11-15-13
I sort of wish I could make this fiction-y, but I don't think I could. I'm not sure I want to, if that makes sense.
Anyway, this week I realized that I've been doing the same thing that Bean did at the beginning of Ender's Shadow, trying to conquer all the schoolwork when it was the connections with the people that needed to be created. I've been doing a bit of that, too, but it's definitely not the same as some of my classmates (one seems super unassuming and yet is sometimes talking about some informational, networking trip he made; he wants to share the information with us, which is nice, but he seems so on top of it).
I mean, this is the first week I've actually gone to speak to professors outside of class (and only one I spoke to is a professor I actually have in a class this semester). Granted, it is faculty advising and we have open advising, so anybody in our school can sign up to talk to any professor in our school, but still.
I ended up telling the one professor I went to advise with (more like, confirm everything I'd already planned out) that I've been adjusting to coming to such a big school (which is true) and that I'd been doing that by just trying to get all my homework done, and not visiting profs despite my desire to do so. The professor's advice? One, if a professor's office hours clash with my classes or with work, just e-mail them and set up a time, and two, "stop being bashful" because I'm paying a lot of money to go here and I should take advantage of what I'm paying for. Which I totally agree with.
But I suppose it rubbed against other things I've been told, like this here. And so I've been living in my head too much this week, feeling a bit like an impostor even though I know I'm not, and feeling a bit overwhelmed. That also might explain why I've been trying to earn the procrastination honor this week; I have stuff to do, papers to write, etc, but I find myself reading webcomics and eating ice cream instead, partially because there's still two weeks til the paper is due and partially because I don't know why.
Anyway, I have once again resolved certain things. The clue's in the title and this link.
The other resolution is that my confidence can't come from my appearance, but that's for a whole 'nother post.
Showing posts with label UMSI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UMSI. Show all posts
Friday, November 15, 2013
Friday, October 11, 2013
Fall (Study) Break, Part 1
10/11/13
Seriously, it's midterm already? Already?
I mean, I have a midterm test next Friday in SI 502 (that's my programming class). It's open code, open book, open everything but other people during the test. I've actually been considering applying to be a 502 GSI next fall; I keep finishing my code before discussion session and then helping my classmates. (Of course, it doesn't hurt that all MY GSI does is re-hash the lecture and barely lets us ask questions or help each other, when I know for a fact that many of the 502 GSIs have their sessions do exactly that, asking and helping.)
It's still my favorite class. Sadly, my least favorite thus far seems to be the archives one. Cassandra, one of my archives classmates (though she's also in 581 and 502 with me), says that maybe it's the class and not the specialization, that I should find a job doing archive-y stuff before changing my mind. But, you know, we're almost a 1/4 done with this program already. Like, no joke. It's practically graduation when you think like that. (Can't think like that. I have a test next week.)
I still have work next week, so it's not like it's an entirely 'break' break, but I don't have my class-from-10-to-7 day on Tuesday next week, so that's beautiful. But I have lots of projects I need to get a jump on--designing a collection preservation plan for a semi-fictional collection and figuring out my position paper for archives and studying for my 502 midterm by going through my old code. So I'll still be busy starting again tomorrow night. (Oh boy do I love Sabbath. I think I'm one of the least-stressed people in my cohort because I have 24 blessed hours when I don't worry about anything, especially school.)
More later during this (study) break.
Seriously, it's midterm already? Already?
I mean, I have a midterm test next Friday in SI 502 (that's my programming class). It's open code, open book, open everything but other people during the test. I've actually been considering applying to be a 502 GSI next fall; I keep finishing my code before discussion session and then helping my classmates. (Of course, it doesn't hurt that all MY GSI does is re-hash the lecture and barely lets us ask questions or help each other, when I know for a fact that many of the 502 GSIs have their sessions do exactly that, asking and helping.)
It's still my favorite class. Sadly, my least favorite thus far seems to be the archives one. Cassandra, one of my archives classmates (though she's also in 581 and 502 with me), says that maybe it's the class and not the specialization, that I should find a job doing archive-y stuff before changing my mind. But, you know, we're almost a 1/4 done with this program already. Like, no joke. It's practically graduation when you think like that. (Can't think like that. I have a test next week.)
I still have work next week, so it's not like it's an entirely 'break' break, but I don't have my class-from-10-to-7 day on Tuesday next week, so that's beautiful. But I have lots of projects I need to get a jump on--designing a collection preservation plan for a semi-fictional collection and figuring out my position paper for archives and studying for my 502 midterm by going through my old code. So I'll still be busy starting again tomorrow night. (Oh boy do I love Sabbath. I think I'm one of the least-stressed people in my cohort because I have 24 blessed hours when I don't worry about anything, especially school.)
More later during this (study) break.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Getting Caught Up
9/26/13
Wow, it's almost October. Which, here in Michigan, is going to end up being Octobrrrr. The leaves are already changing and I think that's thrown me off a bit because I'm still mentally in Tennessee, when it comes to seasons at least.
My favorite class so far is my programming class. I am learning how to code in Python.
Today for a class project (for a different class), I got to see the Papyrology Collection, which includes wooden mummy tags, various ostraka--and the oldest manuscript of a good portion of Paul's letters. I saw part of the book of Romans--11:36 to about 12:something--written in Greek on papyrus. It was ridiculously awesome. (We were actually ostensibly doing an environmental check because that's our assignment, but the place has such filtered air that the reading room actually smelled weird.)
I've been learning the bus system (since I want to know how it works before it's freezing and snowy outside), but when I walk the twenty minutes to campus, I try to take different paths so I can learn the city better. (I think I already know it better than I do Michigan City or Chattanooga, but that's partially because I haven't really lived in Michigan City for years and Southern wasn't a twenty-minute walk from downtown Chattanooga.) Today I was walking a new route to my job at the stacks office when someone behind me spotted my SI bag and decided to give me her contact information because she's an SI grad and knows that we're supposed to network. So that was cool.
Biggest problem so far is that I've been a bit lonely, despite making friends. I miss my jeesh, my fellowship. (You guys know who you are.) Yeah, I'm learning how to keep track of my finances, use coupons and read the grocery ads (though I haven't bought a Sunday paper yet), got Netflix (to watch Doctor Who), navigate the bus system and what not. Yeah, I'm driving to Detroit for a class project and will have to fill out a reimbursement form for the gas money. Yeah, the guy in the apartment next door sometimes walks around without a shirt on (of course I noticed). And there's a guy I only talk with on Wednesday mornings because we share the bus stop for five minutes before the bus arrives. And, yeah, I go to church, but I see them once a week. But overall, no real deep connections anywhere.
So sometimes I wish I had my friends here to discover it all with me. I wish I had Castle nights (I'm still about four episodes behind) and chances to play the character Gwen. Time to go to sleep.
Wow, it's almost October. Which, here in Michigan, is going to end up being Octobrrrr. The leaves are already changing and I think that's thrown me off a bit because I'm still mentally in Tennessee, when it comes to seasons at least.
My favorite class so far is my programming class. I am learning how to code in Python.
Today for a class project (for a different class), I got to see the Papyrology Collection, which includes wooden mummy tags, various ostraka--and the oldest manuscript of a good portion of Paul's letters. I saw part of the book of Romans--11:36 to about 12:something--written in Greek on papyrus. It was ridiculously awesome. (We were actually ostensibly doing an environmental check because that's our assignment, but the place has such filtered air that the reading room actually smelled weird.)
I've been learning the bus system (since I want to know how it works before it's freezing and snowy outside), but when I walk the twenty minutes to campus, I try to take different paths so I can learn the city better. (I think I already know it better than I do Michigan City or Chattanooga, but that's partially because I haven't really lived in Michigan City for years and Southern wasn't a twenty-minute walk from downtown Chattanooga.) Today I was walking a new route to my job at the stacks office when someone behind me spotted my SI bag and decided to give me her contact information because she's an SI grad and knows that we're supposed to network. So that was cool.
Biggest problem so far is that I've been a bit lonely, despite making friends. I miss my jeesh, my fellowship. (You guys know who you are.) Yeah, I'm learning how to keep track of my finances, use coupons and read the grocery ads (though I haven't bought a Sunday paper yet), got Netflix (to watch Doctor Who), navigate the bus system and what not. Yeah, I'm driving to Detroit for a class project and will have to fill out a reimbursement form for the gas money. Yeah, the guy in the apartment next door sometimes walks around without a shirt on (of course I noticed). And there's a guy I only talk with on Wednesday mornings because we share the bus stop for five minutes before the bus arrives. And, yeah, I go to church, but I see them once a week. But overall, no real deep connections anywhere.
So sometimes I wish I had my friends here to discover it all with me. I wish I had Castle nights (I'm still about four episodes behind) and chances to play the character Gwen. Time to go to sleep.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Orientation and First Week
9/6/13
Last week, we had orientation, a combination of ice breakers and introduction lectures and what not. I think the most helpful thing was the group activity we did with our groups from the 501 class (the groups are assigned and we work together all semester). I think I'm part of a pretty great group. I don't think it's going to be like group work I've done in past scholarly years--it was a big thing I was worried about, seeing as I was always the one who made sure it got done. Now we're all the ones making sure it gets done. Yay!
On Saturday I turned twenty-six. The highlight of my birthday came at 10:40 PM, when a whole roomful of friends playing Rockband paused and sang Happy Birthday to me via Robby's cell phone. Yep, folks, that was the highlight. I still don't know anyone super well yet, I wasn't going to tail-gate (for several reasons, 1, it was Sabbath, 2, I don't drink, 3, I'm not a big big fan of football).
This week I started classes. Tuesdays are going to be doozies, but I at least will have time on other days for doing homework and working. Wednesdays I have to get up incredibly early in order to get the right bus. If I don't get the right bus, I'm walking the twenty minutes to North Quad. (I also discovered that the closest bus route to my apartment has two different routes, the most direct route to NQ ending around 8:40 AM and not picking back up until about 3 PM. So that's fun. I found out by getting on the bus and having a moment of "Hey why aren't we there?" and being told "I don't go there" by the driver. At least he pointed me in the right direction.)
Yesterday I had a job interview at one of the libraries here on campus. She offered me the job, and I accepted. After I sent my acceptance e-mail, I received two e-mails asking if I'd interview for jobs with them, so I had to send "Sorry I already accepted another job but maybe we'll think of each other at a different semester" e-mails to both of them. So that was fun.
Today we had a convocation where we sat and listened to a bunch of people speak about how awesome the school is and how awesome the projects they're doing are. (Truthfully, of course.) Then they made us new students stand up after introducing new faculty and new doctoral students. Then they fed us a free meal. I won a stadium blanket in blue and gold, but it has the name of the sponsoring credit union (with whom I don't and won't have an account) on it. New gear, though.
More later.
Last week, we had orientation, a combination of ice breakers and introduction lectures and what not. I think the most helpful thing was the group activity we did with our groups from the 501 class (the groups are assigned and we work together all semester). I think I'm part of a pretty great group. I don't think it's going to be like group work I've done in past scholarly years--it was a big thing I was worried about, seeing as I was always the one who made sure it got done. Now we're all the ones making sure it gets done. Yay!
On Saturday I turned twenty-six. The highlight of my birthday came at 10:40 PM, when a whole roomful of friends playing Rockband paused and sang Happy Birthday to me via Robby's cell phone. Yep, folks, that was the highlight. I still don't know anyone super well yet, I wasn't going to tail-gate (for several reasons, 1, it was Sabbath, 2, I don't drink, 3, I'm not a big big fan of football).
This week I started classes. Tuesdays are going to be doozies, but I at least will have time on other days for doing homework and working. Wednesdays I have to get up incredibly early in order to get the right bus. If I don't get the right bus, I'm walking the twenty minutes to North Quad. (I also discovered that the closest bus route to my apartment has two different routes, the most direct route to NQ ending around 8:40 AM and not picking back up until about 3 PM. So that's fun. I found out by getting on the bus and having a moment of "Hey why aren't we there?" and being told "I don't go there" by the driver. At least he pointed me in the right direction.)
Yesterday I had a job interview at one of the libraries here on campus. She offered me the job, and I accepted. After I sent my acceptance e-mail, I received two e-mails asking if I'd interview for jobs with them, so I had to send "Sorry I already accepted another job but maybe we'll think of each other at a different semester" e-mails to both of them. So that was fun.
Today we had a convocation where we sat and listened to a bunch of people speak about how awesome the school is and how awesome the projects they're doing are. (Truthfully, of course.) Then they made us new students stand up after introducing new faculty and new doctoral students. Then they fed us a free meal. I won a stadium blanket in blue and gold, but it has the name of the sponsoring credit union (with whom I don't and won't have an account) on it. New gear, though.
More later.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Yay!
2-19-13
Last week, I got accepted into UMSI! I'm really excited, though I'm not giving them an answer until after I find out what kind of assistance they can offer. Y'see, I'm poor, and graduate school is expensive. So I got myself a new bank account (so I could have a local account, and not just one whose closest branch is two hours away from me), and I've done my taxes. I still need to do my FAFSA, but I'm sure my expected family contribution will be what it has been for the last couple years (0000). I've also turned in all my paperwork to work as a substitute teacher in my local public school system, so now I just have to wait for phone calls in order to have work.
I appreciate the fact that SI has current students e-mail prospective students. I've exchanged e-mails with a current Archives and Record Management (ARM) student, and the most useful thing I've found out so far is that it'll be cheaper to find housing that isn't run by the university. (Where have I encountered that before?) Anyway, SI has a Prospective Student Visiting Days in March, and I plan to sign up and attend. They've got a job fair and a housing fair at the Visiting Days--it would be silly not to go, considering that I'm only a couple hours away from the school.
Yay!
Last week, I got accepted into UMSI! I'm really excited, though I'm not giving them an answer until after I find out what kind of assistance they can offer. Y'see, I'm poor, and graduate school is expensive. So I got myself a new bank account (so I could have a local account, and not just one whose closest branch is two hours away from me), and I've done my taxes. I still need to do my FAFSA, but I'm sure my expected family contribution will be what it has been for the last couple years (0000). I've also turned in all my paperwork to work as a substitute teacher in my local public school system, so now I just have to wait for phone calls in order to have work.
I appreciate the fact that SI has current students e-mail prospective students. I've exchanged e-mails with a current Archives and Record Management (ARM) student, and the most useful thing I've found out so far is that it'll be cheaper to find housing that isn't run by the university. (Where have I encountered that before?) Anyway, SI has a Prospective Student Visiting Days in March, and I plan to sign up and attend. They've got a job fair and a housing fair at the Visiting Days--it would be silly not to go, considering that I'm only a couple hours away from the school.
Yay!
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