u/MChelonae

But stickers and brochures weren't the only souvenirs she brought home.

Hey fellow masochists. Does anyone have a good consensus on when (or if) one should email PIs, as the PhD-only applicants do, to express interest? Currently applying to a variety of MD/PhD programs in the US. I know some secondaries have a place to talk about research and PI interests (my app is not yet verified - got too busy with a research program and didn't submit until 6/30, rip - but Tufts sent me a secondary that does include a question like that). Is that enough or should I also email? Thanks!!

Really dumb poll/discussion for secondaries. I'm trying to begin prewriting my essays and the diversity one is unsurprisingly popping up. Now there are two main tacks I could take. Someone tell me which one is better/less awful.

1. I was homeschooled grades 1-12. Felt left out in social situations a lot of the time, but overall a very positive experience because it gave me the freedom to explore my interests, take advanced classes, etc.

2. I have a pretty niche heritage (don't want to dox myself but it's a small country in Europe) - I'm white but have an unusual name, speak the language at home, and am proud to be an immigrant kid/grandkid (my dad and my mom's parents are all from there). Could talk about how literally no one can pronounce my name on the first go and people look at my family weird when we speak the language in public, but overall positive experience because I'm proud of my heritage and it gives me a richer perspective on the immigrant experience etc (but again I am white so don't want to come off as an asshole).

Thoughts on which would be more effective? I'm leaning toward #1 but I'm pretty tired rn (so ignore shitty grammar lol). TIA!

I swear there was a quote from somewhere—either just a quote from an author, or from a book somewhere—where there was a young man, just embarking on a poetry career, who was very downcast. Someone asked him why he was so down, and he replied that it was because all of the good poems of old were dead, and now it fell to him to carry the torch. Something like that.

I have been trying to find this for a while now. I'm getting Mark Twain/Emerson/Longfellow/Whitman vibes, but I haven't been able to find the quote based on author. Any help would be much appreciated!