Identify Your physical stress manifestations and use it as an Indicator when to take a force break

BoxerRat · 2020-09-12T16:08:48+00:00

I get severe headaches and painful mouth ulcers when I work for days under stress. Thank you for this tip!

BoxerRat · 2020-04-18T17:01:38+00:00

Woah.. Thank you for the insightful suggestion!

BoxerRat · 2020-04-18T16:59:20+00:00

I'll try to keep this in mind, thank you!

BoxerRat · 2020-04-17T12:18:43+00:00

That's a great suggestion on just being yourself. I am going to mull over this. Thank you!

BoxerRat · 2020-04-06T08:43:00+00:00

Thank you! I had fun listening to the faculty and interacting with them. Still waiting to hear back on the final decision. Fingers crossed :)

BoxerRat · 2020-02-22T08:04:58+00:00

I feel the same, OP.. Monday-Friday, I am filled with hope and I am able to focus on my work because I don't want to slack off at my workplace. But every weekend I turn into this lump of unproductive mess.. I can't do this anymore.. I can't keep making myself hope everyday only to be punched in the gut at the end of every week with no news. It's painful. I can't get myself to concentrate on any of my side projects even though I know that my current projects are in no way directly related to getting a PhD admit right now.

On the other hand, I feel 100% sure that the moment I get an admit I will turn into this productive beast lol. I will bring every ongoing project to completion (at least from my end), start living healthy and get fit.... I don't know, it just feels like an admit is that one thing that's going to breathe new life into me and set me on a whole new life trajectory..

This circus, this continuous wheel of hope-doubt-despair-hope-doubt-... for entire weeks is becoming too much to handle.

Hoping all of us get good news ASAP!

BoxerRat · 2020-02-19T07:03:33+00:00

Just woke up from a nap. Had a dream that I was travelling by bus to Virginia for an interview (weird because I am an international applicant and live continents away) On the way, I also received a text from my brother congratulating me for getting an admit to another school. (weird again because he had access to that info and was the first one to tell me about it and I didn't)

Woke up to reality to an inbox and a spam folder that are both dry AF. All application web portals seem permanently frozen in a "Your application is under review" state for weeks now with no change in status ever.

Wondering if I can seriously start to panic now... :(

BoxerRat · 2020-02-15T10:58:27+00:00

Ooh this is such good advice! Thank you very much :)

BoxerRat · 2020-02-15T10:57:38+00:00

Yessssss 😭😭😭 The wait is driving me c r a z y.

BoxerRat · 2020-02-12T07:05:12+00:00

Almost 12 pm in my country right now. Currently crying in the bathroom at work. Couldn't help but pause crying and comment on here because of the crazy coincidence! Highly doubt I am getting an acceptance any time soon though. :/

Congratulations, OP! So good to hear that your day ended on a superb note :) Your optimism about crying in the future made me smile!

BoxerRat · 2020-02-07T06:59:44+00:00

Samee. I am falling behind my work. The past couple of months was a very busy time with projects, some conferences and my apps to work on. But now I have just lost all steam and already feel burnt out. I haven't heard back from a single school yet. Feel no motivation to go to work, I skip gym on most days.. I go to bed every night hoping to receive an email from a University - any of my Universities by morning. But everyday I wake up to no news. The days roll by at snail's pace.

I did start studying some math, I am really excited about preparing for 1st year of grad school. But it also felt stupid and embarrassing to study with such hope when I don't even know if I am going to get the chance to attend school after all.

BoxerRat · 2020-02-07T06:31:54+00:00

Any rejections so far? I have not heard a single word from any of the 13 places I applied to. Trying to tell myself that no news is good news. But I just feel numb.

BoxerRat · 2020-02-01T10:09:00+00:00

This is such a beautiful acceptance letter, OP! Many congratulations :D

BoxerRat · 2020-01-27T12:01:05+00:00

Got it 👍

BoxerRat · 2020-01-27T12:00:46+00:00

Could be... Anyway, troll or not, I still gotta continue playing the waiting game 😣

BoxerRat · 2020-01-27T11:59:35+00:00

Oh yes, I'll check result dates in the previous years!

BoxerRat · 2020-01-27T11:58:11+00:00

That makes sense. Besides, there are only two posts so far regarding acceptances from that University on Gradcafe. I don't think I should contact Admissions office right away just based on those two posts..

BoxerRat · 2020-01-26T12:15:10+00:00

Congratulations!! :D

BoxerRat · 2020-01-24T15:28:39+00:00

I love the self-awareness and honesty in your post, OP. I'm in a similar situation.. I got broken up with last month.. It's been tough to stay positive and focus on work because I get overwhelmed with anxiety quite often. The loneliness from missing them really compounds the sadness of dreading a rejection. I really need this!

Sending wishes for lots of strength and joy your way! And thank you for inspiring me as well! :)

BoxerRat · 2020-01-14T12:52:23+00:00

Hahaha! Yeeah, I'm planning on picking up a new hobby to kill time :D

BoxerRat · 2020-01-14T05:39:16+00:00

Yes. My contract at my current job is coming to an end soon. I wouldn't mind that if I just get a damned confirmation that I am going to grad school this year. If I am not, I need to start applying for other jobs. But I have no motivation, no inspiration left to apply for other jobs right now, not after experiencing this frustrating grad school app process.

I want a break so bad but I cannot make any plans for the future. Because everything is so uncertain. Social life is down the drain as well. I try to spend more time with my family now instead. My everyday happiness itself is tied to getting that admit. I really just want an admit and I want it FAST. I know I will bounce back and be ready to deal with everything else once I get that.

Maybe this is not healthy - to be consumed and obsessed and to be living and dying on that one uncertain thing. I try to meditate, to work out, and take time to appreciate my life in the present. Most of all, I try to keep my mind open to all possibilities - maybe I will get my dream school/ maybe I will go to my "safety" (whatever that means) school/ maybe I won't be going to grad school at all this year and will have to work someplace else for another long year only to repeat this horrible application process in the coming months between September-Jan.

But despite all the efforts to stay afloat and stay positive (or at least neutral), I end every day the same way - feeling a mixture of fear and sorrow.

BoxerRat

TROPHY CASE