1Q84

I totally feel you here. During undergrad, I had what I guess you could describe as "social anxiety" (in scare quotes because I never actually considered that I might be afflicted with that but looking back, I guess I was). I was so terrified during class of raising my hand and attracting attention that I sat there with my heart in my throat as I contemplated contributing an idea. By the time I finally steeled myself to say something, everyone was getting up to leave. The longer the class progressed, the more awkward it would be for me to suddenly speak up. So I just stayed silent for 4 years. I wonder why it was so difficult for me to apply to grad school the first 2 times... The point of that story is that despite that awfulness, now I'd like to think I'm extremely outgoing. How did this happen? I started working at Starbucks. And it was being forced to socialise (literally, in order to get paid) that made me get over the anxiety. Once I jumped over that first hurdle, the rest came naturally. I mean of course there were blunders and embarrassments in the first couple weeks but afterwards, I looked back and wondered what I was so scared of this entire time. Maybe your cohort is not the best place to embarrass yourself but like it was in elementary school, middle school, high school and undergrad, people have pretty short memories and are pretty forgiving, in general. The point of that story was that I think that finding a way to force yourself (by your own will or otherwise) to be put into that uncomfortable situation so you can rise above may do the trick. It may not be The Answer, but it worked for me. Here's a vote for taking the plunge and going up to that exclusionary group and asking if they wanna grab a coffee. ETA: This post was not sponsored by Starbucks Coffee Ltd. :/

Right! Now I have to decide if I want a daily or a weekly... I guess reading both would be ideal. I don't think I could afford both subscriptions, however... Ha! So true. It puts into perspective how much garbage I spend money on and how I could be putting that change towards a magazine. Granted this is only the electronic version I'm talking about but still... Thank you so much. You're quite the newshound!

The Results Search page is a my new home page and it hurts so good.

Thanks for the replies! What are the particular political slants of both paper/magazines? I heard that the Economist is rather balanced but somehow I have a hard time believing that.

I'm looking at signing up for a student subscription to the iPad app version of the Economist. It's $90 for a year ($1.76 an issue!) Anyone have a subscription and love or hate it? Anyone recommend another magazine subscription in lieu of the Economist? Thanks!

Heehee! You tell em, asleepawake! This is officially my new favourite post on gradcafe.

This is exactly what I did in my SOP. Eerie!

I just called the grad secretary at one of the schools I applied to in Dec and she shuffled back and said, "they just now delivered a bunch of folders to the admissions committee down the hall" and I nearly fell squealing off my chair. She made sure to add that she couldn't tell me whose files they were. And the game continues....

I do not accept this very astute tidbit of wisdom. As my first application cycle (in the US at least), I chose to make myself crazy! RARRR! Well, that and I don't think my brain is really going to give me a choice in the matter. A few years from now I'll look back and say oh yeah... why didn't I listen to thestage?

Moi aussi http://db.tt/FyXq5aY

Thanks for the replies all. I did know it's been a contentious subject... but I had no idea some people didn't reach out to any POIs! I guess I never really made a personal connection or had a real substantive conversation with any profs so I think I'll leave that section blank....

One of my recommender's first name is Elisabeth and I nearly wrote (and submitted) Elizabeth Lemon on the online app. Losing my damn mind, to say the least.

The XYZ online app has an optional section that says "If you have corresponded with or been interviewed by a member of our faculty about your plans for graduate study, please indicate below the name of the faculty member and the approximate date of the contact." This feels like a trap. I don't know why. I mean, isn't it a given that you've emailed some professors about the program? Opinions?

Ack!

In my current SOP, I mentioned how teaching and education play a huge role in my background and how it helps make me a suitable candidate because (I believe) being adept in both research and teaching does a successful professor make. I didn't say it in so many words but... I don't see how mentioning teaching experience briefly could be detrimental in any way unless it was somehow suggestive of a less than burning passion for research.

This, though completely unrelated to me in most ways, is enough to give me palpitations. ETA: thank you for introducing me to this this feature!

Any MA-ers heard anything from the Calstate schools?

Oh no you didn't.

Wannabe high school teachers unite! There are absolutely 0 jobs (even negative, actually, as they're doing more firing than hiring) available in my province for secondary teachers. It's bad times for teachers in Ontario.

I was going to apply and talked to some very kind faculty there. The Chair of the English Dept there is really quite nice. I only decided against it because they don't have any funding for international students, which is a dealbreaker.

I totally understand. One of my immediate family members suffers from a similar mental affliction that forces her to reject medicine (in her skewed logic) but in her case, it's paranoid delusional disorder. Anyway, it may not have been kosher but I was able to convince her to "try" the medicine for a bit and it was enough to alleviate the symptoms that it was easier to convince her to continue the regimen. My advice is to seek external help from whoever you can (his or your family/friends?) in order to help cope with his condition and hopefully convince him to seek treatment. I know it's easier said than done but it really sounds like he might be a major hindrance to your progress, to say nothing about the effect it must have on your girls. But by all means, you should carry through with the degree. As Porridge said, it is your dream and you deserve to have it. I really don't think your age should be a barrier to you finding gainful employment somewhere in higher education and it sounds like you've gone this far already... Good luck! I feel for you.

My question is why is your ex-husband unmedicated? And why you have no say in it if he's still your partner. From what I've gathered elsewhere on this forum, having a supportive partner is one of the most important things during grad school (that is, if you have a partner).

Where in the OP's post did she say she was going to do it herself? Jesus. Take a moment, breathe, re-read her post, and then slowly get off your high horse.

Kristen Wiig is happy for you. Oh so happy.

The OP raises a pretty interesting point though: she says that she hears people are doing it. Anyone think that it's quite common? I'm sure more than a few are able to slide by adcomms undetected.