What do you do to keep your mind off the wait?

[KristiHipp]

I applied to several programs for a Master's in Student Affairs/Higher Ed. I'm still waiting to hear back from Indiana State, my 1st choice. I sent an email last week asking for a status update since it had been a month since my interview, and got this response:

We are still working out details with assistantship sites and will get back to know [sic] when we have something definite. Thanks for your patience.

aaaaand that's it. Nothing else.

I'm going CRAZY waiting!! Especially since he didn't give me a "you'll know by x" or anything like that.

Any tips on how to manage waiting game?? I'm especially nervous since I've been rejected everywhere else...I'd rather not reapply next year =/

Edited March 20, 2012 by KristiHipp

[FoggyAnhinga]

-watch movies

-run outside (if the weather's nice, haha)

-play games

-take LONG naps

These work for me... though I change around them a lot. Best of luck with your top choice!

[snes]

-all of the above,

-get into a really good and/or really addicting book series,

and,

-pursue a concrete goal for a hobby. The goal part is important, because it gives you something to plan and think about that's not grad school!

[nari27]

TV in moderation!!! Well, I started watching that show "doomsday preppers" until I was nearly convinced that I need to make a bug-out bag. Now I'm laying off the TV for a bit and reading books....started "the hunger games" today so that I can watch the movie when it comes out. Also started playing one of those solitare games. Might try a recipe that I've been wanting to try!!! I'm trying to stay away from academia and give myself a little detox!!

[rmgerdes]

I'm currently doing some cross stitching, running, and writing a conference paper... keep my body busy seems to be key.

[axc]

Apply for jobs, video games, sleep.

[mirandaw]

You're supposed to keep your mind off the wait? Oh.

Well, I've been ridiculously underemployed for the last year (I formerly worked as an organizer in low-level candidate and issue campaigns) after moving across the country to wait to immigrate to Canada. I've been watching a LOT of television, anyway (moderation! What is that?) and I'm currently on a british tv kick.

Aside from that, I craft and read. Perfecting my seamstress skills, drafting patterns, and reading feminist speculative fiction.

It's such a glamorous life.

[mirandaw]

Also, I bake a lot. A friend is trying to convince me that if I don't get in to grad school, we should open a gourmet vegan bakery. I'm thisclose to agreeing.

[superbygk]

My job keeps me pretty occupied. Otherwise...

Running (prepping for an upcoming 8K race; it's also a surprisingly great stress reliever)

Pleasure reading

Playing video games

Checking up on fantasy basketball

Checking apartment prices in cities I may end up

But I also spend a fair amount of time keeping my mind on the wait =)

[mallorn]

Job, running, catching up with my favorite TV series, reading, and video games. Now that it's March going on April, my mind tends to worry a LOT about grad school and these all keep me from going crazy.

[Semester Photon]

Avoid thinking about the wait? I've heard back on almost everything, and I'm still obsessing. In order to go less crazy, I play video games, write, and tutor my best friend in math in my free time. Nothing like helping your pregnant best friend with her least favorite subject to make obsessing over grad school seem like an attractive alternative (I'm kidding, of course!)

[WalterBenjamin]

Also, I bake a lot. A friend is trying to convince me that if I don't get in to grad school, we should open a gourmet vegan bakery. I'm thisclose to agreeing.

oh wow, that's what friends have been telling me for years. I just baked an amazing vegan blueberry choco pie last night. AND I did gender studies. AND we recently immigrated to Canada. PM me if you have any questions and settlement and etc.

What I am doing to get throught the wait is this:

1. Started applying for jobs. Looked into a career that I have always wanted to pursue, but never had an opportunity to. Worked on my resume and am now looking into part-time work options to get started on that part of my professional development.

This has worked really well. I re-visited the list of things I wanted to do in 10 years. And, well, I decided it is time to get started on some of them.

2. Baking. I always bake when I have to process an emotion.

3. If I had time (or more like a baby-sitter ) I would be taking rock climbing classes. Always wanted to try.

[sociologo]

I second that trend of baking and/or cooking whenever I am stressed....then I just have to find someone to eat it. I read for pleasure at least a little every day, try to spend time outside on the weekends, regularly look at pictures of cats online since I can't have them in my apartment.... I also recently got Rosetta Stone for Spanish and Hebrew. Spanish just to keep fresh. Hebrew because my boyfriend is Israeli, and it's just so different from English.

[mirandaw]

oh wow, that's what friends have been telling me for years. I just baked an amazing vegan blueberry choco pie last night. AND I did gender studies. AND we recently immigrated to Canada. PM me if you have any questions and settlement and etc.

Fantastic! Come to vancouver and join us in our vegan bakery adventure.

[WalterBenjamin]

Fantastic! Come to vancouver and join us in our vegan bakery adventure.

oh, that might take a while)))