marlowe

Thus, YOU CAN ALL DO THIS. Re-Group next year (like so many of us have done), and come back stronger.

Alright, I'm gonna cheer you guys up. Please, if you haven't been accepted anywhere yet, don't read. And keep the faith-- it only takes one.

Some highlights from the last week or two.

In the student union here, one of those wonderful old grand collegiate buildings, with dusty paintings of past presidents and fancy old stone arches and a flag room, where in the holiday season they get this giant Christmas tree and the local elementary school kids come and sing carols, they keep a fire going in the winter. It was snowing out. I sat in a chair next to the fireplace, facing the window, and just read what I was interested in reading for hours. No purpose, not for a class, not stressing out taking notes, just reading in front of the fire.

I got an email from one of my students. She's one of our brilliant engineering students. The first couple years of engineering are hell, here. They come right out tell the students: we're trying to get you to quit. You're not going to make it. She was looking to see if I would write her a letter of recommendation. She said that she had gone into the semester expecting my class to be a drag, but that it ended up being her favorite class. She told me that I was the only instructor who knew her name.

Yesterday, I got lost in a research spiral for four hours.

In my building, there's the Purdue Online Writing Lab, there's the journal Arthuriana, there's an Indigenous and Endangered Languages lab, there's an audiology and phonology clinic where little kids run around with diodes on their heads so we can do brain scans, there's an Xbox hidden in a room undergrads don't know about, if you need to blow off some steam.... Our offices are mixed between the different programs and subdivisions. In mine, we've got people doing rhet/comp, ESL, SLS, lit and philosophy, theory and cultural studies, getting their MFA. Sometimes I just sit around and listen to them gab about their projects and research. Wherever you guys go, you'll be surrounded by brilliant people doing amazing things. Forget imposter syndrome. People are doing real research, right next to you-- you can't help but feel inspired.

Sometimes my students come to my office hours just to hang and gab about music and movies. I put my feet up on the desk and joke about how hard engineering is.

There's never any money, and the car broke down again, and I can't afford to fly home for my best friend's engagement party. But even in Lafayette, IN, there's a bunch of cool bars where you can get cheap hoppy beer and good pretzels. My girlfriend and I go to concerts and see free movies on campus. Yesterday I helped some brilliant young students carry their solar electric car into the union. We just built the world's fastest campus supercomputer and an electrical wire only four atoms thick. That stuff moves me. There's a farmers market, April through October, just down the street from our house. I try to bike to school twice a week. The secretary will let you sneak some free printing if you're nice to her and I order free books from publishers all the time. Tomorrow I've getting together with some people in my cohort so we can write a panel proposal for the Watson conference. My curriculum design class is putting together an IEP that's actually going to be implemented; you can get cheap milkshakes at the convenience store in the Stewart center. I'm growing a big bushy grad school beard, because why not? The director of my program is brilliant and caring. She's on leave this semester, so she wrote us a letter. She ended it by saying "I love you all," and she really meant it.

On Fridays, I can sleep in as long as I want.

You guys are gonna have everything you wanted. This is just the bullshit you have to put up with for just a bit longer. In 8 months, you'll be ensconced in your programs, and the idea that you could care that some other program rejected you is going to seem like an absurd dream. All of this will be worth it the moment you're writing and researching and you get there and say, yeah-- that's what I want to say. Just hold on.

I love that the "0% Confidence of Acceptence" thread has turned into "let's support each other through this cripplingly difficult time/let's celebrate each other's victories" thread. (Note: not meant as "tough to decipher internet sarcasm"; meant in earnest.)

It's so encouraging to see so many supportive people on here. It makes me really excited to get to know you guys professionally, as we develop into the next community of scholars and intellectuals. So, I guess my point is, yay us

<3 to all

I know it sucks guys, but hang in there.

Plenty of us have been through one (or more) rounds of across the board rejections. As the philosopher Argent once wrote, 'hold your head up'.

Wow, you're acerbic as all hell! I love it, though. I must admit to laughing aloud at the "what's it like to be illiterate and pursuing an English PhD?" comment.

On Harry Potter and other matters of literary worth:

I don't think there's any way to establish a firm canon (as others have stated), but c'mon, not every piece of writing is as deserving as others. I'm starting to think about the academic department in White Noise that analyzes cereal boxes.

I think a starting point for establishing "literary" value (and I realize that this is contentious and certainly open to criticism/debate) is to evaluate the complexity of the ideas within the work and the originality with which they are expressed. One also can look at the historical/cultural impact, etc, certainly, but hugely canonical works (think Shakespeare plays) aren't ubiquitously read simply because they've had enormous historical/cultural impact, you know?



I'm glad you posted this! I loved this interview.

Not to be the diplomatic waffling person, but I think we're talking about conflicting values, not objective literary worth. Some of us will never understand each others' respective fields, but that doesn't mean we have to be all snobbish about it. The idea that anything belongs/doesn't belong in the canon always gives me a shudder; it's like this form of social engineering through literature.

Ah, looking forward to these.



Ah, agreed on both accounts. I love Holmes, and the Cumberbatch interpretation is pretty awesome.

I loved the Jurassic Parks, the Thomas Harris/Hannibal Lector films. I always tend to prefer the books, however.

Our Adcomms, who reign (pre)academia, hallowed be thy names; thy decisions come, thy will, alas, be done, for us, and for those accepted; give us this day our daily decision, and forgive the spelling mistakes on our apps, as we forgive those who misspell against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us an acceptance, for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for now and through March. Amen.

Pos Rep. You can get me back later.

Phew, congrats! Was sincerely rooting for you!

Thanks Marlowe. I was gonna +1 your post, but I got a message that said "You have reached your quota of positive votes for the day." WHAT? We have a QUOTA? How are we supposed to support each other in the midst of all this drama???

For all the acceptees, are you planning on going to the visit weekend? I've been to the campus before (it's the bomb), but not when classes were in session, so I'm pretty sure I'll be attending. It'd be lovely to meet some of you!

Yeah Marlowe! So stoked for you!

HOLY SHIT. At my lowest point (see above), I get a call from UVA. I'm in. Goddamn! Time for a beer or three. Idealists can win! I'm rooting for all of you.

Ha! Evelyn Waugh is my favorite author, I think. I have read just about everything that he has written except for his letters (and I am saving a couple of novels for a rainy day - I have already purchased them!).

Have you read Confederacy of Dunces? (John Kennedy Toole) I would absolutely recommend it to anyone, although I have met people that didn't like it.

Go UNC Tonight!!

Ha! Evelyn Waugh is my favorite author, I think. I have read just about everything that he has written except for his letters (and I am saving a couple of novels for a rainy day - I have already purchased them!).

Have you read Confederacy of Dunces? (John Kennedy Toole) I would absolutely recommend it to anyone, although I have met people that didn't like it.

I will say, this site is both the best and worst thing to have happened to me in the last few years.

I just received an e-mail from the DGS letting me know that my formal acceptance would be coming in the mail soon! Excited! Hope you all hear good news soon!

Edit: Posted on the results page as MA, but to clarify, it should be MA to PhD in Literary Studies.

Thanks Marlowe I appreciate any and all words of wisdom, and/or reality checks.

Grunty, I have had six schools notifying people with no word for me (before this afternoon). I know it sucks, but hang in there!

Madison! Gah, a single acceptance changes everything. I love all of you.

Madison! Gah, a single acceptance changes everything. I love all of you.

HOLY SHIT, GUYS! I am in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am going to get a PhD. Thank the lord. Soooooooooo excited.

HOLY SHIT, GUYS! I am in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am going to get a PhD. Thank the lord. Soooooooooo excited.