jlt646

There are usually sales for Labor Day, but I can't imagine doing better than that on a mattress! That's a huge jump down in price. I would just go for it, and wait for Labor Day to get other big cool things on sale. (: ETA: Unless that's not your question at all and I misunderstood, ack.

Today has been really intense. I went to Philly Pride yesterday, because it felt important to be there, but the mood in the city was significantly lower than it usually is during June. I have been crying on and off in my classroom all day, not because this is surprising or shocking, but because of how much it isn't. This is expected. This is the result of violent rhetoric and homophobia and extremism of all stripes, and I am so exhausted from defending my right to exist. This year has been one of my hardest, because for the first time in my adult life I wasn't totally out. The school I work in is a neighborhood school in North Philly, and my kids are great in a lot of ways but acceptance is not one of them. I have heard more anti-gay slurs this year in a tiny concentrated space than I have in the rest of my life, and I didn't come out to them until April...and even that didn't help. I was already worn down, but this weekend broke me. Sending you love across the internet, @Cat_Robutt and other LGBTQ folks on the board.

Ha- I have the same cat tree. Those sheep feet are super cute, also!

I made the laminated dough. (: I have a white marble slab that I can fit a soft ice pack underneath to keep the surface chilled, and after pounding out the butter, the combo works out to keep everything at the right temp. Many turns! Lots of layers!

My students are wrapping up their school year, so things are pretty nuts here, but I just wanted to pop in and say hey to everyone, and that I'm still reading everything! Two big things have happened this week- my partner decided that she wants to move to State College with me, so I'm looking for an apartment still (panic), and I successfully made kouign amann for my friend's birthday. Huzzah for pastry! Before going back to finish my undergrad, I baked professionally, and now I just do it to zen out in my kitchen...this one was a super fun challenge.

LOLOL! This is what I do every single time I get paid. I feel like such a baller, and start buying lipstick and wine like they're penny candy.

YES!!

I've been thinking about doing this, so that I don't have to carry milk crates of loose papers to State College...the thought of getting rid of all of my old notes makes me unspeakably anxious. For some reason, I'm far more ruthless about getting rid of old files on my laptop than I am about clearing out my actual physical stuff. Trying to change that so moving isn't the nightmare I expect it to be...ugh. I am torn between wanting to throw away everything I own and trying to hold onto Philadelphia by buying everything I see in the city.

I am pretty much only into Nintendo games- specifically Zelda! I never really got so into playing that I called myself a gamer, but Zelda is the exception. So many hours of my life spent in Hyrule.

Thank you everyone for posting. My situation is a little different- I didn't take "gap years"- I bombed my first semester of college at age 17, because I wasn't ready to be there, and then took about seven years off before trying again. I finished undergrad in 2015, and I'm starting PhD in the fall...I am excited to be a little older than some folks in my cohort, but my previous experience of really intense failure hangs over my head like a big black anxiety cloud. I'm obviously a much different person now than I was at 17, and I know what I want and how to get there, but it's still terrifying. What if I've forgotten how to write? Do I even still know how to read? What is math even? And, the big one...will I still have time for yoga and gardening and baking and all of the things that make me happy to be alive? The transition, and the not knowing what's coming next, are the things that freak me out the most. Reading this thread has helped a little.

I agree with the suggestion of wet food! It also helps prevent blockages/crystals/UTIs in boy cats- those are a giant financial and emotional bummer when they happen, and some boy cats are more likely to develop them than others. Keeping food out all the time is a controversial thing- I don't do it, because none of my four are capable of handling the responsibility of only eating when they're hungry. Ymmv. If, @Pink Fuzzy Bunny, you find that your new dude is unable to manage his consumption or weight, switch to set feeding times! Yay cats. I've been slowing down my gradcafe use, but I'll jump in for cats.

It might be worth it! That said, I have spent a lot of money on vet bills, and never got insurance for my cats. Care Credit is another option, one that I've actually used- it's like a credit card but for medical bills, and (at least when I had it) the interest rates aren't bad. I hope your new little dude is okay!

@hippyscientist, I'm definitely the same way- I need the balance! It's important to me that I have the space in my life to cook, and exercise, and hang with my cats and my girlfriend, and whatever else. My life needs all parts in order to work! I know some people say that grad school is an impossible time-sucking nightmare, but I refuse to let it take over my life. Research is fun and I love my subfield, but I also love being a human person who lives in the world.

@Gabrielle Some others have asked for clarification about what exactly is offensive about those quotes that you used as examples, and I'm jumping on that bandwagon. Here's my two cents, if you're still looking. I have found that folks with degrees in "education," rather than a subfield, are looked down on in parts of the academy. In undergrad, my professors attempted to convince me to pursue a different path...until I talked about my research interests, my career goals, and my desire to gain knowledge in a specific area. I worked hard to get to this place. There is an especially large stigma re: master's programs in the humanities and social sciences, especially in prestigious universities, because they are (usually) not funded and often the sheer volume of degrees conferred makes the programs feel a little bit like diploma mills. For evidence of this, do some research about TC's rep (here, reddit, etc). Your mileage may vary. Everyone's experience is different, of course, and you will get out of the program what you put into it. If you know what you want and why you're going to graduate school, don't let petty people rain on your totally awesome parade.

Oof, that is gross. /: It's totally valid to feel salty about not getting it regardless of demographics, but those numbers make it worse for sure.

That was my experience in undergrad, and moving from a tiny tiny SLAC to a giant R1 is filling me with anxiety that I'm going to do something weird in the first week. My advisor used to hold our meetings outside so we could smoke (I've quit since!), and it was so intimate and wonderful-we'd talk for an hour about life and then in the final moments we'd get to things relevant to my thesis or my career, but the balance was always perfect. I'm going to miss that level of closeness.

Thanks for this! I feel okay about my situation, and I didn't think I needed to negotiate/feel sad about making the decision so fast...but it's good to hear the same from an objective third party.

Got into my dream program (whoohoo!) with a GA and a livable stipend. I accepted the offer earlier in April, and now I'm worried that I should have waited until tomorrow. My field is not lucrative, and I'm going to a public university, so there's not a ton of extra money just hanging around...but if I'd waited, would they have offered more? That's what I'm seeing around the forums, and I feel like maybe I made a mistake. Is there evidence that that is a real trend, or was I right to just go for it? Of course it's too late now, so I'm really just asking because I'm curious. Thanks!

Yes to layering, and not going out with wet hair! State College is shockingly windy all the time, so investing in a windproof layer and a mask for the winter will be in your best interest. LL Bean duck boots are the best boots for weather I've ever worn, and they have a lifetime guarantee. The company will replace them for you, for free, whenever anything happens. There are lots of options for insulation- I have the unlined version so that they work in the rain too, and I just put in a Goretex/Thinsulate liner for winter. I lived in Maine for a bunch of years, and I wore those all the time. Same with Yaktrax, if you're planning on walking a lot instead of driving. SC is really hilly, and Yaktrax help your shoes to grip the ice when it happens. Also, don't underestimate the power of wool for layering, and if you have jewelry (funky piercings or just regular earrings), remember that the metal will get COLD if you're outside for extended periods of time.

Definitely isn't working that way for me! I have access to webmail and all of the portals.

OMG, @Pink Fuzzy Bunny, your hair!! It's so great. @hippyscientist, I have been getting work done in Philly for the past 10+ years, and my artists are here. If you ever want to explore tattoo/piercing culture in this particular area of the world, let me know! I am (perhaps unnecessarily) hesitant to venture out of the Philadelphia bubble for new tattoos. I'm also thinking about joining clubs and things at the university, mostly because there are some aspects of living in State College that I'm worried about. It'll be good to meet like-minded folks, whether it's for sports or for occasional drinks!

Biomedical engineering is in State College, but biomedical sciences is at the med school in Hershey. OP, if all other things are the same for you, it should come down to quality of life. There will be more to do in Nashville, for sure, but will you have enough free time while you are in school to make that a deciding factor? Is stretching your stipend as far as possible a priority? How often do you plan on travelling? Would you rather live somewhere warm or somewhere that gets snow?

i love that this thread has turned into a hair adventure. (: before my first school visit, i went to my hairdresser and told her that i wanted it to be dark grey/slate, and she did it, and it was amazing, and on my walk home i remembered that i was going to meet a bunch of potential advisors in three days. whoops. turns out, no one cared at all! i wasn't the only person with funky hair, but i was definitely the only one covered in tattoos. now that it's faded, it's this weird dirty blonde color that i can't decide if i like. i think i'm psyched about being blonde again, because it's been five or so years, but it also definitely looks unintentional. @Need Coffee in an IV, i grew out a pixie last year, and now my hair is the longest it's been in fourteen years! i feel like a totally different person. that mullet phase is terrible, but push on! you can do it!

Penn State: When I visited, it felt more immediately like home than any other school so far. The faculty are excited about me and my research, and the program is small (compared to say, TC). They produce a ton, but manage to be supportive rather than hyper-competitive, and faculty are very open/generous about including grad students as authors. I was impressed by how much individual attention I got from everyone in the department, and by all of the opportunities for student leadership and involvement. Psyched, overall.

When I visited, I wandered around downtown and got a feel for some of the smaller realtors/properties that don't get as much hype online. Fairmount East is a small, family-owned management company, and their townhouses are SO CUTE. Walking distance from campus. They don't allow pets, though, so they were out for me. Continental also had some really nice spaces. I was looking for 1BR apartments mostly, and then started looking for roommates. Found a house with a person who is awesome, outside of the State College big realtor game! Thanks, craigslist.