ELM616
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Posts posted by ELM616
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Hi!
I've accepted my offer as a grad student in the Fall 2015 and am in need of some guidance of where to live. I want to live pretty close to campus, within a 20 minute walk preferably, and I want to live in a 3-4 bedroom place that is furnished. I don't want to live in the Fort to avoid the rowdy undergrads. I've heard good things about Downtown and West Knoxville. Does anyone know of some good places?
Do you already have some roommates lined up? Some apartments provide roommate matching.
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Considering UT for grad school in the fall. From what I have read, it looks like West Knoxville is the place to be. I want a nice, safe, newer area with plenty to do around. Either apartments or condos most likely. Anyone have specific apartment or neighborhood recommendations?
Hello. I personally live in the Bearden area, which is close to campus. The location is fantastic! There is a greenway which runs from my apartments (well across the street from my apt) all the way to campus. If you're not familiar with the greenway, it is a paved bicycle/walking path that runs through the city. I often ride my bike from my apt to campus via the greenway and I only have to cross two streets the entire way. It's about a 3 mile bike ride that takes me 15-20 minutes. I live in huntington place apartments. Quite a few grad students live around me. It is also within walking distance to the Bearden Beer Market, which is a surprisingly nice place for some light studying. The drawback is that the buildings are old and you're mostly paying for the location. I pay $545/month for a one bedroom. But two bedrooms go for only $650 if you can find a roommate.
If you'll be living alone and have a car, you might want to think about Londontown Apartments. My friend lives there and they are one of the best deals in town. One bedrooms are $575/month and the buildings are pretty new. These are also considered to be in the bearden area actually, but a little too far to be within biking distance to campus in my opinion.
Anyway there are lots of options in Knoxville and housing is generally pretty cheap. If you can find a roommate your options will improve dramatically as there are some really nice apartments along the river, close to both downtown and the campus which are affordable with a roommate, but tend to be a bit too pricey for a one bedroom on a grad student budget.
If you have specific questions let me know. It is a nice break from studying for me
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WOW. First off, thank you for such a detailed response. Secondly, what beautiful writing skills you have I seriously could imagine the town through your description.
That sounds amazing. Everything you described are my exact ideals. I definitely could fall on the "crunchy" spectrum myself and what you described would be my picture perfect campus and town. The program and the school sound absolutely amazing...
I really appreciate you taking the time to writing such a thoughtful response. That was exactly what I was looking for!
Haha no problem! Like I said, I'm glad to help, I remember how excited I was when I moved out here.
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Thanks so much for a response.
I LOVE hearing about the outdoors, and have friends in Chattanooga.I meant Ohio State University- which is HUGE. I'm so in love with Tennessee and everything around campus. I'm from the north, and lived in both the south and midwest and I'm a little worried about "how southern" the campus feels. When I previously lived in the south I was happy on campus, but going to far off campus was difficult for me but it was in the boonies and a very poverty perished town so maybe not the best gauge of living in the south.
How is the school? So far I have found admissions and my program people to be helpful and friendly. I worry with a bigger campus that professors office hours will be tighter and it's harder to form relationships with them- do you find this to be true? Also, do you find UT to be a party school? Or does it calm down a lot with the graduate students.
Thanks so much!!
When I moved out here I had no idea what to expect. I had never visited and my experience with the south was a few visits to Arkansas. I was worried it would be a lot like Arkansas and super southern. By southern I mean, super conservative, religious, racist, and lots of strip malls with little to no character around the town.
I have been pleasantly surprised since the day I got here. Not only does Knoxville have lots of character, but people are a lot more liberal than I would've ever expected. Now I come from Oregon originally and have lived up and down the west coast and I came here after 4 years in Las Vegas. So I tend to be very liberal, and outdoorsy. That being said, I have felt very welcome and at home in Knoxville. I feel like people are health conscious, outdoorsy, fairly liberal, and dare I say even a tad bit "crunchy". If it were not for the occasional southern accent, I would not even remember I was in the south. When you get here you'll eventually see bumper stickers that read "keep Knoxville scruffy" and it really is a scruffy little town. It's hard to explain why it is referred to a scruffy town, but you'll understand when you see it. It has sort of a mix of industrial, southern, Appalachian, mountain, feel to it. I also love the weather here, but that's a whole 'nother story.
The summer nights are fantastic too. The night is warm and a little muggy, but there are fire flies everywhere and you can hear the cicada's in the trees. I don't know about you, but we don't have Fire Flies out west, so I had never seen them! I arrived here in mid-july and I was a little in shock coming from Las Vegas. When I left Las Vegas it was 120 degrees, bone dry, and I was used to seeing nothing but sand and desert rocks. I get here and its extremely green, pouring rain, in the mid 80's and I felt like I was in cambodia, haha!
Anyway, I don't think you'll have a problem forming relationships with the professors. Most of my professors prefer to be on a first name basis with their students and really treat you as more of a colleague. I've never had a problem with accessibility either, they're for the most part very accommodating.
I think UT is a pretty major party school, but that is really an undergraduate thing. I don't know any graduate students that are into partying. Most graduate students simply don't have time to party even if they wanted to.
Hope this helps!
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Bump.
I just got accepted to UT Knoxville and it's my top choice. Anyone have experience with the MSSW program?
Also, I'm interested in campus life. I went to a small liberal school - how big is the campus? I'm familiar with OSU campus and it's just too big! And more importantly- I'm hoping theres a good stock of outdoor people
Hey there,
Don't know anything about the MSSW program, but I can tell you about Knoxville in general. Currently live here and I really like it. I also came here for graduate school. This is my second year so I'm still learning things about the area, but I can tell you quite a bit.
Its hard for me to say how big the campus is. Its big. Big enough to have an excellent bus system that is strictly for students at no charge. But if you're in Henson Hall, then you'll be across the street from the bookstore and student union, close to the library, and close to pretty much everything you need and you'll probably never need to take the bus, unless you don't feel like walking to the gym.
Knoxville is very outdoorsy! Lots of hiking to do out here for sure! I'm sure by now you know the smokey mountains are about an hour away to the east, cumberland mountains about an hour to the west and there are lots of lakes to play in during the summer! My first spring here, I went up to cades cove and just drove around the loop with some friends and we say 4 black bears!
By the way when you say OSU, are you talking about Oregon State or Ohio State? Cuz if you're from Oregon I have a hunch you'll love it here and it will remind you of Oregon a lot.
Anyway, ask me what kind of info you're looking for and I'd be happy to help. I remember how excited I was when I moved out here.
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Personally, I'm pretty sure the head of my department really finds me to be not his cup of tea. He cut my grad program interview significantly short, and I've gotten a great deal of "I wish you would die" facial expressions from him. Two things I've come to learn:
1) I was still the committee's top choice for admission out of all the applicants
2) He makes that face at many people outside his lab and a couple in his lab. It's just his version of the "resting bitch face".
And now, after knowing the man for two years, he actually forces his version of a smile and greets me by name when he sees me. Give it time
I feel like my advisor hates me most of the time -- He has a really odd personality.
I think if we had a virtual show of hands as to how many of us feel like this sometimes, most people would raise their hands.
*Raises hand*
Hahaha thanks! These two comments made me feel a lot better.
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Are the other students in the meetings further along the program than you? If so, seems like just a case of your advisor already having a rapport with them and you are the "new" person who has to fit in. Give it time.
No actually I'm the most senior student of his. I'm a second year PhD. There is one first year PhD and the two others are first year MS students. That's why I was initially thinking that he is just babying them.
It hasn't always been like this. During my first year, even though I didn't see him that much he was always really pleasant around me. It may be a case of me trying too hard and thus not really being myself around him. I don't know. Its probably best that I just stop focusing on it and let the relationship just take its course.
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Thanks everyone for the comments. I guess for now I'll just keep my mouth shut, head down and work my ass off.
It is early in our relationship. In my program first year students take all of their coursework in Economics dept even though our assistantship and offices are located in a different dept on the opposite side of campus. At the end of the first year, we take an insanely high pressure written qualifying exam in the economics dept. If we pass, we advance to the 2nd year and start taking more courses in our home dept. So even though its the start of my second year, I really haven't spent a lot of time with my advisor, and he is just now giving me significant research assignments.
You all are probably right. Hopefully things will smooth out. I do not want to switch advisors, that seems like it would be dicey. Plus he has some really interesting research projects, which could be a huge opportunity for me.
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Seriously I don't know if I did something or said something to piss him off, but he obviously doesn't like hearing me speak.
In our weekly meetings he is all jokes and smiles with the other three grad students. But with me he's all stern and makes this face like he wishes I would just die.
So I asked him how I was doing. Here is how it went.
ME: "So, how am I doing?"
HIM: "Good, you're doing just fine."
ME: Oh ok....
[Awkward pause]
ME: "I ask because its hard for me to read you sometimes and it seems like you're upset with me."
HIM: "No, you'll know if I'm ever upset with you."
ME: [awkward chuckle] "OK, thought I should ask. Well thank you. Have a nice day."So maybe I should just let it go. There's no reason why we need to be friends and apparently I'm doing just fine. But seriously WTF? Why the attitude?
Maybe he thinks I should be doing better than "Good, you're doing just fine" and he's trying to be stern so I'll work harder?
Maybe its because our football team sucks and he is a big fan? What do you guys think, should I just let it go and ignore it?
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I'm sure many people have been through this before. And just like them you will make it also.
I had written qualifying exams after completing first year of Economics PhD and it was insanely stressful. Tons and tons of pressure. The rumors before the exam were that only about 40% pass each year. The rumors turned out to be true.
We started with a cohort of 16 and only 7 of us passed at the PhD level. Everyone gets two attempts in my program. I completely bombed it my first attempt. I was just way too freaked out the first attempt. I was so nervous I nearly had a panic attack when they handed out the exams, and it was disastrous.
The second attempt was much better. Despite the fact that it was my last and fateful attempt, I was more calm the second time around. I think the second attempt, I was able to mentaly accept the fact that I might fail, and if I did fail, that all would be ok.
My advice is to get lots of exercise, eat healthy and remember to take one day every week without studying. On that one day, do whatever you want. Rest, go to church, go to the bar, anything. Just make it a special day for yourself to keep your sanity.
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Why don't you just sit somewhere else?
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Finally today I found out...I passed my qualifier!!! Had to take it twice. Bombed it the first time. Only 6 out of 17 of us made it to the second year!! Phew! I feel so lucky and blessed!
It feels so good to be a second year PhD!!! Maybe now I'll have a shred of a life, and hoping for a badass internship next summer!
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visit the following for tons of info on admissions to econ programs.http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/
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So close to being a second year! Must pass qualifier exams to move on to the second year. Status TBD!!
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Yes that might be a good approach. This advisor only really has two students and one post doc though. I'm one of the students so maybe I will get with the post doc and see what they are doing.
Thanks.
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So my advisor had a death in their family. I really want to show my condolences but I'm not sure exactly how.
My dilemma stems from my time in the marines. I'm used to never crossing the line between professional and personal life. But obviously this is not the military. The thing is that my advisor has not discussed this with me but the dept. secretary made an annoucement. I don't want to intrude and cross an unspoken line, but obviously I'm saddened by the news and would like to express my condolences.
I'm a first year PhD so I've only known my advisor for a few months now. Of course we are friendly to each other but definitely not yet on a first name basis.
I'm going to the wake of course. But do I send a card? Or should I go above and beyond a card in someway since they are my personal advisor. I think an email would be cold. I'm contributing to the fund for flowers, but I feel like I should reach out just a little bit more since this person is my major advisor. An advisor whom I feel lucky to have because they are very nice. I'm in a small department and most people seem to be like family, but I'm new and not sure where I stand among them.
This might seem like a stupid question. And the answer very simple....Just express my sympathy. But what if my advisor prefers to keep things professional? What if they don't want some first year getting too close? So I was a marine. And in the marine corps infantry if you don't have a certain time in service then you barely have a right to say anything at all to any senior marine. I know academia is not the marine corps, but this structure is still ingrained in me.
What should I do?
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So I'm having a somewhat different experience now that I'm a PhD student. But I already did a Masters. I know some people go straight from undergrad to PhD, but I did an MA in pure economics. Now I'm doing a PhD in natural resource economics. But its really not that different because the first year I take the same micro and metrics sequence as the pure economics students. The only difference is that instead of taking a year of macroecon, I take a year of natural resource econ which is basically an extension of microecon theory.
Anywhooo. When I was in my masters, my first year was grueling grueling. And the entire program itself was quite difficult. While there I was maybe one of the average students at best. Now I'm here in a PhD and I'm kinda breezing through it. Which scares the crap out of me, because last years cohort had half their class fail out after not passing their qualifying exams. So I'm scared that I'm not working hard enough and setting myself up for failure.
But honestly I just don't have that overwhelmed feeling that I had in my Masters. Don't get me wrong it has been a very very busy semester but It hasn't been nearly the struggle that it was in my masters. And now I feel like I'm in the upper quantile of students. Maybe I paid my dues and took my lumps in my Masters and I deserve to have a somewhat easier time, but its just a little unnerving.
Anyone else feeling like this? Sometimes I wonder if I should've went to another program. The program I'm in wasn't the highest ranked, but they gave me a very generous Research Assistantship and I feel very happy here. I really like my department and my advisor, but once in a while in the back of my mind I wonder if I'm selling myself short and should have gone to the higher ranked program that didn't offer as much money....Cause maybe they would have higher placements and higher long run salary.
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Haha! I love that this thread is still going strong! I'm now approaching the end of my first semester in a PhD program and let me tell you...
I have been inundated with "best," I'm like a soldier under fire here. Nearly every professor signs "best." I guess its just a quirk of mine but it irritates the (you know what) out of me.
I think most of them do it just cuz everybody else does it. Its kinda like an industry jargon, that they subconciously enjoy using because it reminds them they're an academic. Lame!!
Jargon and Buzzwords are for the uninitiated!
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This is a good thread. I had never heard of Ombuds until now. Turns out my university has one! good to know.
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So part of my "OMG don't take this personally" post up-thread is that I use "Best" all. the. time. I must've been using it consistently on my weekly email to the lab undergrads, 'cause I just got a reply back from a sophomore about scheduling...
She signed it "Best."
I like to think I've made an impact...
MUAHAHAHA...
Best,
mandarin.orange
Haha Dang you mandarin.orange!!!!!!! You email her right now and tell her that "Best" is not approved in her undergraduate catalog!
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Dear OP,
I fear that you're worrying too much about letter sign offs.
Best,
33 1/3
Haha touché!
I think Professors should sign off like this:
Best of luck to you and yours. I'm sure your family will be very proud when you're awarded the Nobel prize because you're certainly more intelligent than I because I'm outdated and irrelevant but I'll still fail you if you don't keep in line.
Sincerely,
Prof Xxxx
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This is fantastic idea!!a shortened version of may the best of luck be with you - similar to may the force be with you. I think I'll start writing "Best of Force" now, that sounds good
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In all fairness though, I think there might be a too much reading into this
All great posts guys but I'm not reading much into it. This was meant to be a light hearted and humorous post.
But it does still drive me bonkers
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I actually prefer these!If "Best" bothers the OP, I can only imagine how s/he will react to those emails where profs don't even sign anything at all, just let their email signature (i.e. dump of contact info) do the work.
Or the unsigned ones I get that simply say, "Sent from my iPhone/iPad.
I think my advisor hates me
in Coursework, Advising, and Exams
Posted
Update:
Not sure exactly what happened but my advisor has done a 180. He is friendly, encouraging, smiles a lot now, and overall the relationship is good. This change coincided with my completion of a big project I had been working on as part of my RA duties. He did tell me that I did a really good job and that my work was being shared with others in the department and being utilized in various models.So I guess my successful completion of the project and job well done is what turned things around.
Not sure why he was so tense about it before though. Maybe he was receiving pressure from people above his pay-grade that I wasn't aware of, or any number of things. It is just kind of funny though, because I didn't change anything about my attitude or approach with him. I just kept working my arse off and I guess that was the right thing to do. Either way I'm glad things have turned around!