RunnerGrad
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Posts posted by RunnerGrad
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I'm surprised that so many people start in August! Our first day is September 2nd, but the first week is a "special" week that consists of orientation and our Introduction to Public Health course, that includes all of the various public health disciplines. All other classes don't start until September 8th, which for me will be the 9th, since I don't have any classes Mondays.
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I've never seen a chick do a pull up, proper deadlift, or clean in my life. they always stick around the floor mats or treadmills, and only really wonder towards the free weights with their guy friends or bff. granted, I don't visit the gym all the time, but the pattern is pretty obvious.
by clean I mean power clean. I've seen them do cleaning a lot hehehehe
What a sexist attitude!
I've never seen chicks (ie. baby chickens) do those things either. I know plenty of women (including myself) who are perfectly capable of executing proper deadlifts, pull ups (although I still can't do a lot - I'm working on it) and cleans. You obviously hang out at the wrong gyms. Plenty of women like being strong, and enjoy power lifting and doing the lifts correctly. I don't consider myself a power lifter, but I still do plenty of strength training with free weights to complement my running and group fitness activities.
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I'm an older, non-traditional student. I'm 42 and married. I have a part-time job outside the university. I still don't expect my department to let me know about required events, etc. ahead of time, nor do I expect them to provide me with the syllabi ahead of time, just because it would be convenient for me. If a university event comes up, that I'm expected to attend, that conflicts with work or family activities, well then I find someone to fill in for me at work, or I make apologies to my family for having to miss their event.
Maybe it's because I am a military spouse, so I'm used to missing important events, or being apart on birthdays, anniversaries and other holidays. Yes, my husband is the most important thing in my life, and I have a life outside of grad school, but I also know there are some things I do have to sacrifice or schedule around, because of grad school. Just like he has to sacrifice some things because of his job. If he is deployed overseas, he can't just come home for important events (an exception was when his father passed away while he was deployed - he was allowed home for the funeral). I look at grad school in the same way - if an exam happens to fall on our anniversary, I can't just tell the prof that I can't make it because it's my anniversary.
It would be nice to have all the dates, readings, etc. for my program ahead of time, but that's not how things work. They've even warned us not to make holiday plans yet, as we won't know for a while when we will have exams, etc. I don't have any control over the university's scheduling, so I just have to accept that's the way things are and deal with it. If I have to scramble for last minute arrangements (ie. care for our three cats) if I need to be away when my husband is away, oh well, I'll deal with it. Heck, when I was working full time between my degrees, things would often come up at work at the last minute, and I had to rearrange my schedule to meet worn requirements. That sort of thing happens in all aspects of life, not just hard school. You don't always have the materials you would like, or even that you need, when you want them, and people frequently don't give you advance notice of important dates.
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I agree with everyone who has told you to relax. I don't have any of my course syllabi yet, and I only have one course outline (that indicated the dates/times of class - it's on an odd schedule - but doesn't list any of the readings).
It's pretty standard, at least in my experience, to receive the syllabus on the first day of class, or to have it posted to the CMS the day before, or the day of, the first class.
It's definitely not something I would be bugging a professor, or the department, about. You don't want to get a reputation as an annoying, demanding, high-strung student.
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In Canada, a master's degree is required for admission to most (not all, but most) PhD programs, and those master's typically involve a thesis. So what would people who end up ABD for their PhD in Canada get? Another master's? If that's in the same field, it seems rather, well, redundant.
For example, I can't apply to the PhD program at my undergraduate university in my discipline unless I complete an MSc, with thesis. A "professional" master's degree doesn't count. It has to be a research master's that includes a master's thesis.
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I have to take 5 courses during my first semester. That's 3 hours/week for lecture, and some classes have 1 hr/week of lab or tutorial on top of that. However, this is what my program suggests and recommends for full time students. I would follow whatever guidelines your program has recommended.
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The current graduate students I've spoken to, both in my program, and the ones I've helped with research over the past three years, have all said that they greatly enjoyed graduate studies and they think I will too! My undergraduate thesis supervisor is strongly encouraging me to return to my undergraduate university to complete a PhD after I finish my master's.
Things are typically a little different here in Canada than in the U.S. It is extremely rare to go straight from undergrad to PhD - most PhD programs require students to have a master's degree in order to be eligible for admission to a PhD program (although yes, I know there are some at UofT and York that take strong students straight from undergrad - but those are the exception, not the rule). So a lot of students do a master's degree and stop there. I think starting with a 2 (or sometimes 3) year program makes things a little more "accessible" and a little less intimidating than starting right off with a PhD program. Those who continue on to a PhD after their master's will typically spend about 4 years in the PhD program.
I think that committing to two years for graduate school (a master's degree) as a start helps to make the process more enjoyable. Although I hope to continue on and obtain a PhD after my master's, it's nice to know that I can work for a few years after my master's once I have my RD, save up some money, pay off our car, and then go back to do a PhD. I don't have to commit to 6 or 7 years all at once. The master's also gives me time to narrow down my research interests. I have a general idea of what I'd like to research, but a master's will help me to refine those ideas.
All of the master's students I know have busy lives outside of school and research. They are involved in athletics, hobbies, have busy personal lives (spending time with fiances/spouses), volunteering, etc. Everyone tells me it's important to continue to participate in activities, hobbies, athletics, etc. outside of grad school, and that it's typically the students who spend their entire lives in the lab or at school who are the most unhappy.
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So glad to hear that your supervisor is supportive and is taking this seriously. It is wonderful that you are getting plenty of support. Be sure to take care of yourself.
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I have one of the older Livescribe pens, that records all of the audio on the pen. So there was no connection to any iOS device. At the end of each day of class, I would sync my pen with my computer. The Livescribe pen came with special software that downloads the files for the pen onto the computer - both the audio and the audio synced to the text. There is also an option in the software to export the files as different file types, including MP3 and a variety of other standard audio formats.I'm looking at getting the livescribe 3 and wondered if you guys could answer a couple of questions I can't quite find clarification on - when you archive files off the iOS device, are they in proprietary format? I assume that you need to eventually take the data off your device to prevent it from filling up but if there is no desktop software, how does that work? Can you just open up an audio file in, say, iTunes, or does it have to be through their software?
This is with the older pens that record the audio on the pen's memory. I have no experience with the new pens that work in conjunction with a phone or tablet.
This is the pen I have: http://www.livescribe.com/en-ca/smartpen/echo/ You can read how it works on that site.
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Definitely contact campus police or campus security. They may have a file on this guy already, and if they get a second, or third, or whatever complaint about him, they may be able to do something. His behaviour is definitely not normal, and you should take steps to protect yourself, which includes contacting campus police/security. I would also suggest speaking with whomever is responsible for enforcing the student code of conduct at your university. Finally, the counselling centre could also be a very useful resource.
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Does anybody have any insight on external hard drives? I have been looking, but I'm afraid I don't really have much of an idea of what I'm looking at.
I've been looking into the Apple Time Capsule and the WD products for Mac (passport studio, passport air, passport pro). Could anybody offer some insights on these products in terms of personal experience or experience with any other products that work well with Mac!
Also just to chime in to the "supplies for grad school" list, I am in love with the livescribe pens (there's 3 kinds) that record your lecture and your notes. They even sync together so that you can tap on the note and it will start playing your lecture that aligns with that section of your notes. It's pretty nifty! I have friends who have used it for a few years through school. I can't wait to get one of those! Definitely a fun helpful "luxury" item for grad school
Thanks a bunch!
I used a Livescribe pen throughout my second undergraduate degree and it was great! I definitely prefer to take notes by hand (I retain the information better that way) and so the Livescribe pen was great. The only downside was in courses where the professors had blanks on their slides and they would fill in the blank as they lectured. For those classes, it would have been much easier to just annotate the slides, as opposed to taking notes in the Livescribe notebooks with the Livescribe pen. I guess that's also a downside - you need to use their special paper/notebooks if you want your notes to sync up with the audio. Otherwise, great pens, great system. I really made good use of it throughout my second degree. If it makes sense to continue taking notes this way (as opposed to annotating slides), I will continue to use it during grad school.
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For anyone in a long-term, committed relationship, I want to throw in a plug for any electronic calendar that allows you to share calendars with someone else. Since my schedule changes every semester, and random meetings, reading groups, and study sessions pop in throughout the semester, my husband can never when I'm at campus and when I'm not. Having a shared calendar has helped us immensely in planning travel, doctor's and vet appointments, and social outings. As someone with a nontraditional work schedule (like all grad students), having a shared calendar is a lifesaver.
That sort of thing doesn't work for my husband and I, so it just goes to show that every couple is different. We have a large, common, calendar in the house, and we each put important dates for the other individual in our individual paper planners. My husband is an army officer, so there are many times when he is out in the field, with no computer, blackberry or other electronic device on him. So an electronic calendar is totally useless to him. So we both do paper planners. My husband also has a paper copy of my class schedule, along with other regular commitments (i.e. the group fitness classes I regularly teach). If something unusual comes up, I let him know, and he puts it in his paper planner (i.e. if I'm subbing a class for someone else, if a special event is occurring at the university, etc.) He does the same for me. I have his regular schedule with the regiment, I know which days he works later because of meetings like his weekly O-group, and he lets me know of any changes to his schedule, due to having to be in the field, being away on course, having a special event, etc., and I put those in my paper planner. Vet appointments, etc., go on our common calendar at home and our individual planners. It works for us, but I realize it wouldn't work for other couples. We just both prefer the ease of dealing with hard copy calendars, instead of having to pull out an electronic device and try to type on small screens with large fingers.
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As a fitness professional, I truly believe that there is some sort of physical activity that a person can enjoy, they just need to find out what it is. Some people enjoy classes - they like having direction from an instructor, they feed off the energy of the class, and they enjoy the music. Others prefer exercising alone - whether it is going for a walk, a run, a swim, a bike ride, etc. Other people enjoy team sports - intramural teams are often welcoming and open to everyone, regardless of their ability. Some people like to dance. Some enjoy Pilates or yoga. There are enough options out there that I truly believe that there is something for everyone. Our bodies are designed to move, after all!
I was that chubby kid who was always picked last for teams in gym as a child. I have lousy hand-eye coordination, so I was bad at most of the sports/activities we did in gym class. When we had to do our required laps around the gym, I was always the last one to finish. Yet I've now run 3 full marathons, over a dozen half marathons, and I teach group fitness classes. I like to say that if I can be active, then anyone who is physically able to move can also be active. If the kid who was always picked last during gym class, and who always finished last in any sort of sporting endeavour can be active and teach fitness classes, then just about anyone can be active. It's all a matter of finding something that you enjoy, and not worrying about how you look or where you place. I know my gym teachers would be amazed that I'm a fitness professional, and they likely wouldn't recognize me at all (I'm a healthy weight and fit).
I try to motivate people in my classes by reminding them how good it feels to be active, and how it can improve so many aspects of your life: mental and physical health, sleep quality, ability to concentrate, etc. It is also great stress relief. I don't like to encourage people to compare themselves to others, to celebrities, or to how they "want to look" as that has been shown to be fairly ineffective. Especially since so many of those celebrity photos are heavily photoshopped - the celebrities don't look like that themselves! So it is practically impossible for anyone to look like the celebrities do in those photos - they aren't realistic. I'm a firm believer in Health and Activity at Every Size, and that fitness should be pursued for health and enjoyment, and not for weight loss.
Some examples of how celebrity photos are altered:
http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/movie-guide/health/6431423/story.html?tab=PHOT
http://www.windsorstar.com/life/photos+stars+before+after+photoshop/6630599/story.html
http://collegecandy.com/2012/04/21/54-photoshopped-celebrity-before-and-after-photos/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/12/celebrity-photoshop-photos_n_3428033.html#slide=594057
- rising_star and dat_nerd
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I use a Moleskin planner. I don't bring a laptop with me to class, as I prefer to take notes by hand. I also hate typing on the small screen of my iPhone, so I don't like using an electronic calendar on that device. My Moleskin planner goes everywhere with me. Personally, I find it much easier to got down dates, notes, etc. on paper than electronically, but that's just me. Unlike Monochrome Spring, I find it quicker and easier to change dates and track the amount of time I'm spending on various activities in a paper planner.
I tried one semester to use an electronic calendar, and to sync it between my iPhone, iPad and Macbook. I found I was always forgetting to put activities and dates into the electronic calendar (probably because I never brought my laptop to class, and, as I said, I don't like typing on the small screens of my iPhone or even my iPad).
With a paper planner, I also like that I can stick the appointment reminders for my doctor's visits, physiotherapy visits, etc., right in my planner. My doctor and my physiotherapist both issue appointment reminders that are stickers, so it's nice to stick them right in my planner at the correct day and time.
In addition to my Moleskin planner, I have a four-month calendar on the wall next to my desk. It's one of those white-board type calendars so you reuse it every semester. I've had mine for years. I put all my major due dates and important events on that wall calendar.
So what kind of planner you use really depends on what you, as an individual, prefer. Some people do great with electronic calendars. Some prefer paper and pen.
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I'm a certified group fitness instructor, so I teach fitness classes - everything from group cycle (spin) to Zumba to step to aquafit to stability ball, etc. I teach about 5-6 classes per week. I also run - I've completed 3 full marathons, over a dozen half marathons, and numerous shorter races. I've also started participating in triathlons, and I've done two sprint triathlons so far.
Obviously, fitness is an important part of my life! There are also many registered dietitians who are also group fitness instructors or personal trainers. Fitness and nutrition nicely complement each other.
My husband and I go for our runs together, so it is "us" time - one of the things that we do together as a couple. I also find that when I exercise regularly, I'm much more productive, and I retain material a LOT better. I figure that for every hour I spend working out, I gain at least that much time in improved productivity, enhanced ability to concentrate, and improved memory retention.
So I plan on continuing my fitness activities grad school. Basically, I only have class three days a week, on most weeks, and four days a week about once a month. I;m commuting, so I'll arrive on campus around 0730, but I don't have my first class until 0900. That gives me plenty of time to go to the gym and either teach a class, take a class, lift weights, or go for a run. Maintaining a fitness routine is important for my physical and mental health, and my overall sense of well-being. It's part of who I am, and I can't imagine not being physically active.
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My second undergraduate cohort had students of all ages, from traditional-aged students right up to students in their 40s. Sure, there were some younger students who didn't want to interact with the older students (I heard them say that they thought us older students were "weird") but others were more mature in their outlook and were happy to hang out with those of us who were non-trads.
In contrast with lewin's experience, I find it is the younger students who are more likely to claim that their personal experiences outweigh scientific evidence. However, we are in different fields, so maybe that accounts for the difference. For example, I find that the traditional-aged students are more likely to blame individuals for their weight, whereas the older students recognize that numerous factors contribute to an individual's weight, many of which are outside of an individual's control. I have found that the younger students also tend to think "well, eating healthy is so easy for me, so if people aren't eating healthy, it's because they don't want to or are too lazy to make the effort." The older students realize that life isn't quite so simple, and that what applies to them, or works for them, doesn't necessarily work for anyone else! I find that younger students tend to rely on anecdotes far more often than the older students, who are more likely to look for scientific data. Of course, these are just generalizations, based on my experiences. There are certainly some younger students who don't act like the majority of their peers.
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I would just mention that I had previously dealt with a medical issue, that was now under control. You can mention that the medical issue, and the treatment for the condition, affected you at the time, but that it is now under control. Mental health issues are medical issues, just like diabetes and cancer are medical issues. There is no need to go into detail or to lie. Be honest about having a medical condition, but let them know that it is no longer an issue.
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I can't imagine using a messenger bag for my daily commute. My shoulder(s) and back would end up SO sore. So I use a backpack for my daily commute. I just bought a new Eddie Bauer backpack that is incredibly comfortable that I plan on using for grad school.
I do have more professional looking bags that I use for interviews, conferences, meetings with important people, etc. However, those bags are neither large enough, or comfortable enough, to carry the things I need for university on a daily basis.
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No, I don't have my grad school email yet. In order to obtain our email address, we need to have our student ID card. As I don't live in the city where my graduate school is located, I haven't yet made the trip into the city to obtain my ID card. I do plan on doing that later this week. So I will have my student ID card and my new email address shortly.
We have to use our official university email for all university business, once classes start. Professors will only respond to emails sent from official university email accounts if you have questions about course material, research, arranging meetings, etc. Any information you need to know will only be sent to your official university email, once you have it. It was the same at my undergraduate university.
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I can't register for courses until August, so I don't have any syllabi, etc. I don't even have my university email yet - I'll be getting that this week after I obtain my student ID card. The course schedules (i.e. which courses are offered when and at what times) for the upcoming Fall and Winter semesters were just published last week. So I know what the bulk of my class schedule will be like (the four required courses for my program each semester) but I don't have the schedule for my elective courses each semester yet. I DO know which courses I want to take as electives, but I don't know if there will be room in them once I go to register.
The books for the Fall semester haven't been made available yet. I checked the university bookstore, and they still only list the required textbooks for the summer sessions.
So you aren't the only one who doesn't have any information about syllabi, textbooks, etc., yet. I DO know that I don't have any assignments due before the beginning of classes. I did just receive an email that listed the requirements for our first week of class (which is essentially devoted to one course only - the remainder of the courses start the following week) as well as the day and time of a special event we are expected to attend in early September.
I don't expect to have any syllabi or information on textbooks until after registration, sometime in August.
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Moleskine is the way to go
Agreed! I use a Moleskin planner and it works great for my needs.
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Have my fellow UofT MPH students seen the course timetables for the Fall and Winter semesters? http://www.dlsph.utoronto.ca/page/timetables
For the Fall, I'll have classes three days a week, plus Friday afternoons on the days we have the CHL5004H course. Then for the Winter, I'll have classes three days a week. As I'm commuting, I'm quite happy that I don't have to make it into Toronto five days a week!
Maybe I'll be in a CHL5004H group with some of you!
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My husband and I purchased a home several years ago. These things helped:
1. My first undergraduate degree was entirely paid for through scholarships. In fact, I was making money going to school!
2. I worked for several years (and built up a bank account) before returning to school for my second undergraduate degree.
3. My husband is an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces, and the extra money he made while he was deployed to Afghanistan basically paid for the bulk of our down payment. We also cashed in some RRSP's through the Canadian government's first time home buyers' plan to make up the rest of the down payment.
4. We bought a house that was much lower in cost than the total amount the bank had pre-approved us for a mortgage. We knew what we could afford per month, and it was NOT as much as the bank was willing to lend us. So we stayed within our means.
5. We bought in a relatively low-cost area (especially compared to big cities like Toronto), in an area that is growing (but is growing wisely, with a clearly defined plan).
6. We live relatively frugally. We don't have a large TV or home theatre system like many of our peers (we just aren't interested in that sort of thing). We don't have cable or satellite TV. We don't have any children, although we do have three rather expensive cats. We buy as much as our food locally as possible. For example, we have a freezer full of meat from local farmer's that raise their animals humanely and don't use any antibiotics (except when medically required) or hormones. So our meat is healthy and cheap. We buy produce from our local farmer's market. We don't have terribly expensive hobbies (for example, we both enjoy distance running, which doesn't require a lot of equipment, and I also teach group fitness classes, so I get paid to work out).
7. We do own two cars, but they are both small, fuel-efficient vehicles. One is an older Honda that is completely paid off. The other is a newer Honda, but one that gets very good mileage. So our only debts are our mortgage and the car payment on the newer car.
8. Despite the fact that I'm going into what could be considered a "professional" master's program (so not typically fully funded), I'm receiving enough money in scholarships and awards to cover the cost.
So, as you can see, our situation is pretty unique. It is, however, how we were able to buy a home. We also did the math, and even taking into account property taxes, maintenance and upkeep costs, etc., our total monthly home ownership costs are still less than what we would be paying if we were renting. Also, after years of renting, we wanted to own a home. It's nice being able to make changes and decorate the way you want to.
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I spent four years in Europe and didn't return home to Canada once. Now, I was living with my husband, so my closest family was with me, but "home" (Canada) wasn't drawing me back. Now, if something had happened to someone close to me (i.e. serious illness) then I would have returned home, but that fortunately didn't happen.
My husband and I wanted to spend our time and travel money visiting places we had never seen before. We ended up visiting pretty much all of Western Europe, a number of Eastern European countries, and visited Egypt twice (fortunately before all the chaos started in that country).
How do you keep track of things?
in The Lobby
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I use a handwritten planner (love my Moleskin planner) combined with a white-board calendar in my office at home that is one-semester long (four months). I put everything in my Moleskin, but only major dates/events on the white-board calendar (ie. major papers, exams, holidays, etc.)