Fall 2012ers: How are y'all feeling?

[bdon19]

I'm preparing to move halfway across the country in just over a week. I have nothing packed, have to make careful decisions regarding which of my precious books get to come with me, and am altogether just not at all ready to leave. On top of everything, I fairly recently got into a serious relationship that is now going to have to continue long-distance for at least a year and is kind of tearing me apart. I'm excited about school, but it still seems so far away that I'm less in the anxious anticipation and more in just the anxious stage!

How is everyone else feeling about starting fresh?

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

A little bit of confusion, a lot of anxiety, and a whole lot of impostor syndrome all coated with sugary sprinkles of incredulous excitement.

[pinkrobot]

A little bit of confusion, a lot of anxiety, and a whole lot of impostor syndrome all coated with sugary sprinkles of incredulous excitement.

This. And I'm going to miss my current city/state like crazy, so there's some of that going on, too, while I'm simultaneously really excited to get going with the program.

[magog]

Like a million bucks (if only my stipend were that high...)

[eriksmegs]

I find I can't focus on moving and starting classes at the same time without wanting to curl up under my desk and rock back and forth. So I'm just focusing on moving for now (less than a week!), and I'm a pretty equal mix of nerves and excitement.

[GuateAmfeminist]

Super excited! I cannot wait to sign up for my classes... there are too many amazing ones to choose from! I am also excited to set up my new place. Though I'll miss my memories here, I am eager to join the Austin and UT community and hopefully make some friends! (to hide the fact that I am like a middle schooler who is afraid I won't make friends). 12 days to Austin!

[marlowe]

Fiona and Guate, in which area of the town are you guys going to be living?

Also, forget this impostor syndrome stuff: I just got back from hanging out at an important conference in my field, and there were PLENTY of mediocre papers, even from faculty. Have some confidence in yourself and your ability to produce solid work!

[Stately Plump]

Though I'll miss my memories here, I am eager to join the Austin and UT community and hopefully make some friends! (to hide the fact that I am like a middle schooler who is afraid I won't make friends).

Hah! I feel the exact same.

I'm going to clean my new apartment today. I've been fake preoccupied with stuff like apartment finding/cleaning so I've not yet worried too much about school. When I do think about school it makes me and and and and and and so instead I just act .

Edited July 21, 2012 by Stately Plump

[GuateAmfeminist]

Fiona and Guate, in which area of the town are you guys going to be living?

I'm living around the Far West area (a little northwest of it). Unfortunately, not enough places or money to live in the few places that were left in places like Hyde Park.

[user_name]

getting ready to move. parents just told me they'll no longer be driving me and my stuff across the country so having to re-think what i can take

[marlowe]

I'm living around the Far West area (a little northwest of it). Unfortunately, not enough places or money to live in the few places that were left in places like Hyde Park.

Awesome. I went for the Near East -- not terribly expensive and walkable or cycle-able in the dead of winter.

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

Fiona and Guate, in which area of the town are you guys going to be living?

I'm in Hyde Park. There's a shuttle stop in front of my place and a creepy alley behind it. What more could a girl want?

[TripWillis]

I'm good. I'm kinda broke.

[nokingofengland]

I'm in Hyde Park. There's a shuttle stop in front of my place and a creepy alley behind it. What more could a girl want?

I spent a few months in Austin a while ago working as an Asst. Director for Hyde Park Theatre. The neighborhood is awesome. There's a wonderful little coffee shop called... Quacks? I think. Anyway, you should definitely check out HPT. They put on a good show, and they're not complete sell-outs.

Enjoy!

[Venti White Choc. Mocha]

Moving from my own condo into a studio apmt with my dog! Feeling preemptively claustrophobic. KU keeps mailing me books to read in addition to my preliminary coursework. AHHHH! I'm trin' to pack here y'all, gimme a minute.

[margarethale]

I'm too excited about the fact that this is the last Monday that I'll ever have to work at my awful, awful job to be nervous about school.

I'm sure that'll all change this time next week though...

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

I spent a few months in Austin a while ago working as an Asst. Director for Hyde Park Theatre. The neighborhood is awesome. There's a wonderful little coffee shop called... Quacks? I think. Anyway, you should definitely check out HPT. They put on a good show, and they're not complete sell-outs.

Enjoy!

No way! I live about 2 blocks from there and checked it out when I was exploring--what an awesome little place! I thought it was a gym at first so I kind of wandered inside, the director was totally unfazed. He seemed like a cool guy. Definitely going to see something there.

And I do love coffee/pastry shops. In fact, I may love them a little too much...

[cquin]

On top of everything, I fairly recently got into a serious relationship that is now going to have to continue long-distance for at least a year and is kind of tearing me apart.

THIS. I just met my boy two weeks ago, and I leave this Monday. Why couldn't my timing be better?!

Aside from that, I too have nothing packed and continue to squander the hours away on the internet, rather than figuring out how to transport six or seven boxes full of books.

[lolopixie]

THIS. I just met my boy two weeks ago, and I leave this Monday. Why couldn't my timing be better?!

Aside from that, I too have nothing packed and continue to squander the hours away on the internet, rather than figuring out how to transport six or seven boxes full of books.

Aw, maybe you'll meet a nice boy in grad school I completely understand. My boyfriend of 4 years was accepted to a PhD program 9 hours away. The moving thing...I think you are in the same boat as everyone. My BF and friend that got into another program are both not packed or ready to make a massive move. You'll get it done.

[marlowe]

Aw, maybe you'll meet a nice boy in grad school I completely understand. My boyfriend of 4 years was accepted to a PhD program 9 hours away. The moving thing...I think you are in the same boat as everyone. My BF and friend that got into another program are both not packed or ready to make a massive move. You'll get it done.

My girlfriend will be in a program approximately 35 hours away by car. I am not looking forward to this aspect of the next five years.

[bdon19]

My girlfriend will be in a program approximately 35 hours away by car. I am not looking forward to this aspect of the next five years.

This makes me feel the tiniest bit better about my life. At least my boyfriend is only 16 hours away. And currently unemployed (which means I get to eventually try and convince him to find a job and/or MFA program near me, right?!)...

[Timshel]

I am feeling completely overwhelmed and anxious. Not about school. That is all going well and I got into the classes I wanted, and I am super excited to take them, so all is well on that front. What is hard for me is the 2500+ mile move. We are having to make all of our moving arrangements without ever visiting there. Ha! I'm also super nervous about my husband finding a job soon once we get out there because Cali ain't cheap!

[TripWillis]

It's good to see all you guys again.

To give a more thorough answer than my earlier one, I've been having an interesting summer. I tried to find a steady job to slam away some money, but failed miserably. So, I've been turning my thesis into an article and I'm in the final editing stages before submission. Not too many more global revisions, just fixing odds and ends. I've been trudging through a long summer reading list, which has been great -- been a while since I've had a chance to do so much self-directed reading. I've been tutoring creative writing to a kid, tutoring college students, tutoring a fifth grader... basically lots and lots of tutoring. I'm presenting at a conference in September on what I just found out is a VERY intimidating panel of scholars (I'll just say that none of them are first year grad students and one of them is a kind of famous academic). I've also had very little money, so I've been kind of a shut-in.

Not much in my non-scholarly life is changing, since the school I'm going to is about a 40 minute subway commute from my apartment (hooray!) and I know that makes my boyfriend really happy. I definitely understand what a lot of you are probably dealing with in that regard. Three years ago I followed my boyfriend to NYC while he was getting his MSW and the adjustment was not easy for either of us, but we figured it out. When I was going through my options (Buffalo, Amherst, New Brunswick, and here), I know he was getting pretty nervous that I'd move somewhere else, even though none of the places I'd move were so so terribly far away (except Buffalo, which, in the words of Louis C.K., "sucks shit"). We got really lucky that CUNY ended up being the best fit for me in the end.

I'm incredibly excited to get started. GRR! Still one more month! I'm having so much trouble narrowing my classes for the fall down to three. So many of them look so amazing. The faculty and my student adviser have all been incredibly welcoming and nice and there are a number of orientation and mixer events at the beginning of the semester. CUNY is doing a really great job of making sure we form a community. I've even had professors reaching out personally to welcome me and invite me to take their courses based on my interests. But, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, mostly about what I assume will be a pretty insane reading/workload (but I know I'll handle it, I just know I'm going to be tested early) and also about my fellowship, which is good, but on the low side for NYC cost of living. I'm up for two supplemental fellowships which I've had radio silence on, but I supposedly shouldn't hear about until Aug/Sept anyway. If I get either of them, it will make things way way way way easier for me. If not... well... I could look into freeganism. I've convinced myself that continuing to tutor this fall and spring would be a really dumb move and that I should just bite the bullet, but I don't know. I guess I'll see how poor I am and whether I can deal with it.

<--------- sunglasses to hide geeky excitement to read books, nervousness over my impending Ph.D.-er lifestyle, and anticipation for the start of 5-7 years of scholastic immersion. Whew. Here we go *takes deep breath/holds nose*.

(Copyright 2012, StatelyPlump)

[Stately Plump]

It's good to see all you guys again.

[...]

<--------- sunglasses to hide geeky excitement to read books, nervousness over my impending Ph.D.-er lifestyle, and anticipation for the start of 5-7 years of scholastic immersion. Whew. Here we go *takes deep breath/holds nose*.

(Copyright 2012, StatelyPlump)

Good to see (?) you too, Trip. And thanks for the shout-out.

[user_name]

i say we make a betting pool to see whose long distance relationship lasts the longest and/or ends first.