Preparing for Grad School

[HopefulPHD14]

So by now, many of us have decided on a program and are getting ready to start in the fall.  (Congrats by the way!)

Now that the application season is done, I wanted to hear from you guys about what you are doing to prepare for Grad School.  Or, if you are not preparing and you are just going to take a mental break to relax for the summer, I want to hear about that too!

Is anyone planning on doing any studying/reviewing this summer to get ready (Especially those of you like me who have been out of undergrad for a few years)?  Do you have a reading list that you want to get done by the fall?  Is anyone just going to clock out for the summer to take a mental break before jumping into the next 5+ years of studying?  Is anyone traveling?  Is anyone going to be working?

And even more importantly, how are you guys going to pick your rotations?  Will you be contacting PI's this summer or waiting until the fall when you can talk in person?  I know many of you probably have a primary lab or two that you are already interested in based on your applications/interviews, but Is anyone going to make lists/spreadsheets of other potential labs to join?  If so, what things will you be looking at and how will you pick?  Will you be reading literature this summer?  Is anyone planning on attending conferences?  

Tell me what you are doing to get ready for the fall!

[Bioenchilada]

I'm actually starting my first rotation during the summer haha

In terms of picking your rotations, I just took a second look through the faculty member list and met up with them during my campus revisit to discuss rotation prjects and expectations. I think that even in the fall semester, most schools have a period of time where you just meet with people to talk about joining their labs.

[adiJ]

I have 2 weeks to move out after my commencement, and orientation starts in early July so I have no time :/ 

As for choosing rotations, I have a few in mind but will go there and talk more to see if their personalities are a match. As of now, the first rotation is the priority and I will pick up more information as I interact with the students. Our rotations are really short anyway so it should be fine. 

[ballwera]

Take as much time as you can to be with friends, family ,and enjoy yourself, because once school starts it will be a grind until you graduate. 

[biochemgirl67]

Furiously planning a wedding (and trying not to go crazy on the constant drama.  You think applying to grad school was hard?  Weddings have way more drama because it turns out that the people not paying like to secretly add people to invite list after the fact.)

Oh, and trying to decide who to list for my first rotation choices.

And going to Nashville to vet apartments.

[easybreezy]

I graduated in December and had my break from then to last month, haha.  Now I'm working to save as much money as possible - still awaiting to hear about GA-ships.  My school seems to start later than everyone else, so I'll be spending my time working, getting settled into my new place, preparing for my wedding, traveling, and enjoying time with friends and family. It sounds like a lot when I look at it, haha! But, I hate sitting idle. Maybe towards the end of my summer, I'll review to get back into the swing of things lol. 

[easybreezy]

My sentiments exactly @biochemgirl67!! I'm trying not to be hated by "friends and family," but when it comes to paying for a wedding - spending money on food is the most! I've started telling people that if they come, they can't expect a seat, a meal, or some cake.  I just don't have the funds lol. 

[ballwera]

6 hours ago, biochemgirl67 said:

Furiously planning a wedding (and trying not to go crazy on the constant drama.  You think applying to grad school was hard?  Weddings have way more drama because it turns out that the people not paying like to secretly add people to invite list after the fact.)

Oh, and trying to decide who to list for my first rotation choices.

And going to Nashville to vet apartments.

Did the same last summer good luck! Are you getting married before school starts?

[biochemgirl67]

7 hours ago, ballwera said:

Did the same last summer good luck! Are you getting married before school starts?

No, in December between semesters.  So I totally don't need family drama as I'm getting an apartment, moving in, doing my first semester of classes, and doing rotations.  Lol it's gonna be a busy time these next six months.

[Focus]

13 hours ago, biochemgirl67 said:

Furiously planning a wedding (and trying not to go crazy on the constant drama.  You think applying to grad school was hard?  Weddings have way more drama because it turns out that the people not paying like to secretly add people to invite list after the fact.)

I feel your pain. I'm getting married in July before grad school and the drama is through the roof. It turns out weddings can turn the most sane and rational parents into complete maniacs! I get to uninvite extended family from the rehearsal dinner and unschedule myself and my fiance from family reunion activities. We've got a wedding to throw and a honeymoon to go on people!

[biochemgirl67]

8 hours ago, Focus said:

I feel your pain. I'm getting married in July before grad school and the drama is through the roof. It turns out weddings can turn the most sane and rational parents into complete maniacs! I get to uninvite extended family from the rehearsal dinner and unschedule myself and my fiance from family reunion activities. We've got a wedding to throw and a honeymoon to go on people!

The calls to uninvite people that my in laws invited that aren't on the guest list are more awkward than that time we all called programs to see when they would release interview invites.

[SpartanNerd1021]

My school sends out info about choosing rotations closer to the semester. They ask you to pick three PIs you want to rotate with and then put you with your first or second choice depending on scheduling, etc. I plan on working in my current lab for some of the summer to make some $$$. I'm also traveling to Europe with my boyfriend for a few weeks. I'm also couch surfing the month of August because my current apartment lease ends before my new apartment lease starts. I'm hoping to plan a solo adventure to Iceland too ?

[Gram Neutral]

Since I work full time and am in grad school, I fully plan on taking at lesdt 2 weeks to relax and decompress. I had a PI reach out to me but they don't make formal set ups till later in the summer. 

[HopefulPHD14]

On 4/23/2016 at 10:12 AM, biochemgirl67 said:

Furiously planning a wedding (and trying not to go crazy on the constant drama.  You think applying to grad school was hard?  Weddings have way more drama because it turns out that the people not paying like to secretly add people to invite list after the fact.)

Oh don't scare me like this!  I just got engaged and will have to plan a wedding in my first year of grad school while my significant other finishes her last year of a masters program.  We are hardly going to have time to see each other let alone plan a wedding.  

[biochemgirl67]

2 hours ago, HopefulPHD14 said:

Oh don't scare me like this!  I just got engaged and will have to plan a wedding in my first year of grad school while my significant other finishes her last year of a masters program.  We are hardly going to have time to see each other let alone plan a wedding.  

Congrats!  And I know how you feel.  My fiance and I will be separated for 8 months while I move to Nashville and deal with wedding drama.  I'll be glad when it's over!

[HopefulPHD14]

16 minutes ago, biochemgirl67 said:

Congrats!  And I know how you feel.  My fiance and I will be separated for 8 months while I move to Nashville and deal with wedding drama.  I'll be glad when it's over!

8 Months? That is crazy.  We will be LD from June - Mid September.  In September she will move back in with family while she looks for a job.  Luckily I will only be about 45 minutes away at that point and hopefully much closer once she starts a job.  

But yes.  Wedding drama hasn't started yet but I am sure it will begin shortly.... Hopefully we can get most of it out of the way this summer before grad school starts for me. 

[Infinito]

Quit my job right after all my interviews, so now I'm on vacation until August.
I'm helping plan a national conference via Skype as one of my extracurriculars to keep me busy. Besides that, gym everyday (trying to maintain that bod because I'm sure it'll all go downhill with all the free junk food in graduate school), picking up some coding, family time, and Netflix.

I contacted a few professors about their interest, but the majority of them (and my graduate coordinator) definitely said to wait until I'm on campus during orientation to meet in person, so I'll do that. I did, however, request my POIs to link me to some articles to whet my appetite for their research and field (mostly as a primer for what I should know coming in).