Gamarino

So far, I've had mixed feelings. Classes technically start today, but I don't have Monday/Friday classes, so they don't start until tomorrow. I had a week of Orientation last week. I originally felt very baffled with my T.A. job, but luckily my coordinator sent me a ton of quizzes, exams, and a sample lesson plan, along with the emails of former T.A.'s who taught the same section as me. This has been helpful, but I'm still stressed because I've never taught before. I guess we'll see! My program is pretty small, but all of the students seem very nice. However, I am feeling a little lonely on my own. While I've met people and made some friends during the two short days of Orientation, no one has initiated a get-together of sorts, so I stayed in this weekend (again). I'm worried that this is how my semester will be... Additionally, I recently noticed a discrepancy with my schedule. I'm scheduled to teach a class at the same time I'm taking a required course. Both of these classes begin tomorrow, and my adviser is trying to switch me out of teaching the course, but no one has emailed me back. On top of this, I have no idea what I'm supposed to prepare for this class. My coordinator said it would be more logistical and that I wouldn't need to prepare lesson plans, as it's a "discussion" course. However, I have no idea what that entails and the class is supposed to complement a seminar, which strangely occurs AFTER the discussion class. What am I supposed to discuss? Anyways, the past 24 hours have been very stressful and I feel kind of unprepared for tomorrow. I have a lesson plan ready, and I've done all I can, but I don't know what to expect with this "discussion" course. ahhhhh

This is great! I've never heard of this website. I just looked up my city, and there are several available groups in the area. Also, thanks for suggesting I volunteer. I don't know why I didn't think about that two days ago when I was sitting bored out of mind. My Orientation begins tomorrow, so I'll be busy for the next few days, but hopefully I'll have some free time on the weekends to volunteer at a local animal shelter or something (I love animals!).

The pronounciation in French is much different from Spanish, but if you speak Portuguese, it shouldn't be too much of a challenge for you. Immersion is necessary for learning a foreign language, but Québécois varies from the standard French you'll be learning in your program. The slang, in addition to some vocabulary and the accent, is much different. However, learning some French and then traveling to Québec could be enlightening. I visited after studying French for three semesters, and I had some difficulty understanding the accent. On another note, Italian would probably be very easy for you to learn. It's very similar to Spanish (as you probably know).

I have a 13" Macbook Pro. I upgraded from a 15" Macbook Pro that I've had for four years. It still works, but the screen broke and the tech at the Mac store told me it'd be cheaper to buy a new laptop than to fix the old one. Also, I get all of the cool new features, and it runs faster! If you're a Machead, I totally recommend it. It's also a very manageable size and not super heavy. Additionally, I have an iPad that I can take to class/the library when I need to look something up on the internet. I don't have the separate keyboard, so I don't use it for Word documents.

I just left N.C. too! I moved to New England for my Master's program. I identify with your doubts. I'm one of only a few people I know who a ) is going to graduate school and b ) who is moving so far from home. Sometimes I wonder if I'm smart enough to be in my program, or if this is a major waste of time...I have friends who got jobs immediately after school and I wonder if I should have just done that (don't think I could have though). Some of them make me feel like I'm not working as hard as them, because I'm still a "student" and I'm avoiding the so-called "real world" for another 2+ years. I don't know. You just have to remember why you applied for your program in the first place. For me, I've always wanted to go to graduate school. I love academics, and I love my field. The pre-departure is undoubtedly frightening, but once you've settled and begun your program, you will adapt. We all adapt. Don't put so much pressure on yourself. Just think about how this experience is going to change you. You'll be more confident (I assume.) and self-fulfilled. I begin my program tomorrow, so I'm trying to remind myself of the same things. Good luck!

A year ago today I was preparing for the GRE and stressing over my undergraduate thesis topic. Now, I've moved 800 miles away, and I'm preparing to being my Master's program which starts tomorrow! Well, the Orientation begins tomorrow anyway...

I love Law & Order: SVU, but it freaks me out. It makes me too paranoid to take my dog out to pee at night!

Thanks for the replies! I'm feeling much better today. I have a cold, so I'm more than happy to stay at the apartment and watch The Office. Listening to jazz music on my iPod speakers helps, and I always have the television on, even when I sleep. I've realized that walking my dog has actually made me feel more oriented around my apartment complex. When I step outside, I'm reminded that I'm not totally alone. And fellow dog lovers will stop and ask me about my pup. You see, my complex is more family-oriented and it's actually very quiet. I know I will relish this silence when school starts, but it's kind of jarring right now. Anyways, I'm done complaining for now! Thanks for the advice, and I hope to meet some cool people this week at my Orientation.

Ahhh I really need to start cooking more. I eat a lot of pastas and Mexican food. I don't spend too much on groceries (approx. $50 for a week and a half) since I'm a strict vegetarian. No eggs, meat, or fish. I've even started cutting back on other animal products, which REALLY cuts costs. However, I do eat out a lot, and I enjoy getting wine/cocktails with girlfriends. I also drink A LOT of coffee during the school year, so we'll see...This is my first year of my graduate program so it will be interesting (and scary) to see how much money I spend on New Haven-style pizza and late-night coffee runs.

Hello, all. This is my first post on here. So I'm trying to cope with living alone for the first time. I recently moved into a beautiful two-bedroom apartment in Connecticut. I begin my Master's program in two weeks, but I have Orientation next week, which is why I moved up so early. I do have a dog (he drives me crazy sometimes, but I love him.), but I miss human interaction. I'm a natural extrovert, so not having any connections here is really driving me insane. My boyfriend will be moving in with me in three weeks (he lives in North Carolina), but the days just seem so long when I'm here alone. I guess I should add that I moved up from North Carolina. I didn't think it would be too much of an adjustment, since my family is from up North and I have some cousins/aunts/uncles/grandparents up here, but I don't know a soul in Connecticut. Any tips for not going crazy before school starts? Will it be easy to make friends at school? I've heard that graduate programs tend to be lonely. Thanks!