Where are all the IEDPers on a Friday night?

IN THE LIBRARY!


Welcome to grad school life!














Ruju, Shruti and I got some food around 5pm and hit the library soon after (I was there before as well) and then I popped down to the 4th floor (it always smells like popcorn there for some reason) and there was Irene (upper right)! Then Abby (upper left) appeared sometime around 7pm! Library party! I'm not the only one who loves the smell!

(P.S. I don't have a smartphone so I depend on Ruju to help with the photography, which is why she is in all my photos. Plus she's awesome!)

However, I have moved! No more raccoon noses or paws emerging from my ceiling. I also don't have internet yet so...I'm looking like a super slacker blogging while everyone else does academic work.

Today was the last day of cultural shares for the recitation hour. I'm always so amazed by everyone's hidden talents in my cohort--viola players, singers, writers, dancers, athletes--someone even auditioned for Glee and made it to second call-backs. The year is speeding by and there are still so many people I would like to get to know better. Alas, we all have too much on our plate for much socializing. We are all scheduling in showers at this point...

After the cultural shares, Dr. Wagner joined us briefly to see how things were going for us. Of course, the internships came up again. One option for people who want to complete the program in a year, but not take two semesters of 5 course units, is to take a summer course. They are apparently very intense with a whole semester worth of material in a few weeks. However, that frees up some time in the Spring to work on the policy memo. Decisions, decisions.

It seems that talking about the internship helps to motivate us a little. We also have advanced registration next week (!!!) and many people are trying to decide to complete the program in a year or a year and a half. I had many questions about coursework before starting, worried that I wouldn't be able to get it all done and finish in a year, but maybe over half of the cohort is doing it in a year, or trying to. Many other programs at GSE also complete in a year. The Higher Education Program finishes in one year aka 9 course units (IEDP requires 10 CUs), plus a 20 hour a week internship on campus. However, that is why Penn GSE is ranked #5 in the country---because the programs are hardcore. You're in, you're out and headed (hopefully) off into the world with greater prospects and knowledge.

Now...back to reading and papers on a rather dreary, rainy day.