slow cooker before I leave for the day. If it's a casserole, I put in it the moment I get home and do my nightly routine in the meanwhile as it bakes. It does wonders for your stress to know that you have a home-cooked meal ready, waiting for you at home. I always make sure I have enough for leftovers the next day.
 
- As for meal prep when it comes to breakfast, I also make once a week on a "free" weekend - overnight oatmeals and breakfast sandwiches to freeze, and pre-portioned Cream of Wheat, smoothie packs, biscuits & gravy packs (I'm a Southerner!) - just to give you guys from ideas.
 
- A nightly routine is essential. One of the previous posters mentioned they use aromatherapy. I shower with lavender oil (I spray some on the tile so the scent rises up with the hot water). Also, for both males and females, having a weekly pamper day is nice - it relaxes you and maintains your self esteem. I I am big on self maintenance (doing weekly foot soaks instead of spending money and time on lengthy pedicures, etc). In addition, every night before I go to bed, make a list of tasks that I need to complete for the next day and also review that day's list to make sure I am making satisfactory progress. I also put aside my outfit for the day, organize my bag, and prepare my lunch/snacks. It saves me a lot of time in the morning when I'm tired. I am also wanting to start a paper journal... been reading how a lot of successful people do this and want to start incorporate this into my routine.
 
- As for a morning routine, I wake up early (like 4:30am to 5:30am) to walk my dog and head to the gym. I download TV shows on my iPad so I can watch them while I'm on the treadmill and kill two birds with one stone. I also am trying to get into the habit of meditating by setting an intention each day - a great way to incorporate this is to replace this with the time you would just sit down doing absolutely nothing but staring in to space or daydreaming.
 
- I have designated blocks of time during of reading/research and writing. They are both in separate blocks on separate days (R/R will be on MWF and W on T/TR/Sat AM).  Do this early in your graduate school career, it will come to great use when you are ABD.
 
- I also make sure my weekends are scheduled and not set without any clear tasks or intentions... a great way to waste time if you don't know what you are supposed to do for the day. I only do social things every other weekend (which are scheduled in advance to avoid conflicts) and also try to volunteer 4 hours a morning of every other Saturday. 

To be fair, I was hoping that people that are child free by choice (and will most likely never ever ever have/want kids) would post here. Child free is a 'movement' if you will.

Are there any other child free humans on here? I am almost 30 and I often feel that I am one of the few that has no desire to have kids, ever. I am child free by choice.
 
I found out yesterday that I can get female sterilization for free through my insurance that I will get through grad school. I am planning to get tubal ligation as soon as I can so I can get off hormonal birth control and not have to worry about getting pregnant ever again.
 
I am not looking forward to the day where people assume that I have kids and ask 'how many kids do you have?'.
 
Anyone else child free? What have your experiences been thus far?
 
 

I'm 24, I'm not married (nor in a relationship), and I have no desire to have kids as well.  Perhaps I'll change my mind in a few years, but I'm making good money now, I travel a lot, and I'll be starting graduate school this fall.  I ain't got time for kids!

To be fair, I was hoping that people that are child free by choice (and will most likely never ever ever have/want kids) would post here. Child free is a 'movement' if you will.

That I was actually admitted into my dream school without having a perfect profile.
 
It seems to me that choosing the school that actually fit your interests and skills is the most important part of the process.

To be fair, I was hoping that people that are child free by choice (and will most likely never ever ever have/want kids) would post here. Child free is a 'movement' if you will.

To be fair, I was hoping that people that are child free by choice (and will most likely never ever ever have/want kids) would post here. Child free is a 'movement' if you will.

To be fair, I was hoping that people that are child free by choice (and will most likely never ever ever have/want kids) would post here. Child free is a 'movement' if you will.

To be fair, I was hoping that people that are child free by choice (and will most likely never ever ever have/want kids) would post here. Child free is a 'movement' if you will.

Hi Rohan! Most undergrads do not have publications, so don't worry about this!
 
Best of luck!

I, too, hope my brother will have kids so that my parents can be grandparents. 
 
I can't say I am 100% decided on not being a mother, but I've never really felt the desire to have kids, and I can see myself living a fulfilling life without children of my own... I think academia is a good field for that, because you get to bond with your students. 
 
Also, this is AMAZING and many of you might enjoy it:
 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/31/not-having-kids-parody_n_4703338.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

I'm 42, my husband is 49. I have endometriosis, so it is unlikely I could have ever conceived naturally (my endometriosis is severe), even had I wanted children, which I never have. Fortunately, my husband and I agreed on the "no children" thing right from the start. We have three cats, and those are our babies. We are fortunate that we both have sisters who had children to satisfy our parents' desires for grandchildren.

I've never wanted children, and never felt my biological clock ticking. I never enjoyed babysitting as a teenager. I don't enjoy being around children and never wanted a child of my own. Even when I was a child, I preferred to 'hang out' with adults.

My husband and I are child-free by choice. It is the right choice for us, and fortunately, now that I am in my 40s, people have stopped asking when we're going to 'start a family.' It's the right choice for us, and I'm very happy with our choice.

A guy who just brings up babies with someone he barely knows is obviously cuckoo for cocoa puffs.

The topic might not be called "who here doesn't have a baby?" but it's implied that it's a thread about people who don't want to have a baby. 90% of people on GradCafe probably don't have a baby, but that doesn't mean they never will.