WINE, WAIT, AND WHINE THREAD

[hippyscientist]

10 hours ago, marycaryne said:

My thought is that if my friends realize what is going on in my life and know huge changes are coming my way, then they also know my time is limited and it's up to them to make it a priority to see me. Even if they're five hours away, it's not a lot to ask if they're "pissed" about it. If they're upset, they'll make the time for you, even if you can't put them up. Otherwise don't worry about them and just focus on you. That's just my take on it.

You raise some good points, I think last night I just needed a vent! My friends are awesome, but they are super busy too (one is getting ready to move to Australia and one is coming to terms with a miscarriage). We all have so much going on in our lives and none of us has the time or money to visit each other, which is frustrating as hell. I'm trying to get sufficient work done so I can take a few days to write, and travel and see them while I write the 10,000 words that need to be in soon. At least I'm busy enough to not be stressing too much about applications Silver linings.

I got my model built today, and it actually works! I am so happy!! Hope the rest of you wining whiners have had a good weekend.

[raaawr]

@hippyscientist just spitballing here but maybe you and your friends can have a group videochat before you leave and even when you arrive to your destination. i'm guessing emotions are running high cause a lot of things seem to be changing in your friend group such as you and your other friend are moving to different countries oceans apart from your other friends. the beauty of technology is that we're always connected no matter where we are in the world, right?

[ucdguy88]

3 hours ago, MarineBluePsy said:

Yes of course keep it professional whether you choose to inquire about not being selected or not.  So are you still in the running at some other places?  I dunno it just seems like if you continued doing research and published/presented then you could save the money on a second Master's.  Are there labs/professors at UCD that would let you do that?  

I don't know anything about the GRE expectations for Neuroscience, but the comments you were given about your scores aren't encouraging at all.  Just doing research instead of a second Master's would likely give you more time to prepare for the GRE again.

I'm not at UCD anymore, I was for undergrad =) I've published, have another paper coming out soon, I've presented nationally, I'm even giving a talk on my past research at a school back here on the east coast as an invited speaker. Yeah the GRE comments aren't encouraging but I suppose I need to really *really* work on them. I was offered an unofficial acceptance to a second masters back home (paid for unlike this one, which turned out to be a big mistake), and i have an interview for another this week thats competitive with a stipend and its bench intense. Finding a job back home is really difficult but I mean I'm leaving here without a thesis (whole other issue) and the same credentials as when I walked in. I feel I was cheated in a sense. These two programs are promising and I figure if I can get paid and get more experience in academia? why not. Thank you for your insights so I dont feel like a crazy person =)

[hippyscientist]

1 hour ago, raaawr said:

@hippyscientist just spitballing here but maybe you and your friends can have a group videochat before you leave and even when you arrive to your destination. i'm guessing emotions are running high cause a lot of things seem to be changing in your friend group such as you and your other friend are moving to different countries oceans apart from your other friends. the beauty of technology is that we're always connected no matter where we are in the world, right?

Yes very true. I'm ranting to the internet as normal! I haven't seen one friend since July last year and the other one since September. It's just crazy. I'm determined to  catch up with them both, even if it involves me working remotely for a week. But once we've moved Skype/FaceTime will definitely be the norm. 

Once again, I'm blown over by the awesomeness that is the supportiveness in this thread. 

[raaawr]

@hippyscientistlol! this is the right thread for ranting after all. :)) i like it that we can rant here with no judgments and we even get advice

[gingin6789]

The Boulder visit was great! Got back late last night.

I've never seen scenery quite as beautiful as Boulder ... those mountains are so picturesque, they look fake! Almost like someone hung up a giant backdrop photo. 

I did get sick from the altitude though.

We were chatting with department faculty after breakfast, but I had to sit down. So I sat down in an inconspicuous place and tried to catch my breath and feel better.

Then, a professor walked by, chuckled lightly, and asked "All talked out?" I told her I just wasn't feeling right ... something was off, and I think it was the altitude. 

"Want a quiet place to sit?" she asked. She then walked me to her office, and immediately directed me to the "comfy chair," her own office chair behind her desk. She then offered me tea (she had a variety of flavors) with raw honey from her student's beekeeping farm.

She told me to sit as long as I needed, and that she'd be at meetings back-to-back for a while, and simply instructed me to lock her door after I left.

It was one of the nicest interactions I've experienced on a visit yet! It was good to know profs truly care!

[Neist]

4 minutes ago, gingin6789 said:

The Boulder visit was great! Got back late last night.

I've never seen scenery quite as beautiful as Boulder ... those mountains are so picturesque, they look fake! Almost like someone hung up a giant backdrop photo. 

I did get sick from the altitude though.

We were chatting with department faculty after breakfast, but I had to sit down. So I sat down in an inconspicuous place and tried to catch my breath and feel better.

Then, a professor walked by, chuckled lightly, and asked "All talked out?" I told her I just wasn't feeling right ... something was off, and I think it was the altitude. 

"Want a quiet place to sit?" she asked. She then walked me to her office, and immediately directed me to the "comfy chair," her own office chair behind her desk. She then offered me tea (she had a variety of flavors) with raw honey from her student's beekeeping farm.

She told me to sit as long as I needed, and that she'd be at meetings back-to-back for a while, and simply instructed me to lock her door after I left.

It was one of the nicest interactions I've experienced on a visit yet! It was good to know profs truly care!

Wow! That sort of interaction would definitely impact my perception of a program. I know that's probably a shallow judge of quality, but that faculty member sounds like someone I'd like to be around.  

Thankfully, altitude sickness usually goes away after a week or so. If you decide to go, it should disappear! I'm glad your visit went well though. 

[gingin6789]

Just now, Neist said:

Wow! That sort of interaction would definitely impact my perception of a program. I know that's probably a shallow judge of quality, but that faculty member sounds like someone I'd like to be around.  

Thankfully, altitude sickness usually goes away after a week or so. If you decide to go, it should disappear! I'm glad your visit went well though. 

Yeah it was amazingly kind of her to do all that for me! She really went out of her way for me! Later on, in a one-on-one with another professor, she told me that the body starts making more red blood cells after being at a higher altitude for a little while?? I think that is just so cool! 

Thank you! I still have two more visits (and a conference) so still lots of travel, but it's been fun so far, albeit exhasuting!

[Neist]

1 minute ago, gingin6789 said:

Yeah it was amazingly kind of her to do all that for me! She really went out of her way for me! Later on, in a one-on-one with another professor, she told me that the body starts making more red blood cells after being at a higher altitude for a little while?? I think that is just so cool! 

Thank you! I still have two more visits (and a conference) so still lots of travel, but it's been fun so far, albeit exhasuting!

Something that might be an option, if you decide to stay, is altitude sickness drugs do exist. You have to take them for a week or two beforehand, if memory serves, but they might help!

My application season is pretty much over. My decision should be finalized by the end of the week. Exciting! I want to share my leanings here on grad cafe, but I should probably wait until I make my choice official.

[gingin6789]

1 minute ago, Neist said:

Something that might be an option, if you decide to stay, is altitude sickness drugs do exist. You have to take them for a week or two beforehand, if memory serves, but they might help!

My application season is pretty much over. My decision should be finalized by the end of the week. Exciting! I want to share my leanings here on grad cafe, but I should probably wait until I make my choice official.

Wow, thanks for the tip! That's awesome advice.

I know how you feel! I also have leanings, but I also have two more visits! We'll see what the future holds!

[raaawr]

that sounds like such an amazing professor @gingin6789 wish all professors were like that.

i have a question for everyone who traveled/traveling from LAX to Seattle.. which airlines would you recommend to be the cheapest? i'm looking for flights but i have no idea which airline to look at for the cheapest flight

[RCtheSS]

42 minutes ago, raaawr said:

that sounds like such an amazing professor @gingin6789 wish all professors were like that.

i have a question for everyone who traveled/traveling from LAX to Seattle.. which airlines would you recommend to be the cheapest? i'm looking for flights but i have no idea which airline to look at for the cheapest flight

Have you looked into Alaska Airlines?

[easybreezy]

So my birthday was this past Friday and I decided to go out with some friends and my boyfriend to celebrate and get my mind off of Grad School Purgatory.  Well, I left that with a boyfriend and came back with a fiance'! I'm ENGAGED lol 

[Neist]

41 minutes ago, easybreezy said:

So my birthday was this past Friday and I decided to go out with some friends and my boyfriend to celebrate and get my mind off of Grad School Purgatory.  Well, I left that with a boyfriend and came back with a fiance'! I'm ENGAGED lol 

Congratulations!

[marycaryne]

57 minutes ago, easybreezy said:

So my birthday was this past Friday and I decided to go out with some friends and my boyfriend to celebrate and get my mind off of Grad School Purgatory.  Well, I left that with a boyfriend and came back with a fiance'! I'm ENGAGED lol 

That is awesome!! Congratulations!!

[Focus]

3 hours ago, raaawr said:

that sounds like such an amazing professor @gingin6789 wish all professors were like that.

i have a question for everyone who traveled/traveling from LAX to Seattle.. which airlines would you recommend to be the cheapest? i'm looking for flights but i have no idea which airline to look at for the cheapest flight

Spirit Airlines connects LAX to Seattle if you don't mind being cramped and packing extremely light (carry on's have an extra fee). They are certainly hard to beat if you don't have any bags in tow. The flight between the two is a little on the longer side for a small plane (~2hr 45min) but it's certainly do-able.

If you just want to do a broad search and don't mind mix-and-matched carriers, maybe try skyscanner.com? I use them for all of my flight searches. 

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

Guyyyyyys, I went to Cornell to visit and the prospective student who was staying with the same host as me was like "I KNOW WHO YOU ARE ON GRADCAFE!!". So if you see this... hi Diana

[hippyscientist]

@easybreezy congratulations! @Neist oooohhh how exciting, fingers crossed for you. @gingin6789 I hope you're leaning towards Boulder - that professor sounds awesome and I wish there was a program there that was remotely close to what I want to do because it's one place I have a massive urge to live. 

@Pink Fuzzy Bunny oh yikes. Haha. It's a small world

[raaawr]

9 hours ago, RCtheSS said:

Have you looked into Alaska Airlines?

That's  my number 1 choice at the moment  

7 hours ago, Focus said:

Spirit Airlines connects LAX to Seattle if you don't mind being cramped and packing extremely light (carry on's have an extra fee). They are certainly hard to beat if you don't have any bags in tow. The flight between the two is a little on the longer side for a small plane (~2hr 45min) but it's certainly do-able.

If you just want to do a broad search and don't mind mix-and-matched carriers, maybe try skyscanner.com? I use them for all of my flight searches. 

I did check skyscanner. It gave me spirit and Alaska as the cheapest. Might go with either one of them but probably choosing Alaska  thanks

[easybreezy]

Ahhh! Thank you so much you guys @hippyscientist, @marycaryne, and @Neist 

[sjoh197]

1 hour ago, raaawr said:

That's  my number 1 choice at the moment  

I did check skyscanner. It gave me spirit and Alaska as the cheapest. Might go with either one of them but probably choosing Alaska  thanks

Just remember that Spirit charges you for a carry on and stuff and factor that into your prices. 

[katpillow]

Well here we go people. It's pretty much this week or it's not happening for almost everything I've still got floating. MSU's decision is supposed be sometime in the next 7-8 days. I don't have the energy to worry anymore. It's almost all apathy at this point.

[sjoh197]

I have literally refreshed my email and admissions portal like 5 times this morning and it's not even 10:00. It is going to be a very long week. 

[RCtheSS]

35 minutes ago, katpillow said:

Well here we go people. It's pretty much this week or it's not happening for almost everything I've still got floating. MSU's decision is supposed be sometime in the next 7-8 days. I don't have the energy to worry anymore. It's almost all apathy at this point.

I'm keeping all my fingers crossed for you this week, katpillow. I hope you receive some positive news.

[katpillow]

Just now, RCtheSS said:

I'm keeping all my fingers crossed for you this week, katpillow. I hope you receive some positive news.

Thanks RC. I hope things are well or will go well for you, too! Either way, soon it will all be finito, and I'll know whether or not I'll be building things up for next year.