hippyscientist

So I'm getting treatment from a variety of people in the clinical application of my research area of interest and it's SO COOL! Being able to see the theoretical principles in action in my own body & being able to explain my injuries using my knowledge combined with the clinicians expertise is so exciting. Being able to have intellectual conversations about stuff that I can't in the office because my current university doesn't focus on the clinical side of things. It's so interesting. Do any of you ever get to see the "real world" application of your research area (broadly)?

I have prescribed stuff called fexofenadine (all the medicine names differ between here and the US so I'm gunna figure out what the active ingredients are). It's wonderful but sitll only partially works. @Need Coffee in an IV dude parents are tough. Don't feel bad about the relationship you do have - be grateful you have a relationship at all. But that doesn't mean you can't complain about it!! Also nothing wrong with striving for better. Are there particular issues that you could address with your dad that might make it easier?? Without getting into details on a public forum, I didn't speak to my dad for a length of time, an event brought us back together but we still have a very tempestuous relationship but have a 100% honesty policy. Families are complicated and only the members involved know what's happening, and even then they don't necessarily know everything. @rhombusbombus you've moved in?! Whaaaaat?! At least you have a little sanctuary in the form of your bedroom. Furniture styles is one of the many many many reasons I've decided to go room-mate less. My housemate just got back from a week away in the middle of the night and was slamming doors and being super noisy. Cannot wait to move in to my own place.

True, when I was at camp I had no allergies. If anyone wants to come do my research they're more than welcome? I'm going slightly nuts over here. BUT I just found that my advisor has a whole page written about my research on his website! That's kinda cool - my photo, mini CV and all. Quite a fun little surprise.

Ahhh clean room sounds incredible! Yes I do - I'm on major strong prescription drugs for it and they help but not enough. It's very frustrating for about a month I can't see properly or breathe. Both quite important things!

I just got into the office and my advisor looks at me and tries to send me to the hospital because I look that awful. When I explain to him that it's just allergies he looks baffled that anyone could look this awful. TL;DR Pollen I hate you. I've never had the delights of Bob Ross but I'm assuming he's like Rolf Harris before Rolf Harris got arrested & we all found out about his proclivities.

Thanks Sometimes you just gotta vent to the world you know?

It's so close yet so far... I'm currently quibbling about a few pixels. Frustrating doesn't even begin to cover it. The joys of being the only person in the world looking at what you're looking at. Once it's done it'll be awesome. It's just getting to that point. I thought I'd watch GOT to get me through it and that stream won't work

WHY IS RESEARCH SO FRUSTRATING?!?!?!?!?! Agh

When I looked, it was cheaper to pay for excess baggage on the airline than it was to ship my stuff. Might be worth considering too. Shipping is great if you're moving a whole house + vehicle but I don't have enough stuff to justify the cost of a box. Seriously a small book box was gunna be ~ $500.

I actually have a ring that I switch to my wedding finger if guys harass me. Somehow it's okay to ignore my no's but as soon as I show I "belong to someone else" at it's been so eloquently put, they back off. I hate doing it, but I'm not going to let myself get harassed all the time. All this clothes talk! I suppose my tastes haven't really matured - I LOVE american eagle and standard mall stores (because I can't get them in the UK). I've always just kept an eye out on sales, pick up stuff in random places while travelling too. I have such an ecclectic wardrobe that tells so many stories - but it's not overly professional. Oh well, it's me through and through What's your thoughts on school-branded hoodies? Like I'll be loading up on Penn State stash but I wonder about undergrad places. I love both hoodies from my prior universities but I can't wear them where I currently am because of school rivalry but I'd like to keep them in my closet!

Lol I definitely don't dress nicely - I'm 99% time in yoga pants and an oversized hoody. 0.5% is jeans and a top and the other 0.5% is "smart". My field is super casual so all the conferences I've been to you're fine in jeans and a pretty top. That'll be my go to outfit in grad school, or leggings and a tunic until I get the lay of the land. I'll figure it out once there but there's no way I'm getting smarter than jeans and a top unless I really have to. No make up unless I want it and even then it'll be concealer, foundation and bronzer/blusher. Nada mas.

That's the thing - I was in jeans, a long sleeve t-shirt and a knitted cardigan! It's not like I was showing tons of cleavage or anything - just brushed my hair and had make up on. Thankfully I have excellent RBF so I think that tends to scare most people off. I can NOT do with people coming into my personal space bubble without invitation.

Major hugs to you! It's awful (gone through it with both parents unfortunately) but feel free to PM if you want to chat off anonymous internet forums. You're gunna need some love and care too. @Cat_Robutt oh you're funny cracking up over here. Waterproof works by smearing all over my face then refusing to come off when I want it too. Today major big step for me - I left the house with red lipstick on!!! I don't know how hot girls walk around town, I got so much more attention dressed up slightly vs my usual sweaty post gym leggings and hoody self. It was pretty freaky and not at all pleasant. Think I'll stick to the leggings and hoody for the time being! @Effloresce Budgeting is super straightforward if you make it easy on yourself. Happy to send some advice if you want it!

At least you were in walking distance! My father repeatedly used to get on the train in London, fall asleep and wake up in Wales or Scotland. We started sending him to work with a sign attached to his jacket to wake him up at our stop. Lesson learnt @Cat_Robutt ugh I feel you with the make up thing. I've always wanted to be able to be a "red lipstick kinda girl" but we're lucky if my mascara stays on my face all day. Also that sister in law sounds mighty useful!!!

Oh this is horrible. I'm sending you massive hugs. Thank god your husband is supportive and was there for you! I don't blame you about tears, I would have cried too. If it makes it any better, my graduation was pretty shitty too - my dad turned up but left immediately after to go to my cousins high school graduation in another country, never said congratulations and fell asleep during the ceremony. My mom fell asleep in her celebratory dinner (fancy steak restaurant which I paid for because I had a job and she didn't). Did I mention I had the flu at the time and had flown back from Greece for 48 hrs for it? So you completely have my sympathies. Here's hoping the grad school graduation will be everything this one wasn't!!!!

Grrrr to SWSNBN. That's not cool. Keep counting down the days. You got this! Take out all the stress on the 5k. For skin care stuff, it's a little on the pricier side but I love, love, love Kiehls for pretty much anything. Makeup I use a mix of Bobbi Brown & Mac but these aren't exactly conducive to grad school budgets...but they are wonderful on my face! (Thankfully I wear makeup so rarely that I can afford to buy one thing of foundation per year) Also, essential oil steams are fab too. Drop a few dashes of some nice smelling stuff in some hot water and stick your face over it with a towel over your head...bliss. Even better if accompanied by some you time.

One of these days I will live in a warm climate for a decent amount of time. I'm fed up of grey and such a narrow temperature range year round (30-70 without fail with the odd outlier). I agree with humidity. When you have a shower, step outside then realise you need another shower again. It's yuck. My housemate has been away for 2 days and it's amazing. If this is what life's going to be like come August I will be laughing.

@sjoh197 I am so envious. So so envious. I love the heat and humidity. When I lived in Greece, it was 115 regularly and it was perfect. I loved it. Maybe I should have accepted Florida's offer instead....All my winter stuff has been put away ready for the move because who would have thought that you'd need thick coats and huge wooly jumpers in freaking june??? So instead I'm left throwing mugs of tea down my throat to try and make me feel warm. It's not working. I've switched to wine.

Oh wow. I am not a runner but I reckon I could be convinced to do a Star Wars run! That sounds so cool. I didn't realise they started so early!! It's incredibly sad that 60 at 5am is warmer than mid-day (~52F today) here at the minute. People are still walking around in winter coats and hats and gloves. If someone could find me some warmth and sun I'd be very happy.

That's awesome re assistantship. Wow your travelling sounds exhausting and amazing - how'd the half marathon go? You're crazy to do that in florida where the humidity would have killed me!!! @pterosaur not the smartest move logically, but the heart isn't logical so go for it @Effloresce I totally know what you mean. It hasn't really sunk in yet that I'm moving and it's real and my mother won't be able to ring me 5 times a day (that's definitely a positive). I'm suddenly pretty nostalgic for all the "traditional" English foods so I'm trying to eat lots of my favourites before I leave. @knp those socks are amazing!

Hi, I'm just finishing up my MSc in the UK and will be starting my PhD in the US in August so hopefully able to shed a bit of light. I found that having an MSc that isn't conferred until December (although all work is completed by July) meant that I was restricted on which schools I could apply to, so if you're planning on going direct then you might need to look into this. Make sure you can talk about your MSc in your personal statement - how has it developed you, what have you learnt (outside of just academic knowledge). Why do you want to do the PhD in the US? An answer more comprehensive than they have better funding will be needed. Also think about your career beyond. Do you want to build that in the US? If so a PhD over there is good. Remember that you might end up duplicating content - the first semester of my PhD will be covering similar content to that I have already covered but this is okay with me. While I can't comment on your program as I'm not in psychology I hope this helps a bit. Any questions about the UK-US move at this level, send my way. I'll do my best ot answer

That's why you have a fun fund! So you have budgeted for the fun surprises that you're not sure about. My budget is a rough guide - I make sure all the necessary things get paid and then the leftover is for fun that month, and if I have leftover after fun that goes into savings too. @Neist I'm pretty envious of little screentime - it feels like I'm glued to a screen all the time. My research is on the computer, and then when I get home I watch TV on my computer. The only time I'm away from it is in the gym - yet another reason why I like it so much I think. @sjoh197 yay for extra bone! You're special What does this mean for you? I'm assuming "just cutting it out" isn't going to work or would be a major ordeal. I'd probably boot you so you rest your foot and give it a chance to calm down before giving you some physical therapy and maybe orthotics before considering surgery. Sorry! I get excited about feet, ankles and knees.

That's a lot of books! Now I remember why I study what I do. Y'all ready for story time? You're getting story time. I was at the physiotherapist today getting some rehab done and he was asking me about my research, so I go off on a long, convoluted description of the ankle injuries I'm studying. I look up and this professional - who works with sports injuries daily - was looking blankly at me. Maybe I need to work on my 3-minute thesis pitch! But I was also reminded today just how much I love what I'm doing. I was chatting with another guy on my course and he's been having some issues with participant recruitment for his research, and he started asking about mine and somehow made me find the spark of love for it again. It's definitely been the impetus to really make this excellent this time. I mean it's still mind-numbing, but at least I can watch movies while I work! Not many jobs will let you say that.

Jeepers - $300 per class?! I was budgeting $300 for the year for textbooks! Maybe that'll be what bankrupts me... @Pink Fuzzy Bunny breathe girl! You got it. Grad school is daunting and it's going to take longer than a month to settle into the groove of it. Just keep learning, write down the answers in a lab book once you've asked the question so you don't have to keep asking the same ones. Do your lab mates know you come from a theoretical background? It might be worth reminding them once but if you're struggling with the experimental side of things, ask if there's something you can practice on, or come into the lab & work on something that doesn't matter if you eff it up. You got this

For this sorta stuff I have a "extraneous" category that I then expand out the details as an when I need it. For example all my visa fees have gone under extraneous, rent deposits etc. Travel has its own category - actually multiple! There's public transport, car expenses and holiday subsections. Basically my entire life is categorised...