The Penguin and Podiatrist

I am teaching abroad and my plan was to only stay 2 years and apply for grad school in the autumn of my second year (coming up), but now I am not sure I want to return to the US. Now I am second guessing this choice. Maybe I should stay here as long as possible and build a life here for a bit. Applying for graduate school is so draining, too. But I also would love to be a graduate student again (I loved it getting my masters). And also I kind of want to move on. I feel stagnated here. I feel in limbo. But also, I am happier here than in the US overall. Perhaps I would regret giving up my job here for an unknown life in grad school, in a field with few jobs, in a country that is falling apart and destroying people. But am a coward for being here? Perhaps I should be in the US helping vulnerable people fight back against cruel policies to strip people of their rights. But also do I want to be somewhere where I can legally be shot for ringing the wrong doorbell? I wish I could have the best of both worlds. The relative freedom and fulfilling nature of being a grad student with the financial stability, security, affordable housing, and access to excellent public transportation etc.. of my job now. I miss being able to speak my native language and not have to travel to a major city to find community. I miss being able to see my friends and family with relative ease. I just want the US to do better, but it's getting worse and worse. And knowing what it's like to live in countries with good public transportation, walkable beautiful cities that are affordable to live in, universal healthcare, etc.. it's so hard to go back to the US where all the walkable and beautiful cities are impossibly expensive to live in. I could do grad school abroad, but the programs/applications work differently and funding doesn't seem as widely available in the countries I'd like to live in for international students/scholars. It's stressful trying to navigate the systems of other countries--- even other English speaking countries. And that would still not help with my feelings of wanting to be nearer to my loved ones. I feel like I don't really belong anywhere fully. That's the price of being able to travel, you leave parts of yourself in other places and no place ever feels quite right. But also the US just needs to suck less.

^ I agree with what PsyDuck90 said and want to emphasize their point about how big funding is. I have always been told that you should never go in to debt for graduate school unless you are doing a professional degree that will lead to a very specific job like medical school or law school. And I have always been told that doctorate programs, specifically, (PhDs, EdDs, etc..) should always fund you. Not only does full funding mean you won't have to go into debt, but it also means that the school respects you as a scholar enough to pay you.

Oh haha, that makes sense! Philosophy doesn't really do internships (but they help us with conferences and stuff like that), but I knew someone in Social Work who got work/an internship through their department, so I think if that's common in your field then they'll probably help you. I found my own internship at the center for the advancement of human rights. I saw the center and walked in and asked them if I could help. It didn't really have anything to do with my degree, but I just wanted to do it because I believed in what they were doing (helping immigrants and refugees). That sucks that the rent has gone up so much! I felt like the affordable rent was one of the selling points of Tallahassee/FSU. That's actually one of the big reasons I chose it over a school in Colorado-- I didn't want to have to live with other people haha

I think summer funding will depend on your department. I was in the philosophy department and usually it was pretty easy to get summer funding, but I remember that one year there was a lot of competition for it, so they gave it to newer students and people who really needed it. I am not sure how other departments handle it, but I found that if I needed it I could usually get it. I am sorry, I am not sure what you mean by internship interviews! Do you mean will they help you find an internship? They might be able to help you find an internship or employment elsewhere on campus or something, but that would be something to ask your specific department.

Hey so I was a grad student at FSU until 2019 (so a few years back), but I lived off-campus (only very technically, it was basically on campus since the campus is integrated into downtown Tallahassee) by myself in a studio apartment just fine with my stipend. If you want to save a lot of money, then living with roommates will help you do that, but I hate living with roommates, so I was willing to pay more for a studio. I lived in a complex called Jefferson Arms and paid about $675 (utilities/wifi included) for my studio within walking distance of campus (but it was near some frat houses which was occasionally very annoying). There are some similarly priced studios nearby. The graduate student union at FSU is very strong (I highly recommend joining it) and they always get us good raises, so I know that stipends have increased since I've been there too and will likely continue to go up (assuming DeSantis doesn't do something evil like destroying the unions). Tallahassee as a whole is very affordable. Tallahassee is not very walkable, but the FSU bus system is good and free with your student ID, so as long as you choose an apartment on one of the bus lines (there are many apartments on the bus line) or you live close enough to walk, then you won't need a car. All your essentials are accessible by bus or on foot. HOWEVER I, a notoriously car-hating person and biking fiend, caved and ended up buying a moped to get around (a popular option amongst students) because I didn't feel safe biking outside of campus, but I do have several friends who biked everywhere and I did for a few months, so it is possible. If you want to go anywhere outside of the general campus-area then not having a car would make that more difficult. I found Tallahassee very safe overall except for the cars/traffic (it's a very car-centric city). I, a small woman, walked alone at night a lot and did not feel unsafe. Tallahassee has a huge divide between the wealthy and the poor and when people say that there's "a high crime rate" in a city, they usually mean that there's over-policing of lower income and predominantly black neighborhoods. I saw that happen in Tallahassee where the police would harass houseless people for just existing. This is not unique to Tallahassee at all, but it happens there. I felt more unsafe around the police than anyone else in Tallahassee. The university itself is very pretty and has a lot of great facilities and there was always something going on. I am happy to answer any specific questions you might have. I felt very at home in Tallahassee and loved the community as a whole.

First of all, 21 is definitely not too old to find a partner. You are still very young. 21 is just beginning your life as an adult. I think we're often told by our culture that we have to follow this very strict deadline of when to find a partner, get married, have kids, etc... but please don't put that pressure on yourself to find a partner by a specific age-- especially an age as young as 21. We all have those fears of not achieving something we really want, whether it be romantic love, a career we love, fame, traveling, success etc..--- whatever it is people have those fears and they're normal and I am not trying to invalidate your feelings. It's valid to yearn and want things from life. Just saying that you have so much time and putting pressure on yourself to meet a timeline that's been set out for us by society will only give you anxiety. That said, there's nothing wrong with wanting a partner and seeking one out in grad school! I think grad school is a great place to meet people with similar interests and values. 🙂 I know tons of people who met their partners while in grad school. Here are some tips that I hope help! (There's a lot haha) Go to events and find people with common interests I recommended joining your grad student union if your university has one. Not only do they help fight for your rights as a union, but they tend to have mixers/get togethers to meet a lot of other grad students from all different departments. These events are a great way to meet people. Bouncing off of that last point--- universities have a lot of events to get to meet people and do things. Get out there and go to the events to meet people. Your building will likely have social events too. Join clubs/groups/sports that interest you! Clubs are a great way to meet people doing something you already love or are interested in trying. Universities have tons of clubs-- I bet there is at least one that will interest you. But don't be afraid to try something new too. I am NOT an athlete at all, but I joined an intermural sports team and had fun despite not being that great. Depending on where your grad school is: get to know the community outside of the campus. You can find people who share your values/interests. I went to music shows, found a coffee shop to do work in and got to know the other people who frequented there who became my good friends, did community theater, got involved in volunteering and activism--- you don't have to do those things specifically of course, but don't be afraid to get involved in the community. Go places and talk to people! When you do what you love and what interests you, then it's easier to find people who share your passions! Try dating apps These are very hit or miss, but they're good to get you out there and meeting people. Having good, clear pictures of you doing what you love is a good way to attract people with similar values/interests. I've seen a lot of men with very unclear photos and profiles where they're not putting their best foot forward/ don't really tell the people who they really are/what they want or value, so having those things could really help stand out to the people you want to attract. A note on dating within your department When I was in grad school the first time, there was a lot of dating within my department. You spend a lot of time with your fellow students so it makes sense feelings might develop. I dated within my department and I do not regret it at all, but I will say to be careful and intentional when you date within the department. There were people in my department who couldn't stand to work together after having dated and that's hard when your department is small. It made their lives harder. There were also people who treated other people like shit when they rejected their advances--- that obviously is not ok behavior. The person I dated in my department was already one of my friends for some time and we both knew we had feelings for each other when we started dating. When we broke up, we ended amicably and we're still good friends a few years later. My advice is to take dating slow within departments to make sure that no one is made to be uncomfortable. Be friends first and get to know people as people before rushing into a relationship. Treat the department as a work place (because it often is if you're a TA or RA). It's ok to date within a work place, but just be extra careful of people's feelings and your own. Be respectful of boundaries and set clear boundaries. Communicate well and don't assume you're on the same page. The most important piece of advice I can give you on dating in grad school (and to anyone in general) is to look for a person and not an idea of a person. I know a lot of people who were disappointed when they idealized someone instead of trying to get to know the person for who they really are. I know that's a lot, but I hope it helps and I hope you enjoy grad school! I think it can be an enjoyable time. 🙂

I don't know about that program specifically, but I would always choose a funded program over an unfunded program! Both schools are good schools and it's not worth going into debt over to get a masters (unless you are independently wealthy and the high tuition and living costs will not hurt you financially). I always advocate for only attending fully funded masters programs in the humanities. I've heard that Columbia, NYU, and Chicago offer their unfunded masters programs to people who they don't accept into their PhD programs as a way to make money off of people. So unless Columbia is offering you a tuition waiver and a stipend, then I wouldn't go for it.

I feel so sad about everything. I feel so burned out and stressed out from the pandemic and all that's happening in the world and in my personal life. It just all feels like too much sometimes. I am mad about capitalism and that a rich owning class owns everything and we have to sell our labour to them and if we don't then we die in the streets even though there's enough food and housing for everyone in the US and working 40 hours a week is ridiculous since most jobs can be done is less time than that. I am mad that in the US we've just all resigned ourselves to our rights being slowly stripped away and the racist policing system and trans people being under attack and people dying from lack of access to healthcare ... In other countries riot and protest in the streets and Americans we just kind of take it lying down. We need a general strike, but Americans just refuse to get involved. I've been a political organizer and getting people involved (even when fighting for their own person rights) is so hard, it's like pulling teeth. And I am scared for the people I love and for myself too.

I absolutely agree that the model of sending unprepared people into teaching is unwise and harmful. The goal of TFA seems to be to get wealthy people to "understand the struggle of working class people and schools" so that when they become law makers they'll improve schools, which seems ridiculous. The "let's funnel money into paying rich kids with little training instead of into the schools themselves with the hope they'll maybe not be shitty when they're in power" sounds like trickle-down economics. I applied originally because my mother was pressuring me to support my entire family and I needed a job. I want to dedicate myself to learning and putting in the work--- I just don't want to go into debt to do it. So you mentioned that residency program and that's exactly the kind of program that I am looking for! So thank you! For anyone who might be lurking or reading this forum in the future, here's a website that lists these kinds of residency/apprenticeship programs that allow you to work with a certified teacher as an assistant and get paid while you do the classes to get certified: https://nctresidencies.org/nctr-network/teacher-residency-members/

This is incredibly helpful, thank you I didn't realize that it would be so difficult to transfer licenses between states, so that's definitely something I need to keep in mind. I've never heard of lateral entry, so I will do more research into that. I (foolishly, it seems) assumed when I first looked into jobs that if I had a Master's in the subject I want to teach, plus years of teaching experience that public schools would want to hire me and the state would pay for my exams/any classes I need to teach. But that seems to be the case only in states I wouldn't want to teach in because of their poor treatment of teachers. I am looking seriously into private schools, too, as you suggested. I applied to a few before I got my job abroad and didn't get an interview at schools that seemed to be a good fit, so I thought perhaps they prefer licensed teachers too. About 10 years ago, I was accepted to TFA NY right out of undergrad, but the school they wanted me to teach at was a charter school that seemed incredibly strict (the children were not allowed to take a pencil out of their case without asking permission to do so...), plus I would have been required to pay $50k for grad school/to get certified while I was teaching, plus I had heard that TFA teachers are kind of looked down on by the other teachers, so I decided to accept a job teaching abroad instead.

I would like to teach in Oregon, Washington, California, or Colorado, but I know if I get licensed in one state that I can get reciprocity in another state. I am currently teaching abroad, so I have a lot of flexibility with where I would move to after my contract here is complete. Haha, that's what I feared! My master's degree was fully funded, so I was thinking maybe because states seem so desperate for teachers that they would have apprenticeship type programs for people to work while they become teachers (but don't have to be hired before joining the program--- I've tried applying for jobs without a license and most of the jobs rejected me stating they require a license before you apply). I found one such apprenticeship program in Colorado that I am going to be applying to (I'm really impressed with the program) and I know that some places like the University of Washington have such programs where they essentially pay you while you get your degree, but those programs I've found at universities are usually for folks who want to be elementary school teachers and I want to teach high school. It's so ridiculous that becoming a teacher is so expensive! I do think it should be rigorous and require a lot of work to make sure one is prepared and knowledgeable, but not expensive. Then you're just keeping out lower-income people who might be amazing teachers. But I know I'm preaching to the choir here. I met the head of the department of education for a state (I'll refrain from saying which one) and she was lovely (truly), but she acted like taking out a $20,000 loan to get licensed (plus money to live on while you're getting the degree) was no big deal... Thank you both for your help!

Hello! Does anyone know of any Master's Programs and/or Teacher Prep (leading to licensure) programs that are fully funded? By that I mean in exchange for being a teaching assistant one is given a full tuition waiver, health insurance, and a stipend to attend school an get a degree? I have a Master's degree in the subject I'd like to teach and I've been trying to find alternative licensure programs/ Master's Programs in Education, but I haven't been able to find many. I figured this information might be useful to a lot of people. Thank you!

That's very helpful, thank you! And that passion absolutely relates to my research interests, so I'll be sure to tie those threads together! I actually found one program, specifically, that's a perfect match for the work that I want to do, but I know it's unwise to pin all of my hopes to getting into that program. I am not only interested in teaching at community colleges, but I like that they provide very cheap or even sometimes free education to everyone and thus are more egalitarian in nature. I'd be happy teaching anywhere, but I know that I'd prefer a more teaching-focused position. I'd love to teach at a small liberal arts college or a big state school too, but I just imagine there aren't as many of those jobs available. I think that you're right that I should focus on the positives of what English has to offer. I think English is where all the cool philosophers doing real philosophy are secretly hiding out. But I know I definitely can't say that haha

Hello Everyone! I am making the switch from philosophy to lit and I'd love some advice please! I have a master's in philosophy and since getting my master's I've been teaching English abroad in a few different countries and I worked for a nonprofit (in a job I hated). I'd like to get an MA in English (I'm only applying to funded programs--- just as I did with my Master's in philosophy) and then either apply to PhD programs (if the spirit moves me) or find a job teaching at a community college or at a high school. I, of course, did research in my philosophy program and I enjoyed it, but I would say that my real loves are teaching and community activism. I am applying to a few MA/PhD programs that are great fits and for those programs I plan to speak primarily about my research interests, but for the MA programs would it hurt my application (or potentially help it) if I say that my goal is to teach at a community college? Would saying that make it seem like I would not be serious in my research? Also, we all know how abysmal the humanities job market it (I dare say the philosophy job market even more so than English), but when people say that there are "no jobs" are they including community colleges? And are community colleges more likely to hire someone with a PhD than a masters? Or does having the Masters and not PhD indicate that community colleges are the goal and not the last resort option? I've seen many listings for community college jobs in English, but I wasn't sure if the lack of jobs meant that all the PhDs were taking those jobs even if those jobs aren't their first choice jobs (it often means that in Philosophy). Also, how specific should I be about my intended research? I have a research project in mind (I plan to talk about it for MA/PhD programs), but will it hurt me to be too specific in my interests applying to MA programs? I don't want them to think that I am too set on a specific project, but I don't want them to think I haven't thought about it either. Should I just say broadly I am interested in, for example, queer representations in 20th century American literature and film or critical race theory? And does it seem like I am "bashing philosophy" too much if I say that I think philosophy has done a poor job of addressing social justice issues, and that English seems to be better in this regard and thus is better for my work? Thank you! Edit: One more question, I am planning to submit a piece of writing I wrote during grad school that related directly to my research interests in lit, but it is a philosophy paper. Would it be better to take a lit paper I wrote in undergrad and fix it up as a writing sample, or to submit the philosophy paper that better shows my writing chops and relates to my research interests?