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arthasdk

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  • Gender
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  • Location
    Connecticut
  • Application Season
    2018 Fall
  • Program
    MPP

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  1. Hi everyone! I'm looking for something to do this summer as part of a personal "mini-sabbatical" that I'm taking before starting grad school this fall. Here's the background: I've worked FT since finishing college back in 2009. While working in my field I completed my MPA part-time while working and also caring for my ill spouse. After several years of nonstop stress from work, school, home, finances, etc. - I'm in desperate need of a break....so of course, I decided to get another master's degree! I know, I'm a bit of a masochist What's different this time? Working FT and grad school PT was no fun for many different reasons, mostly because I wasn't able to totally immerse myself in my studies because back then work had to be my #1 priority. This time around I am diving right in and will be attending school FT. I still haven't worked out what to do about work. I've been going back and forth between asking my current employer to switch me to PT work and just leaving and focusing 100% on school, but the work thing is a whole different story... So back to my original question. Regardless of what happens with work, I am planning to take a few weeks off this summer to relax and chill out and hopefully do something, but I'm not sure what. I have a few interests but have had no time to pursue any of them. For example I've been writing on and off for a bit but haven't really had time to just focus. I'm not looking to go away on vacation - been there done that plus I already have 2 family/friend vacations scheduled for later this year. Home is hectic, so I'd like to go somewhere quiet and peaceful for a personal retreat, beginner's writing workshop, a conference, lecture series or something like that at. It could be at a university but doesn't have to be. For example, I've looked at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, the IHS Summer Seminars, the Wesleyan Writers Conference, etc. I'm located in CT, so ideally something in New England or upstate NY would be great because I could drive myself there. But I'm close enough to NYC airports that I would also be ok flying somewhere too. Looking forward to hearing what suggestions you have!
  2. Is anyone else done?! Turned in my final assignment and now just hanging out til graduation :)

  3. Chromebook is the best! I got the Samsung 11.6 inch one (which is now "old") when I started my masters program in fall 2013 and it has been awesome. I've used it to take notes and to organize and archive of my school files on Google Drive. I think this is the best option in terms of battery life, portability, etc. as long as you know that you have to be connected to wifi in order to use it and as long as you don't need to run any specific programs. Like you, I have a full-sized laptop at home with Microsoft Office so knew that I could always use that if necessary. To be honest though I did most of my work and general web browsing on Chromebook and then downloaded files from Google Docs to Word on my laptop whenever I needed to use it for formatting. I also realized that this was a non-issue once I found out that my school offered free Office 365 to students (yours might too). If you have access to that then you can always save files in Dropbox and use Word Online, PPT Online, etc. to edit those while using Chromebook.
  4. Hi Decaf, It's totally doable but it does take a little while to get adjusted to your new schedule. For me the biggest struggle was finding enough time to sleep and forcing myself to plan out meals ahead of time so that I wouldn't be skipping meals or eating a ton of fast food on the run (and making my body feel worse). I'm not familiar with your program but it sounds like your studies and your work assignment will be very closely related. That is a tremendous help and I think will help you stay encouraged and remain focused even during busy and stressful times. I know that in my situation my work responsibilities and coursework really complement each other and I find that to be a big help! One other thing I would say is that you will need to be careful to plan out enough time to get your school assignments done. A big adjustment for me was realizing that those all-nighters (that are so common in undergrad) aren't as easy to do when you have to get up early for work, spend all day working, and then head straight to class afterwards. Also, take advantage of any breaks that you have - winter break, summer break, or even if it's just a few days between courses. Having that downtime to relax and recharge is invaluable, even if you have to work during the day! Like you, I work full-time and attend grad school part-time (2 courses per semester). For the first 2 years of my program I also held a part-time job AND cared for my now disabled husband. That also meant that I was also responsible for all of the chores, logistics of running our household, and groceries. I don't know what your personal and family responsibilities are but I mention that to say that even when life throws a curveball your way and piles more "work" on top of your existing obligations it IS still possible to get it all done although you may find that you have less leisure and social time than you would prefer and you might have to make some tough choices. For me, that meant giving up that second job (tough to give up that extra money when money is already tight) and forcing myself to have some "downtime" and just relax (reading books, watching TV, playing WoW, etc.) so that I wouldn't go nuts! Good luck!
  5. Thanks so much for posting this. I'm just starting to look into PhD programs and this is very helpful!
  6. Does anyone have experience with developing a capstone project for a MPA (public administration) program? The program I'm in is new and I'm in the first cohort, so there are no past projects to use as examples. I recall the program director saying that the capstone can be flexible - for example, a project that we take on for a nonprofit, or a traditional thesis, etc. I have a topic in mind but it's relatively new while there has been some recent news coverage, there isn't much in the literature yet. When I emailed the program director about it he didn't discourage me but made some recommendations about how to broaden the topic. However, I still don't know what the best approach will be. I'm a bit early on this (about 2 semesters out from starting the capstone), but I'm brainstorming now because I really want it to be something that I'm interested in and hopefully make it a meaningful project. I will be meeting with the program director this week to further discuss, but I wanted to see if anyone here has ideas about how to get started based on their own research experiences.
  7. What field are you in? I was in the same boat last year and I selected a program that is designed with working students in mind.
  8. Hi fellow grad students I'm looking for a recommendation on a home printer that can print double-sided. The costs of printing at school or the public library are adding up really fast especially printing out readings and research articles. B/W double-sided printing is a must, color would be nice but not required. Suggestions are welcome!
  9. Sounds like we are in a similar position! I will also be attending an unfunded program and I'm trying to find outside sources. I know it's late in the game at this point, but have you found anything? I'm finding that either the deadline has passed or the funding is for full-time students (I'll be part-time).
  10. Apologies if this has been covered already. I will be starting an MPA program in the fall and I'm wondering if anyone has recommendations for summer prep. I'm thinking of books, articles, journals, topics to review, etc. over the summer to refresh. If it helps, here is my background: Econ major, 4 years out of undergrad.
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