urbanhistorynerd

The anxiety is a small part of the larger transitional period into grad school... Not knowing where we're going to be in six months, not knowing about living situations, etc. Just knowing anything would be nice? Pretty please? 

My top advice is to setup a timeline of application process. I started 8 months before they were due. This helped out immensely because I was really able to think about my application, research interests, and potential profs/schools. I literally sketched out a timeline with important deadlines. I found that this was really good practice for when it came to writing my honors thesis.

I don't smoke, but I'd say about 80% of the grad students in my department are open about their cannabis use, and maybe 20% of professors? As in they're not going to come up to you and be like DUDE I LOVE WEED but  don't treat it any differently than, say, heading to the bar for a beer.
But I'm at a pretty crunchy school; Harvard, as you might expect, seemed to have more of a stick up its ass. Or the people at Harvard were afraid that the stick was there and were more cagey as a result? Unclear.

This is not something I'd discuss in public, regardless of your position on marijuana legalization. Open discussion of drug use, at least in my experience, is not received well. 
It's also probably important to understand that your university can insist you submit to drug tests as a condition of employment. That five-year offer you got is not guaranteed. It's far more conditional than it looks at first glance.
To answer your question: most people won't care, but I would not advertise it.

If you really pay attention, you'll find that the "life of the mind" is mostly responding to emails.

Yes! And at the end of the day, no matter what, we will always be scholars. I've always been afraid that if I don't land a tenure-track job, I won't ever get to live the 'life of the mind' like all my professors do. But I've realized that the 'life of the mind' I want to live in isn't so dependent on my job - and that is what a professorship is, a job. If I was a coal miner or an admin assistant or even if I taught high school or whatever, yes my time is limited, but I'll read the way I read now, I'll still write the way I write now, and I'll still think the way I think now. If 6-8 hours a day five days a week are spent working, you have all that other time to read, think, and write. As a working class student, I've consistently worked 25-30 hours a week while going to school. I made the time to read, think, and write. Plenty of other people in this nation do too. If we slice down who is a 'scholar' and who isn't based on a job position, then I think we are limiting the idea of scholarship and intellectualism. I don't know if that is other people's fears, but that has always been mine. But I've been able to rectify it.

I had the same exact plan of moving somewhere and hopefully getting a job in the university system somehow while continuing to research and apply again the next year. I am in a very long-term relationship and my choices of where to apply revolved around that fact, honestly. I did not apply to some of the places that I would have if I were single, and I applied to some places that I did not feel were great fits. Therefore, I realized there was a very real possibility of not making the cut this year due to intentionally limiting myself, but I figured I would want to stay within the academic sphere. I think if one plans to re-submit, looking for something like museum job or substitute teaching--something that signals your devotion to your field-- is really a great thing to do!

Nice!!! I don't know if their admitted students days are the same as the History Dept, but if they are, I'll see you then!

I've been admitted to Harvard's History and East Asian Languages! On a Saturday!

My top advice is to setup a timeline of application process. I started 8 months before they were due. This helped out immensely because I was really able to think about my application, research interests, and potential profs/schools. I literally sketched out a timeline with important deadlines. I found that this was really good practice for when it came to writing my honors thesis.

Hey everybody! I received an informal acceptance from a DGS today, telling me they recommended me to the GS, that they hope I consider their program, and that visiting details will follow. How would you recommend responding? Paging @urbanhistorynerd since you mentioned corresponding with a POI after an informal acceptance. Thank you everybody for the help and best of luck!

Thank you! Yes, I got a personalized email with funding information and details about their visit dates in mid March.

My top advice is to setup a timeline of application process. I started 8 months before they were due. This helped out immensely because I was really able to think about my application, research interests, and potential profs/schools. I literally sketched out a timeline with important deadlines. I found that this was really good practice for when it came to writing my honors thesis.

Just received word from Harvard that the application committees list has been approved! I am *GSAS* officially admitted to Harvard's history PhD!

Just received word from Harvard that the application committees list has been approved! I am *GSAS* officially admitted to Harvard's history PhD!

Just received word from Harvard that the application committees list has been approved! I am *GSAS* officially admitted to Harvard's history PhD!

Just received word from Harvard that the application committees list has been approved! I am *GSAS* officially admitted to Harvard's history PhD!

Just received word from Harvard that the application committees list has been approved! I am *GSAS* officially admitted to Harvard's history PhD!

Just received word from Harvard that the application committees list has been approved! I am *GSAS* officially admitted to Harvard's history PhD!

Just received word from Harvard that the application committees list has been approved! I am *GSAS* officially admitted to Harvard's history PhD!

Just received word from Harvard that the application committees list has been approved! I am *GSAS* officially admitted to Harvard's history PhD!

Just received word from Harvard that the application committees list has been approved! I am *GSAS* officially admitted to Harvard's history PhD!

Just received word from Harvard that the application committees list has been approved! I am *GSAS* officially admitted to Harvard's history PhD!

Just received word from Harvard that the application committees list has been approved! I am *GSAS* officially admitted to Harvard's history PhD!

Decisions are starting to fly in. Last night I was rejected from my second choice program and was absolutely heartbroken, I thought they were very interested. 
Then, this morning while I was in a classroom working, an e-mail came in to check the application portal from my top choice program. I sat in the GA office and panicked about opening the portal. I GOT ACCEPTED!!! After 2 rejections, this was a shock, but a pleasant one and nice to hear while sitting in an office across the hall from my current department head.