Venting Thread- Vent about anything.

[uselesstheory]

the fact that i am still on this website after accepting a funded phd offer
like i thought i could quit this place, but it is like an addiction
probably because everyone on here can understand aspects of my experience that most people in my real life can't, to an extent, but i was anticipating being "free" and alas, i remain
 

also, why am i still smoking cigarettes after i quit smoking cigarettes? but i don't smoke them like i did before (chain smoking) and it's just sort of once a day but it makes me angry with myself and i don't understand my own vices...

[shadowclaw]

Despite having 5 years of rental history and good credit, the apartment I like the most (from online viewings/pictures/location) requires a co-signer on the lease because I'm a student (granted, a 27 y/o grad student who's had a stable job for 4 years). Asked my mom & stepdad who said "No" and wouldn't budge. I've never had an issue w/ paying rent even when I was a less-than-responsible undergrad. They got burned by both of my older siblings by co-signing either on loans so I kinda get it, but ugggghhhhhhh. Stinks.

 

I'm nervous to ask my dad because he's always been a little more tight on financials, but I've never ever asked him for help like this before. I've leaned on my mom & stepdad but always paid them back as soon as I could. I plan to pay my fall semester months (Aug - Dec) upfront and the same for spring, so maybe that will swing the landlord a bit. I don't know. I'm visiting in a couple weeks and will get to meet the landlord & property mgmt company in person, so we'll see.

I worry about this exact thing. My husband and I basically have zero rental history because we both lived with our parents until we got married last year. Now we live in an apartment in my parents' basement. We do pay rent, but I'm not sure how a rental company would view that. I suppose if I didn't tell them we were renting from my parents, they wouldn't know.

Some of the companies also want verified income 3 times the amount of rent (or a statement of student loans). I get why, but I can't see my husband getting a job before we actually move, so that could pose a problem since my TA position isn't going to be 3 times the rent. I'm also a bit annoyed because several apartments that have everything we're looking for require you to meet with the people and see the apartment in person.

I also saw one place that required interviews for your dog if you have one. I'm also getting really annoyed with apartments on Zillow that are marked as pet-friendly, but say no pets in the description.

[Monochrome Spring]

I had to prove that I made 3 times the rent in order to secure my apartment without a cosigner. I can't imagine how I would have gotten housing otherwise.

[attackonthedoctor]

I had to prove that I made 3 times the rent in order to secure my apartment without a cosigner. I can't imagine how I would have gotten housing otherwise.

How did you manage to do that? Did you show them your stipend pay? Just curious.

[CBclone]

Luckily, my dad came through and agreed to co-sign. I think he's a in a little better financial spot than my mom & step-dad, and he was also burned by my brother's actions (or lack thereof) but realized I've been completely independent and haven't struggled with money. 

 

Whew.

 

Now hoping the Landlord approves my application. All 4 of her available apartments are ready to be signed for an Aug-1 start date and I'll get to look at them later this month. If I can secure a spot and know that it's mine before I have to move 2,000 miles across the country that would be amazing. My biggest fear right now is having to pack up and move in August without knowing where I'll be laying my head to sleep at the other end of the trip.

[shadowclaw]

I had to prove that I made 3 times the rent in order to secure my apartment without a cosigner. I can't imagine how I would have gotten housing otherwise.

This is a very foreign concept to me. I helped a friend look for an apartment and no one even asked about income. Owners just said to have first month's rent and security deposit by the end of the week. I also looked at an apartment with an ex, and the owner did ask about income, but never asked for verification.

I think I understand why my best friend had some issues with finding a good apartment in NC from afar with no credit history. She did score a beautiful house though.

[Monochrome Spring]

How did you manage to do that? Did you show them your stipend pay? Just curious.

 

Showed them my fellowship stipend. If I was on a TA-ship, I would not have been able to sign my lease. The real world is stupid and inefficient beyond measure.

[attackonthedoctor]

Showed them my fellowship stipend. If I was on a TA-ship, I would not have been able to sign my lease. The real world is stupid and inefficient beyond measure.

Good to know. I just feel all types of vexation because both my SO and I are moving to be near my grad school and he doesn't make much at the moment (our current location has zero opportunity for his field).

Yeah, the real world has no clue, lol!

[Cheshire_Cat]

Promotion! No, not really... my year end reviews were pretty dismal today.  At least I can't get demoted from staff accountant. Grad student... they say those who can't do, teach.  Bwahaha! I should be wonderful.

But, I'm pretty annoyed because they were mostly done by someone who had only reviewed a couple of my earliest assignments and hasn't even talked to me in more than a month. Its frustrating.  I hate that it will be my last review here.  Oh well... Get used to clueless reviewers.  I will write a scathing email about him to my partner when I leave. If I don't chicken out. Hopefully this will be my last feedback from that dreaded project and I can move on.

 

4 Months, 13 days, 20 hours, & 50 minutes until grad school orientation.   I will survive.

[Crucial BBQ]

Words:  caveat; "fate" when used to describe where something ends up, such as ​fate of garblefunkle in the goober doodle cycle; flux; really long titles to journal articles, posters, ...; titles that try to sound clever, sciency, and "academic" but instead come off as ambiguous and extraneous at most, not saying a damn thing about the research at the least:  Close examination of static flux billowy mass fate in the northern sphere from the testification by infatuation of hominids; examination, to mean "look at"; For this reason...

 

 

Powerpoint lectures, too. 

[BiochemMom]

My husband broke a glass bottle on the porch, didn't tell me, and didn't sweep it up all the way.

So now I get to defend my thesis in my suit and heels while standing on cut feet. Grumble grumble.

[DerpTastic]

My husband broke a glass bottle on the porch, didn't tell me, and didn't sweep it up all the way.

So now I get to defend my thesis in my suit and heels while standing on cut feet. Grumble grumble.

You could always try a pair of flats, might be more comfortable, imo.

[BiochemMom]

You could always try a pair of flats, might be more comfortable, imo.

That'd waste my business suit. (I also don't and will not own dress flats as they are horrible for my flat feet and post baby hips--they hurt so so so much)

I worked corporate America for ten years and love my suits more than anything. I relish any chance to break em back out. I also miss wearing heels 24/7 and relish any chance to wear those too since they're not exactly lab conducive shoes.

[.letmeinplz//]

Emailed the 3 remaining schools, one said the decisions will go out "around April 15th" (uhh, thanks?), another hasn't replied in a month so I sent an email to the DGS instead (still no response, if you don't want me just say it and I can move on and make my decision), and the last one just replied with "you can check online as directed" (Really? Because I'm pretty sure a status of 'pending' doesn't help me get my decisions in before the deadline of accepting offers)...

 

WTB standardization of graduation admissions.

[Sword_Saint]

Communicate with three schools, two of them assure me they offered the maximum amount they can so I select and accept the offer from a third school that is able to financially cover my costs the best.

 

10 days later one of the two schools changes its mind and tells me they can offer a significantly increased amount that would have easily made me consider attending that school instead.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Sword_Saint

[shadowclaw]

I basically just paid $23 for a tassel. I had assumed robes for masters graduation would be different from undergrad robes. However, the one that came in my "masters package" doesn't look any different. In fact, the only difference between the packages for undergrads and masters students is the darn tassel. So I bought a $23 tassel, since I still have my undergrad stuff and would have gladly worn it again.

I also find it annoying that I had to pay at all. My undergrad school gave us our graduation stuff for free, plus a travel mug with the school logo on it.

I'm also curious... do undergrads typically not get hoods at graduation? The school where I'm getting my masters doesn't give them, and several of my fellow grad students didn't have them at theirs, either. I got a good at mine, though, and I much prefer the colors!

[BiochemMom]

I basically just paid $23 for a tassel. I had assumed robes for masters graduation would be different from undergrad robes. However, the one that came in my "masters package" doesn't look any different. In fact, the only difference between the packages for undergrads and masters students is the darn tassel. So I bought a $23 tassel, since I still have my undergrad stuff and would have gladly worn it again.

I also find it annoying that I had to pay at all. My undergrad school gave us our graduation stuff for free, plus a travel mug with the school logo on it.

I'm also curious... do undergrads typically not get hoods at graduation? The school where I'm getting my masters doesn't give them, and several of my fellow grad students didn't have them at theirs, either. I got a good at mine, though, and I much prefer the colors!

Traditionally, undergrad robes are in school colors. Graduate robes are black. Masters get hoods and have an oblong sleeve with a wrist opening. PhDs have velvet chevrons on their robes and a bell sleeve and also have a hood.

The hood linings are school colors and the velvet color on phd represent degree obtained.

[MangoSmoothie]

I basically just paid $23 for a tassel. I had assumed robes for masters graduation would be different from undergrad robes. However, the one that came in my "masters package" doesn't look any different. In fact, the only difference between the packages for undergrads and masters students is the darn tassel. So I bought a $23 tassel, since I still have my undergrad stuff and would have gladly worn it again.

I also find it annoying that I had to pay at all. My undergrad school gave us our graduation stuff for free, plus a travel mug with the school logo on it.

I'm also curious... do undergrads typically not get hoods at graduation? The school where I'm getting my masters doesn't give them, and several of my fellow grad students didn't have them at theirs, either. I got a good at mine, though, and I much prefer the colors!

 

I had to pay to rent my undergrad robes (which were black). :\ Apparently we were meant to keep the hat though, but I returned mine. $50 for renting them, and I didn't even take the damn hat. My school also doesn't give hoods for bachelor's degree recipients, unless it's your second bachelor's.

 

A classroom complaint: Why do you insist on talking through the entire lecture? Yes, you're whispering, but it's still loud and distracting to those around you. I've asked the two girls really politely to please stop, because the whispering is so close that it actually masks what the professor is saying at times. Even if it doesn't, it's still incredibly distracting. But that just makes me a "bitch" (as they "whispered" after class) for asking them to quiet down. And they're not even talking about the material. It's Facebook stuff, and what happened last weekend at whatever party, or whatever. Ugh.

 

And the gum snapping. Why? When I chew gum, snapping it is a pretty satisfying feeling, so I get why you do it. But I don't do it in a freaking lecture, or during a quiz. If you can't refrain from snapping your gum at inappropriate times, don't chew it during those times. :\

Edited April 7, 2015 by MangoSmoothie

[shadowclaw]

My undergrad robe was black, so are the ones here. Turns out I didn't pay $23 for a tassel after all. The wrong robe was just packed into my bag. Since the robe was supposed to have slits at the wrists, I asked the bookstore about it and they had me bring it back. Now I feel a little better. I'm also glad I didn't have to pay $50 to rent them.

[Cheshire_Cat]

I think my robes cost around $75, but I got to keep them. And then my younger brother used mine as well and just bought a tassel.  We had the option of just purchasing a tassel for the masters too, so I did that.  It was $15 or so. We also received a hood, which was drab with school colors as trimming. (Why does business have to be drab? Education gets a beautiful teal color and we are stuck with drab.)

IMO, the only robes that are really important are the ones for the Ph.D, because if you stay in academia you will be wearing them over and over again.  My dad's are made of a very hardy material though.

[_kita]

So, for a little bit of additional income, I returned to my old FT job as per diem (flex hours & I make my own schedule). I'm there to fill in at a schizophrenic group house when need be. Well, yesterday I'm told that I'm losing three shifts because of someone they're hiring. Okay, a little miffed, but I'll make do.

 

TODAY I hear that I need to somehow squeeze in a HIPAA training, only offered the next 3 Tuesdays in a row, because licensing is coming up in two months, and they only offer the bi-annual training at that time. To make it more fun, Tuesdays I work 10 am-5 pm as a graduate assistant, with 5-8 pm class.  Training begins at 10 am, and is only 1 1/2 hours from my office. No big deal.

[BiochemMom]

My undergrad robe was black, so are the ones here. Turns out I didn't pay $23 for a tassel after all. The wrong robe was just packed into my bag. Since the robe was supposed to have slits at the wrists, I asked the bookstore about it and they had me bring it back. Now I feel a little better. I'm also glad I didn't have to pay $50 to rent them.

Good! Glad it got worked out!

My school gives free gowns for every level because they're paid for in our tuition and fees. This turn of conversation reminded me I need to go pick mine up tomorrow. *sets reminder on phone*

[VulpesZerda]

As a matter of fact, I also want to vent about how much it's costing me to graduate!

Cap and gown - $64 (will these be usable at future graduations??)

Graduation fee - $125

Plus all the other expensive stuff I'm skipping like senior pictures, class ring, senior week activities. I'M TOO BROKE!

[busybeinganxious]

As a matter of fact, I also want to vent about how much it's costing me to graduate!

Cap and gown - $64 (will these be usable at future graduations??)

Graduation fee - $125

Plus all the other expensive stuff I'm skipping like senior pictures, class ring, senior week activities. I'M TOO BROKE!

 

Graduation fee? Do you get to skip that one if you don't attend and pay them a buck to mail you the diploma??  I have begun treading water in the Cynicism Sea.  (The water is cold, ice cold.) 

[ashiepoo72]

I'm pretty peeved that I have to buy a whole new gown for my MA graduation (it's slightly different than the BA gown, plus it comes with the fancy hood thing), so instead of paying around $60 like the BA grads, I pay $100! I will never wear either the BA or MA stuff again because PhD regalia is completely different. Although it is made of sturdier material since it's used all the time if you stay in academia, so there is that. I loathe the shiny black polyester awaiting me in May 

 

But all in all I'm pretty stoked to graduate. I love my department and can't wait to celebrate with everyone