wordslinger

Well, I suppose it applies to academia in general, and what you've said is basically inarguable... Plus, I feel the same way: in English, the thinking is dynamic and thus interesting. But the point of my comment was not to poo-poo this overwhelming, beautiful mess that I love, as much as it was meant to address poco_puffs's feeling of inertia. No one can read everything and be aware of every theoretical direction and antecedent. So you cannot allow that lack of omniscience to stop you from articulating your position and engaging in the discourse. I can relate because it's a problem with which I have struggled; particularly last year when I began work on my thesis, I thought, "First, I'll read everything important, then write something." Three months before my deadline, I had to revise my thinking. The experience has not only made me a better writer, researcher, and thinker, but a much better teacher of writing and researched writing.

I must confess that I read the entire series plus The Host. Stephanie Meyer is like the heroin of books... tragically bad for you but addictive.

That's the thing about ANY theory you try to write about/engage with... you can never read everything or be aware of every facet of the convo. So you just have to define your parameters every time you try to articulate your position (and hope that the person you left out wasn't THE person to read).

Thanks for the recommendations! I am definitely a sci fi/fantasy geek. As an English person, I definitely enjoy the literary reads too, but on the weekend give me vampires and werewolves. I'm going to download Raven's Shadow tonight, in fact. And I've just remembered, in science fiction, I've recently gotten into Greg Egan, an Australian sci-fi writer. Distress was terrific; it's hard science and attempts to grapple with physics, rather well to my minimally trained (at least in physics) brain.

I teach high school currently and never friend anyone at my high school (although now I have some former students from several years ago as friends). Like you, VictorianTess, I am not sure how to handle my future undergrad students. I know profesors who never ever never friend students, but I also know professors who do friend their students and actually communicate with them in that way. Does anyone have any words of wisdom or warning on this topic?

I can relate! My son is 7, which is much easier than a baby, but I am a single parent. My master's wasn't easy on my own, and I'm sure the PhD won't be easier. But at least now that he's in school, we can do our homework together. Congratulations on the new baby!

I just read that whole Patricia Briggs series as well! I'm on Silver Bourne now. I also read Cry Wolf, which I didn't like nearly as well. Also, I recently read the The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and its sequel (loved them both). BionicKris, what do you think of Richelle Meade? I haven't read any of hers yet. In between working full time and writing my thesis last semester, I had no time for pleasure reading at all. So I'm soaking in this school-free semester before I head back into the fray in August. Thanks for your recommendations!

I don't know what to say about James Franco. But I have a David Duchovny thing, so there's that.

I completed my thesis last semester. Horrifically, I realized about a month before my due date what I *really* wanted to say and had to write the whole thing over (for the most part). After that experience, I would say that the most important thing is just to work as hard as you can to get a complete draft as soon as possible. Give yourself permission to write badly. But just write. As you complete chapters or sections, send them out to trusted readers (which I hope you have... I wouldn't have been able to manage without some excellent grad student friends). Once your draft is complete and you have an idea of where you're going with the whole thing, you can revise as much as necessary/possible. I don't know if this is helpful advice or not, but it's my experience. In any case, I wish you well. It's certainly stressful but worth it in the end.

Thanks! And I hope we can keep in touch as we start our coursework next year.

I used Squawker's method when writing my thesis; I basically had a word doc with lots of sub-headings and typed in quotes from my readings. This way I started my project with over thirty pages of notes (that's before I did the field study). For reading generally, I prefer to annotate the text directly while reading. I use highlighters or pens if I own the book and post-its if it's borrowed. I usually keep a response journal for writing about my readings; this helps me connect readings into my own schema. I don't think anyone else would understand my lecture notes. I tend to map lectures visually with arrows, adding personal notes and connections. Interesting thread, by the way.

Good luck! I'm sure you will love it there! I hear great things about the program from my friends.

Phyllis Stein-- Thanks so much for your encouragement and advice. Definitely loans are not my first choice, especially since I am still paying off my first round of loans.

This is an awesome thread! Thanks! I bought an all-in-one scanner/copies/printer for my thesis work, and I could not have lived without it. I specifically researched the price of the ink cartridges before I bought, and I paid about 150 for the printer, which was on sale. Highly recommended purchase. Depending on your field, you might consider one of those flip cameras that record audio and video. Since I do lots of field work, it's invaluable.

Yeah, I can relate to a lot of the angst on this thread... I'm moving from Charlotte, NC to Louisville, KY, which is definitely not as bad as the moves some of you are contemplating! But it's very stressful to move to a new city in a short period of time. Fortunately, the other grad students at my future school have been super-supportive, offering advice and even scoping out apartments for me. So I agree that they are a great resource. My other issue is that I'm committed to a teaching job here in July, which means that I can't *really* move until August. Cutting it very close. Thanks to all who are posting their questions and experiences! So helpful!

Hi all, I'm a 33-year-old single mom headed for a full-time PhD program in the fall. I'm definitely nervous about finding people to relate to among the other PhD students, since having a child changes my perspective so much. It's really great to hear from all of you about your experiences. My biggest concern is living off of my stipend for the next four years; I may find that I have to supplement with loans, but we'll see. I'm hoping that the work load will be okay... my son will be in school all day, plus I'll be able to work at home after he settles down and goes to bed. Are any of you single parents? I'm definitely curious about your experiences. Thanks so much to all of you for sharing!

If you are interested in publishing and editing in the scholarly writing field, you will probably need an MA. Many universities offer GA positions working with scholarly journals, so that type of position while working on your MA would be ideal for you. That is not an easy field to get into, and the other benefit of grad school is that you will be able get to know the people who work in the field and they you. Good luck on this decision. Obligatory crises are my least favorite kind.

I puzzled over my writing sample too. In the end I used a section from my thesis, and frankly it's not a very good standalone piece. It's also a bit polarizing in terms of concept and presentation, but I figured that the schools may as well know what they are getting into with me because that's the kind of work I do. I did revamp a section from my introduction to try to contextualize the section I used. Good luck to you. I think choosing the writing sample is the hardest part.

Well, my vantage point is somewhat different, so I thought I'd share. I applied for grad school the first time right out of undergrad, and, of course, was universally rejected, despite an excellent GPA, papers, etc. So I shrugged and stepped away from it for a while. I have spent the last ten years teaching high school English; I began that endeavor out of practicality, but I have stayed because I love it. It's a different game than teaching college comp or lit, but it is often just as interesting in terms of the intellectual work I do. High school kids are eager to learn if you frame it in the proper manner, and they are less jaded than undergrads. Now, after ten years really teaching and thinking, I'm no longer speculating about my research interests. I know what I am interested in and why. Plus, I have an actual pedagogical philosophy, not a series of buzz words or theory without practice. In the fall I'm back to full-time working on my PhD, and I'm really excited to have this opportunity. So I guess I'm trying to say a couple of different things. One, life is not a race to see how quickly you can fulfill your dreams (IMHO). And two, there is a world out there where you can teach all the literature you like to people who are in desperate need of smart, engaging, passionate teachers. Good luck to you all!

Hi there! I'm sorry to hear you won't be coming to Louisville; that's where I'm headed for certain. But I definitely get your concerns. Just to chime in, I have several friends at UNC-G who seem happy the courses and the program; plus, it seems to be well within your comfort zone. I did my undergrad at USC and really loved it. I can't say I know much about the current comp/rhet program though. Columbia is a terrific, livable city, and there are many cheap housing options, especially if you are willing to commute to campus. (Which you'll probably want to do anyway.) If you do want any info about USC or Columbia that I can provide, please let me know! Good luck!

I finished my master's thesis last semester while I was also completing apps... at the time it was extremely stressful, and I wished that I were doing the two at different times. Now, though, my focus is shot. So I'm glad I don't have my thesis on my mind right now, nice as it must be to have the distraction. I feel for you those of you stressing out about finishing your thesis AND hearing back from schools. Good luck!

I may not be as well-versed in the politics of academia as some of the other repliers, but I do have a few thoughts... It seems as though you are having doubts about continuing with your current program. Are those stemming from your desire to complete your Ph.D. elsewhere? Or are you happy with your institution but worried about the prospects for the future? Perhaps you just need to sit down and think about what you really want, not necessarily what you feel pressured to do. As far as taking a year off from school, I can't see how it would be a bad thing. I have taught high school for several years, and it's been wonderful teaching experience; because pedagogy is one of my area of interests, this only helps me. Good luck!

Thanks for the clarifications! It's very useful to me, especially since I'll also have my 7-year-old son with me wherever we decide to live. I've also been told that public transportation is good in Louisville, so I'm considering trying to get by without a car, which on the positive side would eliminate any chances of having its windows smashed in. Do you think it's reasonable to live in Louisville without a car?

Mumbet, I am a bit alarmed by your post... I've been accepted at U. of L. and am excited about the potential move. But I know that I'll be taking classes on campus at night. I would also prefer to live in walking distance to campus, but it doesn't sound as though that's a good option. Is the east side of campus better than the west side? Thanks for any info you can give me!