How are you coping with waiting?

[LLajax]

Speaking of jobs (Starlajane), I'm trying to figure out how soon is too soon to start looking for back-up plan jobs (is considering a job search as a back-up too optimistic?). Can't start working full-time until I graduate in May, but I figure I'm obliged to look for a job anyway, right? Any advice on this? Oh the humanities

[lolopixie]

I am currently trying REALLY, REALLY hard not to read too much into the fact that the DGS at one of my schools e-mailed me back within minutes of asking him about having received my GRE scores...on a Saturday evening. Either he's really into his job, or he's familiar with my file... Must. Not. Freak. Out. So. Early.

Don't freak out. It is entirely possible that he had your file on his desk when the email came through. I called a school once and the grad secretary was actually working on my file the same time I called. Don't read too much into it. It doesn't necessarily mean anything good, and it doesn't necessarily mean anything bad. Just be happy that he responded quickly

[wintergirl]

After obsessing over this last night (and spending way too long reading back through last year's threads to try to "prepare" myself), I've now created a new tab in my giant Excel worksheet and made honest/pessimistic assessments of what I think my chances are at each school. Having done that, and mentally locked away the applications that I feel like I screwed the pooch on, I can move on thinking only about those few schools from which I might just have a small chance of getting good news.

I also finally went back and downloaded the PDFs for all of my completed apps, only to discover that on my app for my top choice (due on Dec. 1st along with three other applications--ergo, finished at the last minute), I listed my undergrad GPA wrong. As in HIGHER than it actually was. It's listed correctly on my CV that I submitted, but am now petrified that my application will get thrown out for academic dishonesty or something. Calling them first thing tomorrow PST to try to get that fixed.

FML.

Edited January 8, 2012 by bespeckled

[Starlajane]

Speaking of jobs (Starlajane), I'm trying to figure out how soon is too soon to start looking for back-up plan jobs (is considering a job search as a back-up too optimistic?). Can't start working full-time until I graduate in May, but I figure I'm obliged to look for a job anyway, right? Any advice on this? Oh the humanities

Part of the problem is that you can't really look for a job--unless it is a temp position--until you find out re: grad school.

I interviewed for a teaching job in September but was, essentially, a non-candidate for the position b/c I was applying to grad schools; most jobs don't want to hire someone that is going to leave in 6 months or, even, a year.

I would look into teaching high school as a back-up plan in case you don't get in.

[Grunty DaGnome]

All those early deadlines give me comfort that I may begin to get results as early as the first week in February. Or, maybe the word I'm looking for isn't exactly comfort, but more like dread.

The closer it feels, the easier it is to repress, that's the upbeat take-away.

[Grunty DaGnome]

In case you guys are thinking of trying this too; staring at the calendar at the bottom of your computer screen doesn't make it change anymore quickly, just as staring at a clock doesn't make time speed up.

[Jbarks]

Downton Abbey started on Sunday; that should help things.

[bdon19]

I can't handle this waiting!!!! I'm trying to distract myself with creative writing and just generally being busy, but when I have downtime I just want to cry. I just want to know now and not have to feel like a failure. aklj;slkjd;fkj;alkjs;kdjf;kajskljd;lkfjasdf

[indalomena]

I can't handle this waiting!!!! I'm trying to distract myself with creative writing and just generally being busy, but when I have downtime I just want to cry. I just want to know now and not have to feel like a failure. aklj;slkjd;fkj;alkjs;kdjf;kajskljd;lkfjasdf

me tooooooooo... I was really emotional last night Trying to distract myself but to no avail. Getting weird nightmares as well. I half woke up last night around 4am from a weird dream in which there was something hiding in my wardrobe and banging on the door, and all the while just had "Yale. Yale. Yale. Yale" going round and round in my head. What does it mean?!!

[rainy_day]

I thought I was feeling really chill about the whole thing...but for about 10 days now (immediately following the submission of my second to last application) I have been unable to fall asleep and I've been having really weird dreams, neither of which are normally ever a problem for me. I realized today that this general sense of unease I'm carrying around must be anxiety about applications.

Basically, I've convinced myself that I'm fine, and all the while my subconscious/body is busy freaking out.

Ugh.

[antecedent]

Last night I had a dream I got into one of my top choice programs. It was awesome. Waking up was confusing and definitely a bit of a let down. Sigh. Admissions decisions can't come fast enough!

[effess]

I half woke up last night around 4am from a weird dream in which there was something hiding in my wardrobe and banging on the door, and all the while just had "Yale. Yale. Yale. Yale" going round and round in my head. What does it mean?!!

Perhaps the thing in your wardrobe was locked in?

[indalomena]

Perhaps the thing in your wardrobe was locked in?

hurrah, so not a sinister grad school nightmare at all!

[effess]

hurrah, so not a sinister grad school nightmare at all!

Nope, more an advice dream telling you to supplement your grad-school income with some locksmithery!

[lolopixie]

I mentioned to my dad that I would need assistance with moving my stuff if I get into a program. He is now planning a "vacation" for moving me. Which is awesome and somewhat scary at the same time. He is so enthused about helping me and certain that I will get in somewhere this round...I hope he is right!

[perrykm2]

I'm not having trouble with the waiting. I can't help reflecting on everything I did (which includes a typing error on my CV/Resume that went out to most of my schools) and then wanting to die.

[Timshel]

I'm not having trouble with the waiting. I can't help reflecting on everything I did (which includes a typing error on my CV/Resume that went out to most of my schools) and then wanting to die.

Me too. I've noticed errors on my Works Cited for the writing sample of the first couple of apps, and then I noticed TODAY an error on my CV that has gone out to 9 out of my 10 apps. Awesome.

I just want to get this show on the road and get it over with.

[todamascus]

2+ hours wandering in the streets feeling fictional plus lots of ebook forum lurking.

Probably will try some of the movies on all-time greatest list too. To be honest I've only finished 1 Fellini and 1 Bergman so far. Shame I know, I know. I am clueless when others talk about the classics.

Edited January 14, 2012 by h.s.

[vertige]

I'm not having trouble with the waiting. I can't help reflecting on everything I did (which includes a typing error on my CV/Resume that went out to most of my schools) and then wanting to die.

I had some crappy mistakes in my writing sample due to translation and being in a non-English context for the last 18 months. My brain is just not as efficient at writing and reading English as it used to be. I cleaned it up a lot and e-mailed Princeton and Yale (the first two I applied to) 2 weeks after submitting apps, and both accepted my revision, as my application hadn't gone to committee yet. I feel like even if I have made other mistakes, hopefully they'll see my initiative and capacity for self-correction as insurance against the risk such mistakes might betray.

[Grunty DaGnome]

Now you're breaking my heart, because I never thought of doing that with my own horrible mistakes.

[ecritdansleau]

Now you're breaking my heart, because I never thought of doing that with my own horrible mistakes.

If it's any consolation, nearly half the departments I applied to specifically stated "you cannot change application materials such as the SOP and WS after submitting." From what I know, English departments typically receive more applications than would German/Comp Lit programs, so it might be more difficult for some departments to accommodate these requests (the more applicants, the more of a challenge--and nuisance?--this could become). Kudos to vertige for doing it successfully!

[Grunty DaGnome]

Ah well, there's always next year.

[perrykm2]

Me too. I've noticed errors on my Works Cited for the writing sample of the first couple of apps, and then I noticed TODAY an error on my CV that has gone out to 9 out of my 10 apps. Awesome.

I just want to get this show on the road and get it over with.

Oh, don't even get me started on my works cited. My paper referenced a lot of commercials and youtube videos in addition to all of the sources I used, so I ended up with like 20+ sources. Now, when I reflect on it, I absolutely should have used the Chicago style, but instead I used MLA and have 2 pages of sources. So dumb and obvious, but it didn't seem like a problem then. Annoying.

[pel]

I work part-time and watch an episode of Modern Family every day. thinking about starting Dexter.

[vertige]

Most schools have it in their FAQs, etc., that no materials can be changed after submission. I just took my chances and e-mailed the DGS at each school, and it worked out. If you're applying to Penn, which gets like 650 English applicants, you're kind of accepting the fact that such a tiny percent get admitted that errors take on an entirely new meaning. Even an army of secretaries can't keep track of all quick messages from students about their apps, let alone the long, eloquent e-mails they sometimes get. I think a lot of you English folks are brilliant, but I can't figure out why you'd rather study theory or Medieval studies in an English program, and have an impossible time getting admitted even to second and third-tier programs, when you could study very similar things in a smaller, prestigious program that is happy to accept you...and where you get fellowships to study in foreign countries and even seduce someone in a foreign language

Of course, some of my favorite professors were English professors, but at least two or three of them also had foreign credentials. One studied with Lacan at École Normale SupÉrieure...and he's a better English professor because he can speak about Lacanian theory in French as well as English. (He's also a bigwig in Penn's English Dept. btw...)

If any of you get across-the-board rejections (which is no indication of your intelligence, but merely a fact of the insanely competitive English admissions process), think about studying another language and coming back with a different goal next year - sorry for the propaganda, but one of you might be thanking me next year

Edited January 16, 2012 by vertige