The waiting game: How have you been keeping busy?

[KevinJHa]

Well now that most applications are submitted and the waiting game is officially starting, I figure it would be good to figure out ways to occupy headspace while we wait for our lives to be determined by a committee of strangers. It's funny because most people who apply to graduate school are neurotic and anxious people in general.

Things I've been doing:

(1) I've been using this time to start saving money, considering i'd probably be broke in graduate school

(2) Going to the gym and trying to get the body I want

(3) Activism 

(4) Video games

(5) Checking the application pages for each school I applied to every morning 

 

What are you all doing to keep busy?

Edited December 28, 2017 by KevinJHa

[mfafiction2019]

I currently have a full time/40 hours a week job, so that takes up most of my time (though it involves sitting at a computer all day, so I'm checking GradCafe anyway lol), but other than that, mostly reading, writing, doing research, and trying to come up with Plan Bs in case nothing works out for me this time around

[KevinJHa]

7 minutes ago, qualsoc2018 said:

I currently have a full time/40 hours a week job, so that takes up most of my time (though it involves sitting at a computer all day, so I'm checking GradCafe anyway lol), but other than that, mostly reading, writing, doing research, and trying to come up with Plan Bs in case nothing works out for me this time around

I'm lucky enough to have a full-time too (as you can probably surmise I'm on grad cafe at said job now) haha.

That's great, definitely good to keep doing research in the meantime!

[pinoysoc]

29 minutes ago, KevinJHa said:

I'm lucky enough to have a full-time too (as you can probably surmise I'm on grad cafe at said job now) haha.

That's great, definitely good to keep doing research in the meantime!

I think we're all on the same boat! I'm at work right now. checking this. HAHAHAHA. 

I've been refreshing my phone for my personal e-mail. Hence, nothing yet.

I get so OCD that I start so many projects to distract myself only to find me checking e-mails and application portals again and again.

[CandideCoating]

Same - going mostly crazy, at my 40/hr computer based job where I check GradCafe 2-5 times a day. I try to stay off of the school application pages (one of them changed statuses today and I almost fainted - all it says is it has been forwarded to the committee for review). 

I'm definitely working out more, trying to save money to relocate for grad school, trying to work on my hobbies a little - but mostly failing. I spend a lot of time just fantasizing about the future. 

I have been trying to formulate a Plan B lately, but I want to believe that that is a waste of mental energy. It is going to be a tough 25 days.

[pinoysoc]

11 minutes ago, CandideCoating said:

Same - going mostly crazy, at my 40/hr computer based job where I check GradCafe 2-5 times a day. I try to stay off of the school application pages (one of them changed statuses today and I almost fainted - all it says is it has been forwarded to the committee for review). 

I'm definitely working out more, trying to save money to relocate for grad school, trying to work on my hobbies a little - but mostly failing. I spend a lot of time just fantasizing about the future. 

I have been trying to formulate a Plan B lately, but I want to believe that that is a waste of mental energy. It is going to be a tough 25 days.

What sucks the most is that some of my applications changed the status from submitted to forwarded to department within a matter of days of submitting them. What's worst? the results page supposedly predicts when we'll get contacted and two programs I applied to should have reached anyone by e-mail this week of limbo between Christmas and the New Year. FML.

[KevinJHa]

 

16 minutes ago, CandideCoating said:

Same - going mostly crazy, at my 40/hr computer based job where I check GradCafe 2-5 times a day. I try to stay off of the school application pages (one of them changed statuses today and I almost fainted - all it says is it has been forwarded to the committee for review). 

I'm definitely working out more, trying to save money to relocate for grad school, trying to work on my hobbies a little - but mostly failing. I spend a lot of time just fantasizing about the future. 

I have been trying to formulate a Plan B lately, but I want to believe that that is a waste of mental energy. It is going to be a tough 25 days.

fantasizing about the future is right, god damn. I can almost taste it 

[abenz]

Unluckily I’m actually looking for jobs as well as waiting for PhD results so I’m in limbo for both! Just came back from nine months overseas though so seeing friends and family has been a lot of fun. I have to say that I spend more time than is wise thinking about all the “what ifs” ... I’m on holiday when most of my results are predicted to come out (based on previous years) which will either be a huge celebration or commiseration either way!

[KevinJHa]

16 hours ago, abenz said:

Unluckily I’m actually looking for jobs as well as waiting for PhD results so I’m in limbo for both! Just came back from nine months overseas though so seeing friends and family has been a lot of fun. I have to say that I spend more time than is wise thinking about all the “what ifs” ... I’m on holiday when most of my results are predicted to come out (based on previous years) which will either be a huge celebration or commiseration either way!

Damn that sounds stressful haha, best of luck to you! What kind of work are you looking for?

[abenz]

I worked until last week for the research team of an NGO, based in country. Hoping for something similar!

[MintChocoChip]

On 12/28/2017 at 10:42 AM, KevinJHa said:

Well now that most applications are submitted and the waiting game is officially starting, I figure it would be good to figure out ways to occupy headspace while we wait for our lives to be determined by a committee of strangers. It's funny because most people who apply to graduate school are neurotic and anxious people in general.

Things I've been doing:

(1) I've been using this time to start saving money, considering i'd probably be broke in graduate school

(2) Going to the gym and trying to get the body I want

(3) Activism 

(4) Video games

(5) Checking the application pages for each school I applied to every morning 

 

What are you all doing to keep busy?

I'm still working on two more apps, but I'll be saving some money too and playing video games as well. Will probably be looking for plans B, C, D, E, F, G after I take a well deserved break once everything is done. What video games do you play (titles, series, or genres)? 

I'm also thinking of reading some sociology books related to my interests. While tailoring the SOPs, I actually found some books I did want to read, but does anyone have any other recommendations? I'm interested in books related to sociology of health and medicine, mental health, social networks, sociology of knowledge, social psychology, and any combination of these topics.

[KevinJHa]

On 12/29/2017 at 3:14 PM, MintChocoChip said:

I'm still working on two more apps, but I'll be saving some money too and playing video games as well. Will probably be looking for plans B, C, D, E, F, G after I take a well deserved break once everything is done. What video games do you play (titles, series, or genres)? 

I'm also thinking of reading some sociology books related to my interests. While tailoring the SOPs, I actually found some books I did want to read, but does anyone have any other recommendations? I'm interested in books related to sociology of health and medicine, mental health, social networks, sociology of knowledge, social psychology, and any combination of these topics.

I'm not too familiar with those subfields so couldn't suggest anything to you, but it's definitely a great time to read!

In terms of video games, lately I've been into Overwatch, PUBG, and Black Desert haha -- numbing my mind and avoiding thinking about academic/career plans.

How about you?

[qeta]

I got a VPN service exclusively for the waiting period and have been marathoning Euro crime dramas on Channel 4 UK and SBS (Australia) On Demand sites. They are reasonably complex and entertaining, and reading subtitles also leaves less brain space for worrying.

Edited January 2, 2018 by qeta
Grammar as usual

[KevinJHa]

17 hours ago, qeta said:

I got a VPN service exclusively for the waiting period and have been marathoning Euro crime dramas on Channel 4 UK and SBS (Australia) On Demand sites. They are reasonably complex and entertaining, and reading subtitles also leaves less brain space for worrying.

That my friend, is fascinating haha. 

Side note, I check my application pages every single morning around 10AM and I'm tired of seeing the green 'Submitted' status. I have to stop doing this.

[pinoysoc]

3 minutes ago, KevinJHa said:

That my friend, is fascinating haha. 

Side note, I check my application pages every single morning around 10AM and I'm tired of seeing the green 'Submitted' status. I have to stop doing this.

Same here, buddy. I'm constantly refreshing my e-mail waiting for that notification or a phone call.

Whichever works for the adcomms. HAHAHAHAHA

[KevinJHa]

4 minutes ago, pinoysoc said:

Same here, buddy. I'm constantly refreshing my e-mail waiting for that notification or a phone call.

Whichever works for the adcomms. HAHAHAHAHA

Haha this can't keep happening for the next few months -- I think we need to change our habits or find an outlet. 

[abenz]

So how much faith is everyone putting in the previous years results dates? Because according to those I won’t hear anything at the earliest til late Jan, which for me is very reassuring!

[CandideCoating]

42 minutes ago, abenz said:

So how much faith is everyone putting in the previous years results dates? Because according to those I won’t hear anything at the earliest til late Jan, which for me is very reassuring!

Enough that on January 24th if I still haven't heard anything I might just die. LOL. 

[KevinJHa]

31 minutes ago, CandideCoating said:

Enough that on January 24th if I still haven't heard anything I might just die. LOL. 

If I don't get anything by January 24th my insane brain will assume I got rejected from everything now

[latemeg]

I feel like decisions are going to take extra long this year though. In the soc '18 applicants thread somebody said UWM had 250+ applicants--and if they got that many, I'm sure other schools got swamped too. Unfortunate, since I definitely feel like my chances are flying away from me here. I'd LOVE to hear early, but I doubt it. 

[abenz]

30 minutes ago, latemeg said:

In the soc '18 applicants thread somebody said UWM had 250+ applicants

This was me! I worry that we might have delays because of this ... having said that I just checked the Yale stats page and in 2015 they had 225 applications and 4 admits, so maybe it’s not super unusual for top schools?

[KevinJHa]

1 hour ago, abenz said:

This was me! I worry that we might have delays because of this ... having said that I just checked the Yale stats page and in 2015 they had 225 applications and 4 admits, so maybe it’s not super unusual for top schools?

Hmm well I know Harvard and the CUNY Graduate Center are expected around 400 applications this year...

[pinoysoc]

1 hour ago, KevinJHa said:

Hmm well I know Harvard and the CUNY Graduate Center are expected around 400 applications this year...

Damn! That's a lot. 

I think what stresses me out is the fact that some schools I applied to usually contacts students right after the holidays/holiday break aka the week in between Christmas & new Years that makes everyone feel lost. LOL.

A lot of other academic departments have been active since even before Christmas came. 

i. am. sweating. bullets.

[latemeg]

Holy holy. So many applications!

 

At least mine are turned in. I hated sitting and revising, and revising, and revising... Ugh. Now, if I could just get the accept/reject part out of the way.

[KevinJHa]

21 hours ago, pinoysoc said:

Damn! That's a lot. 

I think what stresses me out is the fact that some schools I applied to usually contacts students right after the holidays/holiday break aka the week in between Christmas & new Years that makes everyone feel lost. LOL.

A lot of other academic departments have been active since even before Christmas came. 

i. am. sweating. bullets.

Damn do programs really reach out that early?? What schools did you apply to?

 

18 hours ago, latemeg said:

Holy holy. So many applications!

 

At least mine are turned in. I hated sitting and revising, and revising, and revising... Ugh. Now, if I could just get the accept/reject part out of the way.

Congrats! Yeah spending months revising over and over again gets so draining. I'm glad its over for most of us.