1. There's a mailing list of incoming grad students, so I joined it for help looking for apartments. About half the students start out their posts congratulating each other on having been admitted. "This is a really great school, so I want to congratulate my classmates!" I think it's mostly international students, and I suppose it makes sense since it must be really competitive and a bigger move forward for them to be going to grad school in the US, and particularly this one.
2. Lots of foreclosures listed in the "for rent" section of Craig's list. Many others state whether or not they accept Section 8 housing vouchers. By contrast, the expensive places emphasize that you never have to go outside to get to your car.
3. The international students have a FAQ for "how to survive coming to grad school", and I find it really reassuring somehow that I'm not the only one who finds it slightly overwhelming to be moving after a year of traveling and not getting settled to a city filled with foreclosed homes.
4. Some of the tips are really nice to remember.
"US is just another country and [school] is just another University.Both the things are handled by people. They are not HEAVEN, with angels all around. People have their shortcomings, so is with the institution and the country."
- Some are funny:
"Avoid pennies like the plague - you just cannot get rid of them and they make your wallet heavy."
- Some are surprising:
"Jobs to be done in your country before leaving: Practice Walking (Welcome to grad-student life in US of A)"
- Some are way too familiar:
"A laptop will be your life. It will be the person you will be staring into with a far away look in your eyes, for most of the year. The Ghost in the machine will be your companion, as it is the one-stop friend who will help you through assignment submission, over the internet, watching movies on DVDs, listening to music, having 3-min breaks with You-Tube Clips."
- Some are surprising that they are different in the US:
"You will tend to bring a 3-litre pressure cooker, (the one-stop all purpose cooking vessel). But the larger 5-litre version is more suitable, though bulky. That is because in the US, you will cook many meals at one time. There is no time to cook fresh food everyday. It is more usual to cook in bulk and eat piece-meal out of the refrigerator. Good bye, fresh food, Welcome to American life."
"Food serves more than its nutrient value. It is an anti-depressant."
"Amongst clothes, if you are the type who can gain weight, you will definitely do so in this part of the world. So it helps if you have go a few not so figure hugging clothes."
- Some are reminders how things are in the US and not elsewhere
"There are no fashions in the US. The fashion is what you wear."
"The rule in the US is that nothing should be bought at full price, only purchase during a sale, with marked down prices."
"Shopping is a national sport in the US, and retail therapy is prescribed to keep away depression. Electronic toys(like Cameras, Television sets, etc) bring joy to daily life and can be a surrogate for good food."
- Reminders of what I am grateful for about US:
"Schools for children: Public School education in the US is free. ... Here you meet the school nurse and agree on the final list of immunization taken and need to be taken. She would tell you of a list of places where you can go for these shots for free. ... I can tell you schools here are a lot of fun for kids and sometimes for parents as well. " Amazing that a grad student can come to the US with their whole family and just enroll them in school and get free shots. Even if their spouse isn't allowed to work.
"Public libraries in the US are marvellous. The most amazing thing for me was that they trust you completely as you can show any mail with your address typed on it and they will make a card for you. You can borrow more than 10 books/ CDs at a time."
Friday, May 30, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Stragglers will always be stragglers
1. Straggler 1 has told me that they have invited one of the candidates back for a second interview. They called me up, and they told me that, and that everyone was still in play. I said okay, and waited to hear for more about their game plan. They said, again, "So we invited one of the candidates back and it's not you." And I think they may have repeated it a third time in case I didn't understand. "We just want to make sure the fit is right," she explained. That mysterious fit.
I'm not sure what the etiquette is in this type of situation. I just like to hear as much information as possible so didn't want to interrupt her.
It's an interesting thing, "fit". Looking at the candidates, they were surprisingly regional given that this school is in the top 50 of US News: one from the same university, two from the same metro area, and one was a commuter flight away. I'm in a different time zone. A few of them wondered whether I would be happy in that region of the country, and even asked me whether I am a "[their region] person".
I am guessing that the reason that they invited me in the first place was because I had a long paragraph at the end of my cover letter about how much I liked their school, specific features that I had picked up on a past visit there, and I meant every word.
I have my doubts, but I also have reasons why I would really like it. I have two close friends and a couple other friends nearby, one of whom I might date if I were living there, plus there's an absolutely fantastic ethnic supermarket chain I just discovered, and there are some good recreational opportunities in the area. But it's true I feel more at home in other regions of the country, and I'm sure likewise. A friend of mine who grew up close to that university thinks that I would hate it there. I'm guessing that the ones from the area are probably better "fit" for them.
2. Straggler 2 emailed me back, a week after I emailed them with possible dates, that they will let me know when they have figured out which dates are good ones for them. So I'm holding open the entire month of June for them.
I'm also not sure what to tell the postdoc. I accepted them conditional on Straggler 1, and said that I would let them know what Straggler 1's decision was, and gave them a time-frame that has probably long since past. Meanwhile, I hadn't mentioned Straggler 2 at all to them.
I want to tell them exactly what I know, and that I plan to find an apartment and sign a lease in their city. That's a signal that I am committed to their program, but not absolutely until I find out.
Most importantly, I want them to feel like I really want them, and that I am not hesitating to accept them. That's really important in them wanting to work with me. And honestly I'm increasingly excited about coming. It's a famous place, and last night I even met a guy who is moving there soon too. Okay. Rah rah rah! I'm going. Rah rah!
I will tell Straggler 1 that I've committed to the postdoc definitively for the coming year. But I'm curious about Straggler 2. It's located pretty close to my postdoc, so at the very least it's a source of free airfare out there, which I could definitely stand to accept.
I'm not sure what the etiquette is in this type of situation. I just like to hear as much information as possible so didn't want to interrupt her.
It's an interesting thing, "fit". Looking at the candidates, they were surprisingly regional given that this school is in the top 50 of US News: one from the same university, two from the same metro area, and one was a commuter flight away. I'm in a different time zone. A few of them wondered whether I would be happy in that region of the country, and even asked me whether I am a "[their region] person".
I am guessing that the reason that they invited me in the first place was because I had a long paragraph at the end of my cover letter about how much I liked their school, specific features that I had picked up on a past visit there, and I meant every word.
I have my doubts, but I also have reasons why I would really like it. I have two close friends and a couple other friends nearby, one of whom I might date if I were living there, plus there's an absolutely fantastic ethnic supermarket chain I just discovered, and there are some good recreational opportunities in the area. But it's true I feel more at home in other regions of the country, and I'm sure likewise. A friend of mine who grew up close to that university thinks that I would hate it there. I'm guessing that the ones from the area are probably better "fit" for them.
2. Straggler 2 emailed me back, a week after I emailed them with possible dates, that they will let me know when they have figured out which dates are good ones for them. So I'm holding open the entire month of June for them.
I'm also not sure what to tell the postdoc. I accepted them conditional on Straggler 1, and said that I would let them know what Straggler 1's decision was, and gave them a time-frame that has probably long since past. Meanwhile, I hadn't mentioned Straggler 2 at all to them.
I want to tell them exactly what I know, and that I plan to find an apartment and sign a lease in their city. That's a signal that I am committed to their program, but not absolutely until I find out.
Most importantly, I want them to feel like I really want them, and that I am not hesitating to accept them. That's really important in them wanting to work with me. And honestly I'm increasingly excited about coming. It's a famous place, and last night I even met a guy who is moving there soon too. Okay. Rah rah rah! I'm going. Rah rah!
I will tell Straggler 1 that I've committed to the postdoc definitively for the coming year. But I'm curious about Straggler 2. It's located pretty close to my postdoc, so at the very least it's a source of free airfare out there, which I could definitely stand to accept.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Revision
Revising a paper in response to reviewers' comments (did I mention these were 11 pages single spaced 10 point font?) makes me feel like I must have written the original paper in a single paper while high and didn't show it to anyone before sending it in. Fortunately, I don't smoke, so I know that wasn't it.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
More stragglers, with timeline
1. Straggler 1: a tenure-track faculty job at a top-50 university (public)
Mid-February: Application deadline.
Early April: Visit.
End of April: Last candidate visit. Communicated with department chair, who says committee may meet "within the week" and certainly the next week, and send recommendation to Dean. Hopefully it will be a matter of "a few weeks at best."
Mid-May (3 weeks after last communication): Search committee chair says that they distributed video of all the talks to the faculty who weren't able to attend and they'll hopefully be able to schedule a meeting for late this week.
I was tempted to tell the search committee chair that they're not the slowest and one of their colleague schools will be doing their September hires in July or August, but held my tongue.
But I really would like to sign a lease where my postdoc is. I was told not to tell them that is the reason that I am eager to hear.
2. Straggler 2: "I'm from the Government and I'm here to help you."
Sometime in March: Attempted application to a government postdoc. The links weren't working, so I emailed them.
Late March: As a result of my email, my CV got circulated, and they write to me with a semi-discouraging note. A week later, I realize that it wasn't entirely a rejection letter, so reply accordingly.
Early April: They grudgingly concede that they may have room for me.
Mid-April: I write back expressing interest, and apologizing for delay.
Late April: Two phone interviews with the main people, and they really were the best possible phone interviews.
Early May: Very interested, but can't fly me out. I reply within an hour of getting the email that I am also very interested. No response.
Mid May (16 days later): A sort-of offer: "I have not communicated with you in a few weeks while waiting on word about possible funds to bring you here for a visit. It is best for everyone to meet before making a commitment, but our budget is a bit uncertain at present (not always) and I am not sure that is going to be possible with you. Nonetheless, I would like to offer you a position (pending approvals, of course). The start date is flexible until September (we need to use the money for this position this fiscal year)."
I reply within an hour getting it that I was very interested in working with them, but I accepted a job two weeks earlier and said where it was, as my current position runs out in June, but I would be interested in working with them in the future, please keep me posted if any position comes up in the future, and also if they have any seminars with their research in places where our paths may intersect.
I get a 2 liner in reply that they're happy I found a place.
It must be frustrating for them that they can't act faster. The people in the department are all from solidly middle-ranked places, which is surprising because it sounds like they have really great resources that you don't have in universities, no teaching, and not soft money. I wonder why.
But really, what can they expect? I can't turn down another offer or sign a lease for a "position pending approvals".
Mid-February: Application deadline.
Early April: Visit.
End of April: Last candidate visit. Communicated with department chair, who says committee may meet "within the week" and certainly the next week, and send recommendation to Dean. Hopefully it will be a matter of "a few weeks at best."
Mid-May (3 weeks after last communication): Search committee chair says that they distributed video of all the talks to the faculty who weren't able to attend and they'll hopefully be able to schedule a meeting for late this week.
I was tempted to tell the search committee chair that they're not the slowest and one of their colleague schools will be doing their September hires in July or August, but held my tongue.
But I really would like to sign a lease where my postdoc is. I was told not to tell them that is the reason that I am eager to hear.
2. Straggler 2: "I'm from the Government and I'm here to help you."
Sometime in March: Attempted application to a government postdoc. The links weren't working, so I emailed them.
Late March: As a result of my email, my CV got circulated, and they write to me with a semi-discouraging note. A week later, I realize that it wasn't entirely a rejection letter, so reply accordingly.
Early April: They grudgingly concede that they may have room for me.
Mid-April: I write back expressing interest, and apologizing for delay.
Late April: Two phone interviews with the main people, and they really were the best possible phone interviews.
Early May: Very interested, but can't fly me out. I reply within an hour of getting the email that I am also very interested. No response.
Mid May (16 days later): A sort-of offer: "I have not communicated with you in a few weeks while waiting on word about possible funds to bring you here for a visit. It is best for everyone to meet before making a commitment, but our budget is a bit uncertain at present (not always) and I am not sure that is going to be possible with you. Nonetheless, I would like to offer you a position (pending approvals, of course). The start date is flexible until September (we need to use the money for this position this fiscal year)."
I reply within an hour getting it that I was very interested in working with them, but I accepted a job two weeks earlier and said where it was, as my current position runs out in June, but I would be interested in working with them in the future, please keep me posted if any position comes up in the future, and also if they have any seminars with their research in places where our paths may intersect.
I get a 2 liner in reply that they're happy I found a place.
It must be frustrating for them that they can't act faster. The people in the department are all from solidly middle-ranked places, which is surprising because it sounds like they have really great resources that you don't have in universities, no teaching, and not soft money. I wonder why.
But really, what can they expect? I can't turn down another offer or sign a lease for a "position pending approvals".
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Stragglers, continued
After getting a phone interview for a faculty job that really had very little connection to me, I figured it was good practice. The phone interview went okay, but I had no research connection to the jobs so of course I'm not a good candidate.
In answer to one question, I gave an honest question instead of fluffing up my experience to meet the question, one of the interviewers did that for me, and I went with it and elaborated. So I guess they liked me because I have a fly out. In mid-June or July. School starts right after Labor Day. Are they insane?
I'm going because they're not so far from my postdoc and I can use the trip to look for housing, I guess. There's no way that they want to hire me.
In answer to one question, I gave an honest question instead of fluffing up my experience to meet the question, one of the interviewers did that for me, and I went with it and elaborated. So I guess they liked me because I have a fly out. In mid-June or July. School starts right after Labor Day. Are they insane?
I'm going because they're not so far from my postdoc and I can use the trip to look for housing, I guess. There's no way that they want to hire me.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Postdoc gratitude
My health insurance was scheduled to end 1 month before my new postdoc started, but the postdoc is going to pick up health insurance for the two months prior to my starting to make sure that I am able to maintain continuity. (Their administration requires things come in 2 month blocks, so I'll be double-insured for one month.) Very nice of them, and beyond the call; they really did not have to do this. I'd even briefly shopped around for gap policies.
When I spoke with the postdoc program manager for the department, she told me all about the people in the area, and where I might want to live. She was conscious that postdocs are sometimes isolated because they work on only one project, and I'd have to work hard to put myself out there, but they'd put me on the student listserv and encouraged me to come to all the student events. I'm really excited to hear how conscious they are of everything.
By contrast, in my current position, the administrator for the research center within the larger research institute introduced me to maybe one person and was never conscious that I have a good experience.
I'm really impressed by them.
She also asked about the faculty position I'm waiting for, and I said I wasn't sure, but at this point it's so late that if I got the position I would try to start a year later. As much as I dread moving where I don't know anyone, and I know it will still be difficult no matter how nice people are, I'm so relieved at how welcoming they've been so far and that they are conscious of making sure that the transition goes smoothly.
When I spoke with the postdoc program manager for the department, she told me all about the people in the area, and where I might want to live. She was conscious that postdocs are sometimes isolated because they work on only one project, and I'd have to work hard to put myself out there, but they'd put me on the student listserv and encouraged me to come to all the student events. I'm really excited to hear how conscious they are of everything.
By contrast, in my current position, the administrator for the research center within the larger research institute introduced me to maybe one person and was never conscious that I have a good experience.
I'm really impressed by them.
She also asked about the faculty position I'm waiting for, and I said I wasn't sure, but at this point it's so late that if I got the position I would try to start a year later. As much as I dread moving where I don't know anyone, and I know it will still be difficult no matter how nice people are, I'm so relieved at how welcoming they've been so far and that they are conscious of making sure that the transition goes smoothly.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Email formula
This is an incredibly helpful communication tip that I learned from someone who worked in the university's teaching center: make a statement, then ask a question related to the statement.
It sounds simple, but I reword emails that I write this way from the way that I write them at first, and they come off as so much friendlier.
E.g., An email to my postdoc advisor as we are submitting lots of abstracts together to a conference.
Before: "Do you know how to submit all the related abstracts together as one session? I haven't seen anything on the website, or heard back yet from the email I sent to the conference asking about this."
After: "Your past emails sound like you know how the conference likes to accept related abstracts. I looked on the website and asked the conference, but haven't heard back. Do you know how we should be submitting the abstracts as a single session?"
The second way states a lot more about my assumptions and what I know right now, and prevents miscommunication.
It sounds simple, but I reword emails that I write this way from the way that I write them at first, and they come off as so much friendlier.
E.g., An email to my postdoc advisor as we are submitting lots of abstracts together to a conference.
Before: "Do you know how to submit all the related abstracts together as one session? I haven't seen anything on the website, or heard back yet from the email I sent to the conference asking about this."
After: "Your past emails sound like you know how the conference likes to accept related abstracts. I looked on the website and asked the conference, but haven't heard back. Do you know how we should be submitting the abstracts as a single session?"
The second way states a lot more about my assumptions and what I know right now, and prevents miscommunication.
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