Apps Sent, Now What?

[Mystic_Fog]

So now that my deadlines are past, my apps are sent, and the activities that have consumed me for 6 months are over, I  find myself feeling a bit lost. It didn't help that I went over my application proofs and noticed little typos and agonizing over information I did or didn't include in my CV or SOP and whether or not my SOP's were effective/good enough, and whether my GRE scores would hold me back, etc.

 

I guess I'm just wondering how everyone handles having things be out of their control now; all the months of work and preparation have culminated in applications that are now are the mercy of selection committees. How do you handle the anxiety and the not knowing?

[dr. t]

Finish your finals, DO NOT LOOK AT YOUR SUBMITTED DOCUMENTS EVER AGAIN, and drink until February. 

[Piagetsky]

Same.  Found a minor typo in my SOP at my dream school today....*dies*.

[fuzzylogician]

For the love of god, please do not look at submitted apps. What good could possibly come of that?

[rising_star]

I never re-read anything I submit unless I absolutely have to. That is, if I'm visiting a school I got accepted to or get a phone/Skype interview for a job, then (and only then!) will I re-read what I sent them. Anything else just results in torturing yourself for no real reason. 

Mystic_Fog, relax. Read a book for fun. Plan a trip. Spend time with your friends and family. Take up a new hobby. Get better at an existing hobby. Anything to take your mind off applications because it really is just a waiting game.

[TakeruK]

1 hour ago, rising_star said:

I never re-read anything I submit unless I absolutely have to. That is, if I'm visiting a school I got accepted to or get a phone/Skype interview for a job, then (and only then!) will I re-read what I sent them. Anything else just results in torturing yourself for no real reason. 

This is my policy too. But then recently, I have started sending copies of my submitted stuff to people who are applying to things I applied for as examples. So, I re-read to ensure what I wrote is okay to share. Fortunately, this always happens well after I am already successful in whatever it was (e.g. already in grad schools reading SOPs) so it doesn't make me panic. But I do cringe a lot at my old writing!

[eeee1923]

"Out of Site, Out of Mind". Live by this credo for the next few months (it will be one of the hardest things to do but you must). Try to relax and finish off the school year strong.

[Mystic_Fog]

Thanks everyone! I knew it wasn't the best thing to do but the temptation was strong! Though it is nice to not I'm not alone in the eternal torment :)

[fuzzylogician]

5 minutes ago, Mystic_Fog said:

Though it is nice to not I'm not alone in the eternal torment :)

You are most definitely not alone.

[StrongTackleBacarySagna]

Pour up, drank. Head shot, drank. Sit down, drank. Stand up, drank. Pass out, drank. Wake up, drank. Faded, drank. Faded, drank.

[doubledogd]

I can already feel it starting! My new recurring daydream: the impossible measuring and remeasuring of my chances at any given school. How to channel this anxiety into something productive?

Maybe I'll create a blog. Watch every single item on Netflix. Start jogging. Spend all my money on junk. Develop an app that prevents me from obsessively checking all of my application statuses and gradcafe. Read every text Judith Butler has ever written. Take cooking lessons. Travel somewhere completely new. Caution all of my friends and family to avoid me until mid-March. 

I only submitted my apps a couple days ago, and I'm already losing it a bit. 

: )

[asurachm]

Binge watching sounds like a great idea! I have a lot of series that I haven't have chance to watch. Thanks Netflix and Hulu 

[Mystic_Fog]

15 minutes ago, doubledogderrida said:

I can already feel it starting! My new recurring daydream: the impossible measuring and remeasuring of my chances at any given school. How to channel this anxiety into something productive?

Maybe I'll create a blog. Watch every single item on Netflix. Start jogging. Spend all my money on junk. Develop an app that prevents me from obsessively checking all of my application statuses and gradcafe. Read every text Judith Butler has ever written. Take cooking lessons. Travel somewhere completely new. Caution all of my friends and family to avoid me until mid-March. 

I only submitted my apps a couple days ago, and I'm already losing it a bit. 

: )

One of my advisers swears by knitting so I may take that up!

11 minutes ago, asurachm said:

Binge watching sounds like a great idea! I have a lot of series that I haven't have chance to watch. Thanks Netflix and Hulu 

Jessica Jones was put on the backburner to finish my apps...hmmm

 

Overall though. I still have classes and work and I feel so empty now; I'm usually excited for classes but part of me just feels so spent - like, what's the point of going to class when my future is hanging by a thread? I know the answer, of course, classes are important and so is finishing my senior year strong, but it's just so lackluster to focus on non-relevant classes when my future is up in the air.

[asurachm]

5 minutes ago, Mystic_Fog said:

Overall though. I still have classes and work and I feel so empty now; I'm usually excited for classes but part of me just feels so spent - like, what's the point of going to class when my future is hanging by a thread? I know the answer, of course, classes are important and so is finishing my senior year strong, but it's just so lackluster to focus on non-relevant classes when my future is up in the air.

"Just take it 10 seconds at a time. Everything will be okay." - Kimmy Schimdt

[doubledogd]

You can do anything for ten seconds!

[kafcat]

Learn to be patient and trust that whatever the outcome may be, something great awaits :)

[dr. t]

2 hours ago, doubledogderrida said:

You can do anything for ten seconds!

[artsy16]

My apps have been in for a month now. Although I'm happy I got things in early, it only prolonged this painful waiting period  Going by the last couple of years, I could hear back from one of the schools I applied to in the next two weeks (interview, rejected, or waitlist)! Can't believe it. I don't know what I'll do in the meantime. Luckily the holidays are coming up, and so is my birthday. Hopefully that will keep me occupied for a bit. 

[Mystic_Fog]

22 hours ago, japaniia said:

Learn to be patient and trust that whatever the outcome may be, something great awaits :)

Positivity! This is what I don't have because I'm so cynical. Thank you!

22 hours ago, asurachm said:

"Just take it 10 seconds at a time. Everything will be okay." - Kimmy Schimdt

A sensible approach indeed.

20 hours ago, telkanuru said:

You have no idea how much I needed this laugh!

 

 

Again, thank you everybody for the positive messages and encouragement!

[Need Coffee in an IV]

@Mystic_Fog You are not alone! I feel super spent this semester as well. I've finished most of my applications and now I have to wait. Waiting isn't my strong suit. But it looks like we are applying to University of Washington and University of Kansas!

 

 

[Mystic_Fog]

3 hours ago, Need Coffee in an IV said:

@Mystic_Fog You are not alone! I feel super spent this semester as well. I've finished most of my applications and now I have to wait. Waiting isn't my strong suit. But it looks like we are applying to University of Washington and University of Kansas!

 

 

Indeed it does! Though for very different things thank goodness - there's only so much competition a hopefully grad student can take .

They both look like lovely schools and I fell in love with the research everyone everywhere I'm applying is doing! It feels nice knowing that even if I only manage to get in one place, I'd be so so so happy. I hope your prospective programs are equally as wonderful!

 

Oh I know hahahaha - I'm watching GMW on Netflix right now because why not?

[Need Coffee in an IV]

@Mystic_Fog Grad School competition does feel like the purge sometimes! That's pretty much how I feel about my schools. Plus funding would always be nice ha. I've never had a "dream" school. My undergrad is a regional university that most people haven't heard of. But i've been able to gain experience through internships and form personal relationships with all my professors. So I'll most likely go to the most affordable option, then again the possibility of attending a Seahawks game does sound like fun!

[Mystic_Fog]

1 hour ago, Need Coffee in an IV said:

@Mystic_Fog Grad School competition does feel like the purge sometimes! That's pretty much how I feel about my schools. Plus funding would always be nice ha. I've never had a "dream" school. My undergrad is a regional university that most people haven't heard of. But i've been able to gain experience through internships and form personal relationships with all my professors. So I'll most likely go to the most affordable option, then again the possibility of attending a Seahawks game does sound like fun!

All the schools I'm applying to supply funding so  that's nice! My undergrad is a small private liberal arts college about an hour away from home and for graduate school I was more concerned with research fit than anything. A SLA education has been beneficial in establishing rapport and with getting lots of experiences and funding for those experiences.

[Need Coffee in an IV]

@Mystic_Fog Yeah I want to keep costs as low as possible. I'm getting a BS in geology and my GPA is sorta low so I'm not sure how competitive I am. I guess we will see how it goes!  It's above a 3.0 though, I'm hoping my experience will give me a boost. Most of my professors have sent in their letters except for one, I expected her to wait till the last min though ha. I love my adviser but she gets flustered very easily.

[MarineBluePsy]

I'm making a list of all of the things that I'm always saying I'll get around to if I could ever find the time and finally doing them.