qbtacoma

Depending on seating, inappropriate laptop usage can be extremely distracting to other students as well. Plus, "they paid for the class" isn't really appealing to me: education isn't a product like a shirt which can be treated however. It is a contract between the student and the professor/university in which both are responsible for the amount of learning attained, in different ways. It's like ignoring your doctor's recommendations and saying "well, I paid for the appointment." Do that long enough and your doctor will "fire" you.

Also coffee. Or, you could buy them lunch. Pretty much any tasty option is correct. Glad to hear it all worked out!

I think this kind of toxic attitude is possible because there are so many qualified people competing. This fundamentally allows people to sort us out by willingness to work, since at some point it becomes meaningless to sort us by qualifications or how closely our interests/experience match whatever research goals our employers have: there are so many of us who match that it doesn't whittle down the applicant pool at all any longer (is that a mixed metaphor?). Hence: this kind of crap. Tangentially: the dire oversupply of qualified people makes me skeptical of claims some of my friends make that the private market should/will provide employment for academics should government-funded sources be removed. Uh, no. There's already so many people who want jobs in every single field that some of us would be willing to work in the private sector at any price right now - and yet, despite the relatively low cost to firms of hiring extremely qualified people to do research in whatever, those jobs aren't appearing except in industries which already have profitable products (chemistry, engineering, etc.). It is obvious to me that no matter how valuable a given kind of research is to the public (invasive species impact reduction, for instance, or in my field research increasing public knowledge about historically oppressed peoples), unless there is a matching profitable product to go along with it, the private sector will not respond no matter how cheap our labor becomes. The private sector doesn't need to compete with government funding to get qualified people, so the fact that they don't have oodles of Ph.Ds working on things speaks to the fact that most projects simply must have government funding. Anyway, just had to take a moment there to attack the "free market always does it better" narrative.

I had a scheduling crisis this first week which really wiped me out. Background: I needed to pass a translation exam in Spanish to get my language requirement out of the way so I could start learning Chinese for my research. However, I was very nervous for the test and had no idea if I would pass it, though I was assured by many that it was not *that* difficult. As a result, I didn't register for Chinese because there was a possibility that I would have to continue with Spanish until I passed the exam. Well, once I passed the translation exam and looked into Chinese course offerings, I realized that 1) they were all filled up with massive waitlists, and 2) every single section offered intersected with a class I already had. Wednesday was pretty intense: I was fairly sure that I wouldn't be admitted into a Chinese section, since I would be a hassle for the professor, thereby delaying my progress by a year. Plus, I had my first chat with one of my informal advisors, and he really ripped into my proposed course of study. (Nicely. And he's right that my ideas are currently ill-conceived.) It really took the wind out of my sails. Also, I have an application for grants due really soon, in which I have to basically outline a plausible proposal for my thesis. I didn't expect to do this so soon - in fact, I was counting on having some time to actually, you know, find out what happened in my area. But now I need to come up with a theoretically robust proposal. Gah! However, at least I'm in Chinese now. I was so exhausted on Wednesday that I came home and slept for 12 hours.

Simple rule for me: you can have a laptop, but if I find out you've been on Facebook or whatever, it is gone forever. We'll see how they like that (my first discussion section is tomorrow) but I think as long as I'm consistent it will be fine. Plus, I plan on making the class move around a lot, so the temptation to stray will be less I hope (as I will have ample opportunity to see the screen). A more experienced TA suggested calling on laptop-havers to look up information if she didn't know the answer to a question, and said she got good responses - it kept people engaged.

It's just polite to make sure it's not poisoned.

Are you sure the regular bus,the 594, won't get you to Tacoma by 8:30? That's way cheaper and more convenient. I know that used to be the case, for commuters, and I've definitely gotten to Tacoma from Seattle before 8 before (granted, I had to leave at 6:30). The 594 will get you downtown in about an hour and then you can take the 16 straight to UPS. However, I know the bus system has suffered cuts recently, so I don't know the current situation. Go to www.piercetransit.org for the bus in Tacoma.

As you acknowledge, it is ill-advised to change your long-term career goals for the sake of a relationship this young. I would suggest just enjoying the relationship for what it is, as it is happening, and not thinking too deeply about the future. If it turns out that you can't stay together, then you will have made wonderful memories without regret; and if you do get to be together, great! However, some folks don't like to be in a relationship at all unless they know there is a decent chance of being together in the long term, so this advice wouldn't work for you if that is your preferred relationship style. ETA: Rereading this, it doesn't actually give you advice on the question you ask, so here's what I think: don't talk about it until a choice is actually before you, i.e. there's an offer to go to the job/school. I think this because if you talk about it beforehand, it will distract from enjoying the relationship in the moment. Again, though, this method may or may not work for you.

Do it! I've been toying with this idea myself.

In my experience, hanging out with friends in a bar and not drinking myself is no big deal at all. Lots of bars serve snacks, too, and at times I've enjoyed some nachos or something while my friends drank. The only time it is annoying to be with drunk people is when they talk about nothing except being drunk/alcohol. That's a little boring for me.

Of all the sections of the GRE, the writing score is the least valued almost universally. This is because they will have several samples of your writing (the academic writing sample, SOP, and personal statement if there is one) and can judge for themselves whether you can write logically and analytically. Now, I'm not sure if the dismissal of the GRE writing score will excuse really bad scores. If someone got a 2 or 3 that would seem to me to be a red flag, but don't take my word for that.

Oh, come on. Asking a "so what?" question isn't the same as telling someone they aren't qualified to participate in the discussion, which is what you did to Zeemore and which is the thing that I called rude and unacceptable. That, my friend, is censorship. Calling you out for bad behavior isn't. You may also note that in the same post of mine you quoted I complimented you by calling your argument "interesting and worthwhile" - does this sound like I don't value your opinion? The manner in which you argue, however, could be improved. But, fine. I'm thin-skinned and doomed to suffer in from the intense heat of grad school, and you are rude. We're all agreed now. As you say, however, I may have read more into your statement than you intended (re: personal attack), but that is probably partially a function of this being the internet (and not real life with its nonverbal cues) and also the brusque way you have often responded in the thread.

No, what will kill you is getting a letter from someone who doesn't know your work and can't speak to your specific strengths as a student. Every single applicant has glowing letters; it isn't enough for a professor to know you are smart/hardworking. This isn't an area where reputation will hurt you, but vagueness will. If this professor has been engaged enough to encourage you to publish, you should be all over this rec like a grad student on free food. FWIW, one of my letter writers was a visiting prof when I knew him, and I was in my freshman year and not even a history major at the time. Of course I am but one datum, but my case proves it can be done.

I agree with wtncffts - I can absolutely see someone with a self-righteous attitude believe he was not in the wrong and in fact that his victims deserved it. It isn't unrealistic to me that a book-smart person would be capable of doing something like this. Don't worry, OP - you will never, ever get into grad school. You are too reprehensible and anyone who reads your story would fear for their own safety, since you seem to have no remorse or logical understanding of how you come off. There's no way you can hide what you done, not even by intimidating the people you think are responsible. In fact, any move to do so will further destroy any small credibility you have left. Give up now, and be satisfied with whatever career prospects you already have.

I'm not quite done reading the thread yet, but I really have to jump in and say YES. The much less sexy bureaucratic support from and institution is nonetheless extremely important. My undergrad institution, though well-known in its region and well-regarded by adcomms in many fields, is not well-known generally. My opinion of the student body is that it is...not mediocre, exactly, but there are lots of kids who are going to college because that's what you do. A few stars, but overall not that special. Yet every year several students get Watsons, Fullbrights, Rhodes, Peace Corps, or other high-profile accolades. This is all because of one staff member whose job it is to help students craft their applications to these programs. She makes a HUGE difference.

For an applicant like you, emphasizing your thematic interests will be key. Yes, you should absolutely say how you came to the conclusion that US history is for you, but you can present yourself more cohesively if you focus on theoretical threads running throughout your undergrad interests. Immigration is nice because, obviously, it is inherently about reconciling regional changes. But if you look at your background again you might find other commonalities which drew you to each course. Try to remember what made you think each class would be interesting to take or what you wrote papers about. Remember, though, that at the end of the day the SOP is about where you want to go in the future with your academic interests, so not as much weight should rest on what you have already done. Good luck.

I use the all natural peanut butter which is just peanuts and salt - the other stuff has sugar and things whipped into it. (If you haven't used it before, make sure to mix the peanut oil back into the peanut butter before using.) After adding it to the warmed milk/cream base, I stir until the peanut butter is fully incorporated into the liquid, so the mixture becomes a thick sludge (unappetizing word, but I closest to the texture you are going for). Obviously you can add more liquid or peanut butter to get the consistency you prefer, but there should be no distinct chunks of peanut butter at all. At that point you simmer it to fully mix all the flavors together and perhaps make it thicker if you added too much liquid. Try adding half the amount of peanut butter you plan on using and mixing it in to see how it works, and you'll see that it won't take too long to fully mix them together. If there isn't enough liquid, then it will turn into the unappetizing clumpy mess; that may have been your problem before.

Yes! I've used both coconut milk and half-and-half for the non-peanut base. Use 2 cups milk/cream to one cup peanut butter - heat it very slowly so it doesn't curdle. Also, I've only ever used fresh or dried peppers for seasoning, not powder, and I think this makes a big difference. Cook it in the cream/milk as you heat it (how much depends on your taste and the heat of each particular pepper), add the peanut butter and stir constantly to break it up. Simmer about 15 minutes. Add about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and about a tablespoon of brown sugar, with some soy sauce or salt to taste at the end.

I agree with this. While I don't think you should apologize, I also think that you should make whatever decision seems most reasonable and safe for you. It is better for you to get what you need than for your parents to get the (metaphorical) slap in the face they deserve. And if you can get their money, the more power to you. I would caution, though, that every connection you have to them gives them another opportunity to abuse you. But interrupting your education plus dealing with how to pull the practicalities of your life together is also a high cost. Basically, I'm advocating for a harm-reduction strategy: do what you need to do to make things better for yourself right now, even (especially!) if the ideal outcome isn't attainable yet.

I think by apologizing to your parents you would be feeding back into the cycle of abuse, where you are made to be "responsible" for their bad behavior. You seem to be leaning this way already, but I would say don't have any contact with them again, if at all possible. It is not safe for you to interact with them, much less acquiesce to their ridiculous bullshit demand that you apologize for your own injuries!

As you are obviously aware, your parents are using college money as a way to control and continue their abuse of you. I am so sorry to hear about all this! As others have pointed out, you have options. I strongly suggest making an appointment with your financial aid officer; he or she will be able to help work out a plan for you. Also you could consider transferring to a community college for this coming year (am I correct in reading you as a sophomore?) which will be way more affordable in the short term. I advise trying to avoid private loans and credit card debt if you can, just because the interest rates can be ridiculous. If you have a family member who is a veteran or currently in the military (grandparent, aunt or uncle perhaps), you may qualify for a USAA credit card. Get it! They may even have a college loan program as well. I cannot recommend it more highly - if you qualify, you should have no other credit card. Although all this disruption is very taxing, try not to forget that your education is for you. Even without your parents' help, you can get a degree to be proud of, even if you have to transfer to a cheaper school or take a semesters off to work. As these boards show, there are plenty of nontraditional students having success in graduate school, so do what is best for you right now without feeling pressure that if you don't go to undergrad right now, you'll never succeed. That's not true! Study what thrills you and do what you have to do to make it happen. Good luck!

I know a while back there was an issue where Amazon accidentally sold some book for Kindle that the publisher/author didn't want on Kindle, and to fix the problem Amazon simply yanked the book out of all the Kindles. It repaid the consumers for the book, of course, but there was an uproar on that. It still seems to be theoretically possible for someone to delete books from your Kindle library, unless of course you never connect it to the internet again. Just something to be aware of.

Here are some existing threads that I have found helpful: I am eager to hear what other historians have to say, though, especially regarding research difficulties specific to our field.

Unlikely Grad, I just got warm fuzzies thinking about you taking your kid to the lab for one-on-one time. I loved spending downtime with my parents like that growing up, and I'm sure your kids will look back fondly on that someday.

Yeah, when you have that attitude toward feminism it isn't much of a surprise when you turn out to feel entitled to touch your students, huh? What a loser he is.