Incoming student stress

[blindchaos]

Now I've just got to figure out how I'm going to keep my cat from flipping out on the 14 hour move.

Same here! I have about 5 full days of driving to do and my cat *HATES* car rides (the 10 minute trip to/from the vet is far worse than anything the vet does to her). I worry about sedating her for so long b/c I imagine that can't be the best thing for her little system (though just letting her flip out for 5 days wouldn't help either). I could fly her out as cargo but there's so many rules and regulations and she'd have to make several connections so I'm paranoid she'll be stuck at an airport or put on the wrong plane. Plus, some airlines have rules about the temperature the arrival city has to be in order to ship animals (ie: if the arrival city has temps higher than 80, the animals don't go). Since she/we will be heading out in early August going from west coast through the midwest and to the east coast-ish area, it's quite possible it'll be too hot for her to be put on the plane. Grrr!

If it wasn't obvious by now, my biggest source of stress is the logistics of moving from west coast to east coast in about a week and a half as my current program ends late and the next one starts early. Grrrr!

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[moonflwr]

Same here! I have about 5 full days of driving to do and my cat *HATES* car rides (the 10 minute trip to/from the vet is far worse than anything the vet does to her). I worry about sedating her for so long b/c I imagine that can't be the best thing for her little system (though just letting her flip out for 5 days wouldn't help either). I could fly her out as cargo but there's so many rules and regulations and she'd have to make several connections so I'm paranoid she'll be stuck at an airport or put on the wrong plane. Plus, some airlines have rules about the temperature the arrival city has to be in order to ship animals (ie: if the arrival city has temps higher than 80, the animals don't go). Since she/we will be heading out in early August going from west coast through the midwest and to the east coast-ish area, it's quite possible it'll be too hot for her to be put on the plane. Grrr!

If it wasn't obvious by now, my biggest source of stress is the logistics of moving from west coast to east coast in about a week and a half as my current program ends late and the next one starts early. Grrrr!

You win, hands down. Although at least I feel a little better now . I hope everything works out for you!

 

[Luxian]

Some airlines will let you take a cat as a carryon, as long as the carrier fits under the seat in front of you. This negates the problem of having it be a good temperature, and worrying about whether he makes the right plane!

I, on the other hand, have two cats, and I can't afford to buy two plane tickets just to get that kind of space! My plan? I'll have them loose in the car on the drive and my boyfriend will play cat wrangler. If they're anything like my last cat, they will spent the majority of the ride cowering in a corner. I'll invest $10 in a dual pet leash so that I can take them out at rest stops to let them stretch their legs.

Sigh. All this is complicated!

 

[shefmed]

... did any of you rent an apartment/house "blind", meaning that you didn't go "out there" to look for one, but used the internet instead? i am apprehensive about spending extra money on airfare, etc to look for apartments and at the same time not sure if i want to rent a place without actually seeing it...

 

[TwilightEve]

did you pay your deposit and get your NSU PIN and email address setup already?

Pin - check
email - check
Thanks islandgirl.

Now I'm just looking for housing. Want something right by campus with other graduate level students... not exactly sure how to go about doing this yet. Anyone else looking for housing @ nova southeastern?

 

[mshbe]

Pin - check
email - check
Thanks islandgirl.

Now I'm just looking for housing. Want something right by campus with other graduate level students... not exactly sure how to go about doing this yet. Anyone else looking for housing @ nova southeastern?

I hear that Conquistador Rental Apartments has several NSU students. I haven't seen in personally, but I hear that it's pretty nice and is fairly close to campus.

 

[moonflwr]

... did any of you rent an apartment/house "blind", meaning that you didn't go "out there" to look for one, but used the internet instead? i am apprehensive about spending extra money on airfare, etc to look for apartments and at the same time not sure if i want to rent a place without actually seeing it...

A student I spoke with at one of my interviews specifically told me NOT to do this. Logically, the place would put their best photos up for prospective renters, which may not be up to date or even altered. She told me about several places that seemed promising on the internet but turned out to be real dumps. I ran into that myself when I went looking for apartments as well.

I suppose it really depends on how picky you are about the place you live. If a place sounds good to you and you'd rather save the money then you could probably rent sight unseen, but don't complain if you have to spend your first months in grad school in a not so wonderful atmosphere. Then again, if its just a place to lay your head down, the go for it! I certainly wish I didn't have to spend the money and time to travel that far just to look at some apartments

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Now I'm just looking for housing. Want something right by campus with other graduate level students... not exactly sure how to go about doing this yet. Anyone else looking for housing @ nova southeastern?

You've got PM.

Btw....I think there are at least 2 other NSU'ers out there (island and?), drop me a PM if you need help.

 

[Luxian]

... did any of you rent an apartment/house "blind", meaning that you didn't go "out there" to look for one, but used the internet instead? i am apprehensive about spending extra money on airfare, etc to look for apartments and at the same time not sure if i want to rent a place without actually seeing it...

I did this only once and never again. The place I ended up with was completely infested. (ewwww!!!) I left after two weeks but lost my deposit since I was breaking the lease.

Unless you know more about it, like you've spoken with students that live in that apartment complex, I absolutely would NOT do it. The flight is worth the cost!

 

[Jivan]

I'm planning on starting a lease without flying out. I am only comfortable with this because I have talked to students that already live there and every single grad student I talked to about apartments said that the place was considered the upscale apartments in the community. Coming from Los Angeles, the upscale place in North Dakota is looking really cheap, so works for me! Otherwise, I've heard too many horror stories to blindly go into something like that.

 

[RayneeDeigh]

Do NOT rent blind.

If you do go in person to look at apartments, really LOOK at them. Inspect carpets, make sure baseboards are tight up against the wall, etc. Trust me on this one. The money you spend on airfare to go look at places will be nothing compared to the headache you'll get from having to break leases, find a new place mid-year, etc.

 

[timecoloured]

.

 

[shefmed]

Thank you so much everyone! After hearing what everyone had to say, I think I'll fly out and save myself from the headache of having to move once school starts.

 

[PsyTiger]

Just a note for those people who were traveling by car with pets from the voice of experience (three cross country moves with 2 cats)...
If you have a big enough car, invest a few bucks into a decent sized wire dog crate, put a small litter box and blanket in the bottom and drive away! That way, when you pull over for a snack, you won't have to chase your kitties around the parking lot when they sneak out your open door, you won't need to worry about them using your new down comforter for a litter box and it also gives them a safe quiet place that is theirs to help calm them during a stressful time. Trust me, none of the above are fun - been there...
Also, if your cats are healthy, talk to your vet about a drug called acepromazine, it can help calm them down. Good luck!

 

[Quynh2007]

Thank you so much everyone! After hearing what everyone had to say, I think I'll fly out and save myself from the headache of having to move once school starts.

good choice. I rented blind because I had a friend who looked at the place for me and didn't see any problems. loved it, but, well, since i've been saving my meager earnings, I have enough for a down payment now so I will be moving on. hopefully.

 

[MaddieMay]

Also, if your cats are healthy, talk to your vet about a drug called acepromazine, it can help calm them down. Good luck!

I have used this twice when I flew with my cat, she was under the seat in front of me and she wasn't passed out or anything, she just looked sleepy and calm.

 

[PhDshallsee]

Man, I'm not stressing yet, and I love the feeling!

Drove out (17 hours!) with my dad to find an apartment.

The one I LOVED online was a nightmare. Woman had bras hanging in doorways, ciggies galore in the bathroom (gorgeous bathroom), dirty dishes in the kitchen (gorgeous kitchen), cluttered bedroom (huge bedrooms), and a used puppy pad in the living room (couldn't stomach to look in living room). Apartment I felt so so about...fell in love with in person. Custom cabinets, walk in closet, 2 bd, 2 bath, 1000sq at $700 a month.

I'm buying my first car (at 22, yikes) soon. I'm a little nervous about that.

I've worked with my facutly over the summer, so maybe that eases my stress. My advisor was my summer program advisor. It's how I chose the university.

Got a kick *** fellowship. Almost $22,000.

I think at the rate I'm going...I'll be the first of us to fall apart, LOL! I've heard that almost everyone falls apart during the first two years. I had a major breakdown during undergrad. I think I may be good to go!

 

[Lunabin]

I haven't read this whole post bc it's so darn long - but when I started grad school, moved cross country from NY area to CA.

I was having trouble finding an apartment (I really couldn't fly out to shop), so I sublet a room for my first semester which worked out great! I was able to apartment shop one the semester came to an end, and had a much better idea of the neighborhoods and costs.

My last move for internship was back to NY, and then we did it with 2 cats for 10 days! There's a decent website: takeyourpet.com that has good advice for traveling with cats and dogs. I think cats are a lot more difficult - but you'd be surprised how many grad students do it...

 

[moonflwr]

I kind of feel like an idiot for asking this (like I should already know) but what kind of "school supplies" am I going to need? Should I get a backback, notebooks, binders, etc like undergrad? I know its totally different so would I need different stuff?

 

[psychwanabe]

No, you need pretty much the same stuff. If your backpack is worn out and you need to replace it, you might consider a satchel or briefcase instead as you may want something that looks more professional once you're going to practicum sites. Otherwise: school is school...you need the same supplies.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I use/used a portfolio for my laptop and whatnot. I disliked lugging around a ton of books, so I kept the extras in my car.

 

[PinkSoil]

Wow, I feel like one of the only ones who is NOT moving, but maybe it is just because of the nature of this thread-- I already own a house in the city I'm going to school in. I guess my worry is working while going to school. I am definitely wondering how that will work out for me during the first year. I am entering as a 2nd year student, so that makes my work load a bit lighter than it would be if I was a 1st year student. Most people in the program work at least a part time job. However, during the third year that will not be possible, as we are required to take four classes. I don't know. I'm still unsure about the whole work/school thing. I feel like I should buy a bag thingy for my laptop/books. A shopping cart? lol I don't know. I'm just excited. It is the same school that I went to for my Masters Degree so there is a certain degree of familiarity which helps to take away the anxiety.

 

[spillsomepaint]

I'm absolutely dreading the move, mostly cause I won't find out exactly where in NYC I'll be till July, and also because I still don't really feel like any of this is real. I guess it will really hit me and sink in the first night I'm in NYC. But my move is only about 500 miles. I know I should be more excited about NYC but I am soooo nervous.

 

[moonflwr]

So I just looked on my lab's website and my name's on there as a Grad student. YAY!! I had to share with some people who may remotely care.

On the other hand, I'm starting to realize how much I'm going to miss all my family friends, sigh.

I'm just a roller coaster of emotions today

 

[islandgirl1]

awwww congrats!
yeah im dreading leaving my bf more and more with each passing day *sigh*

 

[hotpenguin007]

so it's been awhile since i last logged in...figured i might as well relax and enjoy my free summer but the anxiety of starting somewhere new in the fall is still lurking in the back of my mind...however i'm excited and can't wait to meet the other nova newbies!!!

 

[hotpenguin007]

I kind of feel like an idiot for asking this (like I should already know) but what kind of "school supplies" am I going to need? Should I get a backback, notebooks, binders, etc like undergrad? I know its totally different so would I need different stuff?

LOL...don't worry i was thinking along the same lines, and am wondering if we should dress differently as well (more professionally, as opposed to the i just woke up look from undergrad)

 

[BorntoRun]

LOL...don't worry i was thinking along the same lines, and am wondering if we should dress differently as well (more professionally, as opposed to the i just woke up look from undergrad)

I'm actually having the opposite concern - I've been out of undergrad for a few years so my wardrobe is a lot more "professional" than strictly necessary (at least until it comes time to see clients) - I'm worried I'm going to look like an overdressed jerk! I'd be interested to hear wardrobe feedback from current students - what do people usually wear to classes/the lab/etc? Anyone out there have to update their wardrobe for grad school?

As far as school supplies go, I'm planning to stock up on everything. I can't imagine not needing notebooks.

 

[Ollie123]

What to wear varies totally by school, lab, and even day.

My rule is shirt and tie anytime I'm interacting with non-program folks (meaning clients, research participants, students, or anyone else), but that's my rule, not the program. I'm probably the only one in the whole department who does this, but I got in the habit at my last job so I figured I might as well continue the trend. I HAVE to wear dress pants and a button down shirt anytime I'm in lab since we're hospital-based, which is traditionally a more formal environment than psych departments.

I've never heard of a department caring what students wear to class, but I think business casual is about the average for non-class activities. Some schools will probably do the shirt-and-tie thing (well for men anyways), others you can probably walk around looking like you crawled out of a sewer and be right at home.

 

[nononora]

At my undergrad institution, the psychology grad students were typically dressed in business clothing. Believing that it was an unspoken dress code among grad students, I went out and bought shirts and pants - as it turns out, the dress code really is dependent on the school/lab/job etc.

I think the safest bet is business casual until you get a feel for what the norm is. My very first grad class featured a professor in a t-shirt, shorts and sandals, and I haven't looked back since! It also helps that my lab is laid back and I'm a research assistant so there's no need to teach/meet with undergrads. Business casual is reserved for the days I see patients. The rest of the days, you wouldn't be able to tell me apart from the undergrads with my enormous collection of wifebeaters

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I think the safest bet is business casual until you get a feel for what the norm is. My very first grad class featured a professor in a t-shirt, shorts and sandals, and I haven't looked back since! It also helps that my lab is laid back and I'm a research assistant so there's no need to teach/meet with undergrads. Business casual is reserved for the days I see patients. The rest of the days, you wouldn't be able to tell me apart from the undergrads with my enormous collection of wifebeaters

Not to be the fashion police....but really?!! I know most grad students aren't fashion icons, but I'm thinking you may need to find a fashion design major to help you. Shorts/jeans, sandals, and the like are common dress for classes where I'm at, but we are also 10 min from the beach.....so YMMV.

 

[moonflwr]

I'm reading this "Surviving Graduate School in Psychology" book (finally) and let's just say I'm getting super nervous about grad school. What if I can't do all the things that will be required of me? What if I can't go beyond regurgitation of information to actually applying it and coming up with my own ideas??? Agh!

Okay, I think I'm better now. Yay, I got into grad school!!

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

moon.....the best thing to do is find people to study with and split the notes. There will be more work than time, so note sharing is important. Talk to upperclassmen about profs and what is most important, etc.

 

[paramour]

moon.....the best thing to do is find people to study with and split the notes. There will be more work than time, so note sharing is important. Talk to upperclassmen about profs and what is most important, etc.

Yet one should also take into consideration the note-taking ability of members in one's cohort. Some people just plain suck.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Yet one should also take into consideration the note-taking ability of members in one's cohort. Some people just plain suck.

Yes, some people have horrid notes, while others could be sold.

I use to sell my notes in HS for all of the advanced classes, it allowed me to avoid having a real job during my entire HS career. (Watermarking and unique identifiers were used in each copy distributed.)

As for grad notes, some/most people are open to sharing....though you'll learn quickly who you do NOT want to swap notes with.

 

[moonflwr]

Thanks for the advice. They do mention note swapping in the book as well although I had dismissed it at first. Like most grad students, I'm a perfectionist, so the idea of relying on someone else's notes seemed stressful to me. I suppose I'll just have to be VERY picky

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Thanks for the advice. They do mention note swapping in the book as well although I had dismissed it at first. Like most grad students, I'm a perfectionist, so the idea of relying on someone else's notes seemed stressful to me. I suppose I'll just have to be VERY picky

I would swap notes, and the add/change them as I liked. I had a stats notebook that had 4 or so people contribute to it. (Each semester it was passed on, and people added to it). It went missing last year....so somewhere out there this is cracked binder full of great stat notes.

 

[Psyched77]

Well...I thought I'd update y'all. We sold our house 2 weeks after we listed it (just $3k below appraisal!). Our whole house is almost packed now. We have a realtor in our new city & have a new mortgage loan approved. We're going to move in with my in-laws (who think I'm the anti-christ) until we close on a house out there. I'm dreading that part, but I'm excited that things are moving right along...& without any hitches so far!

 

[Sarahanne]

Well...I thought I'd update y'all. We sold our house 2 weeks after we listed it (just $3k below appraisal!). Our whole house is almost packed now. We have a realtor in our new city & have a new mortgage loan approved. We're going to move in with my in-laws (who think I'm the anti-christ) until we close on a house out there. I'm dreading that part, but I'm excited that things are moving right along...& without any hitches so far!

Nice, that's great esp. considering the current real estate market. It sounds like things are moving right along for you. Goodluck with the move!

We're going to start packing up in here soon in a few weeks. We've decided not to buy this year. We're going to wait and get to know the area better before we decide on a house. Good news is, our second weekend up there we found a great apartment in a decent area. By decent, I mean that the nearest starbucks is literally less than 1/10 of a mile away.

 

[paramour]

Nice, that's great esp. considering the current real estate market. It sounds like things are moving right along for you. Goodluck with the move!

We're going to start packing up in here soon in a few weeks. We've decided not to buy this year. We're going to wait and get to know the area better before we decide on a house. Good news is, our second weekend up there we found a great apartment in a decent area. By decent, I mean that the nearest starbucks is literally less than 1/10 of a mile away.

Good to know the priorities are in order.

 

[BorntoRun]

Nice, that's great esp. considering the current real estate market. It sounds like things are moving right along for you. Goodluck with the move!

We're going to start packing up in here soon in a few weeks. We've decided not to buy this year. We're going to wait and get to know the area better before we decide on a house. Good news is, our second weekend up there we found a great apartment in a decent area. By decent, I mean that the nearest starbucks is literally less than 1/10 of a mile away.

I've heard that starbucks is actually a good way to take the 'temperature' of an area. Starbucks does a ton of market research, so if they think they can sell a $4 cup of coffee, the neighborhood is probably 'up and coming' if it isn't there already.

 

[NPmemory]

anybody wonder how well your small class (ours is 7 people) is going to get along?

I'm trying to go in with an open mind, but I feeling I might like some of my classmates more than others

 

[RayneeDeigh]

anybody wonder how well your small class (ours is 7 people) is going to get along?

I'm trying to go in with an open mind, but I feeling I might like some of my classmates more than others

I'm in a cohort of 5. The first year was really rocky as three of us instantly bonded, one member proved to be completely off their rocker, and the fifth sort of does their own thing and prefers the company of the significant other.

Moral of the story: you won't all love each other. By the end of second semester we all found a working relationship together but you probably won't be holding hands and singing songs with your whole cohort.

Then again you might get lucky and they'll all be awesome people.

 

[moonflwr]

In my program I'll be doing my GA with a professor that isn't going to be my mentor. Anyway, I thought I would look him up on ratemyprofessor.com, just out of curiousity. Almost all of the ratings talked about how arrogant and condescending he is. They also said not to say anything stupid around him or he will make fun of you. As if I'm not nervous enough about starting my program

Well I'll just keep my fingers crossed that he has a general disdain for undergrads and since I'm a grad student, he'll treat me with the utmost respect (yeah right). I suppose that I'm going to run into this sort of person sooner or later the academic world (I'm not sure how I've avoided them thus far) so I should look at it as a learning opportunity

Or, quite possibly, those reviews were all written by disgruntled students who got the C they deserved instead of the A they thought they should get. I think I'll just give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Sarahanne]

In my program I'll be doing my GA with a professor that isn't going to be my mentor. Anyway, I thought I would look him up on ratemyprofessor.com, just out of curiousity. Almost all of the ratings talked about how arrogant and condescending he is. They also said not to say anything stupid around him or he will make fun of you. As if I'm not nervous enough about starting my program

Well I'll just keep my fingers crossed that he has a general disdain for undergrads and since I'm a grad student, he'll treat me with the utmost respect (yeah right). I suppose that I'm going to run into this sort of person sooner or later the academic world (I'm not sure how I've avoided them thus far) so I should look at it as a learning opportunity

Or, quite possibly, those reviews were all written by disgruntled students who got the C they deserved instead of the A they thought they should get. I think I'll just give him the benefit of the doubt.

Haha, glad to see I'm not the only one looking professors up on ratemy professor.com. Although all of them have received excellent reviews, so I'm excited. In my cohort, there's 5 coming in. I've already met one of them, and I think another was on my interview but not sure. Anyone else know who their classmates will be?

 

[moonflwr]

Haha, glad to see I'm not the only one looking professors up on ratemy professor.com. Although all of them have received excellent reviews, so I'm excited. In my cohort, there's 5 coming in. I've already met one of them, and I think another was on my interview but not sure. Anyone else know who their classmates will be?

I wish. The first e-mail I got from the grad secretary I checked to see if there were e-mail address but nooooooo, they had to be all smart with the cc function. Not that I would have really just e-mailed anyone out of the blue anyway, that would have been a tad creepy I think.

 

[moonflwr]

Would it be a good a idea to go to the grad school orientation on top of my department orientation? Or will I learn pretty much everything I need to know at my dept one?

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Would it be a good a idea to go to the grad school orientation on top of my department orientation? Or will I learn pretty much everything I need to know at my dept one?

Which one sounds like more fun? Kidding....

 

[JockNerd]

Would it be a good a idea to go to the grad school orientation on top of my department orientation? Or will I learn pretty much everything I need to know at my dept one?

The grad school one will probably have food.

Once into graduate school, your instinct for finding free food will be honed.

 

[psychdude5469]

... did any of you rent an apartment/house "blind", meaning that you didn't go "out there" to look for one, but used the internet instead? i am apprehensive about spending extra money on airfare, etc to look for apartments and at the same time not sure if i want to rent a place without actually seeing it...

I did it blind. It worked out well. All I had to go off of was two pictures on the internet. I hounded the people who owned the apartment and they helped me out with a lot of information. I was freaked out at first b/c I didn't really know what I was getting into, but it worked out okay.