Interregnum

Right now, it's Monday, the first day of classes at our University. I have no classes today, those have been reserved for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. So I've been a graduate student for two days now and haven't actually done anything.

Last Friday, we had the doctoral students' orientation. I met a young fellow named B. who is also a Risk Management major. He's Chinese, and he heard about our university due to a visit to China from one of our faculty. He has a bachelor's and a master's from his Chinese University. We'll call him "B." for now. B. states that there are only five universities in China with insurance programs.

Together, B. and I make the new class of Risk Management students. According to our doctoral advisor, the Risk Management/Insurance department accepts students based on how well their financial portfolio did. It didn't do so great last year, so this year there were only two new doctoral students.

I found out two things I didn't know. First, we would be assigned to one of the professors and work about 10 hrs/week. That's not bad. When I went to grad school about 20 years ago, we had to teach a class as well. No teaching for us right now. Some of the graduate students have worked with the same professor since the day they showed up, and that professor eventually supervised their dissertation work.

Which makes me wonder who I'll get assigned to. I know Dr. S, but he's a new guy -- do I really want to be the first dissertation he ever supervised? Dr. N has never supervised a dissertation. As for Dr. G, as doctoral advisor he might be way too busy to call on for a supervision.

And then, there's Dr. C. The Famous Dr. C. One student worked with him and ended up co-authoring three journal articles along with dissertation work. The problem with Dr. C is...well, he's scary. He has a real curt, straightforward manner. I've never had to have a conversation with him.

Supposedly, one of the truths in finding someone to supervise your dissertation is that it should be someone you get along with. If I don't get along with Dr. C, there's not much point in asking. Maybe I'm just looking to far ahead, but I want to work with someone in a productive relationship for both of us, and if we're going to be spending that "academic time" together, you want there to be a good relationship. (Sounds like a marraige, doesn't it?)

Second, we will have an office. It will be an office shared with three other people (the department has some overcrowding) but I never expected an office at all. I can hang my shingle there and hide out between classes, if the office isn't getting any use.

But of course, I have to have a key, and before that, I have to find out who I'm working for...and Dr. G hasn't gotten around to that, yet. So I wait. Or rather, B. and I wait since it's likely we'll be sharing an office.

Our Friday meeting was a meet-and-greet type of meeting. Not too much real information, and I doubt it would relevant to write about.

Today, I returned to campus for three reasons:

First, to find out who I'm working for. No such luck. Dr. G isn't even in the office.

Second, to sign up for employment. This involves going over to payroll and filling out a lot of forms, and of course, I'm missing one needed bit of info. The university requires direct deposit. I don't have a canceled check, I have to bring one tomorrow. I would like to get paid at the end of the month, honestly, I would.

Third, to take a course in how to turn on a campus workstation. Campus workstations are all over class, and this way, I can just log on to one and download whatever data that will make my life easier. That's at two. Ninety more minutes to kill.

However, today's visit was worthwhile -- I got a discount card for my department to buy books. But I've already paid for books! So bring books back, bring receipt, get discount, pay for books again....

The motto of the graduate student. "Hurry up and wait."