bake 'em away toys!
Grad school applications are finished for now. I'm still waiting to get in two recommendation letters so I can send off the bundle to Vermont, though.
What worries me more than anything though is how weak my writing sample turned out to be this time. I definitely have lost my touch being out of academia (if I had a touch at all). In the end I applied to WVU (a place I didn't apply last year) sending my writing sample from last year... I just felt it was a strong example of my writing.
Now I simply have to wait and send stuff out which is good, but it doesn't really make me feel any easier about my future. The last time I really felt alive or like I was doing something I love was when I was in Italy, so come high water or hell I'm certainly returning this summer for at least a month. It will likely deplete what savings I've earned by then but it will be so very worth it. The next step will be to achieve shift manager status at Starbucks. At that point I'll probably still be staying at home, but I'll be busting ass at work. When I get to the point of thinking about being an ASM I'm going to put in a few other options for me to transfer too (Portland, Seattle, perhaps even Columbus). More options means I won't have to wait until something happens around Lexington, and at an ASM salary moving would be made much easier. Granted that is likely a year off.
Damn variable futures.
It's funny though. When I think about grad school I get excited about the teaching more than the prospect of studying more or getting work published and stuff. I really loved teaching in Italy, even though they were younger kids so maybe that is what I want to do...
What worries me more than anything though is how weak my writing sample turned out to be this time. I definitely have lost my touch being out of academia (if I had a touch at all). In the end I applied to WVU (a place I didn't apply last year) sending my writing sample from last year... I just felt it was a strong example of my writing.
Now I simply have to wait and send stuff out which is good, but it doesn't really make me feel any easier about my future. The last time I really felt alive or like I was doing something I love was when I was in Italy, so come high water or hell I'm certainly returning this summer for at least a month. It will likely deplete what savings I've earned by then but it will be so very worth it. The next step will be to achieve shift manager status at Starbucks. At that point I'll probably still be staying at home, but I'll be busting ass at work. When I get to the point of thinking about being an ASM I'm going to put in a few other options for me to transfer too (Portland, Seattle, perhaps even Columbus). More options means I won't have to wait until something happens around Lexington, and at an ASM salary moving would be made much easier. Granted that is likely a year off.
Damn variable futures.
It's funny though. When I think about grad school I get excited about the teaching more than the prospect of studying more or getting work published and stuff. I really loved teaching in Italy, even though they were younger kids so maybe that is what I want to do...