Summer '16

[easybreezy]

How has everyone been spending their summer so far? Any amazing festivals, concerts, or trips? Are you getting ahead in your studies? Are you spending the summer working? 

[lovekilledinos]

I've been doing a mix of work and studying! Though I'm about to quit my job so I can just do nothing before I have to do ~everything. It's a planned ending though, so I'm not just throwing myself out there to see what happens. As for studying, it's more that my adviser gave me a list of books to read so we can discuss them at our next meeting, so that's fun. 

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

Working at the school I'm entering in the fall, which in hindsight was a great idea. Highly recommend for any future grad students reading this.

[eternallyephemeral]

I'm doing an internship, finishing up some papers and studies in my undergrad lab, and writing a review paper for a professor. On top of publishing an undergraduate journal and looking for apartments in my new city, it's been a hectic and stressful (but really fun and productive) summer.

I'm going away for six days to NYC and Boston next month, but no other trips.

Also, I was supposed to read a bunch of papers and get a head start on my program, but I have not been able to find the time. Months ago, that was my top priority.

[EveryDay]

Traveling, tying some last knots at work, and catching up with some papers I asked my POI to recommend. Trying to find an apartment has been the hardest thing so far, though.

[MarineBluePsy]

I spent the first half of summer working, preparing to move, and dealing with a zillion unexpected setbacks.  The second half will be spent learning my new city, getting settled into my program, etc.  Throughout I'm bingewatching tv shows and reading books for fun.

[maelia8]

Gosh, I can't believe that summer is already half-over ... I still have so much to do here before I return to campus in mid-August and have to get started on immediate prep for the semester. Being on a research trip really makes me feel that i have to make full use of all of my time, so I'm trying hard to remember that down time and recharging is part of summer too

[vonham]

I have 4 papers due that I must hand in by the 14th so I can get my grades in time (and like, you know, graduate my program so I can start grad school). I analyzed all my data for 3 of them, and just need to write them, and the other one I have no idea what I'm doing (whoops). Then the two following weeks I'll be busy throwing/giving things away, packing, and dealing with all sorts of bureaucracy involved with leaving. And saying goodbye to my best friends who are like family. Then I fly to Arizona and start my life anew. I think I'll relax a bit in the two weeks before orientation, since dealing with bureaucracy is A LOT easier in America. All in all it will be a sweltering hot summer. 

[janetjanejune]

Last summer was my time to travel and go all out. Cutting it back this year with a summer internship.

[shadowclaw]

I love the "summer is half over" posts. I'm only about 3 weeks into my summer... I really hate the quarter system. I don't go back until September 21st, but the spring quarter didn't end until June 11th. 

I enjoyed two weeks of not having too much to do aside from a conference, which was wonderful. This past week I started an internship. I don't care for the hours - it's 7 to 3:30, so I have to get up at 5:30, and I'm just not a morning person. It's also not exactly the job I accepted. I was supposed to be doing riparian plant inventory and mapping with another graduate-level intern for most of the job, but when I started, I found out the other intern took another job so I have no one to work with and am not permitted to do the job alone (liability reasons). So I've been working with the undergrad interns basically doing manual labor while my supervisors try to figure out something else for me to do.

Aside from the internship, I'm working on some publications and getting my dissertation project proposal together. I wish I had some time at the end of the break to do a little traveling. I have a friend in Las Vegas I'd like to visit and I'd like to visit some national parks in the vicinity. It's possible I will have a week off before classes start. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[maelia8]

@shadowclaw I know what you mean, my term ended May 15th, and the semester officially begins for me again in the Fall on August 17th (instruction begins on the 24th). It was nice getting out so early, but it means that my time is already half gone

[easybreezy]

Wow everyone seems so much more productive than me lol.  My fiance and all of my friends have been telling me just to enjoy this break and down time because it'll be gone before I know it lol.  I've been bingewatching as well, getting settled into my new apartment, submitting all final documents with school, and planning a wedding (woohoo... not lol).  Other than that, I've had my fingers crossed about a grad assistantship I applied for and training to become a HIV/AIDS counselor.  

[easybreezy]

On 6/29/2016 at 10:25 AM, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

Working at the school I'm entering in the fall, which in hindsight was a great idea. Highly recommend for any future grad students reading this.

@Pink Fuzzy Bunny, goodness knows I have been trying to land a job at my school.  I'm trying to find a job that will work with my school schedule and it has been a task so far lol.  

On 6/29/2016 at 3:41 AM, lovekilledinos said:

I've been doing a mix of work and studying! Though I'm about to quit my job so I can just do nothing before I have to do ~everything. It's a planned ending though, so I'm not just throwing myself out there to see what happens. As for studying, it's more that my adviser gave me a list of books to read so we can discuss them at our next meeting, so that's fun. 

@lovekilledinos, I've realized that my school has never accepted this many new students at one time before, so they seem to be slightly overwhelmed.  It feels like I'm in limbo, I'm not sure if I should go ahead and read the textbooks or find some journals to read in my spare time. 

On 6/29/2016 at 11:26 AM, eternallyephemeral said:

I'm doing an internship, finishing up some papers and studies in my undergrad lab, and writing a review paper for a professor. On top of publishing an undergraduate journal and looking for apartments in my new city, it's been a hectic and stressful (but really fun and productive) summer.

I'm going away for six days to NYC and Boston next month, but no other trips.

Also, I was supposed to read a bunch of papers and get a head start on my program, but I have not been able to find the time. Months ago, that was my top priority.

@eternallyephemeral, oooh, I heard Boston is a great city to visit.  I know you'll have fun! Congrats on publishing, it sounds like you're super busy! It's been so weird to be idle.  I'm so ready to begin class.

On 6/30/2016 at 10:50 PM, EveryDay said:

Traveling, tying some last knots at work, and catching up with some papers I asked my POI to recommend. Trying to find an apartment has been the hardest thing so far, though.

I can only imagine with apartment hunting @EveryDay.  It took my fiance and I about 3 months to find an apartment that is in a safe neighborhood and in a central location between our two schools.  Not looking forward to house hunting when that comes around in a few months lol. 

On 7/1/2016 at 1:08 AM, MarineBluePsy said:

I spent the first half of summer working, preparing to move, and dealing with a zillion unexpected setbacks.  The second half will be spent learning my new city, getting settled into my program, etc.  Throughout I'm bingewatching tv shows and reading books for fun.

Sounds a lot like my summer @MarineBluePsy.  I've had plenty of setbacks, Where did you move to?

On 7/1/2016 at 3:48 AM, maelia8 said:

Gosh, I can't believe that summer is already half-over ... I still have so much to do here before I return to campus in mid-August and have to get started on immediate prep for the semester. Being on a research trip really makes me feel that i have to make full use of all of my time, so I'm trying hard to remember that down time and recharging is part of summer too

Exactly @maelia8!! Being on "go-mode" and constantly working is something that I am so used to.  

On 7/2/2016 at 2:57 PM, vonham said:

I have 4 papers due that I must hand in by the 14th so I can get my grades in time (and like, you know, graduate my program so I can start grad school). I analyzed all my data for 3 of them, and just need to write them, and the other one I have no idea what I'm doing (whoops). Then the two following weeks I'll be busy throwing/giving things away, packing, and dealing with all sorts of bureaucracy involved with leaving. And saying goodbye to my best friends who are like family. Then I fly to Arizona and start my life anew. I think I'll relax a bit in the two weeks before orientation, since dealing with bureaucracy is A LOT easier in America. All in all it will be a sweltering hot summer. 

Hopefully you can find some down time in between all of that to enjoy Arizona @vonham.  It sounds like you will be extremely busy.

On 7/2/2016 at 6:09 PM, janetjanejune said:

Last summer was my time to travel and go all out. Cutting it back this year with a summer internship.

@janetjanejune, I definitely wanted to travel this summer.  I'm hoping I'm able to either during winter break or next summer on my own time or through a study abroad program.  How do you like your internship so far?

19 hours ago, shadowclaw said:

I love the "summer is half over" posts. I'm only about 3 weeks into my summer... I really hate the quarter system. I don't go back until September 21st, but the spring quarter didn't end until June 11th. 

I enjoyed two weeks of not having too much to do aside from a conference, which was wonderful. This past week I started an internship. I don't care for the hours - it's 7 to 3:30, so I have to get up at 5:30, and I'm just not a morning person. It's also not exactly the job I accepted. I was supposed to be doing riparian plant inventory and mapping with another graduate-level intern for most of the job, but when I started, I found out the other intern took another job so I have no one to work with and am not permitted to do the job alone (liability reasons). So I've been working with the undergrad interns basically doing manual labor while my supervisors try to figure out something else for me to do.

Aside from the internship, I'm working on some publications and getting my dissertation project proposal together. I wish I had some time at the end of the break to do a little traveling. I have a friend in Las Vegas I'd like to visit and I'd like to visit some national parks in the vicinity. It's possible I will have a week off before classes start. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Spring didn't end until June?! Oh my! Your internship hours sound perfect to me lol; although, I'm not the most functional person without coffee at that time @shadowclaw. 

[AspiringGC]

On 7/2/2016 at 11:57 AM, vonham said:

I have 4 papers due that I must hand in by the 14th so I can get my grades in time (and like, you know, graduate my program so I can start grad school). I analyzed all my data for 3 of them, and just need to write them, and the other one I have no idea what I'm doing (whoops). Then the two following weeks I'll be busy throwing/giving things away, packing, and dealing with all sorts of bureaucracy involved with leaving. And saying goodbye to my best friends who are like family. Then I fly to Arizona and start my life anew. I think I'll relax a bit in the two weeks before orientation, since dealing with bureaucracy is A LOT easier in America. All in all it will be a sweltering hot summer. 

Hey, I currently go to undergrad at UofA! You'll love it! I promise you get used to the heat extremely fast! If you have questions about the area or even general things about the school, let me know

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

@easybreezy Sorry, I meant doing research! Thus it is school itself  

[inertialdummy]

Hello,
Here is a tiny summary of what I did so far.
June : Pretty busy! Finals! MSc applications, interviews, job applications, interviews, could not afford TOEFL so needed to take proficiency tests

July : Graduation! Acceptance letter arrives! Started getting familiar with tech stack, started skimming textbooks, collecting some nice papers for later reading. Apart from work, read novels, watch movies, play games.

 

Edited July 6, 2016 by inertialdummy
Formatting, Grammar

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

4 hours ago, inertialdummy said:

Hello,
Here is a tiny summary of what I did so far.
June : Pretty busy! Finals! MSc applications, interviews, job applications, interviews, could not afford TOEFL so needed to take proficiency tests

July : Graduation! Acceptance letter arrives! Started getting familiar with tech stack, started skimming textbooks, collecting some nice papers for later reading. Apart from work, read novels, watch movies, play games.

 

No acceptance letter until July? Are you going to grad school outside the US? I noticed you're in physics so this seems strange

[inertialdummy]

1 hour ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

No acceptance letter until July? Are you going to grad school outside the US? I noticed you're in physics so this seems strange

Here schools accept applications either during April or during late May/early June.

Edit: Also this school responded real fast, I applied another school which will announce results next week, and I did not applied to my home university, which announces results early August.

Edited July 6, 2016 by inertialdummy
Additional information, Grammar

[Danger_Zone]

I haven't really been that productive, but I guess I wanted to relax while I can. So I've been reading books, watching a lot of movies, playing a lot of video games, shopping and working on learning German. I've also been spending time with my family before I move and doing some last minute things at home (packing, getting my documents together, getting check ups at the doctor's and dentist's, etc.) I also took my first vacation which was to Disney World!

I was supposed to be volunteering for a local genealogical society but they're too unorganized and were a no-show at my interview. I've been contacting them every summer and they never have room for me, then I finally get an interview and realize how unprofessional they are. I didn't really have a back up plan as I expected to be working there...

 

[vonham]

On 7/5/2016 at 6:08 PM, slaybackc said:

Hey, I currently go to undergrad at UofA! You'll love it! I promise you get used to the heat extremely fast! If you have questions about the area or even general things about the school, let me know

Thanks! I actually currently live in a really hot place (although Arizona is definitely hotter at some points!) so it won't be too much of an adjustment. It's actually the dryness that will probably be the roughest on me; I haven't lived in a desert since the army, and I didn't like it then lol. 

[janetjanejune]

@easybreezy I didn't have high hopes coming in and those fears were confirmed. Good news is I'm building my supervisory skills tenfold and I know what area of the field I'll be entering I do NOT want to pursue full-time.

[AspiringGC]

10 hours ago, vonham said:

Thanks! I actually currently live in a really hot place (although Arizona is definitely hotter at some points!) so it won't be too much of an adjustment. It's actually the dryness that will probably be the roughest on me; I haven't lived in a desert since the army, and I didn't like it then lol. 

Oh I love the dryness. But, sleeping with a humidifier is definitely beneficial and of course lots of water during the day

[SAH]

I'm working with my new grad school adviser.  I'm really happy that I have time to settle in the city and in the lab before classes start.  

[RCtheSS]

I've been trying (and failing) to wind down tasks at my job. My two-year work anniversary is this Friday, which also means two weeks until I move to Chicago!

Once I'm up there, I'll have another 5-6 weeks before orientation to unpack, explore the neighborhoods and get accustomed to my new home. I just need to get past that dreaded moving weekend.

[Effloresce]

i'm using this time to recharge. my stepdad had surgery so i went to my mom's to help out with the sibs, then i'm going to dad's to see the family and visit friends for 3 weeks before moving down to nashville.

i've been relaxing super hard and playing lots of games. i miss the hustle and bustle of working, though.