How to Survive Grad School pt. 2

One of the most important lessons I have learned while working on the Masters and that I continue to learn while beginning the PhD, is that it is vital for you to find a place to work. If you are funded (therefore a teaching assistant) and lucky, your department will have a nice office for you. I seem to have been both for the past two years however last year was better then the first. For my first year I shared an office with about 12 other people. And while I did not always get a lot of the work done, I did make a number of friends (which will be a lesson all in it's self!) For my second year I was asked to teach a different course which moved me away from the large group and into an office for three people. Needless to say I got LOTS of work done and have now been a bit spoiled to have a nice quiet place to work when I could not do so at home. Yet this privilege is coming to an end and I have been told I am moving back to the large office which I will share with the eight other PhD TAs in my department. This is not bad I will be able to bond with them and we will all have our own spaces. Which may not going to be the case for the MAs next year.

Now you need to understand I live in a one bedroom apartment with my wonderful, but TV addicted, husband and to very needy cats. The cats LOVE to play with pens, lay on my books, and demand attention whenever I am on a deadline. The hubby loves to watch various sports as well as all of the discussion shows about sports. Now don't get me wrong I do like sports, I am not upset that he watches them, however I have to plan my day VERY carefully because I have learned that I can not do certain types of work with back ground noise. For me I need complete quite for reading, soft music for writing, and anything for grading. Yet when you have LOTS and LOTS of reading (often hundreds of pages a week) you need to know where you can go.

That is where the hunt begins. Traditionally, there are tons of coffee shops and places on campus to go and work. The library will more then likely be the best place. However... I live 30 min. from campus and on the days that I do not HAVE to be one campus, I try and save the gas. But I still need a place to work. AHH! Unfortunately, a large number of coffee houses around me also allow smoking inside, which is GROSS!!! However, last night I met up with a girl friend and have now found a great little place that is quite, smoke free, and offers comfy places to sit! I can not WAIT to go there and work.

The key is to find a place away from home, yet close to the house, they should have good prices on snacks and drinks, a variety of tables and seating, and really should have FREE wi fi. My new little hide out had all of this and more. The food choices are great and the prices seem reasonable. They have booths, little tables, larger tables, and couches and chairs.

Yet finding the place is one thing knowing when to go and know you can work is another. Here you have a few choices. Go at various times and see when they are busy. OR you can open your mouth and ask. Since I am a communication scholar I chose the later. I simply asked that people working there when the busy and slower times are. This way I can plan ahead and know that I can go and work and not have to drive around until I find another place to work.

Now you may be saying, why don't you just tell your husband you are working and to turn off the TV. OR tell him to go into a different room. Well I could, but that is not really fair to him either and not to mention sometimes I work better when I am not home. I get distracted easily and being home means seeing all the other stuff that I need or want to work on. If I am away from it then I can focus on what I need to do.

So now go and find that cute little place (preferably a local privet owned one) in which you can work. I like the feeling of the little places and I love knowing that my money is going to help out a smaller business.

Happy reading!!

Oh! Just a side note.... You may want to make sure grab a pair or two of ear plugs. These can help if you do get a few people in your little coffee shop who are talking and catching up. It is a coffee shop remember and people are allowed to talk.