mockturtle

1) Neurobiology researcher (especially working out of the Woods Hole MBL) 2) Professor (like, one at a research university. So far off of a prospect I can't even see it) 3) Something to do with public aquariums???? God I love aquariums 4) Owner of a cute little greenhouse/plant shop (I'm not even good with plants, I just want to sit around them all day)

I just got rejected by the REU site I've been dreaming of for years, and this is my last eligible summer Owwwwwwww

Brandeis Musicology, PhD (F15) Rejected via Website on 23 Mar 2015 A 23 Mar 2015 I'm going to turn to a much cheaper type of Brandy to get over this one. :[ Is that a pun???? Clemson University Chemical Engineering, PhD (F15) Rejected via E-mail on 23 Mar 2015 I 23 Mar 2015 They do not deserve to have good student Yikes.

In the past couple of days, I've gone from a vaguely sore throat to an almost-completely lost voice, with coughing fits and pain from my sternum, to my throat, to my ears. Yesterday I slept for 17 hours (not consecutive, at least), and missed 3 classes and 2 homework assignments. I tried to go to work and they were like "girl no". Organic chemistry lab can't be made up, though, so I forced myself to go... and was a hot mess all around. I've never appreciated breathing more than I do now

Head cheese

Oh god, I hate that. A little less extreme, but I was once talking to a fellow neuroscience major with just the most intimidating work-history-by-sophomore-year you'd ever heard of, doing research at this one hospital since 8th? 9th? grade. Someone asked her how she was able to nab and keep such an amazing opportunity so early, and she reluctantly let it slip: Her mother owns the place

I think you'd have to leave Earth entirely, to accomplish that goal My school is ranked among the most liberal in the nation (and is located in Boston), so not a conservative institution by any stretch of the imagination. I've easily heard as much racist rhetoric here as I ever did before, in 18 years of living in central Virginia (although I don't run into Confederate bumper stickers or need to debate my classmates on the existence of evolution anymore, yay?) While I can understand this girl feeling shut out at a liberal school... there's a good reason she's not getting a lot of positive support for the views she was expressing. She was soooo close to arriving at the fact that they're directly founded on ignorance, too, what with her admission to only being around rich white people until age 14 (her words). So close! So close!!!!!

I just had to listen to one of the wildest and most uncomfortable conversations I've ever heard, from a girl next to me in the library. She was first of all complaining about our university not requiring students to recite the pledge of allegiance (it's a private institution, and host to a large population of international students), then went on to say that the focus her classes take on business and economics being used to better other people's lives, rather than for personal interests, is "liberal brainwashing". Bonus: She went on to say that leaving private school as a teen was a culture shock, because "there were chinese kids, hispanic kids, black kids, and people in, uh, affordable housing..." (as in, "black kids" was abruptly whispered, and "affordable housing" was used as a weird euphemism for poor neighborhoods). Not to just rag on some sheltered girl, product of her environment and all, but wow. Wow.

University Of Victoria History, Masters (F15) Rejected via Website on 25 Feb 2015 O 9 Mar 2015 Hit a moose. Rejected the next day. Lost my hopes and dreams...and my car. Oh, Canada.... :')

Warp speed

The REU stress-dreams have begun. I just had one where I had my project stolen (somehow) and everyone said I was a terrible person after I told the guy off. And then they all went bowling without me. The ruined research and personal insult I can take, but leaving me out of the bowling trip?????

First place

Yeesh. I can't bring myself to disparage REU sites' affirmative action practices (nor would I want to), buuuut I still hope I don't end up falling into that hole. A few of the sites I've applied to stress that more heavily than others and it makes me worry.

Like, they said that personally? Or was it a formulaic "we get a lot of strong applicants but ultimately must seek to recruit the most diverse cohort" yadda yadda something like that? The one rejection I got (from UCBerkeley) just stressed repeatedly that this shouldn't preclude us applying to their graduate programs. ...Which is honestly the most reassuring thing they could have possibly said because that is exactly where my mind went.

I've heard back from 2 out of 8 summer REUs: one rejection, and as of today, one "We'll be a few weeks late with decisions. Snow, am I right?" If y'all aren't literally suspended in a glacier...

Go for the school of better fit and quality. It's in your best interest, and wanting to be closer to you, aside, your s/o should want what's best for you too, at the end of the day. (Also, the way I see it, if the relationship is worth it it should be able to withstand some temporary distance, right? Not that distance isn't rough even in the best relationship, I understand how hard this is, but you shouldn't be forced to choose between him and your dreams)

I transferred schools post-freshman-year, and *added* a second major in neuroscience soon afterward... but I never changed my initial biology major. For a while I was considering an environmental studies degree, until I realized it'd be about 50% social science and policy.

I think it's kind of telling that they quantified a degree's value based on its expected salary, alone. Not that money isn't important, but if it's your only motivator........

Hey, being a strong immortal nerd doesn't sound half bad to me! (I'm with you though)

It's not up to the accepted applicants whether or not you get in off the waitlist, and it's not their job to ensure that you do. It's not even like the speed at which they turn down their offers would make a difference towards your chances. Regardless, if you want that last interview to count, do not let this attitude shine through. Word to the wise.

Oh wow, you guys are going to get my hopes up!! Without tooting my own horn too terribly much, I do think my writing skills are one of my assets, so I'd hope for that to help me in some small way, at least. However, I still don't feel I can necessarily count on that (or my other specs) to gain me admission into somewhere like UCBerkeley or WashU or anywhere else really phenomenal, and that's the source of my worry. In fairness, maybe no one can "count" on admission to those places, but I'm not sure I even come close. Congrats on your great acceptances too, by the way!

Thanks, that does make me feel better I still can't say I'm not a tiiiiny bit bitter towards my richer friends and their pan-European summer vacations and their spring breaks to Cancun, though. Lucky jerks.

Club sandwich

This thread is depressing me... The closest I've gotten to leaving the country was a trip to Niagara Falls at age 6. Not for lack of desire, just lack of funds/opportunity