create a detailed plan to get my future in order

I was supposed to study for this exam over the summer. And I didn’t.

The test is in November. I have four real physics GRE exams. I need to take at least one a month. After I take the first one in August, I need to create a study plan for the various subjects then early in the semester I need to work out a study schedule. I won’t make it if I don’t put study time into my schedule. I think creating study sheets for each subject is certainly in order so that after I study a subject in detail I’ll have a quick reference version to go back over quickly as the date of the exam approaches.

Hmm…not going as well as I had hoped. It mentally wrecked me one night to realize how poorly it was going (a classmate got 3 offers – two of which were places to which I applied). I’m working off one soft offer to try and get a NASA field center placement. But I’m still hopeful that things will work out in the best possible way. Maybe. If I’m lucky. (I’m so terrified! And after all that work! 13 applications!)

I still haven’t detailed out exactly how and when things are going to get done in the next year, but I’ve started working towards things to finish the various goals that are contained within “get[ting] my future in order.” As it comes up first, I’m applying for research jobs for the summer.

I hacked the original 18 locations I was looking at down to 16, down to 14 and finally down to an even dozen. I’ve finished the base essay that I’ll be using for nearly all my applications. One application is done and turned in (save the one recommendation that holds a pivotal position in my app).

I’m terrified that I won’t get any offers. But I’m not there yet. Head down, I need to turn in the best apps that I can and hope to catch someone’s attention.

Things that I need to get done by the end of the year:

Get a summer job
Take the general GRE
Take the physics GRE
Improve my GPA
Improve my Physics & Math GPA
Research grad schools

I know there are more things that I was thinking about earlier, but these are the most recent that come to mind. Clearly, all of these tasks have particular break downs that need to occur to happen (studying would be a good idea prior to the GREs – especially the physics GRE, which will probably be the death of me), but figuring out where I need to go first will help me decide how I can get there.