Welcome back to the Graduate Council column. In my last column, four weeks ago, I mentioned that we’d hold a breakfast on October 7. A few people who had read my column did come, but in general turnout was pretty grim. Our next event will be held on Thursday, November 8 in the Pub, probably from 6:30 pm on. We’ll send out a final notice in e-mail a few days before the event and we hope to actually have posters up as well.
Other than that, I’ve been busy with research. Most of the work of the council has been taking place through our graduate senators in Senate committees and meeting with appropriate people on campus about the issues of language instruction for TAs and housing and cultural orientation for new, foreign graduate students. Progress is being made on these issues, but nothing has been completed yet.
On occasion I’ll wander into the Poly office to help out with copy reading of the stories that go into the paper. It’s a good exercise to identify poor writing practices and to know how to fix them correctly so that I improve in editing my own work. No doubt this article could even use a little help. While reading copy, I’m more likely to read parts of the paper that I would completely avoid when picking it up on Wednesday. One section that completely boggles me is the horoscopes. Here we are at the beginning of the third millenium AD, in a premier technological institution, and yet some people seem to think that the miniscule gravitational tug of a planet millions of miles away at the moment of their birth can effect their fame and fortune.
Well, that might be a little bit of a stretch. Maybe it’s just for amusement value. Often the statements given in a newspaper horoscope are vague enough to apply to almost anyone in almost any situation. So with that in mind, I’ve found some horoscopes a little more directed towards grad students. I’ve completely forgotten which horoscope goes with which sign, so you’ll just have to read all of them and decide which one applies to you.
• Good time to go to the library and check the literature. Always check your references.
• Check in with your advisor—she might want to know you’ve actually been productive this semester.
• Call your family. They haven’t heard from you in months.
• Write another chapter for your thesis. Do you really want to stay here another year?
• Get out of the lab, smell the fresh air, and find out what that bright thing in the sky is.
• Leave your advisor alone for a while. He needs to get work done.
• Check the expiration date on everything in your fridge. You can never be too safe.
• Call your friends; they may be relieved to find out you haven’t dropped off the face of the earth.
• Clean your bathroom. Once a month isn’t too much to ask for.
• Be kind to your classmates.
• There are decaffeinated brands that taste as good as the real thing.
• "Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it."
• Go to the Grad Council pub night on November 8. The stars point to pizza and drink specials.
