hippyscientist

Huh, that sounds pretty interesting! I love finding out what everyone does on these boards! What's the end goal with your mice and sandflies?

Yay housing is exciting! It's such a relief when you find somewhere. I'm hoping the place I move into is as nice as I've heard. Home's are important I don't drink that much, but am particular about what I do drink! The joys of being from a drinking family... unfortunately I have expensive taste haha What is an ELISA?

This is exactly my plan! Well...malbec or cabernet sauvignon instead of moscato. I'm wallowing in self pity this evening then productive action starts 7am tomorrow. How's everyone else's days going? (That feels so incredibly grammatically wrong)

I was just venting. It's not as awful as it sounds, but it's not ideal. I've had to resynchronise my video footage, sent my video to Asia to get it created, hopefully get it back tomorrow and re-match the environment and skeleton. Hopefully it won't take more than about a week if I pull long days. Thankfully I don't need to relearn software or anything but it's just frustrating!!! I am buying ice cream, donuts and wine tonight. @Effloresce haha no excuse for bench gains I can train like a bodybuilder instead.

This is a question you really need to be asking your department. I'll be enrolled on 3 3-credit modules and a single-credit seminar series, as per my department's requirements. You will need to find a PhD student handbook, or something which outlines the requirements in your specific program.

I know this isn't the venting thread but I'm coming here anyway. Today my advisor told me to start over on my research. I've been going to him at each stage to get him to sign off on what I've done to prevent this from happening and today he sat down with me and said I've basically not done anything he said (?!) and to do it all again. My software license has expired, the laptop I borrowed has gone and this was 3 months worth of work for my masters thesis! I have a month left and he expects me to do it all again, and analyse the data and write it up. Goodbye life. Also, got told I have a grade 2 tear in my ligament in my knee, I'm not allowed to squat for a minimum of a month, I have to have daily treatments and I just want to cry.

We're an eclectic bunch of nerds here that's for sure. The ever-changing conversation topic makes me smile. Also, I love living on the road!!! Have so much fun The best stories come from the most random adventures so say yes to things you wouldn't normally (YMMV with that advice).

My family joke that I have an eidetic memory. I don't (although I'd love one). I am lucky that I remember the picture of how I've read stuff, so I can visualise the page where I read it. It's just a case of associating the content with key features on the page and I'll remember it for a decent amount of time. This does lead to random associations though!! For superpowers, I always wanted the ability to read people's minds but having seen various interpretations of this in popular culture over the years I'm less attracted to it. I reckon teleportation would be my pick. Immediate transportation to new places. Yeah that sounds awesome!

YaY!! Mine was approved too. It was a much nicer process than I've experienced before which was great. My appointment was at 8.30 and I was sat in starbucks drinking coffee by 9! So relieved - I bet you are too. @rhombusbombus I'm hoping I won't need all those funds, but I'm putting off car stuff until my income is regular. The bus pass just seems to get around all the issues of commuting, and thankfully it looks like my apartment block is near the start of the route. I know some apartments throw a bus pass in with rent, might be worth checking? Pretty envious that you start so soon! @sjoh197 YAY! Congratulations You must feel pretty relieved to have some sort of funding sorted? @Pink Fuzzy Bunny you get free bus with your ID?! Cool!

@janetjanejune oh let the nipples free If I didn't need the support from torture devices I would burn them all. @sjoh197 tell me about it! I'm a really really awkward size - tiny band, large cups - so trying to find anywhere that stocks anything that fits for less than 3 figures is a miracle. I think long story short, boobs are great, bras really aren't! @rhombusbombus ugh. I'm planning on having enough savings to live off until October, as I'm not sure when the assistantship payments will kick in and so there's a lot of things I want to get that will just have to be put off until steady income is coming in. In related news, have you, @jlt646, @Cat_Robutt and any other penn staters seen the Graduate CATA pass - $180 for unlimited travel for the year?! That's so worth it in my book!

Ugh. Don't. I'm getting my flights as my birthday present thankfully but everything else is still horrific. Car rental, excess baggage fees, start up costs etc. I was looking at how much it'll be to set me up with spices and seasoning and store cupboard items. My budget is looking very scary right now. @sjoh197 that's reasonable for a good bra! I've just gone through a major body recomp so none of my bras work properly - I am actually living in sports bras as they are the only ones that fit. Trying to put off buying new ones until moving because they're so awkward to pack. Sometimes I'm envious of the itty bitty titty committee because bras aren't a life-saving necessity.

@janetjanejune how can you say that?! Building the houses and designing the sims is my favourite part of that game. Once I'd built a house I'd make sure it was liveable by playing it and the family for about an hour and then I'd move on and design the next one. It's no wonder I want to do property flipping! Also thank you guys for the congratulations, it's finally finally finally official.

YOU GUYS I GOT MY VISA!!!

That's my plan. I already have a SSN from when I worked at camp so hopefully I shouldn't have to wait too long for the credit card. I am basically looking at buying a bed, associated bedding, a towel and some stuff to cook with - the rest can come later. I have set up 2 apartments in the US before so it's not like I'm unfamiliar with that process, I just need to figure out the most effective way of purchasing things. Unfortunately I am pushed on time with how long I'll have a car to run around and make purchases/try things out, and only have ~ 5 days between arriving and starting full time (including 3 induction days) to do things like opening banks and sorting out phones and all that boring stuff. Thank you all for your comments - definitely helped shed a bit of light on the matter. As always, grad cafe has been excellent

Oh that could be worth investigating - thank you for the pointer! @Happington thank you for outlining your experiences. I will be able to get the money over through my dads business, it's just a case of figuring out the best way to pay for those big ticket items.

Looking for a bit of advice from those of you who have succesfully managed to set up in the US. I will be moving into my own apartment and will need to purchase big ticket items like furniture. I have sufficient funds in my home country, but obviously will transfer this over to an American bank account in due course. I was wondering how people managed initially - I obviously will not be able to get a credit card straight away, and am unable to open my bank account until I'm in the country. My father will be coming with me for a week, and has offered to purchase things like bed and sofa on his credit card, then I pay him in my home currency, and transfer the remaining funds to my US bank account. He has international transfers set up with his business account which should avoid huge fees. Has anyone done something like this? Or is there a more streamlined way to make my big purchases without being established in the US credit system/bank account recently set up? I don't want to be bringing $20,000 in cash!!!!

Just how? Why? I'm not even sure I'd wear that outfit in the gym! Presentations means professional clothes, maybe not suit and tie but certainly button-down shirt and chinos/black trousers in my department for both genders. I'm not an old grad student by any means but I've noticed the superiority complex. It ties in to what @Eigen says about thinking advice doesn't apply, but also thinking they're better than everyone just because they got into a graduate program. I mean I'm at an excellent school but it's not one of the top and some of my peers refuse to talk to the undergraduates because they are beneath them (?!?!). I find that astonishing.

On the subject of books, if anyone wants a feel-good kids book that revolves around friendship, swimming and dolphins my favourite book of all time is Dolphin Boy Blue by Felice Arena. I still go back and read it at least once a year. When swimming competitively I used to wish I had a Dana dolphin cheering me on. It's not going to win any literary awards but it will make you feel warm and fuzzy and loved inside. Plus you'll read it in about an hour. @Danger_Zone gaming is great - I'm just getting into it by using my friend's PS4 but so far I am enjoying the Assassin's Creed games. I think when I get my own I'll enjoy things like Skyrim too. Not a huge fan of the "shooty shooty" games like COD.

@Cat_RobuttPrunes are dried plums?!?!?! How have I gone this long without knowing that?! Thanks for the book recommendations I will have to check them out. I can't wait to have these conversations in person in a few months!! I might have found a drone view video of the campus earlier and it got me all excited again.

I get that. I like the Feynman books, Science: A History, anything physics-y when I'm reading for knowledge. But that stuff I only read when I feel like using my brain, which after a long day at uni I don't! I use my books to escape from the world - I go into a meditative state and become immersed in the story, so it makes sense I like fantasy and things away from normal, regular life. That book looks fantastic. Might have to investigate further...

I love fantasy, and anything with an adventure in it. I grew up on the Famous 5 (like when I was about 5) and then transitioned to Harry Potter (who didn't?). Authors I currently am enjoying are Brent Weeks, Joe Abercrombie, Trudi Canavan, John Gwynne, Anthony Ryan etc. I loved the Farseer series by Robin Hobb, Magician series by Raymond e. Feist etc. I'm also partial to crime stories, adventure (I love love love love anything by Clive Cussler - guilty pleasure), the occasional bonkbuster (hello Jackie Collins) and I do love me some autobiographies as well. Normally sports people but I have to say the one that really sticks with me is Scar Tissue - Anthony Kiedis. Now that my book history is aired to the world, anyone else want to contribute theirs?

Sorry to hear about your ankle. I'm in a similar boat actually - I have to go in for an MRI on my knee and potential surgery prior to moving. I've been trying conservative treatment for the past few years but it doesn't seem to be working. So we could both be starting on crutches...

That sounds amazing though! I think lost-puppy syndrome is expected at first - new environment, new research, learn from those who know it. Plus it sounds like you're being sensible by not asking questions that you can Google - but remember, there is no thing as a stupid question so don't rely on Google all the time I basically will use MATLAB for everything come Fall. It's the go-to software for my field and I'll need to be able to do everything from inverse dynamics to complex simulation models. I thought I'd be using it for my MSc research but it turns out I'm sending my data to Hong Kong to be analysed so I don't need to do that bit. Maybe I'll use that time to figure some of it out haha. @Neist reading is awesome. While not academic reading, I have just finished fiction book #8 of the year. Pretty happy with that progress seeing as I seem to fall asleep with the book on my face every night. You guys, what is Steven Universe? I'm seeing love for that here!

I was very behind on a lot of pop culture stuff, and am finally catching up! It feels good. Gilmore Girls is amazing. Maybe I'll watch that again after I finish True Blood and Teen Wolf... can you tell my taste in TV? lol. Yay about assistantship notification! Media & Democracy - that sounds interesting, what does it comprise (other than media and democracy!)? Like how democracy influences media or vice versa or something completely different? I'm still waiting on mine but I hope it'll come over the next few weeks. I want to start reading up on the class... Also I just realised that the classes I'm signed up to take in the fall are basically variants on different modules I've taken in my MSc. Hoping that stands in my favour!

@MarineBluePsy well, we call it a dissertation at my university but hey, same same! I haven't been watching either of those shows but I am rewatching Gossip Girl, and watching for the first time True Blood. I am loving both