3.17.2003
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I promised everyone that I would update you as soon as I had news about grad schools... it turns out that I lied. I'm updating you now, because I wanted to wait until I had some good news to counteract the bad news. Here goes. I didn't get into Yale. I wasn't shocked, but it was still a disappointment. Anyway, that was a few weeks ago. As you may or may not have known, I went to LSU for a visit this past week, during my Spring Break, and I had a fabulous time. They told me I should feel very confident about getting an offer and that I would hear from them soon, and then when I got home from class today, there was a letter from them in my mailbox! I had originally thought that they only had an MM program, but they have a fledgling Ph.D. program that I really want to be a part of, so that's what I'd be doing there, and they'd likely be giving me lots of money. The money, as well the official offer from the Graduate School, will come next week; what I got today was from the Music School.
I also got a letter from Stony Brook today, telling me they want me for their Masters program. =) They can't guarantee me any money right now, but that might change if I accepted their offer and they got more funding for next year. The thing is, Jack and I really want to be in one place for longer than the two years a Masters program would take, and LSU just seems to fit me in so many ways. It's a small program, which is wonderful, even though it's certainly not as well known as the really competitive places. The four theory professors work extremely well together; I had lunch with three of them, and they have a great working relationship and group dynamic. I also really enjoyed Baton Rouge as a city, even though it's sort of built on a swamp and the Augusts are deadly hot. It's the South, though, so I'd be happy.
So what does all this mean? Well, first of all, it means we're not staying in Philadelphia. Temple is a good place to be, but Philadelphia is not. Ugh. Second of all, I'll be visiting Stony Brook sometime within the next month to check out the feel of the place and make sure I don't want to be there (that sounds a little skewed; I really want to give them a chance and meet the people I'd be working with, even though LSU is very attractive to me right now). Third, it means that if we're in Baton Rouge, we'll mostly likely be buying a house, and Jack and I will be going down sometime soon with his mom, the housing guru, to meet with a realtor and check out the places that are available. Fourth, and possibly most important of all, this all means that I'm not depressed anymore. I don't feel worthless or unintelligent or the way I felt when I thought I was never going to be able to do professionally what I wanted to do. Yay! Jack and I are going to celebrate tonight, probably with the Olive Garden and then a movie, and I promise to keep everyone posted on my decision and when exactly we'll be moving, etc. Our lease is up the last week in May, and Jack has already told our apartment people that we won't be renewing our lease, which you may have already read on his updates. He's so much better at updating than I am. (Everyone nods in agreement.)
Oh, another thing... we bought Houseplants for Dummies and are currently trying to learn about plants and how best not to kill them. Hopefully as the weather warms and nurseries have things for us to get, we'll be adding a few green children to the family (and a dwarf citrus tree, if I get my way).
Pray for us; the waiting part is finally behind us, but now the real fun of developing a new life is ahead of us. =)
I promised everyone that I would update you as soon as I had news about grad schools... it turns out that I lied. I'm updating you now, because I wanted to wait until I had some good news to counteract the bad news. Here goes. I didn't get into Yale. I wasn't shocked, but it was still a disappointment. Anyway, that was a few weeks ago. As you may or may not have known, I went to LSU for a visit this past week, during my Spring Break, and I had a fabulous time. They told me I should feel very confident about getting an offer and that I would hear from them soon, and then when I got home from class today, there was a letter from them in my mailbox! I had originally thought that they only had an MM program, but they have a fledgling Ph.D. program that I really want to be a part of, so that's what I'd be doing there, and they'd likely be giving me lots of money. The money, as well the official offer from the Graduate School, will come next week; what I got today was from the Music School.
I also got a letter from Stony Brook today, telling me they want me for their Masters program. =) They can't guarantee me any money right now, but that might change if I accepted their offer and they got more funding for next year. The thing is, Jack and I really want to be in one place for longer than the two years a Masters program would take, and LSU just seems to fit me in so many ways. It's a small program, which is wonderful, even though it's certainly not as well known as the really competitive places. The four theory professors work extremely well together; I had lunch with three of them, and they have a great working relationship and group dynamic. I also really enjoyed Baton Rouge as a city, even though it's sort of built on a swamp and the Augusts are deadly hot. It's the South, though, so I'd be happy.
So what does all this mean? Well, first of all, it means we're not staying in Philadelphia. Temple is a good place to be, but Philadelphia is not. Ugh. Second of all, I'll be visiting Stony Brook sometime within the next month to check out the feel of the place and make sure I don't want to be there (that sounds a little skewed; I really want to give them a chance and meet the people I'd be working with, even though LSU is very attractive to me right now). Third, it means that if we're in Baton Rouge, we'll mostly likely be buying a house, and Jack and I will be going down sometime soon with his mom, the housing guru, to meet with a realtor and check out the places that are available. Fourth, and possibly most important of all, this all means that I'm not depressed anymore. I don't feel worthless or unintelligent or the way I felt when I thought I was never going to be able to do professionally what I wanted to do. Yay! Jack and I are going to celebrate tonight, probably with the Olive Garden and then a movie, and I promise to keep everyone posted on my decision and when exactly we'll be moving, etc. Our lease is up the last week in May, and Jack has already told our apartment people that we won't be renewing our lease, which you may have already read on his updates. He's so much better at updating than I am. (Everyone nods in agreement.)
Oh, another thing... we bought Houseplants for Dummies and are currently trying to learn about plants and how best not to kill them. Hopefully as the weather warms and nurseries have things for us to get, we'll be adding a few green children to the family (and a dwarf citrus tree, if I get my way).
Pray for us; the waiting part is finally behind us, but now the real fun of developing a new life is ahead of us. =)
- posted by erica 3/17/2003 03:32:00 PM
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