About the Easiest Way I Can Explain My Life Right Now...
Graduate School
January 15 - Submitted University of Virginia Application
January 22 - Submitted Louisiana State University Application
February 2 - LSU calls and invites me to a recruitment weekend, all expenses paid
February 5 - Submitted University of Houston Application
February 12 - Submitted IIT Application
February 24 - LSU accepts my application
February 26-28 - LSU proceeds to rock my socks off at the recruiting event
March 1 - I decide that other schools have the month of March to respond.
April 1 - Nothing happens, so I accept the offer from LSU
April 6 - LSU notifies me that the paperwork was received and the acceptance official
I was accepted into the PhD program. LSU offered a research assistantship that covers full tuition, waiver of out of state fees, insurance benefits, and $2000/month stipend for five years. There are two professors at the school that are researching environmental issues, and I know one of them is actively looking for another doctoral student. Additionally, I talked to the second one and he confirmed my take on the future. Normally when I talk to people about the acceptance I tell them that “I want to study chemical engineering focusing on environmental remediation, pollution abatement, and recovery. To put it a bit easier, I want to be Nature’s Janitor.” The second professor then told me “Yeah, that’s what I am. I’m Nature’s Janitor.” Everything else there is fantastic. It seems like there’s less competition as a grad student, you’re all working for your own ends, not competing against each other. I think I’m going to like it…
I did still spend over $300 on applications, so I would like to hear back from the other Universities I applies to.
Women
January 9 - Some friends are having a party and invite me. I sleep through the invite.
January 10 - I hang out with said friends, most of them hung over, and ask for invites
January 15 - I get called telling me I have ‘a blind date’ for the next weekend.
January 16 - I finally get invited to a party. I meet another girl, Girl #2.
January 17 - Girl #3 calls me and tells me she’s been crushing on me for years. I let her off as easy as I can.
January 19 - I meet Girl #2 again at a movie night. We get to talking, she comes to my room, and we keep on talking until about 6am. No, that is not a euphemism, just a really long conversation.
January 23 - I go on blind date with Girl #1.
January 24 - I go to breakfast with some friends. Girl #2 shows up. She tells me that she’s been crushing on me.
January 25 - Girl #2 comes over to make me watch Firefly.
January 29 - I make a chain of paper cranes and write ‘Will You Be My Girlfriend?” on it. I present it to Girl #2.
January 29 - Girl #2 and I start dating. Her name is Elle and she’s awesome!
Many adventures follow, but that’s the easiest way I can put that story. Girl #1 seemed put-off during our blind group date, but a few weeks later I found out why. She started dating for the first time (she’s 23). Apparently she was into this guy for a while. I’m happy for her. Girl #3 was a bit tougher. I had feelings for her too at numerous points, but she’s at a different place emotionally and going for her would be taking a dangerous step back.
On January 24 when Elle told me she was crushing on me I made a realization. When I was with her I felt entirely comfortable being myself. It wasn’t that way during my blind date. I told her this, and when she dropped me off I stopped, turned back and said “If you keep being awesome like this, you’re going to win”, and then I closed her car door and left. I brought her home the few days I had free during spring break (after the LSU trip and before I was on duty for five days). My family thinks she is awesome as well. Like a friend of mine told me a month ago: “Jimmy, you’ve won the nerd girl lottery”. I’m pretty thrilled about it and am happy with the relationship so far.
Where will I be this summer?
March 22 - The paper technology foundation at WMU calls me and asks if I would be interested in an internship. People just don’t call you about this stuff…
March 23 - Potential employer receives my resume. They’ve never had interns before and needed to clear it with higher-ups.
April 5 - After hearing nothing for weeks I tell the head of the PTF at my exit interview prior to graduation. He’s getting in touch with the potential employer.
If everything pans out, I will be working for a company located in Connecticut. That’s a big ‘IF’ at this point, I’m anticipating going home.
Future Dates
May 1 - Graduation
Summer - Maybe an internship. If not, I’ll be headed home, but divvying up my time between family, friends in Illinois, and friends in Kalamazoo.
June 6 - Elle’s roommates are getting married. To each other!
August 14-ish? - I move to Louisiana.
August 23 - I start as a grad student at LSU
*Toasts* - To the future!
January 15 - Submitted University of Virginia Application
January 22 - Submitted Louisiana State University Application
February 2 - LSU calls and invites me to a recruitment weekend, all expenses paid
February 5 - Submitted University of Houston Application
February 12 - Submitted IIT Application
February 24 - LSU accepts my application
February 26-28 - LSU proceeds to rock my socks off at the recruiting event
March 1 - I decide that other schools have the month of March to respond.
April 1 - Nothing happens, so I accept the offer from LSU
April 6 - LSU notifies me that the paperwork was received and the acceptance official
I was accepted into the PhD program. LSU offered a research assistantship that covers full tuition, waiver of out of state fees, insurance benefits, and $2000/month stipend for five years. There are two professors at the school that are researching environmental issues, and I know one of them is actively looking for another doctoral student. Additionally, I talked to the second one and he confirmed my take on the future. Normally when I talk to people about the acceptance I tell them that “I want to study chemical engineering focusing on environmental remediation, pollution abatement, and recovery. To put it a bit easier, I want to be Nature’s Janitor.” The second professor then told me “Yeah, that’s what I am. I’m Nature’s Janitor.” Everything else there is fantastic. It seems like there’s less competition as a grad student, you’re all working for your own ends, not competing against each other. I think I’m going to like it…
I did still spend over $300 on applications, so I would like to hear back from the other Universities I applies to.
Women
January 9 - Some friends are having a party and invite me. I sleep through the invite.
January 10 - I hang out with said friends, most of them hung over, and ask for invites
January 15 - I get called telling me I have ‘a blind date’ for the next weekend.
January 16 - I finally get invited to a party. I meet another girl, Girl #2.
January 17 - Girl #3 calls me and tells me she’s been crushing on me for years. I let her off as easy as I can.
January 19 - I meet Girl #2 again at a movie night. We get to talking, she comes to my room, and we keep on talking until about 6am. No, that is not a euphemism, just a really long conversation.
January 23 - I go on blind date with Girl #1.
January 24 - I go to breakfast with some friends. Girl #2 shows up. She tells me that she’s been crushing on me.
January 25 - Girl #2 comes over to make me watch Firefly.
January 29 - I make a chain of paper cranes and write ‘Will You Be My Girlfriend?” on it. I present it to Girl #2.
January 29 - Girl #2 and I start dating. Her name is Elle and she’s awesome!
Many adventures follow, but that’s the easiest way I can put that story. Girl #1 seemed put-off during our blind group date, but a few weeks later I found out why. She started dating for the first time (she’s 23). Apparently she was into this guy for a while. I’m happy for her. Girl #3 was a bit tougher. I had feelings for her too at numerous points, but she’s at a different place emotionally and going for her would be taking a dangerous step back.
On January 24 when Elle told me she was crushing on me I made a realization. When I was with her I felt entirely comfortable being myself. It wasn’t that way during my blind date. I told her this, and when she dropped me off I stopped, turned back and said “If you keep being awesome like this, you’re going to win”, and then I closed her car door and left. I brought her home the few days I had free during spring break (after the LSU trip and before I was on duty for five days). My family thinks she is awesome as well. Like a friend of mine told me a month ago: “Jimmy, you’ve won the nerd girl lottery”. I’m pretty thrilled about it and am happy with the relationship so far.
Where will I be this summer?
March 22 - The paper technology foundation at WMU calls me and asks if I would be interested in an internship. People just don’t call you about this stuff…
March 23 - Potential employer receives my resume. They’ve never had interns before and needed to clear it with higher-ups.
April 5 - After hearing nothing for weeks I tell the head of the PTF at my exit interview prior to graduation. He’s getting in touch with the potential employer.
If everything pans out, I will be working for a company located in Connecticut. That’s a big ‘IF’ at this point, I’m anticipating going home.
Future Dates
May 1 - Graduation
Summer - Maybe an internship. If not, I’ll be headed home, but divvying up my time between family, friends in Illinois, and friends in Kalamazoo.
June 6 - Elle’s roommates are getting married. To each other!
August 14-ish? - I move to Louisiana.
August 23 - I start as a grad student at LSU
*Toasts* - To the future!