The Positivity Thread

[Dryad]

On 2/6/2020 at 9:15 PM, Cheshire_Cat said:

I got an offer to be a tenure track faculty from a good institution. I am in a very rare field where this is still possible right out of grad school, and even with us, probably half of everyone graduating will have to take visitings this year because the market is rough. I am going to the school of my dreams, and I can't chalk it up to anything other than being incredibly blessed.

Congratulations!

[LazarusRises]

On 1/13/2020 at 12:07 AM, jamjohn said:

i finally started reading book in the first hour of the day and its a habit now. 

That's an awesome habit to curate. I wish I was disciplined enough to wake up earlier than I absolutely have to in order to get to work on time--if I happen to wake up early, I can sometimes convince myself to get up and go for a run, but if I started reading I'd be right back asleep. Maybe once I'm back in grad school instead of on the office grind, making a morning routine will be easier. 

[Adelaide9216]

Made a media interview today:) Went pretty well! 

[Masters@GeorgiaTech]

On 1/13/2020 at 12:07 AM, jamjohn said:

i finally started reading book in the first hour of the day and its a habit now. 

This seems to be a really good idea. Imma gonna try it! 

[bibliophile222]

Today has been a really good, productive day. I finalized my cover letter and applied to two jobs, got the final grade for a physics class I've been taking for the last eight months and sent the transcript to my department so I can graduate, did some prep for a client I'm seeing on Friday (not finished prepping, but it's okay), and completed two final transcripts for my research project (which consists of transcribing the mumbly speech of toddlers and then making a consensus transcription with another researcher, which takes hours and fries our brains). 

Of course, with all that accomplished I still procrastinated on doing my taxes and writing essays for another job application, but whatever, I still get to savor this moment!

[khalidals]

i got accepted to my first choice school and i'm beyond happy

[Dryad]

Picking up my limited edition switch today. Not sure when I'll get to use it but excited nonetheless!

[bibliophile222]

So I know the coronavirus is wreaking havoc on not only people's health and livelihoods, but also on some very grad-school-specific issues like visiting prospective schools and meeting graduation requirements. On a personal note, I have a job in a school that's supposed to start in May, but if the school shuts down I won't have a job and will have to scramble to pay rent, which is really stressing me out. On a less-important note, I'm scheduled to graduate on my birthday, but if the ceremony is postponed or canceled it will go from being the best birthday ever to just another year into my 30s. ?

So anyways, I know many of us here are pretty stressed, and I thought I would try to keep positive and find some silver linings to this pandemic to help us all feel a tiny bit better. If anyone feels like adding to the list, feel free!

1. The drastic decrease in travel will likely lead to a significant decrease in CO2 emissions, so at least the environment benefits a bit from this.

2. I know other developed countries don't have this issue, but in the backwards US, many employees don't have any form of paid sick leave. The virus has been leading to increased discussions of state and/or federally mandated paid leave. If this actually becomes a reality it will benefit millions of people.

3. If there's ever an even worse global pandemic (higher mortality rate, worse symptoms) this is at least teaching governments and individuals what works and what doesn't, so in the future hopefully they can handle it better.

4. I haven't read this anywhere, but it seems a safe bet that social distancing and other preventive measures will decrease the spread of other infectious diseases like the flu, which could at least save some lives.

[feralgrad]

@bibliophile222 That's a great way to look at it! I agree that despite the stress and panic, it's forcing us to take a hard look at our society and what's not working. From that perspective, this may lead to some long-needed changes that benefit us more than the outbreak hurts us (in the long run, that is).

[Cheshire_Cat]

I have a really good adviser and always feel better after talking with him. I hear those are in short supply, so I'm very lucky.
Also, I found my dream home, so hopefully it will still be on the market in a month or two when I'm ready to buy. Given the town it is in has a shelter-in-place order, this may be possible. (Not worth it to kill the economy and that people have the virus, but we are looking at silver linings here) This house looks like it came from my pinterest album and I love it. It's a little pricey, but not so much that I would have a problem paying for it. Do I need a house as big as it it? No. Do I want it? Yes!!

In other news, I only have to go back to my graduate institution to clear out my desk and grade some papers. No more being accosted by homeless people or fighting to find a parking space in a garage six blocks from my office. No more sharing an office. No more teaching night classes in the rough area of town. Also no more walking to class in the rain. My new institution has the faculty offices in the same building as the classrooms. Also I'm moving to a cleaner city, with a new, cleaner building. And well kept parks. This makes my germaphobic self very happy. I'm pretty bummed I won't get to have a regular commencement, but there are some silver linings.

 

[Modulus]

13 hours ago, Cheshire_Cat said:

I have a really good adviser and always feel better after talking with him. I hear those are in short supply, so I'm very lucky.
Also, I found my dream home, so hopefully it will still be on the market in a month or two when I'm ready to buy. Given the town it is in has a shelter-in-place order, this may be possible. (Not worth it to kill the economy and that people have the virus, but we are looking at silver linings here) This house looks like it came from my pinterest album and I love it. It's a little pricey, but not so much that I would have a problem paying for it. Do I need a house as big as it it? No. Do I want it? Yes!!

In other news, I only have to go back to my graduate institution to clear out my desk and grade some papers. No more being accosted by homeless people or fighting to find a parking space in a garage six blocks from my office. No more sharing an office. No more teaching night classes in the rough area of town. Also no more walking to class in the rain. My new institution has the faculty offices in the same building as the classrooms. Also I'm moving to a cleaner city, with a new, cleaner building. And well kept parks. This makes my germaphobic self very happy. I'm pretty bummed I won't get to have a regular commencement, but there are some silver linings.

 

Also sounds like you got a TT job right out of grad school? Seriously living the dream if so.

[Adelaide9216]

6 hours ago, Modulus said:

Also sounds like you got a TT job right out of grad school? Seriously living the dream if so.

I know a many people in my field for whom it's also been the case.

[Adelaide9216]

Application submitted for a leadership fellowship. I'm quite confident about it.

I've got a (paid) op-ed that will be published in April in a very important magazine  And it's right on my doctoral research topic!

 

[Cheshire_Cat]

On 3/25/2020 at 11:30 AM, Modulus said:

Also sounds like you got a TT job right out of grad school? Seriously living the dream if so.

Yup. I am very blessed with that. And it is at the school that I always wanted to go to.

[Adelaide9216]

Spring is here, and I feel happy.

[history110]

Now that I've accepted an offer and made a decision, the stress of the whole thing is going away and I'm getting excited again! I feel very confident I made the right choice.

Edited April 1, 2020 by starshiphistory

[Adelaide9216]

I started meditating two weeks ago, and I am surprised about how much it has helped me. Every day, around 8pm, I take 30 minutes to reflect on how I feel, why I feel the way I do, and I meditate and do vizualization exercices with an app.

My mental state has changed in the space of a couple of days. I'm quite impressed.

[Adelaide9216]

- I've advanced to the next stage of the fellowship I have applied to! Got the news today!
- I finished one assignment for this term. I've got one left!
- I managed to do a couple of hours of work on my research assistantship.
- I was able to figure a plan out for my last assignement and I'm happy to have written 500 words when I did not know where to begin at all. Now 6500 words left! Haha

[GradSchoolGrad]

I still have my job! I am grateful for that... 

Edited April 8, 2020 by GradSchoolGrad

[Adelaide9216]

1. I got a perfect grade for my last oral presentation and paper. It gives me motivation to finish the last paper of this term. I've also made a lot of progress today on that paper, so I am happy about that.

[unwelded]

Accepted into one of my top programs in history and about to accept 

[dustbunnies]

I placed an order from a small local bookshop, and they threw in a "Read Books Punch Nazis" sticker. Such a little thing but it improved my day so much.

[otisiul]

sent an email to my top school asking if there was any more master's funding - expecting absolutely nothing - and got a response saying they'll give me another $10k (on top of the tuition/fees and $10k stipend they were already giving me). & sweet baby jesus I was genuinely shocked by that.

 

i literally just asked if i could work for more money and they said , 'here, have this 10k for free' ?

 

v happy

[Adelaide9216]

I am almost done with my final paper! 2000 words left out of 7000! And I think it's good content.

Now I'm off to taking a walk with music!

[Adelaide9216]

I just turned in my last assignment of the semester. Officially done with coursework. Next step, comprehensive exam!