mkmason

My story: I had been with my then boyfriend since just after I graduated from high school. He was a year ahead of me, and when he came back for the summer break from the college I was going to be attending, he agreed to take me to the college for a day and show me around... and romance blossomed. We stayed together for three years in college, and then he graduated and moved to Seattle and I moved to England to study abroad. We decided (foolishly?) to have a long distance relationship. We weren't sure what was going to happen, because I was planning on going to grad school, and I didn't want to go to school in Seattle. Then, when I got back from England, the reverse culture shock was... well, a shock. I decided I wanted to take some time off before going to grad school, because I was burnt out. Then we decided to get married. We had discovered during our VERY long distance relationship that we wanted to be together no matter what, and so while we talked about the possibilities and decided there was a CHANCE our life plans would work out together, we sort of made a decision that we wanted to make sure that whatever happened we ended up together, and marriage would be the ultimate way of assuring that would happen. Romantic, right? Well, he actually ended up switching career paths, his time in Seattle having focused his desires, and applied and got accepted to grad school in Portland, OR. So instead of moving back in with my parents like a good girl, we lived in sin for a year while we planned our wedding (which honestly could have been planned in 3 months, but I didn't want anyone asking me "are you pregnant?" because my hometown is tacky like that) and he went to school. We got married, he moved into his second and last year as a Grad student, applied for a PhD program at 4 schools. At this point, I was just planning on coming along with him, as I was working at a dead-end job full of misery and completely unable, thanks to the economy, to find a better job. But then, in early February of this year, I decided to apply for grad school myself. I had always intended to go to grad school, and one of the places he was applying was where I had originally wanted to go. So I quickly put together all the application materials and hoped for the best: that we'd both get in. Then the horrible news came that he hadn't gotten into any of the 4 places he had auditioned. We were both crushed. Now we were both facing the prospect of underemployment and dashed dreams for another year. But then! one night as we were discussing our options over dinner and I was near tears, I checked my email on my phone, and I had gotten in to ASU! Suddenly the whole game had changed. Now it could be my turn to chase the dream; because if I hadn't been married, I would have sold my stuff and hopped the next plane to London to try my luck there as soon as I realised my boss was a ****ing liar. And he's turned out brilliantly. He isn't completely pleased with the prospect of having to build a studio and a network in a new city, or with being stuck in AZ for two years if he doesn't get in next year (but I'm hopeful he will, because this last time around he botched his audition, but he's still a great player, and has a year more to practice without the stress of also graduating from grad school), but his attitude from the get-go has been "you got it, so let's do it". I guess we just decided that it seemed possible that we could be happy, so we tried to make it work. And so far, it has, though not at all the way we originally thought when we were on two continents without a clue what would happen to our relationship. Now I know that that though I could have all the adventures in the world, they won't mean as much to me if I can't share them with him. Now I have a chance at a graduate degree AND my significant other! What a coincidence. That's my story.

That's a cheery article. The one it links to about why not to get a PhD is humanities is even more encouraging. I'm hoping I can make my Rhet Comp MA work as a more Professional degree: I want to spend my time learning about technology so I'm more "marketable" in the real world. I hope I'm not just kidding myself.

Here's a link for some on campus opportunities at your university. http://www.ncsu.edu/career/students/jobsinternships/campusjobs.php They also have a math center http://www.ncsu.edu/tutorial_center/. If NC state is like any other university they'll be begging you to come tutor math for them. You might also be able to tutor for local high school and middle school students. Math tutors are in high demand.

The graduate coordinator told me on the phone that probably no MA students would be getting TA positions as PhDs have priority. Soooo.... are they expecting any new MA students I wonder?

So, here's two things for future ASU students to know: the English department doesn't send snail mail correspondence about admissions, so checking your mail ten times a day certainly won't help. Also, make sure you check your email trash folder for messages deleted as spam :oops: I got an email on April 02 from the graduate coordinator saying that an email would be sent out soon giving advising details, and sure enough, on April 7 I got an email with all the information about registering etc that I needed. However, I am still waiting for financial information. She said that this year due to "circumstances" that probably no English MAs will get TA positions. Bummer. She also said it would take a few more weeks for those decisions to be made.

I got an acceptance email on March 24, no other info yet in the mail or anywhere else. I have called and emailed, no answers, and I know it's not spring break. I'm still holding out hope for a GA position.

Thanks! I guess I will try to stop panicking and just give it a little time, send regular emails to assuage my nerves. It looks like this is the normal course of things for ASU.

I got an email on March 24 saying I've been accepted to the English program, but still haven't gotten anything in the mail. I was allowed to register starting March 30, but haven't been able to because I don't have all my vaccines in order. Still trying to find the necessary paperwork on that. I guess we don't have to get back to them by April 15th with a yes or a no, then? Because I have no info about finances yet, and a decision can't be made until I'm sure I can afford it! This has been such a pain in the neck; thank goodness you only have to do it once. Anyway, that's where I'm at. *edit I now have my vaccines in order, and a deadline of July 1 to say yes or no to ASU. Financial info is pending, but I've been told not to hold my breath.

So, what kinds of things do you have to do differently when it's 100 degrees or more? When it gets to be over 90 degrees here (in Portland, OR), people do crazy things like open their windows and let the heat in or guzzle beer and coke, and everyone with metal door handles and black steering wheels burn their hands trying to get in the car and drive somewhere. I'm moving to Tempe this summer (or, I hope I will, if I ever hear anything more than "congratulations!" from ASU). Will I have to carry gloves so I can open the door? Will I need to shave my cat? Is it impossible to walk to class in the middle of the day without a water bottle? Do people wear zinc oxide on their noses? Is it better to bike or walk? Most importantly, how much money should I budget for keeping cool during the summer, say if I have a 2 bedroom place and one car? :?

On March 24 I received an email from Arizona State University's English Graduate program indicating "Congratulations! You have been admitted into the English (MA) program for the 2009 Fall term," but I have no further information from them about how to proceed! That's essentially all the email says, and no matter how many times a day I check my mail, I still have no information from the University about what to do now. Is this normal? I applied for the English Rhetoric and Composition program, about which the email says nothing, nor does it say anything about the GA position I applied for. After reading about some unfortunate people who got accepted and then "oops! that was actually a rejection"-ed, I'm beginning to worry. Plus, it seems like I might have a limited amount of time in which to reply with my acceptance of their acceptance. Also, FYI, I have called and emailed the contact people in the department, and so far have no response.