The waiting game: How have you been keeping busy?

[KevinJHa]

17 hours ago, capslock said:

For what it's worth, I've been accepted to UNC Chapel Hill and my application is still classified on the portal as just "Submitted." I have a feeling that portal updates might be administrative formalities that are taken care of on the back end of application season rather than immediately upon acceptance... But that's just a theory based on the data set of Me.  

In the meantime, I'm still looking for ways to direct my overactive anxiety brain towards more productive endeavors. What are your go-to brain ticklers for when you want to channel your mental energy into something other than the "what-ifs" of the application season?

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

18 hours ago, ThePastelCalico said:

My UW-Madison app hasn’t had any status updates sine Dec. 15 either. My advisor, who went to the program, said she imagines that they just started reviewing apps since they got back from break today...I’m a bit skeptical that no one at the program has looked at the apps they’ve had for over a month. 

 

Going stir crazy waiting. 

Honestly, checking applications and gradcafe multiple times a day everyday is starting to burn me out a bit -- yet I can't stop checking them. I need to try and separate for a bit its messing me up.

[ThePastelCalico]

4 minutes ago, KevinJHa said:

Honestly, checking applications and gradcafe multiple times a day everyday is starting to burn me out a bit -- yet I can't stop checking them. I need to try and separate for a bit its messing me up.

I've got a book chapter I'm working on with my advisor and another professor, so I've decided today I'll give myself 24 hours of not checking admissions portals. Just so I can make sure that I'm focusing 100% on fine-tuning the book chapter. 

[KevinJHa]

1 hour ago, ThePastelCalico said:

I've got a book chapter I'm working on with my advisor and another professor, so I've decided today I'll give myself 24 hours of not checking admissions portals. Just so I can make sure that I'm focusing 100% on fine-tuning the book chapter. 

Thats a good plan, I think I'll give myself tomorrow off and try to put my mind somewhere else. Mental health day haha

[MintChocoChip]

On 1/21/2018 at 3:45 AM, abenz said:

I’ve decided that the Yale application portal is the worst one. When I log in to check my status (wishful thinking!) it always says something like “you have started one application” so I always freak out that I forgot to submit it! However when I click through it’s clearly labelled as submitted ... but there’s always a moment of horror ...

Hah I know how you feel. UCSF's scared me when I checked and saw an exclamation point that I think said I didn't submit the app. Another part of the portal says that I did. These applications making us stress so much...

On 1/23/2018 at 10:01 AM, abenz said:

Another day begins again on the east coast ... is it bad that I’ve memorised the time differences for each of my schools so I know when (in my time zone) the working day begins?

I wish I was good at memorizing the time differences! When I had to reply for the UCSF interview, I had to double check that I understood what time it was on my time vs. theirs. Luckily, the calendar app on my phone was able to convert the time difference when I clicked on the date to register it and confirm that I understood the interview time.

On 1/22/2018 at 11:44 AM, CandideCoating said:

Here's some happy little trees to carry us all through

Woah that's awesome! Thank you for the lovely painting.  I heard looking at nature helps with stress.

15 hours ago, syza said:

Haha same problem here. I am on pins and needles with checking my emails till 8pm as Berkeley is 3hrs behind the current time in my city. It's incredibly stressful!

Looks like we're in the same time zone! I have the same 3hr issue with the California schools. 

[KevinJHa]

I'm starting to get delusional and waking up the last few days with a false feeling of 'I'm gonna hear something today, I feel it'.

WHY MUST MY EMOTIONS LIE TO ME?

[pinoysoc]

2 hours ago, KevinJHa said:

I'm starting to get delusional and waking up the last few days with a false feeling of 'I'm gonna hear something today, I feel it'.

WHY MUST MY EMOTIONS LIE TO ME?

I tell myself something similar, "This is my year! This is my year!" 

[Merina]

On 1/23/2018 at 4:13 PM, KevinJHa said:

LMAO I was thinking this yesterday. I was so anxiously checking every and any outlet I could for information regarding decisions. I must have blown off hours of work.

My company blocked gmail, so now I can't compulsively check to see if I've heard back from schools on there. So thank goodness for this site!!

[totorotaro]

1 hour ago, Merina said:

My company blocked gmail, so now I can't compulsively check to see if I've heard back from schools on there. So thank goodness for this site!!

I have my email synched to my phone and obsessively check that way.

Take that, work expectations!!

[socstudentzzz]

Anyone have any documentaries/movies they've watched that they highly recommend? I need something to distract me haha

[KevinJHa]

20 hours ago, soc4315 said:

Anyone have any documentaries/movies they've watched that they highly recommend? I need something to distract me haha

I HIGHLY recommend "The Farthest: Voyager in Space" -- its a great documentary on how the Voyager project came to be, all the trials they've faced and the obstacles they overcame. And it takes you through the emotional journey of the astronauts and those at command central as Voyager gets further and further out into space. It's truly inspirational!

Also Planet Earth II is great!

[EmC96]

On 1/28/2018 at 11:00 AM, soc4315 said:

Anyone have any documentaries/movies they've watched that they highly recommend? I need something to distract me haha

Jaime Johnson's stuff is on Hulu, I always love his pieces on income inequality, since he has such an inside scoop and his stuff is very raw as a result. He was very young when he made his documentaries, early twenties I think, and it's amazing how candid the people he interviewed were! Particularly in Born Rich. I also love The Queen of Versailles (about the Siegel family, not Marie Antoinette), it's usually on Netflix or Hulu. 

Haha, can you tell I'm interested in studying social stratification?

[KevinJHa]

Anyone have any fiction suggestions? I need to get away and also crave some intrigue/drama. 

[qeta]

40 minutes ago, KevinJHa said:

Anyone have any fiction suggestions? I need to get away and also crave some intrigue/drama. 

The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon. Slight but beautifully written; set in an alternate universe but with frightening similarities to the present-day ambitions of Pence et al. regarding Israel. I have read it and reread it many times because it's so sad, beautiful, completely absorbing, and yet just a bit hopeful.

[AnnaGG]

On 1/31/2018 at 8:57 PM, KevinJHa said:

Anyone have any fiction suggestions? I need to get away and also crave some intrigue/drama. 

Herman Wouk - The Caine Mutiny

Jane Smiley - A Thousand Acres

 

[AnnaGG]

I started writing a book on sourdough bread. How does this make sense?

[pinoysoc]

I started questioning whether or not it's worth doing this whole shitty process of applying. I'm not getting any younger and this idea of "competition" to get into programs is really stressing the fuck out of me. 

[CandideCoating]

8 hours ago, pinoysoc said:

I started questioning whether or not it's worth doing this whole shitty process of applying. I'm not getting any younger and this idea of "competition" to get into programs is really stressing the fuck out of me. 

I have managed to move into a zen place where I don't care anymore. I didn't even check gradcafe yesterday, a first in weeks. I have 2 decisions left to hear official responses from and I firmed up my backup plan. If I decide to reapply it will very likely not be next year. This was a very weird emotional rollercoaster. I genuinely grieved for my lifelong dream when the results were (admittedly surprising) rejections. But all I can do is all I've ever done, take this in stride and keep on keeping on at being my awesome self. I wish you some goodwill and some perspective. It has been said tritely by several already accepteds, but we are more than our applications and we are more than our rejections. Academia is elitist and expensive and their not wanting what we have to offer says a lot more about them than it does about us. Feel welcome to PM me if you want to chat further and keep your head up!

[Ilikekitties]

I'm traveling in Vietnam for Chinese New Year. Keeps my mind off things.

[surprise_quiche]

Happy valentines day! Fun poll:

for my undergraduate should I walk with my communications degree cohort or my sociology cohort?

 

[pinoysoc]

4 hours ago, surprise_quiche said:

Happy valentines day! Fun poll:

for my undergraduate should I walk with my communications degree cohort or my sociology cohort?

 

@surprise_quiche

I'd go with Sociology! When I walked during undergrad, I was an Anthro/Soc major, but opted to sit/walk with Soc because most of my friends were from Soc & Psych. Anthro was the first one to walk in and Soc was the last for the Liberal Arts & Social Sciences,  but never doubted or regretted the decision. Of course it's up to you. My best friend was a Comm/Soc major, but I believed he walked with Comm because it was the first major he declared.