Paris on quick takes between surviving grad school

My great friend Bridget came to visit last week, right in the middle of paper-writing hell. I am, of course, again, right in the middle of paper-writing hell. But she was kind enough and smart enough and loves Paris enough to tour around on her own during the days while I had meetings or last classes or finished my 10-pager on Globalization (actually ended up being 16 without the bibliography). Then, I put things down and got my groove on. We had such a fantastic time. Walked for hours and then hours more. I'll detail more later. ... of course, this post is not about Paris because when I am in Paris I have no time to write posts, but when I am in paper hell I make time to procrastinate and write posts about this.

I hope this will all change a) between my trip to Italy with my bad ass sister and taking off to Geneva in June and b) when I'm in Geneva trying to find the cheapest cheap things to do. Then, I will write like mad and maybe get a book out yet.

Anyway. Right now, I have hated the U.S.-Colombia Trade Agreement, hated Cuba AGAIN since we had to turn our awesome powerpoint into a paper, and now am hating everything about the The Fed and why it is been given more oversight and why the SEC and CFTC will be merged. [Debating which question will be answered: What has been the effect of the subprime crisis on the principal-agent relationship between the US government, the Federal Reserve System, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). --OR-- How did the existing delegation arrangements among the U.S. government and the independent regulatory agencies, specifically The Fed, the SEC, and CFTC, affect the responses to the subprime crisis? Why did the arrangements create that response?] Also, I am hating graphs and equations and word problems - all on my final exam in Microecon tomorrow.

So, anyway... This is a nice break and good to know:

"Surviving the first year: a positive attitude, strong commitment, and lots of coffee." Although it comes from "How to survive your first year of graduate school
in economics" by Matthew Pearson it's appropriate for any grad school degree. Wonderful things like:

--No matter what you like about economics, I can guarantee that you will spend a fair bit of time your first year studying material that you do not like. Statements like, “this is not what I came here to study,” or, “this is not why I like economics,” or even, “this stuff is not economics at all,” are heard from time to time.

--It is quite common to feel like you are the only one not understanding the material, even when your colleagues impress upon you that their difficulties are significant as well. If you are struggling with feelings that you are an impostor, that you do not deserve or are not prepared enough to be here, remember that the admissions process
works, and you are here for a reason. .... Often these feelings come from fear of success as much as fear of failure.

--Wanting to give up: This is so common that it is often a running joke among
first-years. Resist these feelings. You have to want the Ph.D. more than life itself,
and willing to nearly kill yourself to get it. The first year is about learning that
survival is not all about intelligence, nor passion, but commitment. Unless you’re
Goedel or something, then of course, this’ll seem like math for idiots. But if
you’re a mere mortal from the humanities, you’re going to end up like those kids
on Real Genius screaming and going nuts. Watch Real Genius, actually. That
movie is, emotionally, kind of the right movie that you may relate to.


This is where I stopped and wanted to buy and watch Real Genius. I remember loving this film as a kid. Not even for the fact that Val Kilmer was the hot kid on campus who didn't care about studying. But because I could relate somehow, with only being in 6th grade. It was the idea that LIFE in general could be so high pressured that people would run down the hall screaming, that one had to balance this with a sense of humor and a bit of strangeness. Granted, my life at age 12 wasn't so high stressed, but I could tell I was supposed to internalize this for my future sanity. It was hilarious and mysterious and funny and liberating. And of course, there was a good guy who beat the bad guy and got the girl - "American optimism," my Microecon prof called it recently.

Speaking of, enough procrastinating. Back to the numbers and graphs and blah blah.

I'll be done with the final exam tomorrow and will write my heart out on the Fed paper. A few Madison friends come to town on Thursday, including an ex-colleague Jennie, an ex-boyfriend Paul and his girlfriend Melissa. They've been relaxing in the south of France so I'm excited to hear their stories. I hope to be totally done with this paper by next Sunday AT THE LATEST. Monday at 7am my sister arrives in Paris. Tuesday we fly to Venice, rent a car and tool over to Cinque Terre, Florence, and whatever strikes our fancy. Then, I fly back, attend the 2nd years graduation ceremony, with the President of Brazil as the key speaker. Hang out and sleep for a week and then pack a bag and move over to Geneva for 2.5 months. ... Man, where has the time gone!?!?!?

.. Ok, now I really mean it. Enough procrastinating...