hippyscientist

gah. I just upgraded my cable from basic to the next level up (mainly so I can watch football...) and none of my new channels are coming through. BUT I WANT TO WATCH THEM. This is infuriating me

See, that's what I was anticipating. Taking them maybe beginning of Fall next year so I have summer to study, but my advisor came into the breakroom yesterday saying he'd just got an email from one of the guys in the lab with my comp questions from him already. He then said, so I assume you're taking them this semester. I had a heart attack!!! Then he said January, which isn't quite as crazy because I have christmas to study but still. QUICK! I'm not freaking out, I'm not freaking out.

Random question for you all (well, not ThAT random seeing as we're on a grad school forum but...anyway): have any of you already got your first paper/preliminary data to lead into the first paper planned out? I started 3 weeks ago and me and my advisor have decided on 3-4 papers already for the PhD, and he wants me to start doing some preliminary data collection over the next few weeks. I'm thrilled but also slightly concerned because this seems to be moving so quickly and no one else in my lab moved this fast. Also, my advisor is wanting me to take my comps in January. January!! That seems quick too. So I guess I'm asking what are all your timelines (probably up to/including comps), either real or projected?

Hike was amazing, and bars are wonderful to work in. We have writing club once a week, which is a gathering of people who all meet to write academicy things, and help out if you're forgetting words/need a critical eye etc. This will always happen in food shops or bars because it makes it less painful. Get your work done and then you don't need to relocate for happy hour!

I'm going on my first hike today Having had some conversations with other grad students last night I have come to the conclusion I have found the best possible fit. My advisor is just so awesome. I love it here! Full of enthusiasm right now.

Yep that counts! I went out on Thursday night (TAing 8am Friday morning was painful) so I use that as my long weekend social event. I might do something Monday but there was no point going anywhere today because football.

A year ago I was on my interview visit. Now I'm here and couldn't be more thrilled with the outcome!

Ugh honestly. No awareness what so ever. So I got my bedside tables and bar stools delivered tonight. And I cooked things for my department potluck. And I did some homework that got assigned at 5pm for class tomorrow. And I bingewatched grey's anatomy. I call that a productive evening! Oh and it looks like I may have a lit review in the pipeline for January...I just hope I learn how to pace myself!!

I'm right there with you on that. Is there a way you could leave a spare key at the office?

Because they haven't heard of taser jackets (I joke). Honestly I think it's because they're too engrossed in their phones/conversation/own lives to even be aware of their surroundings.

I also think current freshmen have so much technology at their finger tips. Get lost? Use google maps. Don't know what time the coffee shop opens? Google that. Don't know how to get vomit out of your carpet? Someone will have written a whole blog on the topic. Theres so much more information out there that they don't really need to think, they just follow the swarms. I took my final new class today and I was really apprehensive about it. It's an ME/IE/E Design class which is so far out of my past experience it's crazy. It sounds like there's going to be a steep learning curve but the professor is crazy (in a good way), and looks like there will be some entertaining times. There's 3 kines students in there so it's fun to get some experiences from others. Ooohh. I got my social security card finally today so hopefully my advisor will give me tomorrow afternoon off so I can go to the DMV and get my drivers license (or start the process). P.S. This is my 1000th post on grad cafe...I spend too much time on here

I mean clearly they are their own people but they fulfil so many cliches it's crazy. And yes! The busses. Agh!! My stop is near the start of the route and it's impossible to get a seat from the start of service. And it took me an hour to get home on the bus last night. How is it only thursday?

I'm pulling long days but I am not working on my weekends. I am making time for me. No question! The undergrads are all the same. Thank god on canvas they have little pictures next to their names otherwise I'd really struggle to remember all my section. Trivia is cool though my cohort just seems to like going to bars - I'm allowing myself one social event each week be it bars or movies or something. Department socialising is excluded, as is exercise. Seems to be working pretty well so far.

so I actually got a tattoo since being here at Penn State (number 4). None of mine are visible unless I want to show you, but I got that done before a night out and ended up flashing everyone showing it off...that brought stares. You know, I know plenty of people with tattoos here, they just all seem to be pretty cookie-cutter-esque, well at least the undergrads. Grad students are awesome But actually, now I think about it, even the tattooists in Ikonik Ink weren't overly covered. Maybe it's a central PA thing.... Also I have a super clackety keyboard in my office which is great but it does make a lot of noise! I've just got in after a 13.5 hr day and I feel like I haven't done anything! We had a stupidly pointless orientation this evening but that's officially it. No more orientations!!! WOOHOO

@Neist yeah I get that. Living alone though I like the tv on to keep my company while I cook/iron/clean etc. These things have to be done in the evenings when I get back so I allow myself screen time til 9 (or just past...like today) then tuck myself up in bed with a good book. So far grad school seems to be going well. I wrote my first official bit of code today, in about an hour and a half and it worked! Self-teaching (with a little bit of direction from the resources given to us) seems to be going well. When's the hiccup going to come?

I primarily have prime because it works out cheaper than netflix for tv bingeing. Plus having been used to the convenience before, it is difficult to acclimate back so that too...

Yep but I can't pick it up until I have a local license and that is covered with red tape right now. So looks like I'll be carless for about 2 weeks. Not the end of the world but frustrating nonetheless. @rhombusbombus yes! busy! My department is super social too which I'm surprisingly okay with. We have random chats throughout the day but when you need to do work, you can stick headphones on and get down to it which seems perfect. I'm a little worried because everything seems to be fitting so well at the moment. @Neist you'll rock the TA stuff. My first TA lab section is an exam for them all so they're going to be best pleased! @MarineBluePsy Amazon Prime is incredible. I get the TV stuff on my TV, free 2 day delivery is dangerous with setting up an apartment and I keep remembering stuff I want.

So first day of classes was successful. I LOVE one of my profs and the other seems to be an easy class. But holy heck I only just sat down to eat dinner and I was up at 6.30 this morning. Still haven't hit the gym up yet, despite the fact I've been craving it. My mornings haven't quite managed to fit it in yet. Tomorrow I return my rental car :/ and then we're running around on foot/bus and will have time in the morning to lift things. You all sound like you're settling in nicely

Thanks Neist! I'm so excited about moving in and actually having a kitchen because it's been a nightmare in this airbnb. It's pretty exciting for all of us now. Classes start Monday! I had a meeting with my advisor yesterday, and he basically said "I want you in the lab 9-5 M-F, and if you're in here outside those hours you're overworking and if I catch you I'll be sending you to go have fun" which is so good! I think I'll have to do some extra work at home in terms of reading papers - there's so many more meetings than I'm used to. At my masters, we'd have two meetings a week - one for the lab and one one:one meeting. Here it's like well we have a TA meeting and a lab meeting and a one:one meeting and a seminar series (or two) and journal club and writing club. Like that's a whole week of meetings right there! I now see why they prioritise organisational skills in grad students

That's not cool! They should have given you breaks. I'd moan! @jlt646 that's no fair! We had 0 food at our orientations (bar the department one and that was a slice of pizza). Man, different departments really do things differently I guess. So guys, the day has come. Tomorrow, I move into my apartment! The car is packed up (sans TV and a few last bags in my room for tonight) and I'm ready to move! Unfortunately, I spent a total of 3 hours on the phone with the power company just changing over the electric into my name. Ugh pain in the backside. BUT!!! I got LOADS done today so I'm really pleased.

Well my advisor suggested some equipment he wanted to use and it ties in so perfectly with my masters work that it just seems like fate. I'm having a meeting with him tomorrow to go over everything. I'm so excited, I actually squealed and did a little clap jump thing (you know the thing that cheerleaders do? Yep I did that at orientation) when I saw the equipment and cadaveric feet. Officially weird. It's awesome though. Grad school over here is so different to what I was anticipating. Those collaborations sounds awesome though. We can do this guys.

You guys, I think I'm going to like grad school My cohort are awesome, my advisor seems pretty chill, and I'm already getting some amazing research ideas just being around all these brilliant minds. (Orientations can do one though - we left ours early to go get beer....)

That's pretty cool. They're kinda cute in a robotic way! The only exciting thing about my research is i might get to play with dead feet. I have one more orientation thing this afternoon but the bus that will take me to campus only goes at 6-8am and returns 4-6pm so I gotta get there miles too early. I'm hoping to do some organisational stuff thouhg

@sjoh197 I had to take a very similar one. What really irritated me was the emphasis on how alcohol is the culprit, not the person doing the wrong thing. Ugh. Yes, we're not 18 anymore. Maybe don't treat us like we know nothing?

Yesterday was summer graduation, and the international undergraduates started arriving this weekend too. The freshmen will arrive mid-next week and everyone else next weekend. Just in case you wanted to know!