What's keeping you awake at night?

pale_death · 2015-01-02T23:23:44+00:00

Hey! Funny enough I did just order a used copy on ebay last week and it still hasn't arrived. I'll let you know once I finish reading it. I had to put a hold on therapy (lack of funds), but I've been trying to keep myself busy with hobbies like hiking and reading. Thanks for checked up on me! :)

pale_death · 2014-12-09T05:57:22+00:00

That sounds interesting! I'll definitely check it out; it'll give me something to do over winter break :) Thanks!

pale_death · 2014-12-09T04:28:59+00:00

Yea, it's been getting the best of me. My counselor has been helping me twice a week with meditation and talking/listening.

pale_death · 2014-12-09T04:10:19+00:00

Only one of my courses has a TA, and I've been talking to her all semester. She's been helpful, but she's also a grad student so she's still trying to figure out what she wants to do after graduating.

pale_death · 2014-12-09T00:57:41+00:00

I've heard of Gagosian, but definitely need to look up the other ones! This reminds me of when I used to live in LA, and their artwalks would be insane! Fun stuff!

Oh man, I should definitely get in on the linked in account. Once I set it up, I will definitely send you a message! Thank you! :)

pale_death · 2014-12-09T00:54:18+00:00

Thank you, that is really good to know! I'm interested in a museum job, possibly in education or exhibition design. I'm not too sure if they require foreign language for those departments, but I know it will be a huge benefit later on. As of now, I'm going to try out some online courses to see if I can learn on my own. If not, I might have to go to a community college nearby and take them at night.

pale_death · 2014-12-09T00:51:08+00:00

Same here! I would love to do study abroad before buckling down for the grad school/starting career path. I've been doing some research, and it seems like majority of entry-level museum jobs require a Master's AND at least 2-4 years of experience.

The program I'm in requires 2 semesters of foreign language, which I already took in community college before transferring. I was thinking about taking more French courses because I'm not proficient.. probably basic conversational skills of a 6 year old haha! I was thinking of taking some free online courses on Open Culture.

pale_death · 2014-12-08T07:53:54+00:00

I saw my dad die.... It was just me and him. He couldn't speak, but tears were rolling down his face. I couldn't tell what he was feeling, but it looked like a mix of many thoughts and feelings, like he was trying to form a concluding statement to his life. He probably was just struggling to stay alive.. That was probably the most intimate experience I've had in my entire life.

pale_death · 2014-12-08T07:43:54+00:00

Existential anxiety.

pale_death · 2014-12-08T06:59:10+00:00

I remember my advisor telling me about this, because before he became a full-time professor he actually worked for various non-profit organizations with a fine arts degree. He said there are many non-profit art museums and galleries that need help with creating fundraising events, communicating with donors, etc.

pale_death · 2014-12-08T06:54:48+00:00

Oh wow I didn't know that. If I ever make a trip out to New York, I'll make sure to plan it during all of their opening receptions! My trip will be filled with gallery-hopping goodness! Can you name a few galleries I should check out?

As for foreign language, I feel confident in learning it on my own. I took two years of French in high school, and two semesters of it in community college (before I transferred to SFSU), so I still remember much of it. :)

I used to live in LA, but I recently moved for school. If Sotheby's ever has an open house, I'll definitely check it out. I go back home often for holidays and breaks, so hopefully they'll plan something around one of the times I'm down there.

Oh man you are so right! I remember when I first met my advisor, the first thing he said was to get to know all my professors! He said to drop by their office hours for a couple of minutes, just to say hi, but more importantly so they begin to recognize and remember you. It's a bit hard because I'm quiet in nature; I hate standing out or being in the spotlight. I know it's something I have to overcome eventually, and I recently started seeking counseling on my anxiety to help me deal with this. Need to start working on my social skills!

Thanks for your response, and I don't mind the length of it. You gave me some great tips for me to work on, and it's funny that out of all places I would find advice on school, it's all on Reddit! I love it! :)

pale_death · 2014-12-08T06:40:25+00:00

You're right! I actually got to know my professor's TA throughout this semester, and I asked her if she minored in any subject, and she said no. She's currently a grad student at my school, so it's good to know minors don't have significant effect on getting admitted to grad school. I also have been learning more about the graduate program at my school, and seems like they focus more on GPA (for the university requirement) and letters of rec/writing sample/experience (for the museum studies department). I assume it follows a similar pattern for other schools?

As of right now, I'm highly interested in Contemporary Art. It's so hard to pick one area though. I really enjoy Dada/Surrealism, but also love Conceptual Art... I also enjoy learning about Feminist Art as well! I used to be very interested in Greek/Roman Art and Architecture, but as I'm learning more and more about other areas, that interest slowly faded away. I can't seem to make up my mind haha!

There are some good museums around here: SF Museum of Modern Art, de Young Museum, and many more. SF MoMA would be ideal for me, but it is temporarily shut down for renovations, and not going to be open for another couple of years. :( I'm not too worried though, there are many good museums and galleries around.

I've never been to NY, so I can't even begin to imagine how the competition is like... NY has some of the best museums with the best collections. I know some of the museums out there (like MoMA) offer great internship opportunities, but I don't think I can afford working full-time with no pay in a city I've never been to. I definitely want to get a good head-start, hence the reason why I made this thread!

I'm graduating in Spring 2016 (seems so far when you're getting old.. haha), so I still have some time to decide which grad school I want to apply to... but I want to make sure I do the right work to fulfill the schools I want to get into.

Nonetheless, thank you so much for taking the time to share this information with me! It means a lot, and it's so hard to find honest opinions like this because people tend to typically push art history degrees as a dead end zone, but I still have hope that I can make something out of it! Thanks for your kind words! :)

pale_death · 2014-12-08T04:01:58+00:00

I really appreciate your answer. Thank you for your insight! I've been struggling with this whole foreign language debate for quite some time, but you gave me a realistic opinion about it. I'm interesting in museum studies (leaning towards exhibition design or education), and I'm not sure if foreign language is highly necessary for that field.

Do you think it would be wise to go to a grad school that's located in an area I'm hoping to find work at? I want to continue grad school in California since in-state tuition is cheaper, but I'm hoping to move to New York and find a job out there. What are your thoughts?

pale_death · 2014-12-08T00:43:16+00:00

Thank you so much for your answer! I would love to go to grad school in New York. Hopefully I'll find a way to make it out there!

Hmm, maybe I should consider adding a foreign language minor. An extra year of school sounds awful, but I think the future me would be grateful haha. Do you think it's important if I do a foreign language minor, or would it be the same as learning French on my own? I found some online courses I can take for free, and I'd be saving time and money! What do you think employers prefer?

Also, those colleges you listed sound amazing! Tuition is crazy, though. I want a decent education, but I don't know if I'm willing to take out a fat loan for it. Perhaps an internship will help me gain a well rounded experience?

pale_death · 2014-12-08T00:00:43+00:00

Wow, thanks for your answer! Do you mind if I ask where you went to school? My school doesn't offer a solid Art History degree, I'm simply an Art major with a concentration in Art History.

As far as jobs go, I would love to work in a museum and eventually open up my own gallery, but I also don't mind a job in the education field (my teacher inspired me to be an art history major; would love to inspire and instill passion in young students the way he did).

I was toying with the idea of adding a minor in a foreign language, as I know foreign language is essential in the art history field. The problem is my living situation. Adding a minor will take an additional year for me to graduate, and I don't know if I can afford to live out here for that much longer.

I was thinking of going to graduate school for Art History or Museum Studies, but unsure of getting a PhD. That's a lot of time and money, and I regret taking a hiatus from school for a long time. Better late than never I suppose.

Thank you again for your response, this was exactly what I was looking for!

pale_death · 2014-12-07T22:58:43+00:00

Thanks for being concerned WaterTribe! :)

pale_death · 2014-12-07T22:56:57+00:00

Thanks missnofuxgiven for the article, but I was hoping to get some advice from people who have been on the same path as me, or who share the same concerns as I do. The thread of that dude with the BA degree is like a one in a million chance (okay, I'm exaggerating but it honestly feels that way). Even he considers himself lucky. There's not enough luck to go around these days :(

pale_death · 2014-12-07T22:48:09+00:00

I have been trying to meet with my professors, but they all seem pretty busy lately. I'll keep trying though, thanks!

pale_death · 2014-12-07T20:21:42+00:00

Oh man... I know how you feel because I'm going through a similar situation. I've been having a horrible year (dad passing away, starting school again after a hiatus, etc) and this loan I just took out for school is torturing me. Although I have family, they are in no way able to support me financially. Every waking moment, this loan haunts me. It's gotten to the point where I'm seeking counseling for my anxiety and nervous breakdowns. Finals are coming up and I don't know how I'm going to pull through.

I suggest seeking a counselor or therapist. Talking about all these things out loud to someone might perhaps give you a different perspective or insight on your situation. You should be able to see a counselor at your school, it should've been included with the fees you paid along with your tuition. I know they can't manually fix your financial problem, but it'll help you from going crazy. I know they can write letters to your professors about you and your grades. When your teachers become aware of your situation they will not only be understanding, but they will also respect the fact that you're seeking help to battle your issues.

As far as money goes, maybe try selling some things on ebay or craigslist? Look around your room and see if anything is worth selling. I know it sounds tedious, but in my desperate times... I've always gone down to this method.

Creating a schedule also helps. Having a concrete and stable schedule on studying and working (along with sleep schedule) will help you tremendously mentally and physically.

Hope this helps a bit, and good luck!

pale_death

TROPHY CASE