SeriousSillyPutty

Funny story: I was used to periodically getting invitations to honors societies asking for membership fees, and I figured they were after my money more than anything and would toss them. Then one day after class, a prof I liked congratulated me on being nominated to Phi Beta Kappa. I explained that I probably wasn't going to join since it was expensive and I didn't really get the point, and he said, "No, you really should join." -- and he made arrangemcents for the department to pay the fee. So, then I had to go home and look for the form, but sure enough I'd ripped in half and thrown it away, so I had to contact the guy in charge and asked for another copy. When I picked it up, he asked if I had thrown out the application and I had to admit I had. How was I supposed to know PBK was different?! (If only I had known about gradcafe back then...) There isn't a chapter in my area, so I still don't really get the point of it, but it's well known enough that I have kept it on my resume. Their LinkedIn group also has some good discussions... and maybe good networking, too?

Not international or engineering, so don't know how valid my thoughts are, but... 1) I was a physics undergrad, took five years off, and then went to school for science education but had to take some physics classes. In my experience, calculus is NOT like riding a bicycle. There was a lot of math I had forgotten, and even when I re-learned, it, I was "out of shape" computationally and things took me forever. People were very helpful and I survived with a B, but if I had had to deal with all the other grad school transitions you are dealing with, and TAing, I don' think I could have done it. 2) I wouldn't worry so much about knowing the material for TAing. It seems a lot of people have to re-learn material (or, in some cases, learn it for the first time) in order to TA, and that is acceptable. In many science programs, it is common for students to TA the first one or two years before becoming an RA. 3 &4) Yes, 9 credits can still feel like a full load. Moving and new jobs are always stressful, moving to another country adds a layer, and foreign language adds another letter. (It sounds like your English is fluent, but having to do everything in a foreign language can be exhausting!) That being said, most schools do have support systems in place for international students. 5) I don't know how common it is to not guarantee funding, but I don't like the idea of having to pay for everything and hope for the best, especially since moving here is such a big investment by itself. I think I would go with the less exciting offer that provided funding, if that is possible. Or, like you say, wait a year and work on skills you know you'll need. Maybe you could email the school you turned down and ask to be put on their wait list? You can explain that you were trying to give them the best information you had in a timely manner, but you didn't have all the information yourself at the time, and new information makes their offer more appealing. Good luck!

One friend of mine joined a chapter of a group at his grad school that he had been involved with a lot as his undergrad. He and his wife were disappointed that they weren't more welcoming... she was disillusioned with the whole town, and blamed it, but I think it was more that the UGs didn't know how to relate to them. The group leadership, as undergrads, probably felt awkward "leading" their academic superiors. That being said, another girl I know at my school joined a flag football team that is UG and grad students and had a really positive experience. Keep your eye out for non-student groups too, like young professionals groups. Here, there's a group called "St. Louis Transplants" specifically designed for people to meet and rebuild their network here. If you are at all religious, I strongly recommend joining (and getting involved in!) a church/religious community , as they can be a great source of support. In classes, don't be afraid to ask other students for "help" or get their feedback. Sometimes, "What'd you get for number three?" or "Did you do the second reading yet?" or "How long do you think he wants the reflection?" can be a good icebreaker.

Anyone going to SF for AERA this week? Any tips for an AERA first-timer?

Haha... My first thought after reading the OP was what you articulated -- that if you catch your own "dumb" mistakes, then you're clearly not dumb -- but you phased that part well! And to be honest, what helps me begin to "let go" of school stuff a wee bit is telling myself that there are healthier things I should be doing: Getting sleep and spending time with people who don't care about my school performance top the list. I mandated no school work on Sundays, and although it's been hard at times, and when I'm busy I really wish I had those extra hours, over-all I think it's helped me to prevent burnout. I can say, "Yep, maybe if I hadn't taken children to the park this weekend I would have been able to create a better paper. Maybe. But I don't regret taking them to the park, and they certainly appreciated my time more than my prof would appreciate that extra paragraph, so there!"

I had the same question and started a separate thread: (My first conference is next weekend -- should be interesting!)

If you search the forum for writing anxiety, I think you'll find you're not alone in getting blocked on papers. I too am a first year student, and while I had major writer's block anxiety as an undergrad, I thought my work years would have helped me to outgrow it. Alas, they didn't. It wasn't that I needed help learning how to write, and it wasn't just time management... it was that, if I sat locked in a room with absolutely no stimulation but my paper, I would try to write a sentence, I would question if it was the right sentence, freeze, and then contemplate my belly button for an hour. I needed someone to help me figure out why I had such big block when it came to writing papers, even though I am so verbose that I regularly write 1,000-word emails (and GC posts, for that matter) then have to dial them back. So I took advantage of my university's free student counseling. I'm not "cured", and the only paper I've had to write since getting help was for a class outside my department (less pressure), so it's not a controlled experiment, but talking to someone did help. I really care about the craft of writing (as it sounds like you do too), and when I put something in a paper, it feels like it is an official record of my mind, so I want to be exactly right. It sounds silly, but contrary to the platitude about "giving it 110%", I'm trying to convince myself that 90% will be okay. If there is a weak point or hole in a paper, acknowledge it, skip it, and write the rest of the paper. Then if I have time before the deadline and nothing else to do (this never happens) I can go back and fix it. Someone else on the forum said that, when writing personal statements, got the juices flowing by writing a really awful statement. I've done this sometimes with starting papers. (Ex: "Some people don't believe in global warming. That's stupid cuz all the scientists know it's real. But people are brainwashed and then try to stay brainwashed. That's stupid. We should change it.") If it's intentionally awful, it doesn't matter how disorganized, poorly worded, or rhetorically unsound it is, but you can still hit some of your main points, and it can be a way of expressing what you want to get at. Have you heard of WriteOrDie.com ? It makes obknoxious sounds at you if you quit typing for more than a few seconds. It's horrible for writing well-crafted prose, and not so great for academic stuff where you have to be referencing things all the time, but I have found it useful. After I read a paper that gets me thinking, I'll pull up Write Or Die and spend a half hour writing my thoughts based on the article and any connections to other stuff I've thought about. I don't cite anything, I make claims I'm not positive I can support, and if I can't think of how to finish a sentence I just hit Enter and start a new one. Then I paste that into a file called "paper scraps", which I later used to provide some scaffolding to more proper work. It turns out I don't have to change as much as I think I will. It's basically a way to trick myself into writing SOMETHING which is what I know I should do but get frozen on when I think of it as part of a formal paper. The last thing I did was that I looked at the due date and realized that I would be swamped with tests that week, so I knew I had to get started on the paper earlier (I had all semester to write it), but also knew I always go up the deadline. So, I emailed the prof and told him that I had to have the deadline moved up so that I could focus on other things. Realistically, he probably wouldn't have done anything if I didn't turn it in on "my" due date, but fear of breaking the commitment I had made was enough to force me to get it done by the date I said. I could easily work on it for another week, and it would be better... there were aspects of the issue I didn't touch, sources I over-used when it would have been better to use their sources, etc. But: It. Is. Done. And if he wants me to fix it later, I can. Or if I want to use part of it for a future publication, I can fix it up. It's 90%, and that is good enough. "Done is better than good," as my friend reminds me. ...Now let's see if I can remember this for the next paper... Good luck!

I second this. It seems messed up to me that one "job" (grad school) can dictate whether or not you have another job, but that's how it works here. I get that they are paying me to be a student, and expect me to spend time doing that, but if I spend twelve hours a week volunteering or pursuing a hobby, they won't complain unless my work suffers. If did the exact same activities and got paid, they'd raise a big stink! Ask the department administrator for insight into what is officially allowed, and also what is considered acceptable by faculty. (If you can get tips as to how your adviser will react before you tell him/her, so much the better!)

I would say you need a phone, but you DO NOT need a smart phone. Yes, there would be times when it would be nice to look something up, but I've survived just fine without one. Still, my professor has often called or texted to reschedule appointments, and it's nice being able to coordinate at the last minute with classmates for studies groups. I am old school enough that I like to have a plan in place ("we'll meet at the coffee shop at 4:00") but for a lot of people, their "plan" is to call when they get out of class and figure things out last minute -- for all of this, you need a way for people to reach you in real time. I like the suggestions about pre-pay, which, ironically, are often less than plans if you limit how much you use the phone. AAA had some good deals worth looking into. I kind of skimmed the responses... did anyone recommend Google Voice yet? You should get a Google voice number now, and give that out as your number. Then, if you have a phone you can link it to google, or if you find out you don't need one, you can still use the google number for voicemail and texting (and calling out like Skype), and then link it to some other phone. You could even, for instance, set it so that if, say, your parents called, it would ring your roommate's number or something, just for emergency.

Bummer! I'm not in the same situation, but I know that my attitude about the town I moved after college was very different than my attitude of my college town, even though I only planned to live in the new place for a few years. In college I was connected to campus, but not the broader community. I don't know what your relation to your college town is, but maybe you can spend this summer getting connected to the community. Doing things that non-students would do can help it to still feel like the next life step (which it is) rather than a repeat of the status quot. - Is there a non-profit you can volunteer with or a religious organization that will help you to build community with non-students? Large non profit institutions that have memberships (like museums, library systems, and public radio stations) often also have "Young Friends" groups of young professionals you can get involved with. These make for good practice networking/getting to know people outside your field, who are youngish and approachable but still a bit older with more work experience than you. (When I joined a young friends group, I at first felt insecure because there were a lot of lawyers and managerial types -- and even a professor -- but then I began to appreciate that they liked me and valued my ideas, even if I was "the kid" of the group. It's been a great experience.) - Are there any restaurants far enough from campus that undergrads don't often venture there? Or cultural attractions? (Yeah, I know you'll still be on a student budget, but sometime it's nice to feel like a "real grown-up".) Also, you'd probably be a great asset to your school's graduate student senate (or similar body) because you're already oriented to the school in general (and probably know a lot of its working better than advanced year grad students even) so you could hit the ground running. Even if you don't do something specific, once the semester starts you should reach out to the new students and offer to show them around -- or just give them tips what restaurants deliver. All those normal things that you learn over time from people who have been there longer, they can learn from you. And don't forget to work your connections! Already having good rapport with some of the profs could be a great advantage.

Like Fuzzy, I almost always print at the office... but I am glad I have a cheap old printer/scanner at home. It allows me to finsh assignments at home and print there before class without stopping in the office, is a way for me to print in color without using computer lab credits, and comes in handy for things I wouldn't want to go to school for, like printing a boarding pass or map before a trip.

My thoughts exactly. Not to minimize your problems, but babies are so amazingly wonderful! As others have mentioned, I've heard dissertation phase is actually a relatively good time to have a baby, because you have the most flexibility in your schedule. Our department is more family-friendly, I think, as some of the students had kids before they joined the program. Another person in the program had a baby in what would have been her second year of classes; they arranged for her to do more in the summer, to make up for not getting a stipend one semester. Now she's back in classes, and besides all the normal mom craziness is back to the normal routine. So, even when it's at a less convenient time, it can be done. All this to say that your DEPARTMENT is the problem, not you or your baby. If they want to be sexists (I don't use that term lightly) and seek to further limit the opportunities of women to be in academia, you don't have to apologize to them. (I'm really ticked off on your behalf right now.) In addition to scoping out your school's policies (the graduate student center or student senate may point you to the right sources, if you don't know individuals), it's worth scoping out what benefits your boyfriend has for "paternity leave" -- some companies are actually pretty generous. If you come to your adviser with a plan in place -- how much time you'll need off, how your boyfriend is also making sacrificing, how you will arrange things after maternity leave, etc. -- then I think you will still appear like your professional self. Rumors do spread quickly though, so I think it's best to tell your adviser once you have a plan in place, before it spreads to everyone else in the department. Lastly, you need to buy this: .

I am in no way musical, but just wanted to put a plug in for getting involved with SOMETHING outside the university. It can make you feel more connected to your city, and it's nice to have a group of people who like you for your personality or other skills, who don't know or care what grades you got, how your research is going, etc. It will also force YOU to care about keeping yourself whole, and not only caring about grades/research. Don't be afraid to join a group of old cats who play on the weekend or something; in my experience, having activities away from academia has been very good for my mental health. Good luck! PS: Trombones are so cool...

I don't know that this would count as a "bag for women" as it's gender-neutral, and it looks (and is) more sporty than professional, but I love my Chrome messenger bag. Since I ride my bike to campus, I obviously need something that will stay in place, be water proof, etc. The nice thing is it's designed to sit diagonally across your back, and there's an extra under-the-armpit strap that keeps it from swinging while riding and also helps it to hug your body more. With it tight to your body, the weight ends up being evenly distributed across your back, not just on one shoulder. My only complaint is that (in an effort to keep it entirely waterproof, I suspect) there are no external pockets. For that reason I'm glad I got the cell phone pouch accessory, which can also hold some cash, my student ID, and key clip. (I have a more brief-case alternative shoulder bag my mom got me a few years ago that is good for when professional looks are more important.)

I know the problem with TAing is that it takes away time that could be spent on research, but I also think it's an important source of experience. I find in ironic in my program that an education department would put so little emphasis on teaching. I get it; their focus is more on big picture social issues and such, but I feel like anyone with a a PhD in Education should be an above average educator, and the system is not set up to make them so. So, I would look at TAing as a potential plus.

Our program has a small mish-mash of people and interests, so on the plus side, it's hard to compare myself to others because we all have such different backgrounds, but on the down side, it's really hard to get guidance on what I should be doing to get to where I need to be. That can be discouraging. Then there's the whole falling behind on coursework thing and the usually treading water feeling that comes with that. I never would have picked the first year of grad school to get involved in external volunteering, but since I didn't move for school I was already involved in such things and have the heart to quit them. I'm SO thankful for the non-grad school commitments in my life, because even though I can get stressed at having less time to work on school stuff, I am so confident in what I am doing with them that I can conclude it's worth it, and it's okay not to be superwomen in grad school. Truth be told, I wouldn't be superwomen even if they weren't in my life, of course, but that's what I would expect out of myself anyway. So, my recommendation: Find a volunteer opportunity that you can really get behind (I recommend Big Brothers Big Sisters or tutoring, but there are plenty of others) and will yourself to make time for it. The percent of life spent doing school work goes down, but, for me, the percent of time spent doing something productive goes up. Good luck!

If you shop there, I think you're already fashionable. There's a girl in my department that's really into fashion. I can't talk fashion with her in general, because I will never have her level of style awareness, and frankly don't want to worry that much about what I wear, but picking her brain for individual things can be useful, like, "What kind of flats should I wear with this skirt?" or, "Where did you get your blazer?" Maybe you could ask someone similar? I ride my bike to campus, which is a good excuse for wearing comfortable clothes and shoes, but truth be told, I wouldn't wear heels around campus even if I drove. Too much work.

Free food. Student discounts. Getting to spend large percentage of time with smart people. I was working and loved what I did, but was there long enough to see changes that needed to be made -- but that I didn't have the power to do anything about. Now I am in grad school so that I can contribute to my field in broader ways while here, then hopefully position myself to make a larger impact when I get out half a decade from now. Grad school is stressful, yes, but it's only brought me to actual tears once, and that was out of frustration with a poorly designed computer program as much as anything. My program doesn't offer me everything I hoped it would, but I look at my job and I don't regret leaving; I was asymptotically approaching what I could learn from that job, whereas hear in in grad school I think the learning curve is exponential . One of the good things about working before grad school... the "what if...?" questions have much more tangible, less romantic -- and thus less attractive -- answers. I was never someone who felt nostalgic about the good ol' days of college, but now that I'm back on campus, I have to say it really is nice to be around such an intellectual atmosphere. People are having intelligent conversations about all sorts of things. Speakers come and share their thoughts on issues you never knew existed, but now appreciate. Academia very disconnected from the rest of the world, but it's also nice in its own way. And it's nice to feel like people are investing in me. I mean, none of the profs in my department are taking me under their wing or showing me the ropes like I hoped they would, but just the fact that there is an organization that is paying me to be a student is pretty remarkable. Yes, we agree to be indentured servants for 4-6 years, but I didn't make enough money that I could have paid tuition at my school, even if I had twice as many hours in the day. And then there's things like a career center and writing center and teaching center and student health services with free counseling and even people that will walk you to your car at night (I'm in a city)... as an undergrad, I didn't appreciate all the support systems my school invested in on behalf of students. Now I really appreciate them, and how unusual they are in comparison to the rest of the world. Miro, have you looked at your personal statement from your application season? Some things may be depressingly different than you hoped, but it might remind you of what seemed possible. Good luck!

I did my undergrad in physics, spent five years working in science ed, then started back last fall at grad school for science ed. The program involves multiple kinds of classes, which both made me nervous. I was nervous about all the "social science-y" classes, because, being a physics major, I never had more than one writing class a semester, so never learned to crank out a 10-page paper in a night like my friends in the humanities. My reading pace is also the same out loud and to myself, which is to say it is slow. I was nervous about the physics classes because I didn't remember calculus, let alone the details of physics classes -- and let's be honest, those classes had been hard as an undergrad, too! My misgivings were not ill-founded, especially on the physics side. I knew that I'd forgotten a lot, but I didn't anticipate being so "out of shape": Even after I re-learned how to do problems, I had to spend so much more time working through them, and was much more prone to stupid mistakes. (Even if you never forget how to ride a bicycle, five miles up hill will kick your but if you haven't been practicing.) "Div, Grad, Curl, and All That" is a book designed to cover the basics of multi-variable calc for science types. I looked over some of that, but truth be told, after last semester my adviser is working with me stretch the requirements to include less intense classes. Taking a stats class, on the other hand, hasn't been bad at all: My class had a prerequisite of intro stats, but really assumed people didn't remember anything. The class happens to be tricky for other reasons, but but being "rusty" hasn't been an issue. I was not in a position to read up on articles before school started, but it is a good idea if you can swing it. In many classes, you can steer assigned papers in a direction more aligned with your research interests if you know what the research is. Even just reading the introduction/lit review section of a paper can do wonders at exposing you to the kinds of research people have done. It is worth learning a reference / citation management program early. Our library offered introductory classes on several programs(I use zotero, but in my experience the choice seems pretty arbitrary) and it's good to do one of these BEFORE you write a paper, so that you can start storing up articles early for later use. Also: If you don't know how to do stuff in Excel, invest the time in learning... at least look up a few websites or videos of "Excel tricks", so you know the kind of stuff that the program is capable of. It's the whole problem of, "you don't know what you don't know." Most of my office mates do not have a technical background but still have to process lots of data from censuses or school districts, and I find them doing things by hand that the program could do in a fraction of the time, because it didn't occur to them that there could be an alternative.

1st off: Wowza! My third grade teacher would be ashamed of me for not knowing my homonyms. When I'm not typing while sleep deprived, I really do the difference between "heals" and "heels". I think "high heals" would be like something Jesus did after the Sermon on the Mount. "High heels" are the things dangerous to those of us with poor coordination. Apologies. 2nd - Thanks for more experience and tips. Some people buy pants long so that they can/have to wear high heels, but I plan my pants for flats, and I do have a nice pair of loafers, so I will maybe shoot for those. I also like the idea of snooping around the website. I registered, and checked out the program listings, but it's an established enough event that I bet they do have a page of tips. (And if not, I will look at the AAS link!)

Thanks for the feedback! I've noticed a big difference in unofficial dress code just in between the education department and science departments at my university, so it makes sense that conferences would vary too. I will ask some of the people in my department who don't regularly wear heels and such to class what they plan to wear for the conference, and maybe that will help me to gauge things. At one level, I get the idea of "dress for the job you want to have." Fundamentally, though, I don't want to be walking around San Francisco in heels if I can avoid it. I just want to blend in.

I've enjoyed seeing people's experiences with grad school wardrobe, but now I'm getting ready to attend my first conference, which is a whole new deal. I assume most people wear suits if presenting, but what about for the rest of the conference? For guys -- let me guess: shirt and tie and/or blazer? Must be nice. For ladies... My office mate said she usually wears dress pants and a blouse that would work under a blazer, and often wore a blazer, but never one that matched her pants as in a total suit. She, though, is someone who always dresses super class and always wears heals, whereas I shoot for low-end business casual that I can ride my bike in (think cotton dresses and leggings), so I don't have a very extensive business wardrobe... and much of what I have doesn't fit well right now. To complicate things, I am trying to do four days in a (garment bag style) carry-on, so trying to figure out shoes and such that will work multiple days -- I can't just bring a wide range of options and wing it based on what others are wearing. To further complicate things: It's in San Francisco, at the very end of April. I will check the weather, but I'm guessing it could lovely or nasty. All tips and previous experience would be appreciated. Some specific questions: Heals: Are high heals expected of everyone that doesn't have a doctor's note, or can I get away with flats? Shirts: Does anyone else have trouble finding dress shirts that work? I have friends who can wear high collars and frills with a nod to earlier days and look cute and retro, but they're all petite. But at my height/size, I just feel frumpy and matronly. Sweaters are great, but at the end of April? Style: This ties in with the last one: How do you approach the balance of looking professional with looking your age? My mom looks professional in her suits/blazers, but if I wore her clothes I would feel out of place. Shorter jackets and "princess cuts" seem more fitting for my age, but is it better to just bite the bullet and dress middle-aged? Thanks for your thoughts!

The five things I would carry in my carry on bag (besides the obvious passport, laptop, etc.) have less to do with grad school and more to do with the hassles of long-distance travel: 1) PAPER versions paperwork and all information I would need for my first 48 hours in the new place: not just official documents, but also contact information, any must-have transport info, and per-researched map of places with free WiFi. I want to be able to contact anyone I know in my new country without relying on electronics. Campus wireless networks will require a login which you may or may not have, and arranging for internet in an apartment could mean a call to and visit from the cable company. A lot of college towns (in the Midwest, at least) have a Panera, which is like a cross between a Starbucks and a bakery, and they have free WiFi. 2) Food. I second TeaGirl here. When I moved abroad, I brought with me a package of ramen noodles and a large microwavable mug, just in case. I didn't end up needing it, and convenience stores are quite common in US college towns, so these days I think I would just bring several granola bars. A mug from home can be a good comfort object, though. 3. Something to sleep on/in: Before I studied abroad, my mom got me a "dream sack" , which is like a sleeping bag sheet. (See http://www.yaladesigns.com/travel/dreamsacks . I'd be too cheap to get this one myself, but it really is nice to have. There are probably other more affordable brands.) Besides being great for travel and hostels, it is nice to know that, if you can get to some place with a mattress or couch, you at least can sleep with something clean around you. And they pack smaller than a water bottle. 4. Water bottle with lid that will stay closed and sealed, even in a backpack. If you just want to buy a bottle of water at the airport and refill it, that's fine, but I like having a water bottle with me all the time anyway, so I would go ahead and bring a good one. The taste of US tap water varies a lot city to city, but usually tastes fine once you get used to it and is always safe to drink. 5. Clothing and toiletries to get me through 48 hours without my other stuff. For me, this means tooth brush/tooth paste, deodorant, 2 pairs of underwear, and at least one clean shirt & pair of socks. If I'm fly overseas, I'm wearing sweat pants I can sleep in,and a sweater for overly air conditioned airports, but if I weren't I would pack those things, too. If you're going anywhere other than maybe the south western US, you probably will want a jacket on hand, too. (Especially since you won't have back-up clothes to change into if you get caught in the rain!) Five things to pack in checked or shipped bags: 1) Comfortable, semi-professional shoes are a must for me. In the physics department t-shirts, jeans, and tennis shoes are fine grad student affair, but in our department there is the unspoken rule that you dress business casual or better most of the time. As someone who not only rides my bike to campus but spends a lot of time on my feat between classes, I work my Mary Janes (type of girls' flat dress shoe) to death when the weather is nice, and my low-heal pleather boots when the weather is icky. 2) Hard copy of comfort book. For me it would be my copy of the Bible, but close runner-ups would be the complete works of Shakespeare and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Yes, these things are all available electronically, but my emotional well being is better off if I have SOMETHING other than textbooks on my shelf. 3)A towel. I won't quote the Hitchhiker's Guide, but suffice it to say that towels not only dry your wet body, they can be used as a blanket or pillow in a pinch, and can be great for laying out in the grass so you can feel like a real human being even as you read course work. Worth packing because it's a bit harder to get to stores that sell towels (not too hard; Wal-Mart or Target will have them) and it is something you will want within your first day or two here. 4) Pocket notebook and pen. (Actually, this would probably be good to have in the carry-on, now that I think about it, but too late!) Maybe a two-pocket folder, too. You can buy most of your supplies after you get situated, probably on or very close to campus. Still it's nice to have some means of taking notes during orientation, keeping track of handouts, etc. before doing a big office supply shopping trip. 5) Comfort food from home, preferably shareable. This is tricky because it has to be something packable that can get through customs, so it can't be mom's homemade casserole. Even something like candies typical of your home country can not only let you feel like you're eating a bit of home, but they can be a nice ice-breaker for roommates or office mates. (I think mine would be a small jar of peanut butter. I give Ireland some credit for having peanut butter,and I'm sure it was way healthier than its Yankee counterparts, but it also didn't have the right texture.) Other thoughts: I remember last year, a recommended item on the forum was a laser printer. I don't mind reading something on an e-reader if I never have to read it again, but I hate trying to reference or quote articles using the e-reader, so I have found the laser printer essential. BUT: My office gives us access to one, we just have to provide our own paper. So don't bother buying one until you know your setup. Personally, I'm still glad I have an all-in-one scanner ink-jet at home... it has come in handing for writing some math-heaving homework by hand and uploading it right before the midnight deadline, and I can print color graphs or power point handouts, but if I were moving it wouldn't be on my must-buy list. At the beginning of the year I bought two packs of the lunch-sided screw-top plastic storage containers -- the ones like Ziplock makes, in with the plastic bags at the grocery store. I'm not worried about the lids coming off, so they were easy to throw in my backpack. Now, if I make a big batch of pasta or rice, instead of putting it into a large plastic container, I put it straight into the small ones, so I have lunch all ready to go for the next few days.

I need summer housing in Geneva for most of June-August. There are several lists of foyers (dorms), but many are more expensive/pay-per-night in the summer. Does anyone have any leads on a cheap room in an apartment for rent in Geneva? Thanks for any & all info!

My understanding is that class profs are accommodating if you are, say, going to miss class because of a conference. If you can make the case it's related, you might get away with it. Of course, the other trick is that missing two weeks of classes could be REALLY hard to catch up on. Perhaps you can run it by your grad adviser as, "I'm guessing I have to turn this down, but it would be such an amazing opportunity that I want to make it work if possible." Hopefully more experienced students will have more to say.