alcoholic academic?

[Leon1122]

Joyce did it... drank a bottle of wine a night... does anyone think their drinking habits might prevent them from getting accepted for Grad school, for whatever reasons, in whatever directions???

[bdon19]

Prevent us from getting into grad schools? Psh, I'm pretty sure alcoholic tendencies are a prerequisite for graduate studies in general, but especially for us literary folk.

[vordhosbntwin]

jesus

[thestage]

joyce wasn't particularly an academic

but come on are there even grad students that don't drink?

[vordhosbntwin]

hegel loved wine, for sure.

[rainy_day]

I thought this thread would be about the sharp increase of drinking that has gone on in order to endure the wait to hear from programs. Because then I could contribute.

[user_name]

alcohol academic just seems redundant, especially in today's job market.

[Unamuno]

Though I'm not in the field, I would say that excessive alcoholic consumption is a requisite not necessarily for people in English, but definitely for those in Creative Writing. All good writers have their vices, whether it be alcohol, opium, sexual perversion, etc. By the way, did any of you English peeps see Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris?" If not, I highly recommend it. It features cameos from a lot of famous dead writers!

[bfat]

Because of health conditions right now, I cannot drink either alcohol OR CAFFEINE!!!!

... I don't think I will survive the semester, lol.

In this case, my lack of alcohol might hurt me...

[todamascus]

Though I'm not in the field, I would say that excessive alcoholic consumption is a requisite not necessarily for people in English, but definitely for those in Creative Writing. All good writers have their vices, whether it be alcohol, opium, sexual perversion, etc. By the way, did any of you English peeps see Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris?" If not, I highly recommend it. It features cameos from a lot of famous dead writers!

I had a great time with this film!

Not happy at all with the ending though. But then again I didn't get why the flower girl should be in Midnight in Paris in the first place...(I rather disliked the ending of "500 days of summer" for the same reason.) Too soft perhaps?

[wintergirl]

but come on are there even grad students that don't drink?

If you go to grad school in Utah, then yes. We drinking grad students are definitely, bizarrely in the minority.

[antecedent]

Because of health conditions right now, I cannot drink either alcohol OR CAFFEINE!!!!

... I don't think I will survive the semester, lol.

In this case, my lack of alcohol might hurt me...

ME TOO! It's pretty much the worst. I miss lattes and beer so much...not to mention I have painfully coherent memories of the past five weeks as a result of NOT drinking myself into oblivion.

[perrykm2]

You should try a tea latte. I'm drinking a lavender tea latte with soy creamer right now. Tastes way better than a latte with espresso, but doesn't have the same kick (unfortunately for me.)

[bfat]

Yeah, the booze I can live without (I guess...) but the coffee thing has been really hard. I keep cheating by getting a hot chocolate and then adding like 1/4 cup of coffee.

[antecedent]

I've just been drinking tons of green tea. I had a green tea misto with almond milk, agave, and cinnamon the other day and that was pretty darn good. Not quite the same as a latte, but still pretty tasty.

What I really miss, over all things, is a good cuppa. But dairy is out for me right now and I never did manage to choke down a whole cup of orange pekoe with any kind of milk replacer (and I've tried almost all of them). Sigh.

[bdon19]

If you go to grad school in Utah, then yes. We drinking grad students are definitely, bizarrely in the minority.

This is funny, because a professor of mine who did his PhD in Utah always talks about him and all his friends being functioning alcoholics through grad school. Though I can see that they'd be in the minority, for sure.

ETA: When I visited Austin in December, I decided that my study spot would be a cafe that serves great coffee AND booze. Puttin' that stipend to good use.

...If I get in, of course.

Edited February 3, 2012 by bdon19

[marlowe]

This is funny, because a professor of mine who did his PhD in Utah always talks about him and all his friends being functioning alcoholics through grad school. Though I can see that they'd be in the minority, for sure.

ETA: When I visited Austin in December, I decided that my study spot would be a cafe that serves great coffee AND booze. Puttin' that stipend to good use.

...If I get in, of course.

Did you chat with anyone in the department while you were there? I love Austin; it is such a cool place.

[Mistral]

if I don't get in anywhere, I guess that will just make me an alcoholic. hmmm..... that's not as cool.

[bdon19]

Did you chat with anyone in the department while you were there? I love Austin; it is such a cool place.

Unfortunately, I went during the week between Christmas and the New Year, so there weren't many people around the campus. However, I do have a professor who recently got her PhD there, and I've heard nothing but good things about the program and about the town from everyone I've talked to. Austin was the only place not in the midwest/East Coast that I applied to (I don't do well in hot places because I get intense migraines), but the awesomeness of it made up for its location. It really was one of the coolest cities I've ever been to.

[perrykm2]

I love Austin. If I lived there, I would go to Alamo Drafthouse every week.

[crazedandinfused]

I love the Lit boards.

[Taco Superior]

Alas I had to retire from all booze and drugs ten years ago: this 2 year application process has been completely clear headed. Pity me.

[lolopixie]

I rarely drink. If I do though, I drink wine. Grad school slowly but surely stopped my drinking. When I started I drank wine regularly....now I drink maybe once every 3-4 months...and that is just a glass or two because I have absolutely no tolerance now. Coffee, on the otherhand, I cannot live without.

[felicite]

If you go to grad school in Utah, then yes. We drinking grad students are definitely, bizarrely in the minority.

Agreed. I imbibe massive amounts of Mountain Dew. It's what I live on.

[msafiri]

Personally, I think grad school would be sort of miserable without alcohol. I tend to drink a few glasses of wine while grading papers, for example. Then there's the weekly departmental happy hour, which is fun. Granted, some attend but don't drink, but I'm such a regular that the bartender knows my drink order.