Another PhD App Update (Dear Diary)
[entry code: Dear Diary]
I finished that statement-of-purpose by the way. It was more than twelve hours later than I intended, but it's finished. I think I was still about 60 words over, but since they'd said "about," I took it as good enough.
The problem of course is "good enough" is the wrong mentality. I wish I could put more energy towards perfecting these things rather than just getting them done. See, after that letter, I hit a bit of a slump - convenient distractions, things-to-do, general lethargy and weakness, legitimate sickness. I woke up with a killer headache this morning at 5am, and I'm pretty sure it's hiding now still behind the pills. And I could try to sleep and cure it, but that's kinda what I was trying to do in general to my 'bad feelings' all week, and it doesn't work.
So now I'm REALLY behind.
I don't know how bad it is. I haven't checked the important e-mail account. See, one application won't send recommendation-letter-forms to my potential recommenders unless I list them all. I also needed that statement-of-purpose letter. That was to finish the on-line page of the application, but the application as a whole is not yet done - I still need my vitae. And the vitae has intimidated me - but it shouldn't! I know it's a pretty-easy thing to do. So then why? I...guess because I know I should be making it perfect, and it's the 'perfect' that's hard for me - in part because 'perfect' is judged by someone else's standard, and while I can be a perfectionist, it's with respect to criteria that usually conflict with others'.
Annoyed.
So, almost done with the vitae right now. I have some info that I need to gather and insert, which doesn't seem fun, and then I need to clean it up a lot and make it pretty. Then...um... I need to prepare some e-mails to three of the recommenders, and...I think I should insert one of their names in all the on-line applications, as he's indicated he's ready. And...I should prepare for tomorrow. Is that it?
No. This is all for an application that's due December 15th, sadly. I have applications due December 1st, and one "soft" deadline that's already passed - November 15th! I should at least start that one. I can perhaps plan to finish it tomorrow? Yes.
Okay LJ, thanks for letting me go over my plan with you. Granted, it was in-part procrastination, but I like to think this was productive in its own way.
I just need to get this vitae done quickly, before my brain shuts down. :(
I finished that statement-of-purpose by the way. It was more than twelve hours later than I intended, but it's finished. I think I was still about 60 words over, but since they'd said "about," I took it as good enough.
The problem of course is "good enough" is the wrong mentality. I wish I could put more energy towards perfecting these things rather than just getting them done. See, after that letter, I hit a bit of a slump - convenient distractions, things-to-do, general lethargy and weakness, legitimate sickness. I woke up with a killer headache this morning at 5am, and I'm pretty sure it's hiding now still behind the pills. And I could try to sleep and cure it, but that's kinda what I was trying to do in general to my 'bad feelings' all week, and it doesn't work.
So now I'm REALLY behind.
I don't know how bad it is. I haven't checked the important e-mail account. See, one application won't send recommendation-letter-forms to my potential recommenders unless I list them all. I also needed that statement-of-purpose letter. That was to finish the on-line page of the application, but the application as a whole is not yet done - I still need my vitae. And the vitae has intimidated me - but it shouldn't! I know it's a pretty-easy thing to do. So then why? I...guess because I know I should be making it perfect, and it's the 'perfect' that's hard for me - in part because 'perfect' is judged by someone else's standard, and while I can be a perfectionist, it's with respect to criteria that usually conflict with others'.
Annoyed.
So, almost done with the vitae right now. I have some info that I need to gather and insert, which doesn't seem fun, and then I need to clean it up a lot and make it pretty. Then...um... I need to prepare some e-mails to three of the recommenders, and...I think I should insert one of their names in all the on-line applications, as he's indicated he's ready. And...I should prepare for tomorrow. Is that it?
No. This is all for an application that's due December 15th, sadly. I have applications due December 1st, and one "soft" deadline that's already passed - November 15th! I should at least start that one. I can perhaps plan to finish it tomorrow? Yes.
Okay LJ, thanks for letting me go over my plan with you. Granted, it was in-part procrastination, but I like to think this was productive in its own way.
I just need to get this vitae done quickly, before my brain shuts down. :(