What now?

[Livestrong1188]

I got into one of my top choices, found out today that I received and NSF fellowship, and am obviously very happy/excited about all of this. But I've been so consumed by the application process for so long now, that I found the end of the process to be rather anticlimactic. Sure, celebrate when you get in/get an award... but then what? I don't start grad school until August, and I find that I'm still just constantly checking my e-mail, as though I'm still waiting to find out if I got accepted anywhere. It's a weird feeling... restlessness, I guess.

[fuzzylogician]

Yeah, it was like that for me and for everyone I know. These kinds of things that take forever to prepare for, but are then decided in a second, are all anticlimactic in the same way. For example, submitting a paper for publication. Months of scrambling to get everything done on time, data collection, writing and rewriting, meetings with advisors--and then one click on the 'send' button, and that's it. Like hitting the pause button in the middle of the an action movie. You go out for a beer with friends, but then nothing. I guess life in academia is just like that. You work for months and months to achieve some goal, but then once you're done the slower pace is suddenly very disturbing. For me, at least, that's always the catalyst to starting a new project, and I like it.

For what it's worth, you're going to be so busy come fall that you should use the meantime to relax a little. I know it's almost impossible, but at least try

Oh, and congrats on the acceptance and fellowship!!

[UnlikelyGrad]

At this point last year I started obsessively checking Craigslist in my chosen destination, trying to get a feel for what I could expect to pay for an apartment. Not thrilling, but it gave me a reason to be on the computer all the time.

[oldlady]

I got into one of my top choices, found out today that I received and NSF fellowship, and am obviously very happy/excited about all of this. But I've been so consumed by the application process for so long now, that I found the end of the process to be rather anticlimactic. Sure, celebrate when you get in/get an award... but then what? I don't start grad school until August, and I find that I'm still just constantly checking my e-mail, as though I'm still waiting to find out if I got accepted anywhere. It's a weird feeling... restlessness, I guess.

I am right there with you! I have no answers, but know that you are not alone!

[Squawker]

Continue going out and celebrating. You won't be able to have any fun come August, so you better get it all out of your system now!

Finishing up my undergrad before starting an MA next year, I'm trying to spend as much time as I can with my friends since we will all be living in different places (read: different countries!) next year and I really neglected a lot of my friends when I was busy with applications. I'm also trying to finish up my classes without losing any momentum, trying to make this my strongest semester yet. That's quite difficult, as I have the dangerous feeling that my degree is in the bag and there's no need to stress about anything.

When putting off this work, I tend to look up my future program/university/city a lot to find out more about it and about housing. But there's really nothing interesting about it on the internet and it's just a fruitless waste of time. I suppose that's just my attempt to adjust to having nothing to check obsessively now that results are out. My suggestion: find some kind of blog that interests you, like a cooking, fashion, technology, whatever blog that relates to your personal hobbies or interests. I have a few bookmarked and now check those somewhat obsessively now that I've deleted the application status bookmarks from my browser menu. Find something totally unrelated to your academic life and worries so that you aren't constantly distracted thinking about your future program. Reading the NY Times is good for this too, especially the opinion section and the letters. Getting frustrated about political issues is a great way to forget your troubles...

[ScreamingHairyArmadillo]

I don't start classes until the end of September! In the mean time I hope to keep myself busy with normal life things - part time job (hopefully), volunteer at an animal shelter, learn to cook, read all those books I've put off for 4 years...

I'm trying to stop thinking about grad school until August (yeah right). I'll probably be able to do it for the rest of this month, but in May I'll be meeting with my future advisor while she's in town. Then I'll be right back to thinking about school

Have you finalized your school choice, Livestrong1188? It's been about 2 weeks since I did, and I've found myself to finally get over that restless, anticlimactic feeling.

Edited April 7, 2010 by ScreamingHairyArmadillo

[wordslinger]

I am terribly excited and all atitter... BUT I have way too much to do feel restless. I just put my house on the market (if anyone is looking for a cute starter house!) and am packing and making address changes... Not to mention all the papers I have to read and grade! Gah! August will be a relief!

[Livestrong1188]

I don't start classes until the end of September! In the mean time I hope to keep myself busy with normal life things - part time job (hopefully), volunteer at an animal shelter, learn to cook, read all those books I've put off for 4 years...

I'm trying to stop thinking about grad school until August (yeah right). I'll probably be able to do it for the rest of this month, but in May I'll be meeting with my future advisor while she's in town. Then I'll be right back to thinking about school

Have you finalized your school choice, Livestrong1188? It's been about 2 weeks since I did, and I've found myself to finally get over that restless, anticlimactic feeling.

Yes everything is finalized. And also, I feel like I have a lot of things to do as well, which is why it's so weird that I feel so restless!

[pea-jay]

At this point last year I started obsessively checking Craigslist in my chosen destination, trying to get a feel for what I could expect to pay for an apartment. Not thrilling, but it gave me a reason to be on the computer all the time.

Yep, same here. Checking for desirable areas, helping my wife look for jobs, figuring out school options for the kids, and so on. Haven't even got to the move part itself.

[Postbib Yeshuist]

I feel your pain. I even tried to start registering for classes the other day and the e-mail I got back was "please wait until June." June? JUNE?!?!?! I spent a freakin' half year of my life getting in and I have to wait TWO MORE MONTHS TO REGISTER?!?!?! Yeah, it's definitely tough. One thing I'm doing (once I get my thesis finished) is beginning a summer reading list that I hope will get me a bit ahead of the curve for classes this Fall. I'll also start working on my second language. Nothing else I can do until they get my orientation package to me in, you guessed it... June

[Squawker]

My university sent me a big packet of stuff in the mail, but since I applied using my parent's mailing address, and I live very far from them, I can't look at any of the stuff. When I've asked my parents what was in the packet they just say "oh, nothing that looks too important really" and move on to the next topic. Great. I better not get stuck having to take the crappy classes no one wanted due to missing registration dates or something!

[VUbrat08]

I feel your pain. I even tried to start registering for classes the other day and the e-mail I got back was "please wait until June." June? JUNE?!?!?! I spent a freakin' half year of my life getting in and I have to wait TWO MORE MONTHS TO REGISTER?!?!?! Yeah, it's definitely tough. One thing I'm doing (once I get my thesis finished) is beginning a summer reading list that I hope will get me a bit ahead of the curve for classes this Fall. I'll also start working on my second language. Nothing else I can do until they get my orientation package to me in, you guessed it... June

You're lucky. I can't register until Graduate Orientation...in August.

[bvang]

Wow I totally hear you on the anticlimactic part. I felt like i was being pulled 10 different ways up until this point... trying to imagine where i'd be based on the emails that started to roll in. I was SO stressed out during the entire month of March... and emotionally drained.

And now that things have finally settled and my #1 choice has actually offered me a great package... I find myself not as excited as I thought I'd be. It's as if I have no emotion left... crazy.

Anyway I think the next step is to start mulling over housing options... and hey, if you have time, travel before school starts! Always fun to plan trips

Edited April 8, 2010 by pjnut

[waldorf1975]

Time to start going over apartmentratings.com. You also might want to ask your department if they can put you in touch with other grad students in the program so you can talk about housing or get additional inside scoop. Showing up informed will help you later on.

[psycholinguist]

If you're really excited, spend your time getting acquainted with pretty much every little corner of your school's website and bookmarking every other page. (Just don't go too close to the online store, should there be such a thing, lest you empty your bank-account ordering headbands and underwear and single socks adorned with said school's logo.)

Edited April 14, 2010 by psycholinguist

[fuzzylogician]

Another possibly useful activity to pass the time: get on googlemaps and get to know the area your university (and apartment, if you have a neighborhood in mind) will be in. Find out what buses and trains stop near your university and where they will take you.