Medievalmaniac

We go to Raleigh every other weekend or so....Raleigh is a much bigger city than Norfolk and things are much more spread out in Raleigh - you would need a car to live there comfortably, although there is public transit (bussing, mainly). It's a BEAUTIFUL city in many respects, and again, a lot of culture and arts. Raleigh is GREAT for young families also because there are a lot of child-oriented places, such as children's museums and playspaces. It is definitely more expensive to live there than it is to live in Norfolk, IMO. Because of Research Park, there are a lot of new homes available, but they are very pricy. The climate in Norfolk is midatlantic and coastal. There's usually a lot of rain in hurricane season (about April - September/October) but not usually all-day rain, often just passing showers or intermittent rain. A couple of good thunderstorms a year. Hardly EVER snow, but if it does snow even the tiniest amount, the whole place shuts down, they are NOT equipped to handle snow (which means ODU would be closed too, don't worry! lol). Temps in the winters usually in the 30s-40s, with temps in the summers hovering at the high 80s most of the time. You do get all four seasons clearly delineated, which is nice. Extremely temperate in spring and fall, 60s-70s; a long super-hot spell in October ("Indian Summer" of usually about a week and a half to two weeks, followed by colder November weather, and lots of cold rain in the winter some years - other years, hardly any. In the city itself, there's not much nature, a few parks, etc. But there are a lot of nice recreational parks in the Norfolk/Hampton Roads/Portsmouth/Newport News area, lots of wooded areas and campsites. Virginia Beach is nice, decent waves, they have a surfing competition there early on in the summer - but it is DEFINITELY a tourist location - packed, packed, packed during the on season, May - September, and parking SUCKS. It's GREAT to hit the beach in the off season, though, because it really does become a ghost town. We used to take our dogs there. You can't during the season, but off season you can just let them run and play.

No, Expressionista, you're right about that, much of Norfolk definitely does feel industrial and military...but the area by ODU and down by the waterfront where the shops and restaurants are is not too bad, and you can always get away to really beautiful places on the weekend.

Master Piece

Well, you're absolutely right, and right about it all.....but, there's nothing in the world I would rather do than read, research, write and give papers and publish and teach what I'm reading and writing about....so, I'll take that heaping abuse, with the time-honored response of one who relishes the work regardless: "Thank you, Sir (Madam), may I have another?"

Well, you'll definitely see a lot of folks in uniforms! It's not just the naval base down there - you've also got Langley Air Force Base and Fort Eustis, the Army transportation corps training school. But I loved that, too (Daddy was a soldier! ) But no, I wouldn't see that as a negative at all. The military boys (and girls!) certainly go out to play at night, but they also generally make it safer to be out playing, if you know what I mean.

Yesterday, I went roller skating. I highly recommend it. You will be entirely too busy trying not to fall down fifty times to focus on whether your grad schools have notified you via email on the weekend! Plus- it was actually pretty fun, and kind of like riding a bike - awkward at first, but then I remembered how to do it and hey - not too shabby! lol

I think this is a great learning opportunity for you and for anyone else applying to graduate school...it's one thing to know the names of people in your field, and where they are teaching. That demonstrates that you have "done your homework". But emailing them specifically and asking them directly about their work and whether they think you will be a good fit is proactive and also gives them a name and some contact to work with. When I was trying to choose schools, I emailed every professor in my field at all of the schools I was looking at. Then, based on their responses (and my refusal to take the GRE subject test), I narrowed down my search to the five I ultimately chose. It took about two months to get through the whole process. But, for example - as a medievalist, I would have thought Duke would be a GREAT fit for me, because they have 4 medievalists on staff in the English department. Plus, they are located where I need to be for my family....but, when I emailed those professors, two of them responded with great alacrity that I should most certainly NOT apply there because no one in their department did anything in terms of what I want to work in, they're much more engaged with hagiographic/religious and "nonfiction" works than I would ever want to be. I'm thankful for not having wasted that application fee money, and I'm sure they're thankful for not having to read through another inappropriately applied application - not inappropriate for credentials, or even for field interests, but for specific research goals that originally seemed congruous with the department but ultimately, on personal contact, were not. Likewise, I was NOT going to apply to Catholic at first, because when I took a course there awhile back the department did not have anything I wanted to work in - but then I spoke directly with one of their newer professors, and found out that she (like me) is VERY into dragons, folklore, and so forth....we would work extremely well together. They've really shifted focus, and the new focus....I like it! I was also not all that serious about UVA, but was thinking of applying because of its proximity in terms of location. When I emailed the department graduate coordinator (who happens to be a medievalist! lol) she was VERY interested in my ideas and encouraged me to apply, which swayed my thinking a great deal. Now, like everyone else, though, despite all those emails and all of that "face time" - I'm waiting, waiting, waiting. And no, I might not get in anywhere despite all of that legwork...things happen. But I'll know where to start for next year. So - yes, it is a good idea to email anyone you would potentially work with - it can only sway them in your favor if they are interested, and help to prevent you from wasting time and money if they aren't. But - in the long run, no, I don't think "everybody" does this, and I don't think it will REALLY hurt your chances of acceptance at a program....if there is a fit, they'll take you. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

Congratulations to the admits! I hope the rest of you hear back soon.

I grew up in Williamsburg, just about a 30 minute drive down the interstate from Norfolk. One of the best things about the area is its proximity to the beach - you're about half an hour from Virginia Beach, traffic depending. Honestly, the traffic in Norfolk can be horrible - it is often at gridlock during rush hours, especially if there is an accident. You would definitely want to avoid picking class times that would correspond to peak driving hours (8-9 a.m., 3-6 p.m.) or, you would want to be on or near campus already by that point. The good news is that the college is right off of the main road (Hampton Boulevard) and therefore as long as the traffic is flowing it is VERY easy to get to the interstate and all major attractions, shopping, and so forth from there. The area by ODU (I'm assuming that's the school you are asking about?) is lovely, and if you can live close to campus it is very walkable. Norfolk has a good diversity in terms of population, and is fairly safe as a city...on campus, this translates mostly to petty crime/ theft of personal items, bicycles, laptops, etc. Definitely no more than any other college campus anywhere. The crime rate in Norfolk was very high when I was a child, with several murders (mainly, these were drug-related), but I can tell you for certain that this has improved dramatically and that the law enforcement services are very good, very solid. Norfolk has a GREAT nightlife because of its proximity to Hampton, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg and even (1.5 hours) Richmond Virginia. There is a wonderful arts program for professional theatre, ballet, opera. Lots of nightclubs, especially near the beach. You will not be lacking in chances to "go out and play" or to shop for pretty much whatever floats your boat. There are also some top restaurants, and if you love seafood.....OH, yeeeaaaaaahhhhhhhh....! ;op The proximity to other universities is also great for research purposes - ODU is in easy driving distance of Christopher Newport University, The College of William and Mary, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Richmond, and several other smaller schools and community colleges. Probably the best part of Norfolk is the number of cultural opportunities, especially in terms of history, available there. Museums, especially the Mariner's (seafaring) Museum, Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown Battlefield, Jamestown Settlement - most of the country's history started here, and it's VERY accessible when you live there. It IS a city, so cost of living/ house and apartment rentals can be expensive....I think the average is between $650 and $1000 a month. THERE ARE ALWAYS CHEAPER ONES AVAILABLE...but they are NOT always advertised. You'll have to do your homework, ask around and talk to other students. Because of drugs, unemployment, etc. etc., a lot of locals have rental properties that they don't advertise except through word of mouth because of legal requirements. (If you publicly list a property, then who ever shows up with the deposit and first month's rent can rent it...and may or may not ever pay you another month's rent, but rather can squat until you force him/her out.) Also, because of youth and drug related issues, owners are wary of damage that can be done to their properties. If you show up and find these people through word of mouth, you can usually find a nice place for not too much money. Alternately, you can live a bit away in Suffolk or in Newport News and just commute an extra twenty minutes. There are definitely options. Let me know if there's anything else you want to know. I love my hometown, and am happy to talk about it and its environs ad nauseam if you are interested!!

CONGRATULATIONS to all the UW-Madison admits! It is a lovely campus, and a great program!

RTS - I did not tell anyone I work with either, except the woman who wrote my teaching rec (she is a colleague who is also applying to grad schools; we wrote each other a rec, lol) The only people who know that I have applied to PhD programs are my husband, his parents, and my mom and sister, and a neighbor of ours who is also a good friend. That way, if I do not get in, then nobody has to know about it one way or the other. It would be dumb to go broadcasting that I might have to leave in this economy, eh? Hopefully, I will get into UNC-CH or UVA and not have to go anywhere. Fingers crossed!!

congratulations! You are doing spectacularly well holding up under the pressure, I would say! For my part, I am eating more chocolate these days, drinking more wine these days, and delighted with myself for not caving in and smoking again (I quit last May...but that was before this hellish ordeal!) Mainly, I think I am getting upset looking at the results page and watching so many people badmouth programs they were rejected from. I mean, if you think it is "a POS program anyway", why bother applying? If you "had no intention of going there anyway", why did you apply? It is upsetting, because some of those programs and schools are ones I and my friends have applied to. I wish people would think before they post in terms of badmouthing schools they applied to. Some of us are dreaming to get into those schools.....

Gosh, I hope UNC does that to me. They can send me an email any time they want to...as long as it's an admit...

I'm starting to think I just applied to the five schools that send their responses out VERY LAST of all American colleges and universities! lol There have only been a tiny handful so far from any of my schools, and two haven't sent anything to anyone at all. I live in hope! It's harrowing, certainly, when so many responses are coming in...but then again, no response = no rejection (yet) - I'm hanging on to that for dear life right now.

Malmesbury is usually taught to grad level students only, unless there's an ambitious prof - most of the history texts are. He's also taught more often in History/ historiography courses than in English, to the best of my knowledge. The Encyclopedia of Medieval Chronicle is due out this fall, and that should help a bit to make the historical texts more accessible (although it's out of Brill, so it's going to be a pricy book). For SGGK, I still love Tolkien, but Marie Boroff's translation is the newest on the marke (I think it came out last month?) I had it on pre-0order and have it now, yay. LOVE Fagles. LOVE his Aeneid in particular. Although Mandelbaum's translation is marvelous, it isn't really accessible if you're not keen on the Classics...and Chapman is only for the die-hards in this day and age.

You know, I'm going to sound really crass here but: SCREW the people who say it can't be done. It most certainly can. If you want to do it badly enough, then you will get it done. There are plenty of women out there who do actually manage to have a demanding career AND raise a family. They just don't have their faces plastered all over national publications and they aren't getting interviewed in the Chronicle of Higher Ed. Hey - you got your MA, right? And you got accepted to a PhD program, yes? So, you know you are capable of doing the work required for academic success. There are plenty of extremely single men and women out there who will never achieve what you have already achieved academically. YES, a decade or more ago, a woman with a child and/or children pre-tenure was in danger of not obtaining it. But the guard is slowly changing. You just have to find a good fit for you and for your family. Having a supportive SO helps. Family in the area to help out with childcare helps. A good, solid daycare program helps - especially if it is on campus. Seeking out supportive professors helps. My first go around with graduate school, I was married with no children. I had a 3.56 GPA when I had to leave the program because of a very ugly separation and divorce. I didn't finish, despite wanting to, not because of children but because of an adult in my life. Six years later, I applied for graduate school for a second go-around. I was re-married with a 2 year old. They made me start over from scratch - none of my 21 credit hours transferred. I also had no funding because they went by my undergraduate GPA rather than my graduate GPA, which was significantly higher and from a better school. Midway through the program, I learned that #2 was on her way. I reluctantly told my professor that I was not going to be able to take the EXTREMELY AWESOME course she was teaching in the fall, due to the excellent excuse of having a baby mid-semester. She looked at me as though I were nuts and said "Why on earth not? You can just come until you have the baby and then either come back when you are up to it, finish by electronic means, or take an incomplete and finish the following term." (My other professor - male - just nodded solemnly and understood why I was going to be missing a term). Guess whose classes I took from that point out.... I loooooved the comment from the (obviously single) fellow lounging outside of the English building one day, when he noticed my very - pregnant bulk: "you know, some people just aren't that serious about graduate school. You'd think they'd wait to have kids." Smug, arrogant know-it-all....he ended up transferring elsewhere, and good riddance. Long story short, I gave birth mid term, came back the following week (fortunately not a repeat C-section) and finished out the course and the degree with a 4.0. I did not cut corners and did not receive preferential treatment - I busted my butt for those scores. I never took an incomplete for a course, or turned in a late paper. My thesis is also under development as a monograph in cooperation with a publishing house, and I'm already published academically in terms of articles. My children are 5 and 2 now. I find that I am a better scholar with them than I was prior, because I don't waste time. I'm more efficient and more organized because I have to be. I'm not writing this to brag - although some will certainly say it sounds that way - but to point out that a woman with a child is still an individual with the agency of such. You are still a person with goals, hopes and ambitions, and clearly with the ability to achieve them. The only thing that can hold you back is allowing others to make you doubt that you can do it....you have already proven that you can. You've got the acceptance, remember? No one can tell me what I am and am not capable of doing. My limits are defined by me. There ARE professors out there who will not hold it against you that you are a mother, and there are professors who will even be sympathetic. Then there are professors who will resent you for it and professors who will dismiss you for it - it's the same in the regular population. You are going to have to just figure out who is in what corner and plan accordingly. You won't get to hang out and party with the other grad students. You won't have a lot of free time. You'll always be busy and have too much to do. But - you most certainly CAN get your PhD. Courage, Woman!!! Feel free to pm me if you want to talk.

Gracie - David Johnson is my academic grandfather...he was my graduate advisor's undergraduate advisor. He's hilarious.

Well, UT Knoxville - Roy Liuzza (ROY LIUZZA?! Holyyyyyyy sh*t!!) and FSU - ELAINE TREHARNE?! Holyyyyyyyyy sh*t!) I'm kind of glad I'm not you trying to make that decision. I have met both at conferences. I attended a truly phenomenal workshop on medieval manuscripts headed by Elaine, and she was very funny and very gracious. And if you speak to anyone from the FSU program, they will tell you she is a goddess and perfect in every way. But then again, Roy Liuzza is not exactly a slouching jerk! He is also charming, and I thought he was really generous with his time and energy in speaking to graduate students at a professional conference. You know...you might want to do an interview with those two and decide for yourself. Either way - you win! Congratulations!!

yesssssss.......join the dark side.........

CONGRATULATIONS! I'm sure the librarians will forgive you for your indiscretion......I mean, Dude, you're going to HARVARD! :D Bravo, very well done! Delightful news.

Fingers crossed for you - good luck!!!

Yeah, what she said. Branwen, stop reading my mind and then passin my thoughts off as your own! But really - if there's anything better than bouncing research ideas off of other people who are interested in the subject, I don't know what that it. Really. I think people are always really sorry after they ask me what I'm reading lately, or what I'm working on, or what I'm studying.....! lol

Branwen - LOVE Susan Cooper!!!! And I think your point about "why" we "need" fantasy is very valid - sort of the "something for everyone" element - the writers did that intentionally. I love Ad Putter's article, "Finding Time for Romance" in which he argues that romance writers in the Arthurian tradition used the historical chronicle to map out temporal areas or spaces in which the romance tales could have happened - for example, the seven years between Arthur's first campaign and second, etc. etc. - so the romanciers were able to weave their stories of quests and non military/chivalric adventures within those spaces to create a more seamless boundary between chronicle and romance. It's a wonderful article, and compelling argument.

CONGRATULATIONS! That's so exciting for you guys! GREAT news!

Thank you! It's very preliminary, but they're very interested. It's a press specializing in reference works - nice mid-level recognition. Of course, it's a long way from "yes, we're very interested, show us what you plan to do with this and go ahead and develop it" to "here's the contract"....but I'm excited about the chance! And I loooooooooove Lloyd Alexander. I think your and Branwen's ideas concerning modern appropriations of Celtic themes and motifs is a great research program - because it is so inexhaustible! How many new Arthurian whosit-whatsits come out every year? Incredible! Has anyone seen The Secret of Kells yet? I loved it.