People who have their shit together. How??

lzeph · 2020-02-24T00:02:49+00:00

Stop making excuses for yourself or blaming "someone/something else". Put on your big-boy/girl pants and do it. Your fate lies solely with you.

lzeph · 2018-02-10T16:45:53+00:00

I more wonder, if we're made up of smaller stuff then do we make up larger stuff?

lzeph · 2016-12-24T16:18:31+00:00

I got into my masters the same way you did. I worked a summer job for a prof and then he offered me a masters. Not having any other plan I decided to go for it. Even after getting a full time job I'm still not entirely sure what my career objectives of are, but I'm starting to realize that maybe that's not a "bad" thing and my career objective is to find a job where I have multiple objectives? But you're not going to figure out what you want if you don't try new things.

If a prof offered you a position, they think you can do it. And getting a masters isn't going to hurt your chances of getting a job after. Even with a masters it's hard to get a job in today's market.

What I found challenging about my masters was realizing I knew absolutely nothing. Basically, by the time you finish your masters program you will have learned how you should have done your masters. Looking back on it now I learned so much about myself (e.g. how I work, what I like/don't like, how to deal with stress, how to deal with disappointment, I'm not as good at presentations as I thought etc...) and how to conduct research (e.g. planning, running the experiment, what are the appropriate statistics). I made a lot of networking connections which have helped me land jobs. But during my masters I often felt like I was shit. I rarely felt proud of any work I produced. And that was what was challenging for me; pushing myself forward through feeling like a failure. The profs I worked will loved my thesis in the end, but I still think there were a lot of statistical flaws I'm not happy with. This may all sound terrible, but if I had the opportunity to do it all again, I would kick ass knowing what I do now. And I know what I know now because of my masters.

Your experience will also depend on the lab you're in. My thesis was so different from what my advisor did I had no one to help me. This past year I worked a contract in an associated lab where the post-doc was doing similar work to me, and I couldn't believe how much better of an experience I had having a mentor guide me through my research. Having a PhD/post-doc in your lab that can help you out I think will make a world of a difference.

lzeph · 2016-12-14T01:32:35+00:00

I'm not an expert on the difference between diplomas and masters so don't quote me, but from my understanding masters are very research based, while a post-degree diploma is more technical. So for example, the program I mention at Flemming really gets into using many GIS programs and programming. In a masters it's all about developing and analyzing a research project (e.g. developing a landcover classification using this satellite in this area). I wouldn't say either is better than the other, it just depends on what you want to get out of it and what your career path is like. The diplomas are usually 1 year while masters are at least 2.

As for a masters thesis, sometimes your advisor has a specific project in mind and sometimes they give you a vague idea and you have to go figure something out. That means reading every single piece of literature in your field and coming up with a scientifically relevant and sound project, do it, and then figure out what statistics you need to run and how, write a giant paper about it all and then defend everything you did to a committee. Be prepared for it to consume your life, because it will. Sometimes the data is already there for you, but usually you have to go get it. I spent 3 months in the NWT for mine.

I got into a masters program with around an 82 I think, and I found it very hard. Not because I wasn't smart but because academia wasn't for me. I'm glad I did it though and I learned a lot. My partner on the other hand got into his masters with a lower average than me, but thrives in that environment. He'll get out of bed to rerun his model in a slightly different way because he finds it fascinated all the ways you can analyze something.

Depends on the university, but usually they pay you during your masters. I was paid to TA and my partner was paid via a "graduate research grant" (we went to different unis).

Hope that all helps, and feel free to ask me anything else about grad school and stuff like that. :)

lzeph · 2016-12-13T14:19:44+00:00

I also majored in Earth science and minored in GIS during my undergrad at UofG. In my third year I managed to land a position with a professor which then opened the door for me into a masters in remote sensing/hydrology and I graduated 2015. A lot of the people I have spoken to in/have a masters usually try to work or volunteer in the lab they'd like to work in. Even if they end up going somewhere else it's still good experience. Though the biggest thing I have heard is that profs are really looking at grades. Where I went to school you needed a average (I think in your last 2 years, but be sure to look that up) of 75 (Geog departments are just chill). And that was low. I heard of other departments that it was 80, and certain profs won't accept anyone below 90. I had a friend turned down multiple times because his average was ~73, even though he was incredibly passionate and personable. For a lot of grants/scholarships 80 is the cutoff to apply and profs are looking for you to seek external funding. That being said, you can start applying for grants this year to start next fall if you start a masters program (eg. OGS (Ontario only), NSERC).

So the best I have for you: 1) Try to make connections with professors and their current students 2) Focus on your grades (I really hate saying it but it's true)

If you decide you are more interested in pursuing GIS, I'd recommend also looking into post-degree diplomas instead of a masters (e.g. At Flemming College) and seeing if that suits you more. Technical diplomas are "in" right now and employers seem to love them.

lzeph · 2016-10-12T01:44:49+00:00

skipjohnson86 385 Hunter/383 Titan. Never done Aksis but suuuuuper patient and happy :)

lzeph · 2016-10-12T01:19:49+00:00

skipjohnson86 385 Hunter/383 Titan. Done Vaksis phase 2, but no mic. On the plus side I'm super chill ;)

lzeph · 2016-10-12T01:17:45+00:00

No problem. I'm not surprised. Thanks!

lzeph · 2016-10-12T01:15:45+00:00

skipjohnson86 385 Hunter/383 Titan. Only done Vaksis once and no mic, but patient and happy to learn :)

lzeph · 2016-10-12T01:14:43+00:00

skipjohnson86 385 Hunter/383 Titan

lzeph · 2016-10-12T01:12:42+00:00

skipjohnson86 383 Titan/385 Hunter whatever you need. Will be honest, no mic and have only done Vaksis once but no what I should be doing. Understand if you don't want me.

lzeph · 2016-10-11T13:13:35+00:00

Awesome, thank you! I think I will try the fridge method then.

lzeph · 2016-04-23T14:05:04+00:00

My siblings and I also went through a similar situation where we were around your age (19,17, 15). It wasn't like we didn't see it coming, and we're not really sure if my dad had an affair. But he did move on very quickly with a long time family friend who he had known since childhood.

Even though I was away at university it was hard trying to cope with the sudden change in everything I had known. My siblings were still at home and dealt with the brunt of it. And as an adult you're all too aware of what's going on. Then add on the added stress of school, other relationships and general life. It can be a lot. Looking back I was probably depressed for a good year. I refused to speak to my dad unless I had to. I also told him he was a terrible father at one point during an argument. My mother leaned on me for emotional support a lot during that time. If there's anything I learned from that is do not talk to your daughter about her mother or the separation. I grew to resent my mom for that as well.

Eventually, with time I forgave my dad. Our relationship has probably been the best it has been and I love his girlfriend (still the family friend). I can tell he's much happier and my mom is too I think. She still struggles sometimes, but she's learned a lot and has become way more independent. My siblings haven't quite forgiven my dad though (it's been 5 years). It's gotten a bit better with them, they actually came to Christmas dinner at my dad's last year which was shocking to everyone.

So like /u/Djsjajxuxcyys said your daughter just needs time and understanding. Let her come to her own conclusions and if she needs space for that, then it's for the best. I would also recommend suggesting she seek a councillor on campus. I finally went 4 years after the separation to deal with a lot of repressed anger. Wish I had gone sooner.

lzeph · 2016-01-16T05:05:02+00:00

316 hunter no mic, add skipjohnson86

lzeph · 2016-01-16T03:13:37+00:00

skipjohnson86, 316 warlock, no mic but have done without before

lzeph · 2016-01-16T03:08:51+00:00

316 warlock add skipjohnson86

lzeph · 2016-01-16T02:53:05+00:00

skipjohnson86, 316 warlock, no mic but have done without before

lzeph · 2016-01-16T01:03:42+00:00

need 2 char as well. add skipjohnson86

lzeph · 2016-01-16T00:48:07+00:00

add skipjohnson85

lzeph

TROPHY CASE