Recent content by Quark_Chowder

What do you mean by "cold atoms?"

You're a LAW student and you can't do word problems? Seriously? They're rarely anything more than logic problems...

True and true. We had no problem living on one grad student stipend and my part-time salary--combined about $40K/year--in a medium cost-of-living area (rent $600/month). In fact, we even managed to save several thousand dollars the first year we were married.

Ultimately, that's what I would like to do. However, I gave up a lot--at my husband's urging, mind you--to do the stay-at-home parent thing. It wasn't what I wanted to do. In fact, moving to this city wasn't my idea, either (I wanted him to accept the gig on the opposite coast). He and I...

I have to worry about money since preschool and daycare aren't cheap. Around here, it's to the tune of $1,500/month. Not exactly chump change.

He's a low-level faculty member, but not tenure-track. And he's in a different department than I am.

Applying to just ONE grad program? I'm applying to just ONE grad physics program, and a top 20 one at that (my husband is at this school, and we have a young kid, so it's this school or no school...we don't have the resources/freedom for me to commute or live elsewhere or pay tuition...

I haven't read all the posts yet (but I will), but I'll comment anyway. Yes, it's very, very hard to land a "good" professor job. It's easier than getting a prof gig in the humanities or something, but the odds are still only about 50% for physics PhDs graduating from top 10 or top 20...

What are some "in demand" skills to have as a non-academic physicist? I'm applying to grad school (all apps seem to be due this December) in physics. Of course, I'm going to tell my prospective grad schools that I want nothing more than to be a renowned physics professor at a research...

It's funny that you should mention sitting in class and having panic attacks. I had never had one before going into physics. Maybe it was because I was so passionate about physics and trying to get into grad school--like, I was terrified of getting a B in anything--that I developed anxiety...

The worst panic attack I've ever had occurred about a month ago. I didn't have my Ativan with me on campus and so couldn't take any until I made it home. However, I was a good 20 minutes' walk from my car and another 15 minutes' drive home. During that time, the attack just got worse and...

I take Adderall and Ativan. Adderall was a life-changer for me. And I couldn't make it three days without Ativan (I'm pretty high strung).

I don't work out, but I try to take a walk when I can. I'm a chick, 5'9" and 130 lbs. I'm also in my 30s, which means my metabolism is slower than you youngsters' in your twenties.

I had a prof as an undergrad who had a huge filing cabinets of crackpot papers he'd accumulated over his 40+ year career. If you ever wanted to be amused, just pick on out of the drawer at random. I still remember one where the guy claimed that all particles in the universe were just...

I posted before about possibly retaking the physics GRE, but now I have a question about the general GRE. First of all, I took the general GRE years ago, and scored well as I recall, but ETS drops scores after 5 years, so I have to retake the booger :mad: I mean, there are sooooo many other...