LandWhale

Hi geogeek, We're in the same boat, although for different reasons. I was in a long and happy relationship, moved across the country, and got dumped after only seven weeks of being apart from my (ex)-girlfriend. I'm quite lonely here, so I know how easy it can be to find yourself obsessing over how things could have gone better, thinking about how much you love her, how much you hate her, etc. My advice? Hit the books hard. No doubt you've got a lot of work to do in your graduate program. Commit yourself to doing it, and doing it to the best of your ability. It's much more difficult to dwell on the past when you've got a tower of readings to get through. Hang in there.

Without trying to hijack this thread, I do have a similar question. I had a rough time (personally/medically) during my undergrad. I switched majors and came away with an overall GPA of 3.0 (71%). In History, it was something like 3.3 (76%). And in my final year or so, I finished very strong. I am currently in the first year of an MA, and I'm doing quite well. I have great reference letters, and I know that I will be able to write an excellent SOP. Likewise, I'm sure that, when I'm ready to apply, I will have a very good writing sample ready for submission. Ever since turning things around and really getting into my schoolwork, I've had dreams of going to a "big" program (my interests are fairly well represented at almost all top schools). That said, I wonder if my low undergrad marks are going to disqualify me from these sorts of programs? Seeing as how I do not have the marks to 'wow' an application committee, should I wait until my thesis is finished before applying to the schools I'm interested in? Will doing a second MA (one-year this time) help my cause, in that it might allow me to get some more strong marks under my belt? Thanks, Gradcafe!

Hi Gradcafe, Long time reader, first time poster. I'm in my first year of an MA program, and I've come to feel that my supervisor and I aren't at all on the same page. While this individual seems to be a fantastic person, we approach history in completely different ways -- our perspectives are different, our interests are different, etc. The only thing that connects us is our shared historical interest in a specific time and place. I believe my supervisor feels the same way about me, although I doubt they would ever say as much. I do not want to switch away from my MA supervisor, because I am scared of the potential for 'bad blood'. That said, I also do not want to stay with my supervisor at the expense of my eventual MA thesis. I guess my question is, can you write a quality MA thesis under a supervisor who holds fundamentally different historical perspectives and interests? Have any of you ever found yourself in this boat, and if so, how did it turn out? Thanks, Gradcafe.