We've wined, we've waited, now it's time to celebrate 2016

[sjoh197]

1 minute ago, Need Coffee in an IV said:

Well you would have to be very dedicated to make a bomb of out a micrite limestone

ROFL.... I just got back from vacation 3 days ago... and I swear to god they swabbed my nice fossiliferous limestone I was bringing back. 

[Need Coffee in an IV]

2 minutes ago, sjoh197 said:

ROFL.... I just got back from vacation 3 days ago... and I swear to god they swabbed my nice fossiliferous limestone I was bringing back. 

Nooooooooo, hopefully their swabs didn't damage it. The irony of it taking millions of years to form and can be easily destroyed by anything remotely acidic.

[sjoh197]

41 minutes ago, Need Coffee in an IV said:

Nooooooooo, hopefully their swabs didn't damage it. The irony of it taking millions of years to form and can be easily destroyed by anything remotely acidic.

It appears to be perfectly fine. 

I did once bring back a head-sized chunk of unidirectional hornblende in a volcanic rock from a lava tube that I hiked into. They swabbed the shit out of that one. And then looked at me funny. I was kind of offended. lol. 

[Need Coffee in an IV]

1 minute ago, sjoh197 said:

It appears to be perfectly fine. 

I did once bring back a head-sized chunk of unidirectional hornblende in a volcanic rock from a lava tube that I hiked into. They swabbed the shit out of that one. And then looked at me funny. I was kind of offended. lol. 

They clearly don't know a good sample when they see one! Man its going to be a pain to move all of our samples. I don't want to part with anything.

[MarineBluePsy]

1 hour ago, Need Coffee in an IV said:

If having too many bags is wrong, I don't want to be right! I have three deodorants, one for the bathroom, one for my bag (I sweat a lot), and a backup just incase somehow to breaks. So you aren't alone!

Ummm I didn't even think to count all the deodorants I have in places other than my bathroom.......

1 hour ago, sjoh197 said:

My suitcase has been bomb swabbed every single time I've flown for about 2 years now. Literally every time. And I fly a lot. They always take out all of my rocks and swab them. 

Sooo... at the very most, some tsa person will swab your deodorant sticks lol.

They let you carry on the rocks?  I figured that was an obvious weapon of opportunity that you'd have to check.  Weird.

57 minutes ago, Need Coffee in an IV said:

Somehow this mental picture of TSA personal swabbing deodorant sticks is super funny! I've actually never realized that there isn't a limit of deodorant you can bring on the plane. Wonder why

Probably because it'd be some perv sniffing them!  Ewwww!  Maybe I'll just mail them to my new city instead.  Hopefully shipping services won't x-ray the box and wonder why there are so many half used deodorant tubes.  

[sjoh197]

Just now, Need Coffee in an IV said:

They clearly don't know a good sample when they see one! Man its going to be a pain to move all of our samples. I don't want to part with anything.

Your personal samples... or like research samples?

My advisor got a job at Leed's my last semester and I had to move over 4000lbs of samples, billets, test tubes, glass slides, and international too. I got paid for it... so it was totally worth it. 

My personal collection moves with me everywhere. I probably have about 200 fist sized, and another 100 golf ball sized rocks right now... not including the vases full of small ones. Or my ammonite slices. It is a major pain to move. 

[sjoh197]

Just now, MarineBluePsy said:

They let you carry on the rocks?  I figured that was an obvious weapon of opportunity that you'd have to check.  Weird.

 

Yeah... but they took my nail file soooooooo.....

[Need Coffee in an IV]

42 minutes ago, sjoh197 said:

Your personal samples... or like research samples?

My advisor got a job at Leed's my last semester and I had to move over 4000lbs of samples, billets, test tubes, glass slides, and international too. I got paid for it... so it was totally worth it. 

My personal collection moves with me everywhere. I probably have about 200 fist sized, and another 100 golf ball sized rocks right now... not including the vases full of small ones. Or my ammonite slices. It is a major pain to move. 

Oh my personal samples! I'm not sure how many I have but its less than 200. I know the feeling of moving professors, I've moved three of their offices by now. Geologists are the worst hoarders ha.

@MarineBluePsy Yeah I guess TSA aren't really thinking about us chucking rocks at people, they most likely think we are weirdos ha. And I will have to say I have 4 coffeepots so having a lot of deodorant makes sense. Better to be prepared!

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

Hearing all you geologists talking about moving your personal rock collections makes me glad I don't have to worry about that!

Just my, uh... scale replicas of three different medieval siege weapons, my giant stuffed animals, and my endless collection of nerd posters.  Sorry mom!

Edited April 1, 2016 by Pink Fuzzy Bunny

[janetjanejune]

Gonna hop in on the fun.

Hey y'all! Accepted an offer with Oregon State. So happy to be over with the grad school application process.

Now it's time to plan my cross-country move with my parents...

[hippyscientist]

7 hours ago, MarineBluePsy said:

And now for some random thoughts while I continue to procrastinate on taking any steps toward my move......

Do grad students carry purses?  I do love a good purse, but with all the time I'll be spending on campus I think I'm going to look like some crazy bag lady.  I'll need a backpack or messenger bag for class/research related stuff.  Maybe I'll even need a laptop and that would need a bag too.  I'll have my gym bag because the campus gym is free and I'll definitely use it.  Then there's my lunch bag which will likely have breakfast and lunch, sometimes dinner in it.  The purse is where I'd put my must haves, but that's a lot of bags right?  

With all the welcoming and friendly chatter on here what are the odds of us still chattering like this decades from now?

In my bathroom I have 9 different deodorants.  9!  I rotate them monthly so they're not wasted.  If I fly to my new city and put all of them in my suitcase will TSA find this concerning?  Shouldn't they just be happy I don't stink?  How come airplanes haven't been designed to take the stink out of the air yet?  This is exactly the kind of thing I'd keep from a future husband.  I'd hide them under some loose floorboard in the basement and sneak off daily to use them like some junkie needing a fix.

Yet another stupid school has sent me a follow up rejection letter as if I was too stupid to comprehend the first one or something.  A**holes!

I'm going to spare all of you brain cell killing time by informing you that the new Criminal Minds spin off is terrible.  You're welcome.

Man I'm hungry......

With the bag thing - I have a North Face backpack that has MANY compartments. I have my laptop section, my lunch (sometimes breakfast and dinner too) section, my gym section and my miscellaneous section. All of what you just described but in one bag! I love it plus it's really supportive so doesn't hurt my back or shoulders. But then I have my yoga bag and I have a smart handbag for smart things which is the right size for my laptop too.

To jump in on the TSA conversation - I have 9 teddies (I can't believe I'm telling the internet this) that are as old or older than me, or been gifted to me by people who are no longer here or just have really special memories. We are very attached and I could not put them in checked baggage. So everytime I fly to the US, TSA will get my teddies out, put them through a scanning machine individually, manhandle them and it's very upsetting. One time they even got threatened with a knife! But the rocks and the deodorant wow. I use aerosol deodorant so not allowed it on planes (unless the rules have changed) so sorry people. 

[hippyscientist]

3 hours ago, janetjanejune said:

Gonna hop in on the fun.

Hey y'all! Accepted an offer with Oregon State. So happy to be over with the grad school application process.

Now it's time to plan my cross-country move with my parents...

Hi!!! Yay! Welcome  

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

21 minutes ago, hippyscientist said:

To jump in on the TSA conversation - I have 9 teddies (I can't believe I'm telling the internet this) that are as old or older than me, or been gifted to me by people who are no longer here or just have really special memories. We are very attached and I could not put them in checked baggage. So everytime I fly to the US, TSA will get my teddies out, put them through a scanning machine individually, manhandle them and it's very upsetting. One time they even got threatened with a knife! But the rocks and the deodorant wow. I use aerosol deodorant so not allowed it on planes (unless the rules have changed) so sorry people. 

OMG I'm so glad to hear this! I also travel with one of my teddies that I can't sleep without... they sure don't handle them gently, do they? 

[hippyscientist]

1 minute ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

OMG I'm so glad to hear this! I also travel with one of my teddies that I can't sleep without... they sure don't handle them gently, do they? 

It's terrifying! Look I know I'm an adult and I know I shouldn't be this attached to stuffed animals but I am. Deal with it. I'm not hiding anything in them, they carry no secrets (unless they can talk then...) and there is nothing particularly interesting about them except that I love them. mean TSA! 

[Effloresce]

happy friday everyone! also welcome @janetjanejune and congrats!

my nose ring is back and i impulsively got my conch pierced too! sooo shiny.

just gotta get through today and then it's (unofficial) celebration time with friends!

[kseeful]

On 3/26/2016 at 7:02 PM, mrbmrbmrb said:

My Mom made a facebook post very prematurely after I got my first interview back in January, it was embarassing

Oh God D:
My mom was the only person I told and once everything was set, everybody thought I was such a weirdo for keeping it a secret. It was a reality check for me when I told people though... their reactions have been so nonchalant - "Oh, cool. Good luck." Not even a whole lot of congrats... as if I'm just letting them know that I enrolled in some random program. Suddenly I feel a little silly for keeping it a secret and feeling like I already won a marathon for just getting into grad school 

[hippyscientist]

5 minutes ago, kseeful said:

Oh God D:
My mom was the only person I told and once everything was set, everybody thought I was such a weirdo for keeping it a secret. It was a reality check for me when I told people though... their reactions have been so nonchalant - "Oh, cool. Good luck." Not even a whole lot of congrats... as if I'm just letting them know that I enrolled in some random program. Suddenly I feel a little silly for keeping it a secret and feeling like I already won a marathon for just getting into grad school 

I still haven't told everyone. People at uni know, so do my parents and 2 other friends. More people know I was going through the process but not what the outcome is. I'm keeping it quiet until I have the visa organised. Once I have that, you won't be able to stop me shouting from the rooftops!

[sjoh197]

@kseeful @hippyscientist I was waiting for funding info before I told most people. I told my partner and my parents... but that was about it. I would like to know if I got an assistantship first.

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

1 hour ago, kseeful said:

Oh God D:
My mom was the only person I told and once everything was set, everybody thought I was such a weirdo for keeping it a secret. It was a reality check for me when I told people though... their reactions have been so nonchalant - "Oh, cool. Good luck." Not even a whole lot of congrats... as if I'm just letting them know that I enrolled in some random program. Suddenly I feel a little silly for keeping it a secret and feeling like I already won a marathon for just getting into grad school 

Yes, so much this!

People make it sound like getting into graduate school is guaranteed - like I had just as much of a chance of getting into Cornell as I did getting into my local community college right after high school. My parents didn't go to college so I know they're proud but I don't think they realize just how much work it was... my professors here on the other hand were literally jumping up and down with me when I got into Cornell! I bet that if you're telling people who have gone through the process, you will be gazed at in awe!

That's part of the reason why I love this community so much. You get it! The happiness I get from hearing that some of you got into your top choices is much larger than I would ever expect to feel about Internet strangers

[marycaryne]

Trudging in here after a busy last couple of weeks...
Finished my capstone course yesterday morning and am wiped out from it. Final grades are in next week and I know I have an A, but I will breathe that sigh of relief when everything is in and I can just sit back and wait for graduation.

[nka93]

I had a mini panic attack when I realized a lot of you had funding guaranteed for more than just the first year. So I emailed the program coordinator to ask if I would be eligible for funding in the second year and he said yes, I will likely get the same amount as long as I'm doing well in the program. Crisis averted. I never would have thought to ask if it weren't for this forum. 

[marycaryne]

22 minutes ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

Yes, so much this!

People make it sound like getting into graduate school is guaranteed - like I had just as much of a chance of getting into Cornell as I did getting into my local community college right after high school. My parents didn't go to college so I know they're proud but I don't think they realize just how much work it was... my professors here on the other hand were literally jumping up and down with me when I got into Cornell! I bet that if you're telling people who have gone through the process, you will be gazed at in awe!

That's part of the reason why I love this community so much. You get it! The happiness I get from hearing that some of you got into your top choices is much larger than I would ever expect to feel about Internet strangers

My parents have been the same way about it. My mom was a high school drop out who got her GED neither she nor my dad went to college. As a result they are pretty clueless on anything that goes beyond high school. Everything I knew came from my late grandfather who attended university in Bolivia. They really think that acceptance in college or grad school is pretty much a guarantee. So it didn't even faze them when I got accepted into grad school. I mean they were happy for me, but they didn't even begin to understand any of the process that would have resulted in genuine excitement.

[Neist]

40 minutes ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

Yes, so much this!

People make it sound like getting into graduate school is guaranteed - like I had just as much of a chance of getting into Cornell as I did getting into my local community college right after high school. My parents didn't go to college so I know they're proud but I don't think they realize just how much work it was... my professors here on the other hand were literally jumping up and down with me when I got into Cornell! I bet that if you're telling people who have gone through the process, you will be gazed at in awe!

That's part of the reason why I love this community so much. You get it! The happiness I get from hearing that some of you got into your top choices is much larger than I would ever expect to feel about Internet strangers

I don't think even my wife realizes how difficult it is to get into a lot of programs. Well, at least getting funded. The University of Oklahoma is only a state school, so even if the program I got into is highly regarded within the discipline, it's not like it's Yale law. Yet there was only an 10% chance to get accepted with funding this year. There's only 1-2 students accepted with funding a year (it's a super small department).

Getting into any program with funding is pretty great, I say.  

13 minutes ago, nka93 said:

I had a mini panic attack when I realized a lot of you had funding guaranteed for more than just the first year. So I emailed the program coordinator to ask if I would be eligible for funding in the second year and he said yes, I will likely get the same amount as long as I'm doing well in the program. Crisis averted. I never would have thought to ask if it weren't for this forum. 

I think a lot of programs stipulate that funding is conditional because they fear that budgets will get slashed. In practice, I think a lot of said programs only include the wording in case of disaster. The program I accepted's funding is stipulated as "up to five years," but in practice, if you need it and you maintain grades, it's nearly always there.

Edited April 1, 2016 by Neist

[rhombusbombus]

My parents were proud because they knew i worked to get in, but i also dont think they fully understand how hard it is to get into these programs. Especially for someone with a completely different academic background. 

Its frustrating being the first one to go to grad school. Sometimes i think they could be a little more excited for me. 

 

Oh well, IM EXCITED FOR ME!

[savay]

I have been loving this thread! I also got in and have accepted an offer and holy crap am excited! I was so anxious during application season and even though I was probably a little hyperbolic, my friends just assumed I would get in. It was somewhat frustrating to not have those worries taken seriously. And now they just give me a Congrats! and an I-told-you-so-look. This is what love looks like, right?

@MarineBluePsy I have been scouring carryology's bag reviews lately -- they've introduced me to a lot of quality brands I had never heard of. May be helpful. I don't quite have 9 tubes of deodorant, but I made my own for awhile with coconut oil & baking soda and I have to say it worked really well. I've been too busy/lazy as of late to make another batch after I ran out, but if you're feeling adventurous it might be fun -- you can google recipes.

39 minutes ago, nka93 said:

I had a mini panic attack when I realized a lot of you had funding guaranteed for more than just the first year. So I emailed the program coordinator to ask if I would be eligible for funding in the second year and he said yes, I will likely get the same amount as long as I'm doing well in the program. Crisis averted. I never would have thought to ask if it weren't for this forum. 

I had a bit of a concern about guaranteed funding as well. As others have mentioned, some schools cannot put that in writing due to the nature of their budgeting process or union guidelines. My offer letter said something like "You will most likely receive further support in subsequent years..." which was a red flag to me. I brought it up with the department chair and he apologized that they couldn't outright guarantee me funding but that they'd never had anyone lose it who remained in good standing. 

Keep celebrating everyone! Happy Friday!

Edited April 1, 2016 by savay