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Does anyone know what will happen if Federal budgets get slashed in the future what happens to the 3 years of funding for NSF fellows? Like what if you were to get awarded a GRFP this year, it would probably be fine because budgets are set, but what about year 2 and 3 where the Trump administration may have gutted NSF? Thoughts? Ideas?

When did you hear?

VG/E, E/VG, E,VG HM I feel... weird.

Yeah I had them at first, but then a prof and another student told me I didn't need them. I took them out cuz they seemed clunky and after a quick skim of the solicitation I didn't see it as a requirement... like two days after I submitted I looked again and found that sentence. Sigh....

It actually did ask for separate heading: "Therefore, applicants must include separate statements on Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts in their written statements in order to provide reviewers with the information necessary to evaluate the application with respect to both Criteria as detailed below. Applicants should include headings for Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts in their statements." I pulled this quote from part VI of the solicitation. I also did not do headings :/ I'm hoping that it won't hurt me too much because it seems like a lot of people did not do them and it is a newer requirement. We shall see soon...

I think my research proposal was quite good... but my personal history/relevant background statement was horrendous. I absolutely cannot write about myself. Oh well!

After some thought, I think I'm going to do my best to sleep through it. Though I am on the west coast so if I happen to wake up at 3am to pee... I just might have to check!

I can't decide if I want to stay up or not. On the one hand- the anticipation is killing me. On the other- do I want to ruin a night's sleep for something with a high probability of disappointment? Ugh.

Ditto

I don't KNOW this, but I would imagine it to be fairly unlikely that your application would go to the same reviewers as your lab mate's application. With so many applications there are likely quite a few reviewers even for sub-categories (unless you have a really unique area of study). Even then, the reviewers would have to remember your PI specifically, which could maybe happen but for all of those things to line up seems very unlikely to me. So I think while it is certainly possible (though also not super likely) for a person to be biased against (or toward) a certain lab, I don't think there is a very high chance of everything happening the way it would have to for that to happen. If anything you have a better chance because clearly your PI knows how to groom people the way NSF likes them.

One time as a graduate student AND one time as an undergrad. But if you applied as a first year grad student this year (2015) you are still allowed to apply again next year.

I've managed to stay pretty realistic about the fact that I probably will not get an award, but recent unexpected expenses have been drawing my mind to this more and more. I keep thinking "how nice would it be to be able to build back up a savings account?" and "I could fix my car without putting it on a credit card!" ... I'm dreaming big which means there is a possibility of a big let down. Le sigh. I wish I could be put out of my misery already.

Feeling pretty... dumb... today. I feel like my advisor has to hold my hand through things much too often. If a scientist is supposed to be a thinker, why can't I think? I guess that begs the question of, why am I a scientist? Ugh.

Thanks for the really great insight @Cat_Robutt! Relationships can certainly be complicated, and I am still working out how to navigate this, but I think you make some excellent points. In particular, I like the above tip... it might be a little more fruitful than my usual tactic of trying to find a dog or cat to pet at the party! Lol.

UGH. Gave a presentation yesterday where I talked about an idea for a paper. Prof wants me to refine idea, sends me a "new" paper to read... I talked about that very paper explicitly in my presentation. To top it off, from the synopsis the prof gave they clearly don't understand the paper/didn't actually read it... I'm not sure how to respond to that. "Ummm dear xxxx, I suggest you actually look at the methods of that paper." or maybe I should just respond with "LOL" I'm just kidding, of course. I will respond in a mature and professional manner. But I will be a little snarky in my head.

Agh I don't know if there is anything in this world that frustrates me more than people getting pissy about having to do their jobs. The support staff in my department act like everything they do is a favor. NEWSFLASH: this is what you are paid to do. I have been nothing but kind to the office staff in my department but if I need help with one thing (that is within their job description to help me with) they act like I am a huge burden. I know it's likely because they have a lot on their plates, but jeesh, don't we all? If I acted like that to my advisor every time he asked me to do something it would not be okay.

I actually think this is specifically why they wait until they do to release who gets the GRFP. This way it is less of an influence on admissions. Institutions should strive to fund their students not count of NSF to do it.

It's Friday. You know, the day where everyone is happy because it is basically the weekend. Alternatively, I like to think about it as the day that I realize all the shit I managed to NOT get done this week. Sigh.

It has happened. Not even two semesters in and I have become what I promised I never would. I just realized that I have gone a full four days without showering. Have you ever seen a professor that not only looks disheveled and tired but also looks like they haven't been able to squeeze any bathing in for a while? I always told myself that wouldn't happen to me, I could skip makeup and doing my hair but cleanliness is still a must. I have had 4 days in a row where I am gone form home from 730am-11pm... and I just simply forgot that bathing is something I am supposed to do, I guess. I wake up, drink coffee, go to school, come home, eat something, go to sleep, repeat. Anyway, that was the most glorious shower I have ever taken.

This is somewhat field-specific. Ecology, for example, tends to be more casual. At one of my interview weekends everyone (but me), including professors, was wearing fairly casual clothes (nice jeans and a button up (but not fancy) shirt and sensible shoes). I felt really out of place wearing full-on business clothes, so I adjusted for the rest of the days. What I would suggest is to dress kind of middle-of-the-road (i.e. nice khakis and a tucked-in button up, maybe?) on the first day and adjust up or down on subsequent days depending on how the professors and other students are dressed. I think the most important part is that you look put together and like you would fit in well with their department. If they are a group that dresses fairly casually because they are constantly out in the field digging through the dirt, it might be off-putting if you are wearing a suit. So I guess moral of the story is, wear business casual the first day then read and react! That's what I would do, at least. On another note, for events exclusively with graduate students (like and evening party) you can dress casually (but still look clean and well put together!), as long as it is not at a fancy restaurant or something.

In undergrad I thought I was an excellent writer. But now it is horrible. Everything I write I look back at and cringe, even if other people say it is fine. It's like I can't tell the difference anymore. I sent my advisor a second draft of a grant proposal today. He responded with "This is looking really good. Close to submission. See attached comments." My jaw dropped. I thought it was total slop. It's difficult to write well if I can't even tell that what I am writing is good. UGH.

I think this^ has a lot to do with it, especially for people that have pretty much never had long-distance anything relationships because they have never lived anywhere else. I also really like ^this/these piece(s) of advice. It doesn't do me any good to feel bitter about this, and maybe it is just time for it to happen. I have ended friendships amicably before, I guess I just didn't think these were the type to go that way (not that I have given pup yet). But I am finding it helpful to remember that sometimes the healthiest/best thing is to let a friendship "drift away" as mentioned above. I guess the best course of action is to see where things naturally go. Thank you everyone for the great replies! It is nice (in a way) to hear that I am not alone in this, and all of you make some excellent points! I suppose I will just see how things go (and try out some tips- like meetups and Skype).

Just started my PhD program this year and moved away from my home city for the first time. There are a lot of adjustments but one of the biggest that I wasn't anticipating is how my two best friends have been acting. Friend 1- Friends since 7th grade, very close prior to move, she has never lived away from home and is still working on her BS. Friend 2- Friends since kindergarten, very close prior to move though slightly less so than friend 1, she moved away from home for BA (and we remained fairly close through that time), and has since finished and moved back and started work. Prior to moving, I sensed a lot of passive anger form friend 1 that I was moving away, friend 2 sensed it as well. We never talked about it because verbally/outwardly she was always supportive/proud. Ever since I have moved she pretty much dropped me from her life. She will occasionally return my texts but even when she does she is not very enthusiastic. I called her a while back and expressed that I was feeling dejected, she pretty much said that she was sorry I felt that way but that she believed it was unwarranted/I was being dramatic. Communication has been just as one-sided as before I brought it up. I have never gotten the passive anger from friend 2, but she also seems very uninterested in me ever since the move. I also brought this up to her, she apologized and claimed that she has been "really busy," but contact/conversations have remained one-sided. Sorry if this doesn't make sense. I guess just long story short- 2 friends that I was very close with have seemingly forgotten me since my move. I would imagine this to be less devastating if I was making friends in the new place but so far I have ~2 friends and one of them is moving away in May. I am normally very social and have many friends and now all of the sudden I feel like I have zero. Has anyone else had similar experiences? Anyone have any thoughts/advice? Thanks!

Did you ever get a chance to ask him? Thanks for all the input everyone! The consensus seems to be that a lack of headings won't result in a return without review, but will likely hurt overall chances of being funded.

Yeah it sounds like I am definitely not the only one, which hopefully lessens the severity of the mistake. I am pretty resigned to the fact that I will not get the award now. I feel like not explicitly following instructions makes mine an easy application to throw out when reviewers are laboring over multiple excellent applications. But hopefully since it is a common mistake I won't get returned without review. I feel like putting in all that work for absolutely nothing is the worst case scenario. Oh well, we shall see. Now I will just continue with my goal of forgetting about it until April. Thanks for the input everyone!