Apartment

I must brag a bit about my new apartment... The lease starts on July 15th. I'm moving in officially on the 25th of August--2 days before TA training and a day after the NYC trip--a perfect amount of time to get settled! Prior to NYC, I'm moving my boxes/bed...
I've already started to collect various pieces of great furniture for the space such as a tall, skinny bench that I'm painting a charcoal gray and an old Carnegie library bookshelf I'm painting the same color. I'm putting the bench along the exposed brick for guests (and myself) to put coats on, take boots off, etc... I'd like to use the mini bar area as my desk/bill pay area. So excited!

Entry

Granite?

This place will be the anchor of grad school--a haven to come back to without dealing with roommates, their better halves, and all of the added friends. Did that, 'twas fun for a while, learned a lot, I highly recommend it during undergrad, but for grad school, get a place you feel very comfortable at. I opted for a 1-bedroom close to campus. For this apartment (located within a mile from campus, a block from downtown, and close to the library), I decided to increase my housing budget to have it ($650/month + around $70 in utilities/month). I haven't decided on whether I should get cable/dish. I never had "TV" (except VHS/DVD movies) growing up unless it was at grandma's or relative's/friend's. I guess the need to have "my show!" never struck me. Hold on. There is one show I'm in love with. Shameless on Showtime. It's a knockoff of the UK version... I think it's JUST as good, if not, better. Emmy Rossum, William H. Macy, and Joan Cusack are in it among many other talented individuals. Look it up. It's a ballin' show. That's the only thing I'll watch next to the Discovery channel, Spongebob, and the news. Is cable worth it for $90/month (including internet)? I can afford it, but that money could be put towards other needs...? We'll see.

Thanks for reading :-] The next post will entail grad school applications.

Current love affairs: NYC, France (Je t'amie!), Neurology, Oliver Sacks, David S. Goodsell, coffee, weddings (I've played piano for 2 this week!), Grand Rapids...?, EMT training, and memories.

GRE versus David...

...I fought the GRE and the GRE won, but grad school flew in and saved the day by accepting me anyway!

Deciding to go to graduate school happened while drinking Colombian coffee at a Starbucks in Chicago. I realized that at 22, I didn't want to spend the next five years working for a marketing company making $55,000/year with full benefits in (the love of my life) CHICAGO... Crazy? A little. I wanted to go above and beyond that goal, NOW. So, I signed up to take the GRE (graduate record examinations). Most grad programs require this test--it's similar to the ACT, but for smarter and more experienced students typically with a Bachelor's. Me? Hell no, but kind of. I'm typically insecure in my ability. The cost is $120. I paid for it right away to take it in Wisconsin in October of that year--a location of one of the schools I wanted to apply to. Why was I in Chicago? Well, I was living there.
Three months prior (June), after I "graduated" from GVSU (Grand Valley State University), I moved to Chicago. I interned for a gentleman at the Merchandise Mart. This was a transitional position while I applied for jobs around the city. I was looking to work for something in marketing, PR, or communications. Several opportunities landed in my lap, but the fear of ending up with an easy-going position while enjoying myself in a glorious city scared me. There has to be more than this life, right? Well, in my eyes, yes. I wanted grad school. To accomplish what? Maximizing my potential.


Now, the process of applying for grad school varies. This was my scenario. Please understand that this process reflects my decisions. Any advice derived from it is based on my research and experience.


In late August of '11, I signed up to take the GRE. Most of the schools I was looking at required a specific score.  August of '11, the GRE decided to switch its scale from a score of 200-800 in 10 point increments to a score of 130-170 broken down into 7 sections: 2 Verbal, 2 Quantitative, 2 Analytical Writing, and an experimental section. (The AW section is graded between 0-6). I think the score requirement is different for each program/each school. For Communication Studies, the average was 145+.


Alright...time for the moment of shame/embarrassment/sheer guts... My score was horrible... A 145. That is low. To me. And to most! To the grad school I'm currently enrolled in, not so much :-] Accepted complete with a teaching assistantship, half tuition waiver, and a fat stipend! I begin this fall.


Anyway, not many people crap their skirts about taking the GRE. If you scored decent or average on the SAT or ACT a million years ago, you'll be fine. A lot of it is what you may have learned in high school courses and your gen-eds at undergrad school. I scored horribly on the ACT, but excelled in my gen-eds at college. Balanced enough to deserve a 145! I try not to blame my home-schooled upbringing, but I feel that if my parents really knew how important grades, knowledge, and tests were, I would be slightly ahead. Enough blaming the past.


There are plenty of study methods out there. Kaplan is the program I chose. Now, some say that standardized tests are a way to freeze your true knowledge learned thus far. Meaning, "You have no right to study for it! If you're smart enough, you should do fine!" I agree. We are supposed to try to retain knowledge, learn with our best thinking caps on, and try to excel in basic courses such as Calculus, Trigonometry, Reading Comprehension, and Writing. However, what kills me is when advisers at colleges pressure a freshman/transfer student into choosing a major and highly suggest taking 2-3 courses in that major right away. Honestly, not many people know what they want to do in high school. If they do, more power to them! Kudos. So much energy gets wasted in a major you typically change your mind in!


Quick story: I started out with Business. Got a tiny degree. Transferred to GVSU as an International Business major with a minor in German. Took two days of German, hated it. Took MGT 268, didn't want a life in it. Wanted to do Theatre, but realized I'd rather pick and choose to be dramatic, not dramatic all my life. Finally decided on Communication Studies--the toilet of degrees once you've flushed other majors. But seriously, I was somewhat interested in the courses... and graduating in 2 years. The pressure from parents saying, "We have 6 kids to worry about, so flippin' graduate on time or we won't co-sign anymore loans!" Okay, mom! 0:-}


Back to majors and advisers. The point is, many things get lodged in your brain--courses about Witchcraft, Women's Studies, French, Accounting, and many more get in the way to accommodate your many interests. It's how some people are wired. I have many many many interests. Did I only take Communication Studies courses? I took Creative Writing, Theatre History, Model UN, Accounting, Diversity in the U.S., and several other courses. Mind you, most majors require a variety, but I harnessed my interests into a variety I liked.


ANYWAY, GRE study methods. Honestly, I half-assed the test. I should have studied more. WAY more. That's why I didn't do so hot. Which is why I'm re-taking it in March. Yep, a good 8 months of studying should do the trick! While teaching 3 sections of public speaking and trying to ace a Master's. Regardless, I'm planning on posting different areas how I study. Bur for now, my advice is to have a goal, a solid study schedule, and someone accountable to either study with or check up on your progress. What I'd like to do at grad school is confide in a professor to monthly check up on my practice tests (available everywhere online and in the Kaplan books). They'd probably love it! I hope?


It's July. I would start thinking about schools and what the GRE requirements. Sign up to take it soon. That way you're locked in--use that as a push. Deadlines for most of the good programs are in December. For others, it's February. Know ALL of the deadlines.


I'll post something later about the application process.


Thanks for reading!


Current love affairs: NYC, Robert Addison's artwork, France (Je t'amie!), trail mix, Neurology, Virology, HIV/AIDS relief organizations, IAs, clean fans, grad school, my new apartment (!), and memories.