Demeter

I once told an interviewer that I found her work on really obscure regionalist subject "interesting because it, uhm, was all about X in Place." She blinked at me and was like "That's kind of the whole point." After that I just 'uhmed' my way through the interview. I think interviews are mostly about making sure they get a whole picture or see check for some red flags they might not see on paper regarding fit. We might be bumbling, and somewhat awkward, but I think they're sometimes looking for personality, fit, and willingness to participate in a conversation. That is, as long as we don't do/say something totally unpalatable that gets us eliminated.

@rhombusbombus Creamery ice cream and waffles are heaven, okay? Acceptances for PSU in my department haven't gone out yet, but I can say from experience that waffles and the ice cream there are amazing. The bakery also makes good cake. Yes, I did gain weight during time I spent there, why do you ask? But seriously, congrats on the visit. They make things seem so much more tangible. Today I got an email from NYMC talking about a applicant portal, and when I click the link in the email, I get a 404. It's a Future Student Portal. I can't access it. And I'm freaking out. I know it's nothing more than a batch email, but what if there's information there? What if I can obsessively check the status of my application forty seven to sixty three times a day? What if I'm missing some tiny detail? The thing is, I don't want to email the contact, because I haven't yet discerned how to best word, "The links are dead in your email!!!!" in a reply.

I didn't read the whole thread in depth. I finished my UG degree at 21. I did not take time off, at all. I finished my M.Agr in December, and I'm presently 23. In some respects, I am glad I did not take time off. I've continued my research, built a firm foundation for further study. I had good funding, and it was a great experience. In the course of my M.Agr I've figured out more concretely who I am as a scholar, and I deeply value that fact. I wouldn't change it. That said, I bumped around when I got started, mostly because I had it in my head that grad school meant I was going to have all the things figured out insofar as my goals. I don't and I never will but I had weird ideas in my head about graduate school = having it all figured out in terms of professional goals. They evolve. I felt so young, not age wise, but in that I didn't have it all figured out and was dealing with other life changes at the time. I felt like I was too old to not know what I wanted to do. There was this pressure in grad school to do that, and I totally get it, but it was challenging because I was so enthused about so many things. I ultimately learned that that facet of myself is good, so long as I can frame it in the context of what I'm doing. Over the course of my master's degree, because of my research, I did figure it out and am very secure in my next steps. However, I ultimately would do it all over again. I was the youngest in my cohort by far, but it doesn't matter. We all brought things to the table, and it wasn't something I focused upon. I did not dwell upon it anymore than I dwelled upon someone else's age. So, nobody cares how old you are. Nobody cares, and if they make light of it, it's likely only because they're making conversation. Change the subject if it makes you uneasy. I was in classes at a younger than average age, though I officially started college at 18. Guess how many people knew how old I was when I was in classes in my early teens? One fellow student, because they saw my mom picking me up. For some younger than average people, talking about age is something they're comfortable doing. I never saw it as relevant in the classroom. When/If it becomes an issue for you, treat it as fact. Don't puff yourself up, and don't apologize. It is what it is, but you may find that you are not as outside of the age range as you feel you are right now, depending on your area of study. For me, having my master's already means that I have the time to do what I want, now. I can spend time applying for fellowships that maybe aren't long term, because, hey, I can still earn my PhD theoretically by 30. (When I was a kid, I said I was going to be done with school at 30. I don't know why. Anytime I bring up plans now, my mother will say, "Heaven forbid, you might not be done by 30!" And then she laughs, because I guess I thought 30 was old). I was not ready for the commitment of a PhD when I was 20. But I knew what I loved, and what I wanted to explore, and what I needed to know to move forward. So I was very ready for a master's degree. Now, I'm at the point that I can build upon that and move forward to a PhD, so I'm glad I made the choices I did.

Congrats to all those with good news in the thread. I raise my fork to you! I'm eating Boston Cream Pie, so I hope it pairs well with your wine of choice! I just wanted somebody to know that I have finished my apps and I was sent a secondary from one school today. I got home from work to a secondary! I know it's just that I met the requirements, but it's something. I'll take it, for now. I'm just glad it's not more radio silence.

I checked my file. I sent my transcripts in November. My transcripts were marked received via email on 12/5, though they should not have taken that long to get there, so there was a big window for processing or whatever. Everything was marked as was verified on 1/27. So, you should maybe email them. They're pretty decent about getting back to people via email. I wouldn't be worried, but I would be proactive. SOPHAS is wonky and weird, and checking in might ease your mind. I hope this helps.

I really feel that way for the programs I'm applying to this time around. I think the people around me (my family, advisor, etc.), though they understand academia, understand the worry of being rejected by programs because it's not a current thing in their lives. I keep getting the "rejection is a part of life…you'll get into at least once place" speech. Their confidence and hope almost makes my worry and doubt intensify. I think if I could start over, I wouldn't tell people who absolutely did not need to know, until I knew, my mom especially.

I looked so hard for a job. Finding one was actually a nightmare. I applied for anything I could, even in my field. Still, I needed a job at home, back with my family. I actually ended up finding office work a few days a week at a social service agency who needed someone to update some client resource lists and answer the phones, that sort of thing. You might also check out social service agencies in your area. Because of grant funding, they sometimes have temporary or part-time positions. I've found agencies to be pretty open to most applicants, or at least to hearing people out if they take the time to make a phone call and follow up. That's how I got my job. I called and said I had applied, etc. I got an interview the day after. Generally, it seems don't typically care what you've majored in as long as you're willing to maintain confidentiality, etc. This is, of course, talking about answering phones, office work, manning the front desk, and not actual work with clients. That requires a lot of education and training. But I like it, so far. My training is in the liberal arts and biomedical agriculture, basically. All I'm really using right now are basic word processing skills, phone skills, and interpersonal interaction. I sometimes feel like I'm not using my degrees, but it is a good part time solution that I'm happy to recommend.

Just wondering if anyone is applying to PSU's MPH at PSUCOM in Hershey. I'm applying, and couldn't find a relevant thread. I figured I'd start one! Does anyone have any insight into or thoughts about the program that they'd care to share? I'm working on my application, and find myself wondering if anyone else is applying for Fall 2016. Well. I'm repeating myself. Hi.

I too suggest calling them. The person I spoke to on the phone was very nice, efficient, and accommodating. I hate making phone calls and dreaded it, but they were nice. I did wait on hold for some time, though.

I called the admissions office just now. I sort of buckled. I said I wasn't going to do it, and then I did. I stumbled over myself in asking when I might hear anything and she said not for at least another week or two. There is hope. I won't call again though. She seemed to wonder why I was calling her.

I am waiting to hear back from my first choice school. It's a small college, and kind of fills a niche, but it is perfect for my research and I just love it. I know we all feel that way about one school or another. Anyway, the deadline for applications was Feb. 15th. We were to hear something 4-5 weeks after the deadline. At this point, I have heard nothing. It's been utter radio silence. I did email the college admissions office and spoke to the graduate admissions officer towards the end of March and she said I would hear through the usual channels when the admissions committee has made a decision and that there was nothing yet. The school does not have a very robust online platform, and there is nowhere to see where my application is at in the process. I don't know what to do. I am not keen on hounding this lady. But I do need to know so that I can make some informed decisions. Would it be inappropriate to ask when I might expect to hear something from this school? Should I contact the graduate coordinator? I don't want to say that I have other offers because I feel like that might come across as pressuring them.

I love Nickel Creek! I heard Josh Turner was a really personable person. My aunt met Trisha Yearwood. My mom had her hair done regularly by Vanilla Ice's then-girlfriend in the 1990s. Anyway, I've met Sylvia Browne (long story on that one…), Jessica Valenti, three Govs. of my state, and was once in the same room as Sarah, Duchess of York. I have this list of people I really appreciate in the world that I never ever want to meet. I know that I would go knock-kneed and clammy-palmed. Margaret Atwood is on that list, as are a few other authors and academics, and famous people. God help me if I ever have to string two words together for anyone on that list. I suppose I'm the opposite to most people, in that sense. I turned down the shot to potentially meet Meg Cabot, and I do regret that, though. Although I am sad that I've not met many notable people. Famous people are scare around here. I do also have this problem where I think that random scholars or speakers are famous, and they're not and people laugh at me.

I would check out Colorado State's online stuff, either through OnlinePlus, or Warner, or the College of Ag. I know there are lots of tutorials floating around. Here's a link. I've no idea if it will be helpful to you. I agree with Right Roll in that I have seen the free trials, and there is some tutorials on the ESRI website. I mention it to add that I think there are also free recorded seminars there too.

I think maybe saying that you're going to get your life together is too much pressure. I could never even try to have my life together. Today I'm doing some mail and making my weekly to-do list, as well as doing some reading. Just keep working your to-do list. And don't blame me when you start buying planners and stationary.

Braindump, you're very welcome. I kind of worried that my advice was too overbearing, but I really have benefited from being serious about my organizational habits. It's actually been key to my ability to thrive in grad school, or at least stay afloat. I started developing these habits in undergrad when I realized that my brain could not do everything I needed it to do without some management system. I started by simply keeping a small notebook with me at all times and writing everything down. You've started with Mendeley. You have made progress. Change is an ongoing process that's hard to do. My advice, backed by experience and a few years of classwork? Start with one thing and build on it. You started with Mendeley, so keep on organizing those files, or something. It takes about 45 days to feel like something is a habit, so keep that in mind. I think a beneficial framework of thinking about origination is systems thinking. You can google it, it's really actually quite cool from an agricultural perspective, but it works when thinking about organizing stuff, too, because there's one thing I forgot to mention. Your circumstances and needs will change. A functional system will come later once you gather information about what your lifestyle and specific circumstances really entail. I have had to change my system several times, so be warned that a system may stop working. I find it's best to look at the components. These are mine. They might look different from yours, but… 1) Classwork (Homework, schedule, whatever) 2) Meetings/Departmental Obligations 3) Research 4) Life 5) Fun So then what I do is I take a look at the major things going on in each of those areas and I just write everything down. I write down what I currently know or have done, and what I need to do, and how I'm going to make that happen. It sounds simply, and really actually overzealous, but there have been times in my grad school career that I have written down: No clean laundry. Need to do laundry. Then, I've figured out a solution. Maybe it wasn't a good one, maybe I dusted off some hems, but I tried to develop awareness so that I didn't feel so blindsided by things. I'm not advocating slovenliness, but it's important for me to note that no one has a foolproof system because we're all works in progress. You can't know exactly what your life will be like, your schedule, or your needs, but you can begin to break down these areas as they are currently relevant to you and think about how they all fit together. You seem to know where your concerns are contextualized, so I think you're off to a good start. Two more things: I think you should focus on having one list right now, rather than trying for two or even more. One ongoing, running, messy, horrible monster of a list in a bound notebook of some sort, or on some app that you will not forget to open and use. I like paper, but that's just my preference. I swear that doing this one thing will help you to feel more together and it's one habit that you can build off of later. They may only be moderately helpful because it's not something you're used to doing. I can't really cope with more than one master list myself. Build a launchpad of small successes and focus on the good you have done in creating change. And last, that lecture is awesome. Pretty soon you'll be hanging out on Filofaxy and debating planner styles. I'm teasing you, of course, but I did want to mention that a system of any sort is constantly changing, and that thinking of various components of life might help now as you prepare to enter grad school.

As someone who started grad school shortly after turning 21, I agree with this statement. As the youngest person in my cohort, I have not been able to do this with ease, or even successfully. I have been able to connect with my cohort, and maintain a few relationships with UG friends, but it isn't the same thing as having friends in the cohort, you know? I often feel out of step with my former peers, because they are out of school and we no longer have the same lifestyle or concerns. Within my cohort, many of my peers have families and formerly established careers. As much as I like them, I often feel a bit isolated. I work hard to combat that, but I do feel that way sometimes. My advice? Be aware of comparing yourself, and try to put it into perspectives that work for you. For me I know that I cannot allow myself to compare my accomplishments personally and professionally to people who are 5, 10, and 15 years my senior. That way lies madness. What I try to do is put it in perspective, but it doesn't always work. I think about what I have been able to do in 5 years and try to think about what I may be able to do. I will do different things, but it isn't as though I will stop developing. Celebrate those differences, and your uniqueness, and be mindful of them in a way that is empowering, if you can. I have experienced some age shaming, yes, but only really because people are looking for something to say. I don't allow my age to become A Thing. I don't hide it, but I don't advertise it. I would recommend that path to you. I didn't go around saying that I was 21, barely, but if someone asked, I disclosed that fact. If they made an issue of it, I did try to say things like, "Oh, it just worked out that way…" or something banal, and changed the subject. Once in a while, somebody won't let it go, but it hasn't happened in my cohort. I think it became a non-issue because it doesn't impact my abilities as a scholar or as an agriculturalist. For what it's worth, after a time, people did forget my age. No one really remembers. Last month, someone asked me what I did for my 25th birthday. I blinked and played it off. I considered it an interesting occurrence. I hold out hope that I will have some age-peers in my PhD cohort, or more to the point, some peers that are in the same stage and phase of life as I am. It's nice being close with all sorts of people, but there is something to be said for having some of those commonalities, I think.

I'd probably either try to get a job, or pursue another master's degree. According to my mother, if I don't get into a PhD program, I should get a teaching certificate. I don't want to teach K-12, but a certification is preferred for writing curriculum or working with 4H, which I could see doing at some point if a doctoral degree isn't in the cards, frankly, so I'm hoping I get in somewhere so my mother doesn't get to feel as though she was correct. In truth, I'd probably try again next year and fill my time during that period trying to boost my competitiveness. I would also eat a lot of cake, and sleep sometimes.

I like to watch Randy Pausch's Time Management lecture when I feel particularly lazy. It's a good way to get ramped up about keeping organized, which is key for me. For me, my academics are my job. I literally feel a difference in my productivity when I have a to-do list. I use a Filofax flex to keep a running list, and use a different color ink for various types of commitment. This goes everywhere with me. I have a list for library research, coursework, whatever. I keep stamps, a pen, and some other odds and ends in there that take away my excuses not to to handle something because I don't have X, Y, or Z. If I don't write it down, I can't be bothered to remember it, if it's not research or work. I do most of my work/research at my desk. Well, I come back to it everyday, no matter where I've been. So, when things are due on a deadline, such as a lecture, or a paper, I put them on my paper calendar. It's an Orange Circle Studio calendar pad that has the days of the week on one side, and a big writing space on the other. Appointments and other reminders go in my iCal. I get sent a reminder. This is mostly used for personal appointments and meetings that don't repeat. I second (Third?) Mendeley. It has been amazing, and the fact that I've saved research over the last few years has helped me a great deal. One thing I wish I had done sooner was to give each topic a folder on my computer. I did that this semester, and it helps me to organize papers, downloads, notes, and the like. Keeping an organized system of papers somehow is key for me. I have a very unique set up on my computer because it the center of my work. I've done a lot to get to know my machine to be very efficient. When I started my degree, I took the planning sheet, and I wrote down everything I thought I would need to do. I recorded grades and other information on there and use it for guiding myself. I'm in a Masters program now, so I imagine this will be extremely different in my PhD, but I made this degree outline, and I stick to reviewing it once and a while. It's helped me with short-term and long-term planning and keeping focused. I also carved out space to socialize and handle life because I can neglect those things easily. On Wednesday nights, I make every effort to Skype with my best friend. One other night a week, I handle logistical concerns relating to real-life, be it health or finances, or whatever. I take one day off a week, mostly. I try, anyhow, because saying to myself, "I'm taking Saturday off." helps me to do what I need to do on Thursday. After 8, I do not answer emails, if I can help it. Being able to say to myself that I'm working or I'm not is helpfully mentally. That way, I can objectively evaluate if I should be on Pinterest right now or not. I try to be flexible in allowing myself to go with the flow in doing work when I can. If I don't feel like working on X now, I work on Y, and come back around, because I tried to plan things. I try my best to create a work/life boundary, and then some balance between those spheres of my life. For me, that means a lot of organizational systems, a loose schedule of 9-6 daily, time off, and clear boundaries. I also find that giving myself a fake deadline of two days in advance helps particularly ugly tasks to become completed. I second the idea of scheduling time to read journals in your area of study, and researching grants and other things you will want to remember later. In my field, it's also very important to keep up with legislation and current events, so I spend a little bit of time grounding myself in agricultural news. Usually I do that after checking my Facebook while finishing my tea, because I'm not typically in work mode then, and it's a decent transition. Mainly, what I try to do is give myself a framework in which to do the million things that are always going on, and a framework in which to give myself permission to insist that I do this now, or can wait until later. Note that I also bend some of my self-imposed rules and I am okay with that. For example, I read articles the other night while the TV was on, but at least I knew I was choosing to do work in my off-time, and not that I was watching TV when I should have been working. The cognitive shift can sometimes help me to keep a balance to my life, even though it's small, because in the end, I know the work had to be done.

I started my masters at 21. I will be starting my PhD at 23, should I be admitted anywhere. I am the youngest in my current cohort. I hold out hope that I will not be the youngest person in my PhD cohort, simply because a lot of people in my cohort are older and it can be tough socially, at least it was until we all found footing around each other. I haven't experienced anything overly memorable, but there have been moments where people have said, "Wow, you're only 22?" or "What'd you do, skip a grade?" I know they don't mean anything by it, but it is a bit off-putting, especially since at first I wasn't really sure how to take it. I came to realize that, for the most part, they're only trying to talk about something. I'm sure people who are older have experienced the same things. Overall, I find that if you make/allow others to make your age A Thing, then it becomes A Thing. I don't really talk about my age, but I don't hide it either. Generally, it isn't germane to my ability as a scholar or a professional, so it doesn't really matter at the end of the day.

My masters started in early August, if I recall correctly. I don't remember having any free time during that period, though. Your best bet is likely to see if you can find any information online, like on a department calendar or in the handbook. You might also ask for general information, depending on your situation.