First years, how are we doing?

[Maleficent999]

I thought I would steal this topic from the larger forums and make it soc-specific. As the new application cycle revs up, I find myself wondering how all of us who went through this last year are doing. Unfortunately, I find myself out of touch with some people that I kept up with at this time last year. Whether you're in a semester or quarter system, you've either already gone through midterms or are about to enter into midterm season. How are things going? Is your program everything you hoped and dreamed so far? Have you changed or kept your original research questions?

 

For me, grad school has been pretty much everything I expected. This quarter I am taking stats, research methods, and an professional seminar that has actually ended up being very useful. I am also TAing for a class I would've wanted to take as an undergrad so it's nice to get the information without formally taking a lower division course. Surprisingly, stats has become my favorite class but I think that's because there is so much uncertainty I feel as a first year and its nice to have something concrete. I either know how to do the math and use the software or I don't. Thankfully, I do. I think my only complaint is that I don't (yet) feel a very strong sense of one-on-one mentorship in my program. Our faculty are stretched so thin that its hard to get really into my own questions with them. Perhaps this will change, but I also know this would likely be the case at many R1 schools. I feel lucky to have come into the program with some outside mentors that I can still rely on while I adjust. There are a lot of other things I could discuss, but how is everyone else doing?

[Roll Right]

I thought I would steal this topic from the larger forums and make it soc-specific. As the new application cycle revs up, I find myself wondering how all of us who went through this last year are doing. Unfortunately, I find myself out of touch with some people that I kept up with at this time last year. Whether you're in a semester or quarter system, you've either already gone through midterms or are about to enter into midterm season. How are things going? Is your program everything you hoped and dreamed so far? Have you changed or kept your original research questions?

 

For me, grad school has been pretty much everything I expected. This quarter I am taking stats, research methods, and an professional seminar that has actually ended up being very useful. I am also TAing for a class I would've wanted to take as an undergrad so it's nice to get the information without formally taking a lower division course. Surprisingly, stats has become my favorite class but I think that's because there is so much uncertainty I feel as a first year and its nice to have something concrete. I either know how to do the math and use the software or I don't. Thankfully, I do. I think my only complaint is that I don't (yet) feel a very strong sense of one-on-one mentorship in my program. Our faculty are stretched so thin that its hard to get really into my own questions with them. Perhaps this will change, but I also know this would likely be the case at many R1 schools. I feel lucky to have come into the program with some outside mentors that I can still rely on while I adjust. There are a lot of other things I could discuss, but how is everyone else doing?

 

I'm not a first year, but I am also at a program with over-worked faculty. A useful strategy is to ally yourself with a few faculty who are interested in working with students. I was able to do so my second year and have gained employment opportunities and a few publications from it. You'll also build your reputation in the department that way, as professors tend to discuss students in department meetings.

[Maleficent999]

I'm not a first year, but I am also at a program with over-worked faculty. A useful strategy is to ally yourself with a few faculty who are interested in working with students. I was able to do so my second year and have gained employment opportunities and a few publications from it. You'll also build your reputation in the department that way, as professors tend to discuss students in department meetings.

That is good advice, thank you!

[Roll Right]

No problem.I remember my first year - I felt totally overwhelmed and felt completely out of place. I was kind of thrown into globalization studies after having been a student of institutions and inequalities for six years (undergrad + masters), and I didn't really know the culture of the department or the community of Northern Virginia. I had to scramble to make my research on religion fit into the coursework I was doing. It was pretty hectic and demoralizing. There also wasn't much of a community among the graduate students here, so that was another issue I struggled with. Making friends was slow going, and going out to do stuff with them was difficult because my colleagues lived in disparate locations throughout Northern Virginia.

 

I was able to deal with some of these emotions and hurdles by reaching out to a few professors in the department who focused on institutions and inequalities. I jumped at the opportunity to write papers with professors, even if the topic did not fall under my areas of specialization. I also put a lot of time and energy into two graduate student groups in order to build relationships with my colleagues. That also helped me to get out and socialize at get togethers, meet n' greets, and happy hours.

 

How are you finding the adjustment process? Are you making friends and developing your research agenda?

[Maleficent999]

No problem.I remember my first year - I felt totally overwhelmed and felt completely out of place. I was kind of thrown into globalization studies after having been a student of institutions and inequalities for six years (undergrad + masters), and I didn't really know the culture of the department or the community of Northern Virginia. I had to scramble to make my research on religion fit into the coursework I was doing. It was pretty hectic and demoralizing. There also wasn't much of a community among the graduate students here, so that was another issue I struggled with. Making friends was slow going, and going out to do stuff with them was difficult because my colleagues lived in disparate locations throughout Northern Virginia.

 

I was able to deal with some of these emotions and hurdles by reaching out to a few professors in the department who focused on institutions and inequalities. I jumped at the opportunity to write papers with professors, even if the topic did not fall under my areas of specialization. I also put a lot of time and energy into two graduate student groups in order to build relationships with my colleagues. That also helped me to get out and socialize at get togethers, meet n' greets, and happy hours.

 

How are you finding the adjustment process? Are you making friends and developing your research agenda?

Well, I live with a girl in my cohort. I was skeptical at first but it's actually turned out to be one of the greatest things that could've happened. We are a lot alike and not at all competitive with each other. She's becoming a best friend very quickly and it's been nice to have someone around doing the same courses and going through the same transitions. I've also made a couple good friends in my cohort and a few in the cohorts ahead of me so I feel pretty good about that. Adjusting overall has just been different than I anticipated. I haven't been in school for a bit so, for instance, I had my first midterm last week and it was brutal. Not because of the content but just trying to remember how not to freak out during a timed test. haha.

 

My research has been developing more quickly than I would've thought, actually, but it's great. I ended up applying for NSF (though I don't even pretend that I'll get it). The process of applying was good for me because it forced me to think about some things and how I want to go about pursuing my research. It also forced me to get into contact with one of my LoR writers and in doing so, he wanted to read my proposal. Turns out he's editing a book on a topic that is pretty closely related to the line of research I'm working on and he asked me to write a chapter. Soooo that's exciting and terrifying.

[Roll Right]

Things are going very well for you, I'm glad!

Well, I live with a girl in my cohort. I was skeptical at first but it's actually turned out to be one of the greatest things that could've happened. We are a lot alike and not at all competitive with each other. She's becoming a best friend very quickly and it's been nice to have someone around doing the same courses and going through the same transitions. I've also made a couple good friends in my cohort and a few in the cohorts ahead of me so I feel pretty good about that. Adjusting overall has just been different than I anticipated. I haven't been in school for a bit so, for instance, I had my first midterm last week and it was brutal. Not because of the content but just trying to remember how not to freak out during a timed test. haha.

My research has been developing more quickly than I would've thought, actually, but it's great. I ended up applying for NSF (though I don't even pretend that I'll get it). The process of applying was good for me because it forced me to think about some things and how I want to go about pursuing my research. It also forced me to get into contact with one of my LoR writers and in doing so, he wanted to read my proposal. Turns out he's editing a book on a topic that is pretty closely related to the line of research I'm working on and he asked me to write a chapter. Soooo that's exciting and terrifying.