(1) I finished watching season 9 of Supernatural, which is all the episodes on Netflix. Now I have to figure out where to get season 10, since that was technically last year. I wonder if maybe Netflix will post season 10 when season 11 starts airing? Hmmmmm
That reminds me, I have to check if there are more episodes of The 100 to watch yet. And buy the books - yes, it was based on a set of books!
(2) I took public transit from 105th St and 82nd Ave to campus and back. I had appointments in both locations but parking on campus is ridiculously expensive, so I parked near my second appointment and took the bus over to campus. This is only the second time this year that I've taken public transit. Considering I pay over $300 a year for my UPasses through school, those were two very expensive public transit rides!
However, I intend to start taking public transit to and from school everyday starting in September - well, technically starting August 31st. Since I no longer have to drive all over town for cat sits, I no longer need my car with me! And the extra time on the bus and LRT will allow me to read more! And as of right now it's only 3 days a week. Since I already pay for the UPass anyway, this is one of my methods to save money - no parking passes or extra gas required. (Like my car needs any fewer kilometres in it! It's a 2011 and hasn't hit the 70,000 mark yet!)
(3) And it's a good thing I'm looking for ways to save money because I also found out today that I am not getting an RAship to TAship this coming school year. While they aren't guaranteed, they're also not fair. Students have absolutely no idea how it's decided who gets an RA position and who doesn't. And what's worse, if you "luck out" and get picked to be in certain labs, you might get the chance to present at a conference. Yet students seems to have absolutely no control over this.
I think it's quite an unfair process. Each available RAship and TAship should be posted and those interested should apply. Then the person chosen has to be someone who applied and was superior in some way to the rest of the applicants. Rather than the way it is now where I'm assuming you either have to bribe your way into one, or become a teacher's pet?? Who knows. The process needs to change.
AND they need to complete the process earlier in the summer - somehow. By mid August good jobs for the fall on or near campus are already filled. So if you waited to see if you got an RAship before applying, you're out of luck. But if you apply earlier in the summer and get the job, and you later find out you also got an RAship, and you're not able to work both sets of hours, then you have to turn one down which means that hiring manager is probably pissed at you (and won't consider you again in the future) and they have to scramble to fill your spot.
Now, if the RA jobs in HUCO were in anyway related to your thesis, research, or supervisor, then I can understand there not being an application process. But these jobs aren't related to anything. First off, most students don't know what they're going to research until after they start first year - and they won't look for a supervisor until first year. Now it is possible that someone who has an RAship with professor X then decides that (a) they like what they're doing in their job and (b) they like the prof, then they might use the RAship as a means to decide what their research is going to be, and who they want as their supervisor.
Which means that in the end the domino effect happens. If you happen, by chance, to get into lab A with prof X, who also happens to have a decent amount of grant money, then you're set. You will probably be rehired year after year to work in that lab for that prof. And chances are no one else will ever be considered, regardless of qualifications, ability or skills.
As I anticipated, this turned into a rant. But it makes me mad. I feel like any chances I had were taken away before I even did anything. And that I had absolutely no control over my own future in this regards. I also can't help but wonder if it breaks the collective agreement - I should actually look that up.
Don't worry, I'll be saying and doing something about it - which will probably end up guaranteeing me NO job for my third year!
----------
Oh, that car pulling up outside reminded me. I wonder if the dudes in the camper will be back tonight? The last few nights they've pulled in at 2am. Apparently they're performers at the fringe festival and my neighbour has given them a place to stay. But they seem to spend the night in their camper rather than in the house. At least they did last night. And last night they had a girl over. And they either didn't think about the fact that they're outside in the middle of a concrete square surrounded by houses with windows open, or they didn't care! My window is way too close, and I heard things I rather not have heard.
It actually reminds me of a funny event that happened when I was a little kid. Our house backed onto the parking lot of an elementary school. And in the summer and on the weekends the parking lot was obviously empty. Well several times me and some friends watched a car pull in with a guy driving. He parked just on the other side of our fence, which I'm thinking he thought was out of view, and then a lady walking a dog would wander by and hop into the car. Into the backseat. And the dog would sit in the front seat. Even at my age at the time I knew what was going on. And I guess the woman must have lived in the area with her husband???
Enough reminiscing! Time for bed!
No comments:
Post a Comment