earlier this morning...

[alexr_rwx]

the setting: Registrar's Office, Georgia Institute of Technology. alexr, a dashing young computer science student, is turning in his degree petition, because he's going to graduate in the spring.
alexr: Here's my degree petition. This is kinda scary. I don't know what I'm going to do now...
woman at the registrar's office: Well, you're going to graduate, and then you're going to get out there and work!
alexr: Actually, probably not...

Also:
- Portishead is top of cool. You might like them, if you can get a hold of some of their tunes.
- I'm on fall break.
- There are some freakishly clever people in the world on their way to gradschool for AI research things, and I'm curious as to whether I'm one of them, realistically... one guy I was just speaking with... will have two (2! = 2 * 1 = 2) published papers when he's done with his bachelor's and he's all signed up to get an NSF fellowship... ehh... it's interesting, because this isn't a question of "just follow your heart, Pedro! That's what I always do!"... this is a question of "enough brain cycles and motivation to think hard enough about this stuff and come up with interesting topics for research". *sighs* It'll probably work out, if only because the idea of the alternative -- an actual job -- is upsetting and frightening. But I guess a lot of you guys have been wrestling with this...

Comments

actual job

[lomonthang.livejournal.com]

"the alternative -- an actual job -- is upsetting and frightening"

hahah this brought laughter to my day. Alex you are supercallifragilistic! (expiallidocious

[the-itch.livejournal.com]

Hey I have a question, when did you turn it in to the people at the CoC, and when did you get it back? Because I turned mine in a little late and they said it couldn't be "guaranteed" by the Registrar's due date. I was just curious the turnover time.

[oniugnip.livejournal.com]

Ah, let's see here... I turned it in... around mid-september? And I got the email for it back... yesterday. Good luck, man!

[schizobovine.livejournal.com]

Looking at some other undergrads work is a bit daunting, esp. for me since I spent so much time here gazing at my belly lint. However, don't let that stop you -- success can be found with enough determination.

I hope, anyways. =)

[reality-calls.livejournal.com]

it's interesting, because this isn't a question of "just follow your heart, Pedro! That's what I always do!"... this is a question of "enough brain cycles and motivation to think hard enough about this stuff and come up with interesting topics for research". *sighs* It'll probably work out, if only because the idea of the alternative -- an actual job -- is upsetting and frightening. But I guess a lot of you guys have been wrestling with this...

I certainly have, at least up until recently.  My advice: Have a backup plan in case things don't work out.  They're tricky to develop, but I feel much more self-assured now that I've determined a course of action where I won't be stuck looking for "an actual job" in the near future.  It helps to have alternatives to the job market when you graduate, especially in today's economy.

OK, so that advice probably isn't a lot of help.  Eh, well, I tried.  If worse comes to worse, keep taking classes!  Nothing like a little procrastination to take your important decisions off your mind!  You can always get a master's...

Or how about this: you can be a partner in the aerospace business I plan to start-- Escape Velocities Inter-atmospheric Launches(E.V.I.L.) Inc.!  Why follow your heart when you can work for E.V.I.L.?

      "Live from the People's Republic"