quirkycase

I hadn't thought about a rolling briefcase. Thanks for the suggestion! Now I'll have a few options to look into.

paper trail

You mentioned before that your interest is in first language acquisition in multi-lingual children, right? If you aren't interested in second language acquisition but first language acquisition, I'm not sure I see how teaching a second language will help you gain that sort of experience. Unless I'm misunderstanding you. It varies, I believe. The course was predominately designed for beginners, in which case it takes you to a mid/high intermediate level, but they can accommodate students who have some prior knowledge as well. Although they cannot accommodate students who are high level, I've been told. Most likely. I would prefer to teach English at university level, if I teach again. But I actually plan to go back to the US for my PhD.

1. Literary translator - Not fluent in a language yet, but working on it. 2. Author (fiction) - I suppose I'm qualified, but I don't know about talented enough. 3. Researcher - Working on it. 4. Full-time companion to The Doctor - I feel totally qualified for this.

I agree with eyepod that this is a personal decision that depends on your priorities and goals. I think you need to know why you want to attend and what exactly you will gain. Know what you're getting into. If you decide that it's worth it to you, all things considered, then go for it. But if you aren't sure, I wouldn't take the risk. Like bsharpe269 said, you can re-apply in the future if you aren't positive this is the right decision for you now. I don't think there's a right or wrong answer to this type of question; it's your life, so you have to decide what you want to get out of it.

Thanks for the info, CBclone! I will look into that as well.

news brief

I was curious about this as well since I'm American and heading to the UK. I have a feeling my issue will be consistency. I tend to adopt the habits of those around me, at least temporarily, meaning I'll probably change some of my spelling practices accidentally. But if I am reading something in American English or talking to someone from the US, they'll likely change back. It'll be a hot mess. I anticipate a lot of proofreading....

Thanks for the recommendation! It's nice to know there's a backpack that works well for someone my size! (I'm 5 foot as well--if I round up ) I can usually just get kid sizes for stuff, but that obviously wouldn't work so well in this case. Plus, it's hard to look professional when your accessories have Disney princesses on them.

Any suggestions for someone with a bad back? I used to use messenger bags and such, as I much prefer the look, but they kill my back and shoulders. So I'd like to get a nice, supportive backpack for fall. Adjustable straps would be a plus. The main issue I run into with backpacks is that I'm tiny, so they often sit too low unless the straps can be adjusted.

Sure! Feel free to PM me with any questions. It's good that you've taken some time off to figure out your plans. I understand your dilemma; I originally planned to go into psychology (my undergrad degree), but I changed my mind after graduating. I decided to pursue linguistics, as I feel it is a better fit for me overall. But because I am switching fields, I do not have clear research interests yet. I would eventually like to get a PhD, but I need to develop and focus my research interests first. Additionally, I have been self-studying Korean, and I wanted to continue pursuing that as well. I visited Korea recently and loved it, so I intend to live there for a little while after getting my MA. SOAS seems like the best place to prepare for all of this. Are you interested in teaching a language, theoretical linguistics, or something else? If your interest is in teaching languages, an applied linguistics MA program would probably serve you better. But if you want to teach linguistics and conduct research, you'd likely need a PhD. Are you planning to get a PhD at some point, or do you only want to go for an MA? If you plan on living in Korea long-term, then getting a degree from a Korean university might be a good idea. Otherwise, I'd just consider how it relates to your goals. How will it affect getting a job or furthering your education?

Ah yes, the fun visa stuff. I'm getting ready for that process now. I'm not exactly looking forward to the getting-set-up part of moving abroad, seeing as I just did it last year. I'm basically transitioning my life back to the US only to transition it to the UK a month or so later. I'll probably just leave some boxes/suitcases packed and re-ship them to the UK after they get to the US

In This Moment - Sick Like Me

You can never watch Buffy too many times.

Tatiana Maslany is awesome. Ah, iZombie--I forgot that one on my list. I mostly started watching it because I'm a Veronica Mars fan, and when I found out that Rob Thomas is behind iZombie too, I had to check it out. It's fun, but I feel like it could be better.

I'm with the previous posters--taking time off can actually boost your application if you stay productive during that time. In my case, I've been out for three years, and it was the best decision I could have made. I originally wanted to take a year or two off to get more research experience before going into a PhD program, but I ended up changing my entire career plan and switching fields. I spent the first two years working part-time and volunteering in a lab, and this current year working internationally. I feel like gaining "real world" experience and taking a step back helped me approach the application process with more maturity and confidence, especially since I was younger than most when I graduated from undergrad.

Congrats! I'm headed to London for an MA in Linguistics and Language.

I feel you on this, PatStarks3. One of my passions is philosophy, which I minored in as an undergrad. Getting a degree in it wouldn’t have been (or be) particularly beneficial for me personally, but I do really miss participating in an environment that facilitates in-depth discussions and analysis of texts. Reading philosophy on my own without that dialog just isn’t as fulfilling. Since literature isn’t my field, I can’t speak to program requirements and such. But I agree with TakeruK and Crafter’s advice and suggestions for non-degree route methods. Developing a relationship with a university and getting involved with the Writing Center seems like a great idea. When I worked in a college tutoring center (mainly as a writing tutor), English professors often volunteered some of their time in the Writing Center, so we had good relationships with the faculty. It could definitely be a good way to involve yourself in the university and possibly sit in on classes.

As others have already pointed out, personal examples can be useful and naturally require "I," which is fine in this case. I think the main thing is to make sure you stay focused and treat the example as evidence; it can be easy to veer too much into personal narrative territory. Keep it focused and relevant, making sure to stay argumentative in style.

A couple more links that might help: http://www.thatquiz.org/ - This website has quizzes in different math concepts, so if you are looking for more practice it might be of help. http://www.hippocampus.org/ - On the conceptual side, this website brings together tutorials and information from multiple sources (like Khan Academy).

I don't know enough about KU or SNU to comment about how good of a fit they are for your experience and goals, JessicaAB, but I will be attending SOAS' MA Linguistics and Language (Korean) program this fall. Although I'm not attending yet, so my information is still limited, I'd be happy to try to answer any questions you might have Is there a particular reason you are interested in applying to Korean universities for an MA? What are your goals? I think determining where you should get your degree depends a good deal on what your long-term goals are in terms of career and academics.

My currently running favorites: Orange Is the New Black, Veep, House of Cards, Doctor Who, and Orphan Black. I keep up with Scandal and The Blacklist also.

I'm also a 4-5 in shoes, and I have a hard time finding shoes that fit in the US, but it's not impossible. It's definitely easier in NYC from my experience, so you should be okay. You will probably just have to visit several stores to find something that works--that's usually what I do; I have really narrow feet, which means I have to try on everything and can't just order a pair online. Also, most stores only get a few pairs of 5s and below for each shoe, so if you figure out what day they get new shipments in you can typically find some smaller sizes. Of course you can get kids shoes too, but I find that's often difficult with dress shoes--I prefer mine not to sparkle.

Like others have suggested, volunteering or working in a lab would be a good move. My BA is in psychology, and I was originally planning to go into clinical with the goal of working in forensic; however, I didn't have much of a research background either. So after I graduated, I applied for lab assistant positions and contacted faculty at every university within driving distance that had labs I was interested in to ask if they were taking RAs. I didn't get any of the paid positions, but I was able to volunteer in a forensic psychology lab for about two years.

Azaelia Banks - Broke with Expensive Taste (album)