Lucky for me, I get to pick out most of the books for one of my classes (with the prof possessing veto power, and offering suggestions for alterations). So, ahem, I may sneak in some books I'm already familiar with. But I'll have to see what she says about the books I've chosen.
I'm hoping to focus mostly on YA novels and fantasy fiction, because that's what I like to write. If I get permission, I want to (re)read ALL the Neil Gaiman!
One of the most important skills to develop in grad school is how to read enough of each book that you understand what it's about and are able to discuss it in class, while skipping enough of certain of your books that you still have time for things like sleep and basic hygiene. Good luck!
Oh, I'm bad at that one, too. I tend to repeatedly push the projects I actually want to work on to the top of the pile, and leave the rest to languish. :/
It's definitely an acquired skill. If I'm not careful, I tend to do the opposite, and keep putting off the things I really want to work on until 'later' as a reward, and then procrastinating the things I don't want to do. Is a bad system, really.
I just went through this with my daughter and an undergrad seminar she has on science in the media. She needed a huge stack of recent pop science books. At least they were just about all available as paperbacks.
Fortunately for my pocketbook, all of my books are either in paperback or available at the library. So that is a Good Thing. I do not miss shelling out $100+ for math and science texts.
Btw, I'll happily take pleasure in your pain. I already have two graduate degrees, so I know what it's all about. If I could get through that crap, you'll be just fine... once it's all done. Can't vouch for that "fine" statement while you're actually going through those classes. *laughs manically*
Everybody told me that there was a lot of reading in grad school, so I was kind of prepared for it. But there's a difference between mentally psyching yourself up, and being faced with the cold hard reality.
My only comfort is that there are a lot of people out there who have actually finished their grad programs. So evidently some people make it out alive!
Haha, of course you have heard from the ones who made it out alive--the dead ones aren't going to say anything. ;)
In all honestly, I think the start of a program is the worst--seeing everything that has to be done and not knowing how in the world you'll have that time. But you know, once you're in the middle of it, you simply get it done. Because you have to, but it still gets done. It's kind of surreal, actually, especially when projects are involved and you look at the finished product and think, "When the Hell did I do all of this?"
You could try the multitasking approach - read one book while listening to an audiobook version on another! Of course, that only works if audiobooks are out there.
You can do it! Organisational skills, Wiki/Google and skim reading are the key!
Wiki and Google are gonna be my new BFFs for sure. I would be way more panicked if I hadn't had an undergrad teacher who told all of us who were heading off to grad school that it was totally acceptable to just skim stuff/read the Cliff Notes version. If I thought I actually had to read every single book on my list, I'd probably be in a fetal position in the corner right now. *g*
That's a great idea about the audiobooks, though! I'll have to look into that.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 09:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 09:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 09:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 01:54 am (UTC)I'm hoping to focus mostly on YA novels and fantasy fiction, because that's what I like to write. If I get permission, I want to (re)read ALL the Neil Gaiman!
no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 09:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 01:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 01:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 05:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 05:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 09:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 01:45 am (UTC)*sprints for Cliff Notes*
no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 10:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 01:46 am (UTC)*hides under the bed*
no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 10:30 pm (UTC)I just went through this with my daughter and an undergrad seminar she has on science in the media. She needed a huge stack of recent pop science books. At least they were just about all available as paperbacks.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 01:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 12:06 am (UTC)Btw, I'll happily take pleasure in your pain. I already have two graduate degrees, so I know what it's all about. If I could get through that crap, you'll be just fine... once it's all done. Can't vouch for that "fine" statement while you're actually going through those classes. *laughs manically*
no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 01:49 am (UTC)Everybody told me that there was a lot of reading in grad school, so I was kind of prepared for it. But there's a difference between mentally psyching yourself up, and being faced with the cold hard reality.
My only comfort is that there are a lot of people out there who have actually finished their grad programs. So evidently some people make it out alive!
no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 02:03 am (UTC)In all honestly, I think the start of a program is the worst--seeing everything that has to be done and not knowing how in the world you'll have that time. But you know, once you're in the middle of it, you simply get it done. Because you have to, but it still gets done. It's kind of surreal, actually, especially when projects are involved and you look at the finished product and think, "When the Hell did I do all of this?"
Long story short, you'll be fine, I swear.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 12:34 am (UTC)You can do it! Organisational skills, Wiki/Google and skim reading are the key!
no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 01:51 am (UTC)That's a great idea about the audiobooks, though! I'll have to look into that.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 01:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 05:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 05:42 am (UTC)I'm thinking a tshirt with a Dalek that says "PROCRASTINATE!"
Or possibly a shirt with a huuuuuuge pile of books with a hand sticking out twitching.