The Wayfarer

This is where I am. Though sometimes I feel like I'm missing something....I think this is due to my advisor situation. I came into the program with a very distinct idea of who I want my advisor to be whereas others have been putting their feelers out trying to establish who they should be with. (I met with mine over the summer a couple of times.)

My research methods professor doesn't require any texts that we have to pay for and it is lovely -- the textbook we use is open access. On the other hand...my seminar professor (and probable advisor) recommended a bunch of books that we purchase even if it is just for a few chapter. I understand it is a chance to build our library but my bank account is dwindling...first paycheck next week though.

I'm dealing with my loan companies. (Enough said, right?) It should not be this hard for them to realize I'm in school.

I use Google Calendar in monthly view where I have all of my meetings scheduled and all of my big assignments as tasks -- for weekly readings and such I make a list at the beginning of each week on a legal pad. There's definitely a cathartic release is crossing something off on a piece of paper as opposed to checking off a box on Google.

While I have only been in my program for a week it seems that most of my colleagues wear jeans with a nice® shirt but those of us who have class then go TA tend to be a little more dressy -- I wore some slacks from J. Crew with a dressier polo (it was almost 100 degrees). During my orientation I wore a button down. I imagine as with most situations the "dressiness" of our attire will decrease as the semester goes on.

First week went pretty well -- I get along great with everyone I have met so far and it really appears that my department wants everyone to succeed. On the TA front -- I'm glad that I get along with my supervising professor and he is also very laid back about everything which is good since I'll be TAing two sections for him this semester, one section for him next semester, and I'm also his RA next semester. Already offered me the chance to coauthor so...yay! For my classes themselves everything seems...good. I have to turn my first assignment in for one of my seminars tomorrow and I'm EXTREMELY nervous. It's an assignment we have every week so if I mess up on this one I can easily turn things around but I am just always nervous for the first assignment since I'm not sure where the professors expectations are. But overall I feel at home! Let's just hope I don't fail my classes and get my funding revoked.

Just adding a quick thought in here: I am a very anxious person -- I like to know things ahead of time, schedule everything out, etc. That being said the like of syllabi from my courses does not really phase me and never has. Additionally, during my department orientation the other day a professor specifically states that she does not give out her syllabus early. Maybe this is the case for the OP's courses.

Oh no! That's awful. But now I am starting to worry that I have been excluded from some list as well. I think it is fair to say my anxieties won't be quelled until the middle of this week once I have had all of my orientation meetings.

I use Mendeley to organize my papers but before I add them to Mendeley I print them out and read them on paper -- probably not the most cost effective or environmentally conscious way to doing it but I have an incredibly hard time reading on a screen. I enjoy highlighting and marking up anything I read with notes that are in a shorthand I only understand.

This. I'm trying to keep busy by organizing my new apartment and such -- I still have to conquer my books, DVDs, CDs, etc. But it will be nice to have a structured schedule soon. On the topic of books I've finished two decent sized novels in less than a week and just started the tome that is Hillary Clinton's Hard Choices... Also more anxious than bored....especially since I'm not even sure what the third course I'm taking is yet. (They have to let me know by the 25th but when you don't have much else going on that feels like an eternity.)

I've met with my advisor twice -- the first time I visited and the second time when I was looking for housing -- we had great conversations and she actually pointed me in the direction of where I should start doing research. I haven't heard much from her lately but I'm assuming that's because orientation and classes are starting soon so she's probably a little busy....she's the program director and our school just named a new chairperson. I've also met with other faculty over lunch just as an introduction to the program -- everyone has been incredibly friendly so if I survived you can too! I'm more intimidated for orientation next week meeting everyone in a big group than I was just meeting with faculty one on one.

All of my furniture is now in my apartment and the movers I hired couldn't have done a better job. That's a success story right? Now just waiting for my orientation/meetings next week and classes the week after that.

This is where I am -- all of my furniture and such just arrived today and the movers are coming tomorrow morning to take everything out of my U-Pack and up to my apartment. I couldn't help but take a decent amount of things up myself today simply because I was so relieved to see furniture. (I've been using folding lawn chairs and barstools for over a week.)

I second this -- some of the sequels, however, are out of control. Gibson's Neuromancer is a classic...especially if you enjoy things in the vein of Blade Runner.

My currenty employment situation is basically passive-agressive central; no one enjoys confronting anyone else so there are A LOT of anonymous notes left around. Frankly I just ignore them and will only deal with an issue if someone comes to me directly about it. I take it to the respective person if I have an issue...all I ask in return is that they do the same.

This. But I guess I'll have to add my PhD soon...

No one else?

I'm moving from PA to KS and I'm planning on getting at least my bigger furniture items online and shipped to my new place. I wouldn't mind sleeping in a sleeping bag one or two nights but after that...

I'm in the same boat -- I'm currently working at a bookstore which does have some locations near my PhD program so I don't necessarily want to burn bridges in case I can transfer to the new location when I start my PhD. By the same token with the high turnover at my store I fear that if I tell my manager they'll simply let me go now...

I'm in the same boat...I'll be going down mid/late June to look. I'll be near my university once before then but at that time I'll just be looking at potential areas not so much specific buildings, units, etc.

Teen Wolf -- at this point anything on MTV should be considered a guilty pleasure. Occasionally some anime...

Hopefully this is in the right place but now that I have accepted an offer and I am officially committed to KU I have arranged a visit to meet with faculty, current students, etc. I thought this would be a good thread to throw around advice and ask questions for those of us going to our respective campuses after becoming official students. In scheduling my visit the program director asked if there are any specific faculty members I would like to meet with -- is it acceptable to simply ask to meet with my POI (who also happens to be the program director). I mentioned her as my POI in my personal statement...but I also did not want to assume she has an interest with working with me. Thoughts? Any other advice on what to do on my first visit as an official member of the program?

This is exactly how I am feeling; a holding pattern right before a big life change is not good for my anxiousness.

Never thought of this but seems like a great idea. I've always had enjoyable experiences with Amtrak so this may be the way to go for my move from PA to Kansas!

I'm in the process of planning my first visit to campus post-acceptance so hopefully that will keep my mind off of other things! Also puts my mind a little at ease that the program director seems very welcoming...