Archaeodan

Opened my e-mail this morning and saw an e-mail that said "Application Status Update", became really excited, and opened it to find that it was changed to ready for review by program...
This is going to be a rough month of waiting, haha. 

Finally submitted my last application! Feaaaaaar

Hey @archeodan-- I am currently applying to PhD programs but ended up delaying my applications for 3+ years for what sounds like a very similar opportunity and would be happy to think through pros/cons.  Feel free to DM me.  I will say-- I have LOVED my job for the past three years, which has only encouraged me to return to school, but has also given me room to further develop my research interests.  Let me know if I can be any help!

University of Georgia, Integrative Conservation and Geography, funded visit. Heard three-ish weeks ago.
Penn State, Anthropology, Skype interview. Heard yesterday.
The nervousness is real, man, I knoooow. I'm definitely just going to continue the process, as nothing is set in stone now. But, the issue is more that the RA position is at a research institute that I kinda want to work at long-term. They also do offer PhDs there, but neither I nor my PI friend know how that works. So, it could be that I get both. I don't know. I don't think there's anything I can know or do now, but does it seem crazy to be considering an RA position over PhD? 
 
 

Sleep.

@phyanth Thanks!! I did...kinda? A little. Like two emails back and forth. POI and my masters advisor are pals, so maybe that helped? This was one I was kinda expecting not to get anything for, tbh. In my first email to POI, I addressed it to the wrong person   So that was fun. There was further conversation, so hopefully she forgave me lol.

Coming from the perspective of someone who spent their life moving to far-flung parts of three different countries (US, Italy, UK), moving always sucks. The month leading up is stressful, the first day there is exhausting, the first week lonely. However, people get how you feel and want to help you love their home. Because of the wonderful people I've met, I have NEVER lived somewhere I didn't hate leaving at the end. Culture shock exists, but as long as you approach every new situation as a chance to learn and experience another group's perfectly valid different way of doing things, you're going to have a really good time. Just take every day as it comes, say yes to as many events/hang-outs as you possibly can, and jump straight in as fast as you can. Actually move into your new place as close to the start of the first scheduled thing for school as possible. I've found it's better to have less time at the beginning to mope and be alone.
Also, pro-tip. People will know you're not local. Don't try to hide your accent or change the way you speak to sound local. You will probably end up confusing or offending people. I've found people really get a kick out of my obvious "not from here" accent/word choice. Don't over-exaggerate your accent, but embrace it, roll with the lighthearted teasing, and enjoy.
Seriously, moving somewhere new is hard, but it's rarely ever a bad thing.
PS: Skype/Facetime is your friend. Actually seeing your people from home will make you feel way less homesick than just calling or texting.
PPS: Keep the things that are part of your routine. For example, I have always spent a lot of time in coffee shops. They feel like home to me. So, every time I move somewhere new, I make sure to case out the coffee shops within the first week. Really can help you settle into a place if you keep your routine things. Bringing your dog should super help with this. 
PPPS: Unpack and go grocery shopping as soon as possible. You'll be tired and just want to crash, but trust me, the sooner you do the little things to feel more in place, the less you'll feel like your world's been turned upside down. 
PPPPS: Enjoy. This will be really good. Just go for it. 

I didn't get in anywhere last cycle. It hurt and was disheartening, but I planned to reapply. I actually ended up applying to programs outside of my previous field because my research interests were a better fit there. This change, in addition to all the rejection last year, made me really nervous about my chances. I found out this week that I got into one of the top programs I was interested in and they sent an email saying I was a top applicant. 
The point is, my GRE, GPA, background, and LoRs didn't change between the app cycles. This year I made sure to apply to programs where I knew I was a great fit, talked extensively to profs that I wanted to work with, and polished my SoP until the damn thing was shining bright like a diamond. Ultimately, this proves to me what we (and the programs) always say: it's not so much about the numbers. It's about goodness of fit and your ability to articulate that fit. Don't worry so much about the acceptance rates and published stats (unless the program explicitly states cut-offs or something). 

Okay, I'll voice the possibly less popular opinion. Your responsibility is to yourself. You don't have to stay with him and you are not responsible for getting him better or for educating him. You need to take care of yourself. If you do decide you want to try and stay, I think it's of utmost importance to get support from others. Can you involve his family? friends? do you have a support system around you to take care of you, if you need it? If he wasn't always like this, something must have triggered this, and maybe you can help him through it. Whatever it is, though, you shouldn't do it alone, and you shouldn't let him take it out on you. This sounds like a situation that requires professional help. I know that posting here was probably already hard enough, so maybe the next step is for you to find counseling on your own, maybe through your school, before you think about talking to him. Figure out your resources and support network, then come up with a plan to confront him. I hope that there is no fear of physical violence, but if there is, let me repeat again: your responsibility is to yourself first. Make sure that you are safe, and take care of yourself, both physically and mentally. If that means you need to leave him, I think that's totally understandable and no one from the outside can judge. And if you choose to stay and try and fix it, again I hope that no one will judge and that you can find the help you need. 

Breathe @phyanth and then let's freak out together  
One of my programs (Comm) moved up their deadline so they sent first round acceptances yesterday. I'm ecstatic about getting in, but not about the month and a half I have to wait to hear from other schools, haha.

I have to do quite a bit of research and translation of research articles into human English for my project at work, so I'm writing a lit review and guys...I missed this. I'm actually enjoying writing a lit review. I love research

@jamesaly Maybe it's because I'm from Boston, but I'm rather fond of Boston University. They've got a January 15th deadline. They have a strong as all hell sociocultural department. 

Wine, my job, meditation tapes (check out the app Insight Timer), commiserating with my brother/you people about his/y'all's applications, and exercise. I miss my jacked arms from my undergrad rowing days, so I have at least something to work for (Michelle Obama level arms).

Got my first admit last night! I really didn't expect a response so soon.

I know this is my second in a row...but this really hit me. Some stranger cleaned the snow and ice off my car this morning. Just because. I could cry, that was so nice...

@Bschaefer Yeah, Brown is one that I'm hodge-podgeing together. Dr. Van Dommelen is my POI in Anthro and we're coordinating with Dr. Bathsheba Demuth from History and Dr. Yongsong Huang of Ecology to make it work. If this works, it would be kinda awesome. 

I know this is my second in a row...but this really hit me. Some stranger cleaned the snow and ice off my car this morning. Just because. I could cry, that was so nice...

I know this is my second in a row...but this really hit me. Some stranger cleaned the snow and ice off my car this morning. Just because. I could cry, that was so nice...

Don't try to be broad, try to show you're flexible. If you don't give specifics, professors may not think you can propose an actually feasible project to tackle an aspect of your broad questions. The advice you received not to seem like you are committed to one, and exactly one, project, and are uninterested in considering any other ways to investigate these issues is correct. The solution is not, however, to say "I'm interested in the rise of social inequality in the North American woodlands" and then stop. You have to continue. Say, here's one way I imagine taking it! That shows you actually have the skills to visualize all the steps you need to complete a dissertation. Maybe you can say two or three kinds of data or two or three kinds of sites that might speak to your work. There's a middle ground between over-rigid commitment to a narrow project and a hand-wavey breadth of interest that doesn't give committees a sense of how you work as a thinker. (I'm interested in 'the rise of social inequality in the woodlands civilizations', too, but I've never been on a dig or analyzed any archaeological data, so you shouldn't admit me to an archaeology program based on my ability to state a broad archaeological theme that interests me!)
Can I direct your attention to these two threads? Of the recent discussions in this subforum, I think these both had good discussion about how to balance this issue.
 

I won't lie, @phyanth. The funding situation is bad, and half of us commenting this year are back from not getting in last year. Shit happens. The stats are unpleasant. My best advice, don't think about it and try as hard as you can to get in. That's all you can do. If you don't get in, it might have nothing to do with you. Just don't lose hope and don't stop trying. We only lose when we give up.

Four words. Surprise. Application fee. Waivers.

Update: Crisis averted. Anthro POI liked my game plan and is happy to advise me. WOO. Day of wins. 

For sure - good luck @Archaeodan!
Final letter writer just submitted - all applications are complete! Now the real worry begins.... 

@phyanth Sincerely hope so! This is one of the more...involved GIS/museum jobs I've had. And, again, sad pay. But, for reals, it's a good time. Lot of free merch 

Met all my Dec 1 deadlines :3 And flying halfway across the world tomorrow to be with my boyfriend and settle there until app results are out. Haven't seen him for nearly 2 months - missed him so bad  And I also got invited to a part-time job interview there! Yaay!