goldielocks

Here's a random list of some things that have helped me:

1. A decent coffee/espresso machine. And a travel mug. (That is, if you are a caffeine addict.) Saves money and time.
2. A few outfits that make me feel very "put together."
3. As others have mentioned, a good citation program that you feel comfortable using. (Do yourself a favor and learn this ahead of time.)
4. The latest edition of whatever citation style your discipline uses. (Again, do yourself a favor and flag the most frequently used pages ahead of time. You will thank yourself when it is 2:00 AM and you are trying to wrap up a paper for the next morning. This will happen to you at some point. Be prepared.)
5. A gym membership/yoga classes/something that you can use to stay fit. Your body and mind will be much better off. For me, my gym membership was the best stress-buster (plus your school probably has a fantastic facility that you can use for free).
6. Most importantly: An external hard drive. I have heard too many horror stories about losing papers, research, and (gulp) even dissertations. I use a decent drive that I have hooked up to Time Machine on my Mac. Peace of mind.
7. Lots and lots of post-its. This is how I jot down thoughts/organize them in front of me/flag things in my reading.
8. Ohhhh, also important: a good planner. I use this one. $15. And free shipping with:
9. Amazon Prime! You should be able to get a one year free membership with your .edu email address. This has saved me tons of money on (new) books, even compared to used books on websites like Abe, Biblio, Half, etc.
10. Someone who you can call to vent/cry/talk to. Figure out who this person will be and warn them. Luckily, for me, this person is my husband. It could be anyone. You will need this person at some point, more than you think. No matter how fabulously you are doing, you will get stressed out. This does not make you a baby. You might have a bad case of impostor syndrome your first semester. I sure did. This is normal. Just make arrangements for times when you are feeling overwhelmed. You will be glad you did.

And to second some other suggestions:
11. A filing cabinet. Use it. Weekly, at least. I stick to one morning each week, when I just take a bit of time to file new things. It does not get overwhelming this way.
12. A decent printer. I have a laser. I refill my cartridges for about $6.00 (compared to the $70+ cartridges in the Office Supply store), by buying the toner on eBay and refilling it myself. It takes like 5 minutes. (I learned it from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smBYKSG7vCU.)
13. A good bag.
14. I love (love love love love love) Scrivener. I am not one of those people who can continuously sustain a complicated thought while I am writing for more than a few minutes. I have too many ideas bouncing around at the same time. This helps me to get all of my thoughts out/organize them.

I'm sure I'll think of more, but this is a start. Good luck!

Here's a random list of some things that have helped me:

1. A decent coffee/espresso machine. And a travel mug. (That is, if you are a caffeine addict.) Saves money and time.
2. A few outfits that make me feel very "put together."
3. As others have mentioned, a good citation program that you feel comfortable using. (Do yourself a favor and learn this ahead of time.)
4. The latest edition of whatever citation style your discipline uses. (Again, do yourself a favor and flag the most frequently used pages ahead of time. You will thank yourself when it is 2:00 AM and you are trying to wrap up a paper for the next morning. This will happen to you at some point. Be prepared.)
5. A gym membership/yoga classes/something that you can use to stay fit. Your body and mind will be much better off. For me, my gym membership was the best stress-buster (plus your school probably has a fantastic facility that you can use for free).
6. Most importantly: An external hard drive. I have heard too many horror stories about losing papers, research, and (gulp) even dissertations. I use a decent drive that I have hooked up to Time Machine on my Mac. Peace of mind.
7. Lots and lots of post-its. This is how I jot down thoughts/organize them in front of me/flag things in my reading.
8. Ohhhh, also important: a good planner. I use this one. $15. And free shipping with:
9. Amazon Prime! You should be able to get a one year free membership with your .edu email address. This has saved me tons of money on (new) books, even compared to used books on websites like Abe, Biblio, Half, etc.
10. Someone who you can call to vent/cry/talk to. Figure out who this person will be and warn them. Luckily, for me, this person is my husband. It could be anyone. You will need this person at some point, more than you think. No matter how fabulously you are doing, you will get stressed out. This does not make you a baby. You might have a bad case of impostor syndrome your first semester. I sure did. This is normal. Just make arrangements for times when you are feeling overwhelmed. You will be glad you did.

And to second some other suggestions:
11. A filing cabinet. Use it. Weekly, at least. I stick to one morning each week, when I just take a bit of time to file new things. It does not get overwhelming this way.
12. A decent printer. I have a laser. I refill my cartridges for about $6.00 (compared to the $70+ cartridges in the Office Supply store), by buying the toner on eBay and refilling it myself. It takes like 5 minutes. (I learned it from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smBYKSG7vCU.)
13. A good bag.
14. I love (love love love love love) Scrivener. I am not one of those people who can continuously sustain a complicated thought while I am writing for more than a few minutes. I have too many ideas bouncing around at the same time. This helps me to get all of my thoughts out/organize them.

I'm sure I'll think of more, but this is a start. Good luck!

Here's a random list of some things that have helped me:

1. A decent coffee/espresso machine. And a travel mug. (That is, if you are a caffeine addict.) Saves money and time.
2. A few outfits that make me feel very "put together."
3. As others have mentioned, a good citation program that you feel comfortable using. (Do yourself a favor and learn this ahead of time.)
4. The latest edition of whatever citation style your discipline uses. (Again, do yourself a favor and flag the most frequently used pages ahead of time. You will thank yourself when it is 2:00 AM and you are trying to wrap up a paper for the next morning. This will happen to you at some point. Be prepared.)
5. A gym membership/yoga classes/something that you can use to stay fit. Your body and mind will be much better off. For me, my gym membership was the best stress-buster (plus your school probably has a fantastic facility that you can use for free).
6. Most importantly: An external hard drive. I have heard too many horror stories about losing papers, research, and (gulp) even dissertations. I use a decent drive that I have hooked up to Time Machine on my Mac. Peace of mind.
7. Lots and lots of post-its. This is how I jot down thoughts/organize them in front of me/flag things in my reading.
8. Ohhhh, also important: a good planner. I use this one. $15. And free shipping with:
9. Amazon Prime! You should be able to get a one year free membership with your .edu email address. This has saved me tons of money on (new) books, even compared to used books on websites like Abe, Biblio, Half, etc.
10. Someone who you can call to vent/cry/talk to. Figure out who this person will be and warn them. Luckily, for me, this person is my husband. It could be anyone. You will need this person at some point, more than you think. No matter how fabulously you are doing, you will get stressed out. This does not make you a baby. You might have a bad case of impostor syndrome your first semester. I sure did. This is normal. Just make arrangements for times when you are feeling overwhelmed. You will be glad you did.

And to second some other suggestions:
11. A filing cabinet. Use it. Weekly, at least. I stick to one morning each week, when I just take a bit of time to file new things. It does not get overwhelming this way.
12. A decent printer. I have a laser. I refill my cartridges for about $6.00 (compared to the $70+ cartridges in the Office Supply store), by buying the toner on eBay and refilling it myself. It takes like 5 minutes. (I learned it from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smBYKSG7vCU.)
13. A good bag.
14. I love (love love love love love) Scrivener. I am not one of those people who can continuously sustain a complicated thought while I am writing for more than a few minutes. I have too many ideas bouncing around at the same time. This helps me to get all of my thoughts out/organize them.

I'm sure I'll think of more, but this is a start. Good luck!

Here's a random list of some things that have helped me:

1. A decent coffee/espresso machine. And a travel mug. (That is, if you are a caffeine addict.) Saves money and time.
2. A few outfits that make me feel very "put together."
3. As others have mentioned, a good citation program that you feel comfortable using. (Do yourself a favor and learn this ahead of time.)
4. The latest edition of whatever citation style your discipline uses. (Again, do yourself a favor and flag the most frequently used pages ahead of time. You will thank yourself when it is 2:00 AM and you are trying to wrap up a paper for the next morning. This will happen to you at some point. Be prepared.)
5. A gym membership/yoga classes/something that you can use to stay fit. Your body and mind will be much better off. For me, my gym membership was the best stress-buster (plus your school probably has a fantastic facility that you can use for free).
6. Most importantly: An external hard drive. I have heard too many horror stories about losing papers, research, and (gulp) even dissertations. I use a decent drive that I have hooked up to Time Machine on my Mac. Peace of mind.
7. Lots and lots of post-its. This is how I jot down thoughts/organize them in front of me/flag things in my reading.
8. Ohhhh, also important: a good planner. I use this one. $15. And free shipping with:
9. Amazon Prime! You should be able to get a one year free membership with your .edu email address. This has saved me tons of money on (new) books, even compared to used books on websites like Abe, Biblio, Half, etc.
10. Someone who you can call to vent/cry/talk to. Figure out who this person will be and warn them. Luckily, for me, this person is my husband. It could be anyone. You will need this person at some point, more than you think. No matter how fabulously you are doing, you will get stressed out. This does not make you a baby. You might have a bad case of impostor syndrome your first semester. I sure did. This is normal. Just make arrangements for times when you are feeling overwhelmed. You will be glad you did.

And to second some other suggestions:
11. A filing cabinet. Use it. Weekly, at least. I stick to one morning each week, when I just take a bit of time to file new things. It does not get overwhelming this way.
12. A decent printer. I have a laser. I refill my cartridges for about $6.00 (compared to the $70+ cartridges in the Office Supply store), by buying the toner on eBay and refilling it myself. It takes like 5 minutes. (I learned it from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smBYKSG7vCU.)
13. A good bag.
14. I love (love love love love love) Scrivener. I am not one of those people who can continuously sustain a complicated thought while I am writing for more than a few minutes. I have too many ideas bouncing around at the same time. This helps me to get all of my thoughts out/organize them.

I'm sure I'll think of more, but this is a start. Good luck!

Here's a random list of some things that have helped me:

1. A decent coffee/espresso machine. And a travel mug. (That is, if you are a caffeine addict.) Saves money and time.
2. A few outfits that make me feel very "put together."
3. As others have mentioned, a good citation program that you feel comfortable using. (Do yourself a favor and learn this ahead of time.)
4. The latest edition of whatever citation style your discipline uses. (Again, do yourself a favor and flag the most frequently used pages ahead of time. You will thank yourself when it is 2:00 AM and you are trying to wrap up a paper for the next morning. This will happen to you at some point. Be prepared.)
5. A gym membership/yoga classes/something that you can use to stay fit. Your body and mind will be much better off. For me, my gym membership was the best stress-buster (plus your school probably has a fantastic facility that you can use for free).
6. Most importantly: An external hard drive. I have heard too many horror stories about losing papers, research, and (gulp) even dissertations. I use a decent drive that I have hooked up to Time Machine on my Mac. Peace of mind.
7. Lots and lots of post-its. This is how I jot down thoughts/organize them in front of me/flag things in my reading.
8. Ohhhh, also important: a good planner. I use this one. $15. And free shipping with:
9. Amazon Prime! You should be able to get a one year free membership with your .edu email address. This has saved me tons of money on (new) books, even compared to used books on websites like Abe, Biblio, Half, etc.
10. Someone who you can call to vent/cry/talk to. Figure out who this person will be and warn them. Luckily, for me, this person is my husband. It could be anyone. You will need this person at some point, more than you think. No matter how fabulously you are doing, you will get stressed out. This does not make you a baby. You might have a bad case of impostor syndrome your first semester. I sure did. This is normal. Just make arrangements for times when you are feeling overwhelmed. You will be glad you did.

And to second some other suggestions:
11. A filing cabinet. Use it. Weekly, at least. I stick to one morning each week, when I just take a bit of time to file new things. It does not get overwhelming this way.
12. A decent printer. I have a laser. I refill my cartridges for about $6.00 (compared to the $70+ cartridges in the Office Supply store), by buying the toner on eBay and refilling it myself. It takes like 5 minutes. (I learned it from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smBYKSG7vCU.)
13. A good bag.
14. I love (love love love love love) Scrivener. I am not one of those people who can continuously sustain a complicated thought while I am writing for more than a few minutes. I have too many ideas bouncing around at the same time. This helps me to get all of my thoughts out/organize them.

I'm sure I'll think of more, but this is a start. Good luck!

Here's a random list of some things that have helped me:

1. A decent coffee/espresso machine. And a travel mug. (That is, if you are a caffeine addict.) Saves money and time.
2. A few outfits that make me feel very "put together."
3. As others have mentioned, a good citation program that you feel comfortable using. (Do yourself a favor and learn this ahead of time.)
4. The latest edition of whatever citation style your discipline uses. (Again, do yourself a favor and flag the most frequently used pages ahead of time. You will thank yourself when it is 2:00 AM and you are trying to wrap up a paper for the next morning. This will happen to you at some point. Be prepared.)
5. A gym membership/yoga classes/something that you can use to stay fit. Your body and mind will be much better off. For me, my gym membership was the best stress-buster (plus your school probably has a fantastic facility that you can use for free).
6. Most importantly: An external hard drive. I have heard too many horror stories about losing papers, research, and (gulp) even dissertations. I use a decent drive that I have hooked up to Time Machine on my Mac. Peace of mind.
7. Lots and lots of post-its. This is how I jot down thoughts/organize them in front of me/flag things in my reading.
8. Ohhhh, also important: a good planner. I use this one. $15. And free shipping with:
9. Amazon Prime! You should be able to get a one year free membership with your .edu email address. This has saved me tons of money on (new) books, even compared to used books on websites like Abe, Biblio, Half, etc.
10. Someone who you can call to vent/cry/talk to. Figure out who this person will be and warn them. Luckily, for me, this person is my husband. It could be anyone. You will need this person at some point, more than you think. No matter how fabulously you are doing, you will get stressed out. This does not make you a baby. You might have a bad case of impostor syndrome your first semester. I sure did. This is normal. Just make arrangements for times when you are feeling overwhelmed. You will be glad you did.

And to second some other suggestions:
11. A filing cabinet. Use it. Weekly, at least. I stick to one morning each week, when I just take a bit of time to file new things. It does not get overwhelming this way.
12. A decent printer. I have a laser. I refill my cartridges for about $6.00 (compared to the $70+ cartridges in the Office Supply store), by buying the toner on eBay and refilling it myself. It takes like 5 minutes. (I learned it from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smBYKSG7vCU.)
13. A good bag.
14. I love (love love love love love) Scrivener. I am not one of those people who can continuously sustain a complicated thought while I am writing for more than a few minutes. I have too many ideas bouncing around at the same time. This helps me to get all of my thoughts out/organize them.

I'm sure I'll think of more, but this is a start. Good luck!

Hello, all! I'm an applicant from last year, just popping my head in because I remember this experience far too well. A year ago, I was in the same boat as all of you, and it was... excruciating. The waiting, waiting, and more waiting. And then it gets even more excruciating because (if you're lucky) you have to face decisions.
 
Just wanted to stop by and say that I really wish I'd not let myself get so stressed about applications, when I was going through this. It felt like life or death, even though I knew that it wasn't. I guess I'd just like to offer a very small reminder that this is just a stressful phase, it will pass, and your value as a human being/intellectual will not be determined by the admissions decisions which should start rolling in within a couple of weeks. I wish someone would have reminded me of that more when I was in this boat -- hope this helps someone to put things in perspective.
 
Though I've gotta say, I read through part of this thread, and you all seem far less neurotic than we were this time last year. So kudos to you! And best of luck to all of you in the exciting months ahead.

Here's a random list of some things that have helped me:

1. A decent coffee/espresso machine. And a travel mug. (That is, if you are a caffeine addict.) Saves money and time.
2. A few outfits that make me feel very "put together."
3. As others have mentioned, a good citation program that you feel comfortable using. (Do yourself a favor and learn this ahead of time.)
4. The latest edition of whatever citation style your discipline uses. (Again, do yourself a favor and flag the most frequently used pages ahead of time. You will thank yourself when it is 2:00 AM and you are trying to wrap up a paper for the next morning. This will happen to you at some point. Be prepared.)
5. A gym membership/yoga classes/something that you can use to stay fit. Your body and mind will be much better off. For me, my gym membership was the best stress-buster (plus your school probably has a fantastic facility that you can use for free).
6. Most importantly: An external hard drive. I have heard too many horror stories about losing papers, research, and (gulp) even dissertations. I use a decent drive that I have hooked up to Time Machine on my Mac. Peace of mind.
7. Lots and lots of post-its. This is how I jot down thoughts/organize them in front of me/flag things in my reading.
8. Ohhhh, also important: a good planner. I use this one. $15. And free shipping with:
9. Amazon Prime! You should be able to get a one year free membership with your .edu email address. This has saved me tons of money on (new) books, even compared to used books on websites like Abe, Biblio, Half, etc.
10. Someone who you can call to vent/cry/talk to. Figure out who this person will be and warn them. Luckily, for me, this person is my husband. It could be anyone. You will need this person at some point, more than you think. No matter how fabulously you are doing, you will get stressed out. This does not make you a baby. You might have a bad case of impostor syndrome your first semester. I sure did. This is normal. Just make arrangements for times when you are feeling overwhelmed. You will be glad you did.

And to second some other suggestions:
11. A filing cabinet. Use it. Weekly, at least. I stick to one morning each week, when I just take a bit of time to file new things. It does not get overwhelming this way.
12. A decent printer. I have a laser. I refill my cartridges for about $6.00 (compared to the $70+ cartridges in the Office Supply store), by buying the toner on eBay and refilling it myself. It takes like 5 minutes. (I learned it from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smBYKSG7vCU.)
13. A good bag.
14. I love (love love love love love) Scrivener. I am not one of those people who can continuously sustain a complicated thought while I am writing for more than a few minutes. I have too many ideas bouncing around at the same time. This helps me to get all of my thoughts out/organize them.

I'm sure I'll think of more, but this is a start. Good luck!

Things that have helped me:

1. Stoicism, at least for the first month or two.
2. Not laughing at/acknowledging poor behavior during class, unless it is disruptive. If it seems like a real problem, I talk to the student after class.
3. Ask for help. Do not be afraid to involve your supervisor (the instructor) in any problems. Tackle them head-on, ASAP. You will be glad you did. And your supervisor will want you to do this.
4. Lay out your expectations, clearly, at the very beginning of the course. Do not make exceptions unless you absolutely must. This includes holding regular office hours, and sticking to them, unless you absolutely must accommodate some sort of scheduling issue with a student who you are sure cannot come at the scheduled time.
5. Bust the cheaters. Immediately. (After spelling out expectations regarding academic honesty, of course). You will be glad you set an example about what is acceptable. My first semester, I was amazed how many students cheat. I can honestly say that I have never cheated, so it sort of took me by surprise.
6. Remember that it is your responsibility to provide a welcoming, accepting, encouraging learning environment for all of your students. Recognize that this is not possible if another student is disrupting this atmosphere. When you are afraid of being the bad guy, remember that by ignoring a distraction/disruption, you are not being fair to your students who really try and want to be there.
7. Appreciate the students who make an effort. They will get you through when you are overwhelmed by the students who don't.
8. There will be bad days. Take a deep breath. Have a stiff drink. Talk to the other TAs. It is a learning process.


Good luck!

Here's a random list of some things that have helped me:

1. A decent coffee/espresso machine. And a travel mug. (That is, if you are a caffeine addict.) Saves money and time.
2. A few outfits that make me feel very "put together."
3. As others have mentioned, a good citation program that you feel comfortable using. (Do yourself a favor and learn this ahead of time.)
4. The latest edition of whatever citation style your discipline uses. (Again, do yourself a favor and flag the most frequently used pages ahead of time. You will thank yourself when it is 2:00 AM and you are trying to wrap up a paper for the next morning. This will happen to you at some point. Be prepared.)
5. A gym membership/yoga classes/something that you can use to stay fit. Your body and mind will be much better off. For me, my gym membership was the best stress-buster (plus your school probably has a fantastic facility that you can use for free).
6. Most importantly: An external hard drive. I have heard too many horror stories about losing papers, research, and (gulp) even dissertations. I use a decent drive that I have hooked up to Time Machine on my Mac. Peace of mind.
7. Lots and lots of post-its. This is how I jot down thoughts/organize them in front of me/flag things in my reading.
8. Ohhhh, also important: a good planner. I use this one. $15. And free shipping with:
9. Amazon Prime! You should be able to get a one year free membership with your .edu email address. This has saved me tons of money on (new) books, even compared to used books on websites like Abe, Biblio, Half, etc.
10. Someone who you can call to vent/cry/talk to. Figure out who this person will be and warn them. Luckily, for me, this person is my husband. It could be anyone. You will need this person at some point, more than you think. No matter how fabulously you are doing, you will get stressed out. This does not make you a baby. You might have a bad case of impostor syndrome your first semester. I sure did. This is normal. Just make arrangements for times when you are feeling overwhelmed. You will be glad you did.

And to second some other suggestions:
11. A filing cabinet. Use it. Weekly, at least. I stick to one morning each week, when I just take a bit of time to file new things. It does not get overwhelming this way.
12. A decent printer. I have a laser. I refill my cartridges for about $6.00 (compared to the $70+ cartridges in the Office Supply store), by buying the toner on eBay and refilling it myself. It takes like 5 minutes. (I learned it from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smBYKSG7vCU.)
13. A good bag.
14. I love (love love love love love) Scrivener. I am not one of those people who can continuously sustain a complicated thought while I am writing for more than a few minutes. I have too many ideas bouncing around at the same time. This helps me to get all of my thoughts out/organize them.

I'm sure I'll think of more, but this is a start. Good luck!

I'm married. This comes with its own challenges, but in all honesty, my partner has been my most valuable asset in this process. It's not the right choice for everyone, but for us, it has worked out better than I would have hoped.

Hello, all! I'm an applicant from last year, just popping my head in because I remember this experience far too well. A year ago, I was in the same boat as all of you, and it was... excruciating. The waiting, waiting, and more waiting. And then it gets even more excruciating because (if you're lucky) you have to face decisions.
 
Just wanted to stop by and say that I really wish I'd not let myself get so stressed about applications, when I was going through this. It felt like life or death, even though I knew that it wasn't. I guess I'd just like to offer a very small reminder that this is just a stressful phase, it will pass, and your value as a human being/intellectual will not be determined by the admissions decisions which should start rolling in within a couple of weeks. I wish someone would have reminded me of that more when I was in this boat -- hope this helps someone to put things in perspective.
 
Though I've gotta say, I read through part of this thread, and you all seem far less neurotic than we were this time last year. So kudos to you! And best of luck to all of you in the exciting months ahead.

This is the truth: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php?f=1492. Professors are interested in your ideas so share them as part of "tell me about yourself."

Goldie had a really wonderful tip last year that just worked wonders for me: Before decisions roll in, take the time to breathe. Sit down with your list and think it through. Rank them and provide justifications for why School A over Z and why Z over S. And then share your list with a close friend or mentor who will keep you accountable. The point of this exercise is to be able to make a decision while your head is still clear because once decisions roll in, you will get very emotional. I did this with a colleague right when my first two decisions came in before the emotions really sit in. He kept me accountable throughout the WHOLE process (and that was like 2 1/2 months..). He reminded me every now and then why my current program was my top choice. He was my rock and helped me to keep my eyes on the road while my other offer tempted me with things I hadn't expected to see/hear/receive. So very glad for that tip, Goldie. Thank you!

Hello, all! I'm an applicant from last year, just popping my head in because I remember this experience far too well. A year ago, I was in the same boat as all of you, and it was... excruciating. The waiting, waiting, and more waiting. And then it gets even more excruciating because (if you're lucky) you have to face decisions.
 
Just wanted to stop by and say that I really wish I'd not let myself get so stressed about applications, when I was going through this. It felt like life or death, even though I knew that it wasn't. I guess I'd just like to offer a very small reminder that this is just a stressful phase, it will pass, and your value as a human being/intellectual will not be determined by the admissions decisions which should start rolling in within a couple of weeks. I wish someone would have reminded me of that more when I was in this boat -- hope this helps someone to put things in perspective.
 
Though I've gotta say, I read through part of this thread, and you all seem far less neurotic than we were this time last year. So kudos to you! And best of luck to all of you in the exciting months ahead.

Hello, all! I'm an applicant from last year, just popping my head in because I remember this experience far too well. A year ago, I was in the same boat as all of you, and it was... excruciating. The waiting, waiting, and more waiting. And then it gets even more excruciating because (if you're lucky) you have to face decisions.
 
Just wanted to stop by and say that I really wish I'd not let myself get so stressed about applications, when I was going through this. It felt like life or death, even though I knew that it wasn't. I guess I'd just like to offer a very small reminder that this is just a stressful phase, it will pass, and your value as a human being/intellectual will not be determined by the admissions decisions which should start rolling in within a couple of weeks. I wish someone would have reminded me of that more when I was in this boat -- hope this helps someone to put things in perspective.
 
Though I've gotta say, I read through part of this thread, and you all seem far less neurotic than we were this time last year. So kudos to you! And best of luck to all of you in the exciting months ahead.

Things that have helped me:

1. Stoicism, at least for the first month or two.
2. Not laughing at/acknowledging poor behavior during class, unless it is disruptive. If it seems like a real problem, I talk to the student after class.
3. Ask for help. Do not be afraid to involve your supervisor (the instructor) in any problems. Tackle them head-on, ASAP. You will be glad you did. And your supervisor will want you to do this.
4. Lay out your expectations, clearly, at the very beginning of the course. Do not make exceptions unless you absolutely must. This includes holding regular office hours, and sticking to them, unless you absolutely must accommodate some sort of scheduling issue with a student who you are sure cannot come at the scheduled time.
5. Bust the cheaters. Immediately. (After spelling out expectations regarding academic honesty, of course). You will be glad you set an example about what is acceptable. My first semester, I was amazed how many students cheat. I can honestly say that I have never cheated, so it sort of took me by surprise.
6. Remember that it is your responsibility to provide a welcoming, accepting, encouraging learning environment for all of your students. Recognize that this is not possible if another student is disrupting this atmosphere. When you are afraid of being the bad guy, remember that by ignoring a distraction/disruption, you are not being fair to your students who really try and want to be there.
7. Appreciate the students who make an effort. They will get you through when you are overwhelmed by the students who don't.
8. There will be bad days. Take a deep breath. Have a stiff drink. Talk to the other TAs. It is a learning process.


Good luck!

Oh geez. I have an addiction, you guys. I'm not proud. I can't stop.

I just want to say, if you look at the thread title from the front page it says:

"my phd-advisor stole my man"

I have nothing else to contribute to this conversation.

Bones, OK, things are a little clearer now.

My advice is that you should go past this incident and move on. As someone said, take the whole thing as a lesson.
Your purpose in coming to this institution is not to make money by any means necessary but to acquire knowledge.
Well, this is part of it ... Learning about research politics.

I hope this helps you.

First, let me tell you that your story is not believable.

You confuse us with these words:

1. "my manuscript" (title)

2. "our contract with the publisher"

3. "named co-author"

4. "book was written (by me and him)"

5. "advisor published it alone"

All these statements cannot be true simultaneously unless the publisher (ex. Springer) is an accomplice of your advisor
or you are pretending to be an owner of a work in which you have only a marginal or no contribution.


At least, this is the way it appears to us.

I'm married. This comes with its own challenges, but in all honesty, my partner has been my most valuable asset in this process. It's not the right choice for everyone, but for us, it has worked out better than I would have hoped.

Here's a random list of some things that have helped me:

1. A decent coffee/espresso machine. And a travel mug. (That is, if you are a caffeine addict.) Saves money and time.
2. A few outfits that make me feel very "put together."
3. As others have mentioned, a good citation program that you feel comfortable using. (Do yourself a favor and learn this ahead of time.)
4. The latest edition of whatever citation style your discipline uses. (Again, do yourself a favor and flag the most frequently used pages ahead of time. You will thank yourself when it is 2:00 AM and you are trying to wrap up a paper for the next morning. This will happen to you at some point. Be prepared.)
5. A gym membership/yoga classes/something that you can use to stay fit. Your body and mind will be much better off. For me, my gym membership was the best stress-buster (plus your school probably has a fantastic facility that you can use for free).
6. Most importantly: An external hard drive. I have heard too many horror stories about losing papers, research, and (gulp) even dissertations. I use a decent drive that I have hooked up to Time Machine on my Mac. Peace of mind.
7. Lots and lots of post-its. This is how I jot down thoughts/organize them in front of me/flag things in my reading.
8. Ohhhh, also important: a good planner. I use this one. $15. And free shipping with:
9. Amazon Prime! You should be able to get a one year free membership with your .edu email address. This has saved me tons of money on (new) books, even compared to used books on websites like Abe, Biblio, Half, etc.
10. Someone who you can call to vent/cry/talk to. Figure out who this person will be and warn them. Luckily, for me, this person is my husband. It could be anyone. You will need this person at some point, more than you think. No matter how fabulously you are doing, you will get stressed out. This does not make you a baby. You might have a bad case of impostor syndrome your first semester. I sure did. This is normal. Just make arrangements for times when you are feeling overwhelmed. You will be glad you did.

And to second some other suggestions:
11. A filing cabinet. Use it. Weekly, at least. I stick to one morning each week, when I just take a bit of time to file new things. It does not get overwhelming this way.
12. A decent printer. I have a laser. I refill my cartridges for about $6.00 (compared to the $70+ cartridges in the Office Supply store), by buying the toner on eBay and refilling it myself. It takes like 5 minutes. (I learned it from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smBYKSG7vCU.)
13. A good bag.
14. I love (love love love love love) Scrivener. I am not one of those people who can continuously sustain a complicated thought while I am writing for more than a few minutes. I have too many ideas bouncing around at the same time. This helps me to get all of my thoughts out/organize them.

I'm sure I'll think of more, but this is a start. Good luck!

I wonder why someone would ding a comment offered in this thread without taking the time to say why.

In an earlier post, TMP suggested that those who are sure of their decision should make it as soon as possible so that others could get off of wait lists. In this post, TMP is disclosing that her decision making process took a turn for the complicated. Why is this disclosure at all controversial?

What is the member of this BB who dinged attempting to say? That a graduate student in history should not do one's due diligence? Or maybe that one should not recognize complexity? If either is the case, then what is the point of being a historian in the first place?

ETA: Another member of this BB has since balanced out the down vote for post #153.

Sorry folks by no decision yet! My visits to Wisconsin and OSU made the decision making process more complicated than I expected. Now I understand why my professors and colleagues say the this is tough!! I'm fairly confident that I will wait until April 14th or 15th to decide.

I would include something in the cover email that added a human touch and gave a brief hint of my strengths as a historian.

Yes, people are busy and yes they have to sort through a lot of paperwork. But they're still people and, IME, some people especially appreciate it when you connect to them as people.

My $0.02