update
Well, I never use this thing... and don't think anyone is reading it currently, but hey, just for shits and giggles, I figured I'd put in an update... kind of as a journal for anyone who winds up reading it later on.
I started my PhD program a few weeks ago - it's an intresting subject. I'll be essentially studying social psychology in an online/computer game setting. I'll specifically be studying the human need for vicarious violence, why humans choose the types of vicarious violence they prefer, and what makes them like that sort of violence. I'll probably be starting with games like World of Warcraft - it has a good mix of both PvP and non-PvP, giving a good opportunity to study differnet types of violence choices (violence where someone suffers or violence where no one suffers) in a very typical online environment.
As far as the workload goes... I think it will be pretty easy once the rest of the group down here gets more used to the whole school thing. I hope they get used to it fast. Right now I have a few too many family time demands, making it completely impossible to do any studying at home, and even really hard to break away and go to the campus unless I have a good excuse to leave the house. (I shouldn't need an excuse of course, I should just spend alot of time working there) By next week I'll probably have to make them go 'cold turkey' and just get used to how it needs to be - I need to spend at least 6 hours a day on campus (8 would be best), and I'm probably averaging 3 right now. I've got three research projects piling up - the work I'm convinced will be easy and fun, it just takes time that I'm currently not being given, so I'll just have to take it, and let others adapt.
It seems the social atmosphere will be good too - probably going to start up a deadlands game in the next couple of weeks, and I'm looking forward to that. There's a boxing group on campus, so I'll probably do that at least once a week, and there's a study I volunteered for that will have me working out for about an hour three times a week for 9 months.
It seems I've found a hell of a home for hte next four years. Home is a good word for me here.. I FIT in a place like this. My mind is sharpening up. My... old abilities are definately back in charge and as keen as ever. Woe to those who cross the Zeus, or who have crossed me in the past. Fortunate are those who are garnering my will. It's really nice to have all my wits back in my sole control.
Zeus - god of getting my groove back
I started my PhD program a few weeks ago - it's an intresting subject. I'll be essentially studying social psychology in an online/computer game setting. I'll specifically be studying the human need for vicarious violence, why humans choose the types of vicarious violence they prefer, and what makes them like that sort of violence. I'll probably be starting with games like World of Warcraft - it has a good mix of both PvP and non-PvP, giving a good opportunity to study differnet types of violence choices (violence where someone suffers or violence where no one suffers) in a very typical online environment.
As far as the workload goes... I think it will be pretty easy once the rest of the group down here gets more used to the whole school thing. I hope they get used to it fast. Right now I have a few too many family time demands, making it completely impossible to do any studying at home, and even really hard to break away and go to the campus unless I have a good excuse to leave the house. (I shouldn't need an excuse of course, I should just spend alot of time working there) By next week I'll probably have to make them go 'cold turkey' and just get used to how it needs to be - I need to spend at least 6 hours a day on campus (8 would be best), and I'm probably averaging 3 right now. I've got three research projects piling up - the work I'm convinced will be easy and fun, it just takes time that I'm currently not being given, so I'll just have to take it, and let others adapt.
It seems the social atmosphere will be good too - probably going to start up a deadlands game in the next couple of weeks, and I'm looking forward to that. There's a boxing group on campus, so I'll probably do that at least once a week, and there's a study I volunteered for that will have me working out for about an hour three times a week for 9 months.
It seems I've found a hell of a home for hte next four years. Home is a good word for me here.. I FIT in a place like this. My mind is sharpening up. My... old abilities are definately back in charge and as keen as ever. Woe to those who cross the Zeus, or who have crossed me in the past. Fortunate are those who are garnering my will. It's really nice to have all my wits back in my sole control.
Zeus - god of getting my groove back