so, what are you doing while waiting?

Question

Ok, beside checking your emails and schools' app system for your app status, what are some other stuff - meaningful or otherwise - that you are doing?

I'm currently attending lectures for an econometric modeling class. Not sure how relevant it would be for the PhD program, but I thought it might be useful to get back the "feel" of studying after being away from school for the last 6 years. Would have loved to attend the lecture for one other class, but my work schedule doesn't allow me to.

I'm also thinking of going through some of my old textbooks and reading more research papers.

Apart from these, I hope to set aside some time for other personal and leisure stuff. (Just came back from a nice holiday trip with my wife and daughter.) After the close of the application process and a research project that I was working on, I suddenly feel that I have more time in hand. :-D

robbie1981 · Answer

Well, maybe I should not admit this but.... I'm at the workplace, I have been no assignments since November and I'm chatting with my friends using MSN :-D

I know, I should use my time wisely but... I feel so lazy in this period... this lack of tasks at the workplace is driving me crazy... However, on my 1-hour-long travel by train, I'm reading a book on company valuation. Just to pretend I'm not wasting all my time... :-)

hobbit · Answer

i still work full time... but i already gave my leave notice and will stop working next month - so i'll have more time. i now look for something temporary to do (open to suggestions

). I think of writing a gmat quant book... but i have some other ideas. after i know if and where i'm going to be next year i'll probably start reading to prepare myself... in the meantime i read a novel by orhan pamuk. in the spring me and my wife plan to take a vacation in rural england wales and scotland... hiking in the lake district and scotland's highlands.... lots to look forward to... oh yes... and i check my emails about 100 times a day... that's quite time consuming as well...

tkkoh · Answer

I could not and do not want to run away from my work (I'm running my own business). So it is keeping busy and sane everyday. But I do sneak away and look at forums and check status, etc, once in awhile.

:lol:

robbie1981 · Answer

Hobbit, are you leaving your full-time job before you will get the admission?

I left my previous job (consultant, VERY time consuming) and now I work as an M&A advisory in a very small investment bank. This is my temporary job... when I have accepted such offer I thought I would have learned something in my field of interest.... but... there's no work to do.

Even the receptionist is so bored that she's looking for another job :-D

Maybe (but I'm not sure it's worth to change my job at this time) I will look either for a stage in my prevoius university's biz school or for a job as a high school temporary teacher.

Maybe (but I'm not sure it's worth to change my job at this time) I will look either for a stage in my prevoius university's biz school or for a job as a high school temporary teacher.

hobbit · Answer

i'm leaving my full-time job not because of the applications.... i've already decided that i don't want to keep this position for too long...i don't like it anymore. my state of mind after the application submitting might have affected the timing... that's all. if my applications are not successful, i'll find another job or start my own business. i never had problems in finding jobs.

robbie1981 · Answer

I think I should do the same... I'm wasting my time in this place. :-(

tkkoh · Answer

Why not make use of the "free" time that you have to do something related to your phd? Reading relevant papers, etc.

robbie1981 · Answer

Of course, I have researched some materials for this purpose and I should start shortly a research project / business start-up in collaboration with one reccomender of mine. However... we have been waiting for some data for 2 months. :-(

It's waiting time on this side too... :-)

Furthermore, by analyzing a certain company's balance sheet, I have found an interesting result about an effect of the Italian dual-income tax on enterprises... even if this is not my field of interest, I might look for a suitable journal and start an empirical investigation to publish an article. I just have to make up my mind and organize my free time...

so, what are you doing while waiting?

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