obsessed

[EdYouKateOr]

You know...I keep telling myself that this cannot be healthy.  Obsessively reading about other people obsessing over grad school and contributing my own dose of crazy here and there.   Yet then I think about it a little more.  I can only talk to my friends so much because most of them are not applying to grad schools.  And yet, it's constantly on my mind and there's a desire to talk about it. All. The. Time.  Here, we find other people that are obsessing, we find people willing to listen to our crazy thoughts on Holiday Greeting emails from out top schools, hoping it's a subtle sign of good things to come.  We can mention that during the meteor shower will driving home, we saw thirteen "shooting stars"...and that's the exact number of grad schools and internships we're applying to!  That has to be a sign.  And this is very cathartic.   We find people not only willing to listen to our crazy, but embracing it and sharing their own crazy.  I think this website, though unhealthy on so many levels, is preventing several of us from jumping off a bridge...or at the very least, saving our friendships with people who don't want to hear about grad school 24/7.

Agreed! Only my closest friends even know and NONE of my colleagues! I know my hubby and BFF are tired of hearing me talk about it!

[Robin_Sparkles]

I have been working on planning out every space of time for the next sixteen weeks. Or at least close to it. I pick random things (I study Japanese for fun, so I fret over that) to fret myself half to death and it works okay because it keeps me away from the issues that /really/ matter. Basically, worrying about anything but graduate school school.

 

I have so much going on this semester that I'm worried about how things will play out...

I'm sure you'll survive!  Last semester was killer for me.  And this semester, I'll be a TA while simultaneously studying Mandarin (so I feel ya on the Japanese front).  But.  Busy is good.  Busy provides drive and motivation.  I'm sure you have a great support system ready to encourage you to the very end!

[amlobo]

Agreed! Only my closest friends even know and NONE of my colleagues! I know my hubby and BFF are tired of hearing me talk about it!

 

My family doesn't know I'm applying to schools (except my husband of course!)... and neither do any of my coworkers.  I was kind of driving my husband and closer friends crazy talking about apps and such... so it's better to be on here with my fellow worriers than causing insanity to others

[nohika]

I'm sure you'll survive!  Last semester was killer for me.  And this semester, I'll be a TA while simultaneously studying Mandarin (so I feel ya on the Japanese front).  But.  Busy is good.  Busy provides drive and motivation.  I'm sure you have a great support system ready to encourage you to the very end!

 

I've got...three classes, working on a journal manuscript, TAing for two classes lesser involved (track assignments, enter grades, etc), TAing for another class that is more heavily involved (helping design assignments, grade assignments, etc), working on two research projects with my mentor (one involves transcribing and analyzing interviews [which I have no idea how to do] and the second is working on learning modules and whatnot for a project with the DoD), doing general RA stuff for the two professors I work for...oh, and I work two jobs totaling about 25-35 hours a week. One is my TA/RA work so I do a lot of that then. Oh, and I need to start putting together a professional portfolio...

 

I will be kept plenty busy. Just gotta figure out how to get organized the "correct" way...making an Excel sheet that will be able to be blocked out like Google Calender but maintain individual to-do lists.

 

I'm crazy, I know. Fun times.

[Robin_Sparkles]

I've got...three classes, working on a journal manuscript, TAing for two classes lesser involved (track assignments, enter grades, etc), TAing for another class that is more heavily involved (helping design assignments, grade assignments, etc), working on two research projects with my mentor (one involves transcribing and analyzing interviews [which I have no idea how to do] and the second is working on learning modules and whatnot for a project with the DoD), doing general RA stuff for the two professors I work for...oh, and I work two jobs totaling about 25-35 hours a week. One is my TA/RA work so I do a lot of that then. Oh, and I need to start putting together a professional portfolio...

 

I will be kept plenty busy. Just gotta figure out how to get organized the "correct" way...making an Excel sheet that will be able to be blocked out like Google Calender but maintain individual to-do lists.

 

I'm crazy, I know. Fun times.

Darlin', I assure you you're not alone.  My life is essentially on the same level.  Excel is an excellent way to block it all out; I have a tendency to use a core "weekly schedule" with on-going time commitments blocked in and extra space to assign things that need to get done for each.  I can then go in and alter new weekly appointments and print off a fresh one each week.  Of course, I'm also a bit old school. I will NEVER get rid of my paper agenda, which I religiously clutch to my bosom like an infant.  I love being able to put in post-its (lined, of course) that I can use to write down additional little tid-bits and to-do's.  There's something refreshing about ripping a post-it note off the page, crumpling it up, and tossing it away.

 

Organization is half the battle.  And also a fun way to procrastinate.

[nohika]

Darlin', I assure you you're not alone.  My life is essentially on the same level.  Excel is an excellent way to block it all out; I have a tendency to use a core "weekly schedule" with on-going time commitments blocked in and extra space to assign things that need to get done for each.  I can then go in and alter new weekly appointments and print off a fresh one each week.  Of course, I'm also a bit old school. I will NEVER get rid of my paper agenda, which I religiously clutch to my bosom like an infant.  I love being able to put in post-its (lined, of course) that I can use to write down additional little tid-bits and to-do's.  There's something refreshing about ripping a post-it note off the page, crumpling it up, and tossing it away.

 

Organization is half the battle.  And also a fun way to procrastinate.

 

The hard part about having a core weekly schedule is that my second job, the schedule changes week to week, haha...I've used google calender in the past but I really like being able to have daily to-do lists since while blocking out the time is nice, I like having a list to cross off, and I like having everything in the same place. A planner is useful for planning everything out over the semester, but it's harder to color-coordinate. I put way too much thought into this, haha. I might try and combine a paper planner with Google Calender...the less I have to do by hand, the saner I feel, that's for sure. Post-its are an awesome idea...I haven't used those before. Might have to borrow some from my department.

 

I like having the to-do lists to cross off. Use a planner often too, just trying to find the "right" way, haha...

[Robin_Sparkles]

The hard part about having a core weekly schedule is that my second job, the schedule changes week to week, haha...I've used google calender in the past but I really like being able to have daily to-do lists since while blocking out the time is nice, I like having a list to cross off, and I like having everything in the same place. A planner is useful for planning everything out over the semester, but it's harder to color-coordinate. I put way too much thought into this, haha. I might try and combine a paper planner with Google Calender...the less I have to do by hand, the saner I feel, that's for sure. Post-its are an awesome idea...I haven't used those before. Might have to borrow some from my department.

 

I like having the to-do lists to cross off. Use a planner often too, just trying to find the "right" way, haha...

Post-its are great!  Because they come in a variety of colors, so I'm able to color-coordinate with my different areas in my planner.  And I differentiate subjects and life responsibilities with a variety of colored pens in my planner.  I totally get the color-coding thing...it's a long standing habit.  I'm then able to associate this with my excel calendar.  I've also (in the past) made a color-coded to-do list on Excel.  Each week, I would print one of with major tasks, using different highlighting blocks or different colored fonts and leave open spaces to add in to-do items as they popped up over the week and then used my different colored pens to keep it organized.  Different systems coming together to create a perfect system (for myself).  But post-its.  I highly suggest you invest in them.

[VBD]

I am actually a bit jealous of the people who are starting up this semester/have work to keep themselves busy. I just have a part-time food service job D: 

 

This is my second time applying. This time last year, I was a wreck. This site, while helpful with tons of advice, did kick my worries into hyper drive  My worries increased when I saw people with higher stats (GPA, GRE, publications, etc.) than me worry about THEIR application. Then, everything culminated in months of constant refreshing on the results page and my email and ultimately rejections from all schools but one (which I later rejected due to changing research interests).

This year, since I've already had the "worst possible scenario" (though, it could always get worse) with not getting into a program, not getting a job (some jobs came, but were binding and required at least 1 year of work starting now, so waiving the positions to get into grad school is my all-in bet), and having to start paying off my UG/Masters loans, I'm approaching my applications with some nerves, a little more desperation, and a lot more sanity. I'm not obsessively refreshing results, or checking posts, but I do check in once a day. This community is wonderful, but if you feel like you're getting more stressed about it, try to check yourself. Realize that everyone's nervous/anxious/going a little crazy. Also recognize that you WILL survive if you don't get into the school of your dreams, since everything happens for a reason. I, for one, am GLAD I didn't get in last year, since I've matured since then, personally had time to look more into my field through reading more articles and taking opencourseware online and really figuring out the narrow focus area I want to research, something I couldn't have even contemplated while finishing my Masters. 

I'm sure everyone has done their best, so good luck to all, and may you keep your sanity in these upcoming months.

Edited January 7, 2013 by VBD

[nohika]

Post-its are great!  Because they come in a variety of colors, so I'm able to color-coordinate with my different areas in my planner.  And I differentiate subjects and life responsibilities with a variety of colored pens in my planner.  I totally get the color-coding thing...it's a long standing habit.  I'm then able to associate this with my excel calendar.  I've also (in the past) made a color-coded to-do list on Excel.  Each week, I would print one of with major tasks, using different highlighting blocks or different colored fonts and leave open spaces to add in to-do items as they popped up over the week and then used my different colored pens to keep it organized.  Different systems coming together to create a perfect system (for myself).  But post-its.  I highly suggest you invest in them.

 

Ooh, true. I think my sister has some I could...borrow. My school definitely does. I like to color-code so I can see at a glance what I have due when, basically - whether I have exams this week, or quizzes, or papers or homework or...I like highlighters for that reason. I got all my school stuff in my planner last night and am just focusing on adding the highlights. I have some small widgets on my desktop that track some other to-do lists I have, since they're handy, but I'll organize most of my school-related stuff in my planner, I think.

 

Found out yesterday night that all three of my classes have exams the same week...all three weeks [with exams in them]. I'm like SERIOUSLY? Mentor wasn't surprised and while I normally have them close together, I've never had all three bunched up like that. Blech.

 

@VBD - I like having school as a distraction, but with the professors dying to know about admissions as much as I am, it drives me a bit crazy sometimes. Plus I have a massive anxiety issue already, so grad school admissions are basically exacerbating what already exists. I don't check in as obsessively as I'd like sometimes, but I definitely check every 15-20 min if I'm on my laptop not focused on something else. Ironically, the waiting and the stress is making me want it more...