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

[MarineBluePsy]

2 hours ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

@MarineBluePsy Definitely done those too! Paid for gas in all change yesterday, in fact. Had to fill up a rental car before returning it and lost my wallet though  I totally thought I was the only one who has done the Tupperware thing... it's still a running joke in my family But I have to ask... what is your Craigslist adventure??  Never had a problem there.

I find with Craigslist its always something weird with the buying experience.....pervy seller, items that are really broken or dirty, etc.  Even renting apartments or job hunting on there has been hit or miss.

1 hour ago, Neist said:

@MarineBluePsy I just stuff wads of food into my cheeks like a hamster. I usually swallow it afterward, though.  I've been known to eat two meals, back to back, if there's free food. It's probably the not the most healthful of practices, but it's practical.

LOL!  I usually just find some paper towels so I can take something to go.  Now that I'm eating healthier I've learned to be pickier about what I take to go. 

[sjoh197]

Is it weird that all of my professors knew my name after 1 class/meeting? I thought it was weird.

I have so much work to do this weekend its not even funny.

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

Why do undergrads take up the entire damn sidewalk?

[sjoh197]

45 minutes ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

Why do undergrads take up the entire damn sidewalk?

I have a rolly bag and just run em all over.

[hippyscientist]

7 hours ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

Why do undergrads take up the entire damn sidewalk?

Because they haven't heard of taser jackets (I joke). Honestly I think it's because they're too engrossed in their phones/conversation/own lives to even be aware of their surroundings.

[pterosaur]

I'm also building a computer! My department gave me a $1350 budget, and I managed to spend $1347 of it. I also managed to squeeze in a Gateron brown mechanical keyboard in the budget. Almost all the parts have arrived, but the power supply is the last thing scheduled to arrive, so there's not much I can actually do until it gets in on Tuesday. Grrr...

I also didn't think I'd say this, but I miss London weather! Boston is super hot right now, and it's making it really hard to focus on getting work done.

In addition to having to dodge and/or run over undergrads (especially deer-in-the-headlights freshmen), I have to contend with the hoards of tourists in Harvard Yard.

[Neist]

The first week is over. It has bee a whirlwind. I should write an essay tonight, but I'm falling asleep. It is time for bed.  

I hope everyone's week went well.

[MarineBluePsy]

First week of classes over, thank heavens.

The pros:

My stuff arrives on Monday!  Yippy!  I didn't ship anything fragile, but I still hope nothing is broken.

I've decided on a bed, bedding, and towels I just need to hit submit on the payment page and I'll be able to finally get off the floor.

I found an eco friendly carpet cleaner.

I only dislike one of my classes, when I expected to dislike at least 2.

I pitched a few ideas to my adviser in order to move my research training forward sooner rather than later and while there wasn't a ton of enthusiasm, none were vetoed either.

The cons:

My cohortmates are more annoying now.

I've gotten a rash and can't figure out from what.

I've started to supplement the absurd number of hours spent talking to myself by watching old tv shows instead.  Currently I'm watching Doogie Howser and have no idea what to watch next.

My head is spinning over all of the washer and dryer options available and I'm sick of the laundromat.

And I have no one to give a spare key to and refuse to just "hide" it outside somewhere.  That's kind of sad right?

Edited August 27, 2016 by MarineBluePsy

[hippyscientist]

8 hours ago, MarineBluePsy said:

 

And I have no one to give a spare key to and refuse to just "hide" it outside somewhere.  That's kind of sad right?

I'm right there with you on that. Is there a way you could leave a spare key at the office? 

[MarineBluePsy]

59 minutes ago, hippyscientist said:

I'm right there with you on that. Is there a way you could leave a spare key at the office? 

I thought about this, but most likely my office keys would be locked in wherever I locked my house key.  At that point I'd have to bother campus police to get into the office and if I've also locked my student ID with my house key and office keys they won't help me lol.  My landlord lives/works a half hour away so that isn't ideal.  I'm not seeing friends or a significant other in the near future so I guess I'll just keep carrying both sets of keys around.

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

1 hour ago, MarineBluePsy said:

I thought about this, but most likely my office keys would be locked in wherever I locked my house key.  At that point I'd have to bother campus police to get into the office and if I've also locked my student ID with my house key and office keys they won't help me lol.  My landlord lives/works a half hour away so that isn't ideal.  I'm not seeing friends or a significant other in the near future so I guess I'll just keep carrying both sets of keys around.

Have you considered getting a magnetic box to go underneath your car? Maybe keep a spare key in there.

[Effloresce]

the first full week is over!

but...i've gotten sick...

but a few girls and I from the program are going to the piercing place today for something new! i'm excited. 

[MarineBluePsy]

5 hours ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

Have you considered getting a magnetic box to go underneath your car? Maybe keep a spare key in there.

I think my new car has one built in or its one of those add on things I can get.  This could work, but then if I were a criminal wouldn't I search the car for a hide-a-key hoping to find one for the car, but still be happy to see one for the house instead?

4 hours ago, Effloresce said:

the first full week is over!

but...i've gotten sick...

but a few girls and I from the program are going to the piercing place today for something new! i'm excited. 

Drink some tea, being sick is awful.

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

6 minutes ago, MarineBluePsy said:

I think my new car has one built in or its one of those add on things I can get.  This could work, but then if I were a criminal wouldn't I search the car for a hide-a-key hoping to find one for the car, but still be happy to see one for the house instead?

Drink some tea, being sick is awful.

An excellent point. Have you considered getting something like a smart lock? It's a mechanical device that goes onto a deadbolt lock, and can be controlled from your smartphone.

[sjoh197]

23 hours ago, MarineBluePsy said:

I thought about this, but most likely my office keys would be locked in wherever I locked my house key.  At that point I'd have to bother campus police to get into the office and if I've also locked my student ID with my house key and office keys they won't help me lol.  My landlord lives/works a half hour away so that isn't ideal.  I'm not seeing friends or a significant other in the near future so I guess I'll just keep carrying both sets of keys around.

Could you use something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002YP1UI/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1472388411&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=outdoor+hide+a+key&dpPl=1&dpID=41K45QBVpcL&ref=plSrch

[MarineBluePsy]

17 hours ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

An excellent point. Have you considered getting something like a smart lock? It's a mechanical device that goes onto a deadbolt lock, and can be controlled from your smartphone.

Then I'd have to purchase a smartphone and a piece of my soul would die.  The expense, all of the information that is stored in them, how stupid I think people look walking around glued to them, their inability to fit into any of my date night clutches......

54 minutes ago, sjoh197 said:

Could you use something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002YP1UI/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1472388411&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=outdoor+hide+a+key&dpPl=1&dpID=41K45QBVpcL&ref=plSrch

Just when I think I've seen everything something new and amazing appears.  This thing is perfect!  I'd just need to figure out where to put it so its a bit more discreet and I doubt the landlord would even care.  Hmmmm my list of things that require a drill or hammer is getting long and I still haven't found a hunky handyman.  Don't men realize the value of such a service?  All that lemonade in my fridge isn't going to drink itself you know.  Come on men!  Exploit yourselves for my viewing pleasure! 

[Neist]

So, I'm writing my first graduate essay, and it's a critical précis. Anyone here ever need to write one of those? I certainly haven't, and I'm not entirely sure of its formatting, standards, or content other than what I've Googled. I'm going to meet with the professor Monday, but I'm just going for it. #YOLO

I think I need to be a little bit accepting of the fact that I really have no idea how to be a graduate student, and I need to be accepting of the fact that I'm probably going to screw a few things up until I get it down (and I need to be okay with that). 

I hope my professors understand that I'm not exactly a veteran graduate student. If they don't, I'll just have to live with potential harsh criticism.

[sjoh197]

2 hours ago, Neist said:

So, I'm writing my first graduate essay, and it's a critical précis. Anyone here ever need to write one of those? I certainly haven't, and I'm not entirely sure of its formatting, standards, or content other than what I've Googled. I'm going to meet with the professor Monday, but I'm just going for it. #YOLO

I think I need to be a little bit accepting of the fact that I really have no idea how to be a graduate student, and I need to be accepting of the fact that I'm probably going to screw a few things up until I get it down (and I need to be okay with that). 

I hope my professors understand that I'm not exactly a veteran graduate student. If they don't, I'll just have to live with potential harsh criticism.

I have to submit hypotheses and potential tests in a week for a region I just hear about like 4 days ago, and I have no idea what's going on, and I don't even understand some of the questions, let alone what my hypothesis should be or how to research it. 

[MarineBluePsy]

@Neist  We're all stumbling about I think.  The other day I nearly had a meltdown in my lab class because the structure is "work in groups and talk as loud as you want while doing so" instead of shut up and listen to the instructor teach you things.  I got absolutely nothing done and will now have to work harder to complete my assignment before class so I can use class time for follow up questions.  And apparently I was the weirdo because everyone else was happily working loudly in groups or farting around loudly in groups.

[Danger_Zone]

@Neist I think that's normal and professors don't expect you to automatically know what you're doing and act like a grad student who has been there for a few years. I think I'm doing alright, though I do feel like other newbies know much more than me. But maybe everyone just wants to act like they have things under control when they are just as overwhelmed as I am. 

I felt really intimidated during one of my classes which is a mixture of older and new grad students. I feel like the students were much smarter and more prepared, but they just happen to have more experience and aren't necessarily more knowledgeable, I just have to try to remember that!

I have to write a précis once a week for one of my classes. Are you writing one on a book? To my understanding it is just a short summary on the argument of the book, its sources, audience, strengthens and weaknesses, etc. My prof compared it to a book review and said write in enough detail so that you can reference the précis come prelims if you happen to be using that book for studying.

[nka93]

I'm glad some of you are still floating around this forum. I'm going into my second week of my master's program and I have been seriously procrastinating on joining a research lab. I know it is only the second week but I have this feeling of dread that I wont find anything (which is silly because the entire program is 20 students). I finally worked up the nerve to email the professor that shares the most interests with me and now I am sick to my stomach. I stared at that stupid send button for ten minutes. I haven't been this nervous about sending an email in a long time. I was too chicken to ask him to his face. Anyway, I thought I would spill my guts to a bunch of strangers who probably know where I'm coming from.

[Neist]

16 hours ago, Danger_Zone said:

@Neist I think that's normal and professors don't expect you to automatically know what you're doing and act like a grad student who has been there for a few years. I think I'm doing alright, though I do feel like other newbies know much more than me. But maybe everyone just wants to act like they have things under control when they are just as overwhelmed as I am. 

I felt really intimidated during one of my classes which is a mixture of older and new grad students. I feel like the students were much smarter and more prepared, but they just happen to have more experience and aren't necessarily more knowledgeable, I just have to try to remember that!

I have to write a précis once a week for one of my classes. Are you writing one on a book? To my understanding it is just a short summary on the argument of the book, its sources, audience, strengthens and weaknesses, etc. My prof compared it to a book review and said write in enough detail so that you can reference the précis come prelims if you happen to be using that book for studying.

 

I'm writing one for an article, albeit a dense article written by a classicist (classicists and medievalists are super hardcore, I find). And my professor seems to expect pretty much what you mentioned. I'm meeting with said professor tomorrow morning to clarify because a precis can be a relatively straightforward summary, but he seems to want at least some analysis.

I'm not sure if I feel stupid or smart at this point, but generally, I feel pretty stupid.  The one trait that makes me a bit of an outlier is that I read probably far more than I need two. I'll re-read articles/books several times if doing so will provide a better understanding of the text. Also, were you ever required to write a precis before graduate school? I feel like someone should have better explained what one is at this point. 

[grace@thesmokinchemist]

On 8/26/2016 at 2:20 PM, hippyscientist said:

Because they haven't heard of taser jackets (I joke). Honestly I think it's because they're too engrossed in their phones/conversation/own lives to even be aware of their surroundings.

honestly, it's ridiculous. i am just waiting for one of them to get run over by a golf cart trying to get through.

[MarineBluePsy]

My stuff finally arrived and the delivery guy was so overweight and in poor shape he was struggling to lift them out of his van all while in danger of losing his pants.  I was afraid he'd keel over, flash me, or both so I brought them into the house myself.  And how heavy were these boxes?  The heaviest was 15lbs.  Seriously.  *sigh*

[rhombusbombus]

I've never wanted to run over more people in my life. Seems like these undergrads have no concept of how to properly cross as street. They just run out like they trust me not to kill them!