Biking

This is a post about my biking experience. I mostly bike alone (at least for now) on trails and bike friendly roads. I will update this post whenever I have anything new to share instead of creating a new post.

3 July 2016
I recently bought a bike (Swinn Volare 1200) and was very excited about all the possibilities and adventures that are now possible. So I decided to take the bike (and myself) through the paces today. There is a trail (Paint Branch Trail) which passes right behind my office and has always seemed very attractive.I decided to bike this trail today. It was a very pleasant weather today with complete cloud cover but very little chance of rain. It was pretty cool and not humid. The weather couldn't have been more perfect for biking. I started from home at around 10 a.m. and reached the lake at around 10:20. I did a loop around the lake and then started on the trail. I completed the trail and returned on the same trail and went to the office. I covered a total of about 10 miles in 1 hour.

The bike held up pretty well and I was happy with my performance too. I think this was a very good start for a beginner and I hope this good start bodes well for a lot of biking over the next few years.


10 July 2016
I did another 10 mile ride this Sunday and discovered a hidden gem in College Park. The 10 mile ride was mostly on the Northeast Branch Trail of the Anacostia River Trail system. It is a nicely maintained trail but crosses a few roads with traffic along the way. A small inconvenience was that the a major portion of the trail isn't surrounded by trees. So it gets a bit hot biking in the sun. Apart from that, the trail is mostly quite with few joggers and bikers. I have now come to realise that 10 miles is a bit short for me. I will do 15 miles next week.

Also, I decided to try out the Shortcake Bakery in Hyattsville. I had a pineapple and coconut pie, a blueberry scone, and a pineapple cake. All three were amazing.

I should have discovered this place a lot earlier. They have found a new regular customer in me.


17 July 2016
Had an amazing ride today. I did the whole Northwest Branch Trail along with the Northeast Branch Trail for a total length of over 16 miles. It took me about 90 minutes to do this. But I was extremely tired after the ride and realised that I need to get fitter. The trail itself is quite beautiful. It crosses into Montgomery County from PG County. There were some walkers and joggers along the whole trail. It was a good experience and I hope to continue having a lot more of such experiences.


6 August 2016
Tried mountain biking for the first time and I loved it. Just watching mountain biking videos on youtube, I would have never realised that it could be this taxing on the body. A group of 6 people from the university went to a nearby beginners' trail (Rosaryville State Park). We just did the easier outer loop which is about 9 miles of mountain biking. We took several breaks on the way and completed the loop in about 2.5 hours. But all of us were completely out of gas at the end. None of us had the energy to even think about We ate some food and came back.

It was a very good  experience and I will definitely go mountain biking again.


21 August 2016
29 miles. 2 hours 40 minutes (SLOW!). I did the full round trip of the nearby Sligo Creek trail and other parts of the Anacostia trail system (mainly parts of the Nothwest Branch, Northeast Branch and the Paint Branch trails). The trail was fairly well maintained except a few spots where there was maintenance work being done and I had to get down and walk the bike. Also, the signage is very sparse and it is easy to move away from the trail on some forks and intersections with the road. But overall the experience was very good. The weather was awesome. But I am a little bit disappointed with the time it took me to do the trip. I was extremely tired around the 20 mile mark and it became quite difficult to carry on. So yes, I have a to improve a lot.


13 November 2016
I did about 14 miles today on the nearby trail system. Though I did that in about 1 hour. I am quite satisfied with the progress though I don't think I am going to get too much better than this.

August 2017
I sold my trusty Schwinn and bought a new bike. A Giant Contend SL 2 Disc.

Learning a new art

I have been teaching myself how to play the violin on and off for about 7 months now. One thing I learned from this is that it is very difficult to commit to learning something by yourself. There is always something or the other that feels more important than the thing you are trying to learn. This is particularly true if the skill that you are trying to learn doesn't directly relate to your area of study/work.

But, when I do practice, it is extremely satisfying and it makes me happy. Until now I had never understood why would people devote their whole lives towards playing an instrument. But, now I realise that this satisfaction and happiness is what drives people to commit their whole lives towards an art. The sense of achievement when I overcome a particularly difficult exercise or a part of a music piece is extraordinary. I feel the same sense of achievement when I try to learn a new language or when I answer a quiz question that stumped everyone in the room. I think that these moment of happiness and satisfaction are worth the effort it takes to make any kind of progress while learning anything new. 

First semester

The first few months of a new phase in life. It started in August with the orientation for new students. The orientation program itself was interesting and useful. But the semester started in earnest with the start of classes in the first week of September and simply put it was the most fun I have had since the first semester in college 5 years ago except for the friends.

The three courses were very interesting and a bit challenging too. Some of the professors were among the best I have taken courses with. They knew their stuff and knew how to make us understand and enjoy the course material. But the research experience was minimal. Everyone expected us to just focus on the courses. That was an issue I wish to rectify in the second semester. I believe that the mind-set about first year PhD students just focussing on courses in the first year is flawed. Graduate students have to delve into research as soon as possible and the focus on courses should be lower.

The trips to Shenandoah, and Alexandria and the several trips to D.C.were very enjoyable experiences. Participating in various graduate student get-togethers provided some much needed stress relief. I found new hobbies and am really enjoying them.I realised the need to stay fit and also how difficult it is to find someone interested in playing a sport together. But I am working on it.

The only major problem I felt was the lack of good friends. Maybe it's the age. Maybe it's the culture. It was easy to make good friends 5 years ago but here and now it seems that it is very difficult. Now it seems improbable that we will make friends whom we will call friends, not just acquaintances, 10 years down the line. Well you can't have everything, can you?

As I write this on the day before the start of the second semester, here's hoping it is as good as the first one, and perhaps even better.

Trip to Shenandoah National Park

First things first. Shenandoah is beautiful in fall! Don't ever say no to a trip to Shenandoah if you get a chance.

The colour of the dead and dying leaves ranged from yellow of the sunflower to blood red. The wind was chilly and the sun was struggling to break out of the prison of clouds. Amidst this, we reached Shenandoah around mid-day and were transported, as if by magic, to a different world. An inexplicably beautiful world. A world full of colour. A world (mostly) devoid of human influence. A world like most of us had ever seen. Near the entrance to this enchanted place was an inn, a resting place for weary travellers, before they begin their long journey through the wonders this place had to offer. Before starting our journey, we waited for our companions who were somehow left behind on the long road to this place. As soon as our band of 20 was complete, we started the first part of our journey. Blue mountains as far as the eye can see imparted a sense of wonder about the adventures the day had to offer.

The first part was a very short hike which got over in a few heartbeats. Being the adventure loving young band that we were, none of us was satisfied by the short walk. We wanted more. We drove through miles of stunning scenery, looking for the next trail to conquer. Imagine this for over 50 miles:

We finally found what we were looking for and started another hike. This hiking trail was quite a bit longer than the previous one and a lot more enjoyable. The group members got the time to talk and get to know each other. The trail ran parallel to a small stream of crystal clear water snaking through rocks, dirt and the fallen leaves.

Everyone was tired at the end of the long walk though rocks and uneven ground. Everyone needed a rest. And nothing can be more refreshing than sitting at the edge of a vast expanse of land covered with coloured grass and leaves at sunset with a cool breeze blowing through your hair.

However, after a few minutes of rest, everyone remembered how cold it was. And night had started to win the fight between light and dark. The company went to the nearest tavern and ate and drank warm things to prepare for the journey back to home. We left the place just after nightfall and drove for about three hours before reaching home. The return journey was much more enjoyable than the outward journey. The path didn't change. The companions were the same. But in the morning they were just that - companions. While on the way back they were friends.

The trip was a lot of fun. Everyone seemed to enjoy the beauty and the company. Shenandoah is definitely worth a visit in fall for anyone.

Moving to a new place

Congratulations on being accepted! Phew! Some rest finally, right?. Well, not quite. Moving to a new country or state can be an extremely daunting task. You have to start preparing well in advance (at least 3-4 months). You have to apply for a visa if you are moving to a new country. Sometimes that may take a lot of time. Many universities don't have dorms for graduate students. Or you may not want to live in a dorm. You have to find a place to live in the new place, which is a beast in itself. Then comes packing for departure which will lead to several arguments with your family. And a thousand other things. I will try to deal with some of these tasks in this post and I hope you will find something of use to you.

Visa applications: Several countries, particularly USA, have very long and complex visa application processes. You apply and pick a date for interview. For US visa, before the interview you have to go and get your photographs taken. Then you have to go there again some other day for the interview. (Yeah, twice. They love you.) But unless you are in some particular fields, you will usually get the visa. For some fields (like mechanical and chemical engineering) you might have to prove that you are not going to build bombs while in the US. That takes some time. So, apply early. Plan according to your schedule.

Flight reservations: Book early! Don't repeat the mistake I made. Don't wait till the last moment. Ticket prices rise very rapidly. Try to make the reservations as soon as you know when and where you have to go.

Accommodation: There are several websites where you can look for advertisements. Many universities have their own off-campus housing portals. They give a lot of tips about finding a good place to stay, good room-mates, and ensuring your own safety and security. Do check those out. Craigslist also has to-let advertisements. I used a website called Renthello for my search. I am sure there are several other similar websites which you can find. Talk to your potential room and house-mates before making the final decision. And of course, it should go without saying that you should read the lease agreement carefully before signing. Most probably you will have to pay a security deposit (which is usually a month's rent) while signing the lease and you will have pay the first month's rent when you arrive. Ask your seniors, if you have any at the university you are going to, about the neighbourhoods you are looking at. Most probably you will have to sign a 6 month, 9 month or 1 year lease. So be sure. This process can be very frustrating particularly if you are moving from a different country and have no way of looking at the house before making the decision except photos. Some landlords can't even show the house over skype because they live very far away from the house and can't make the trip. Make sure that you don't have any doubts about the house and your room.

Packing: Ah packing. Some love it, other abhor it. I fall in the former category. But, it could a nightmare. You have be within the limits of the airline. Basically you will have to solve the knapsack problem before leaving home. But before anything, do yourself a favour and put all your documents i.e. passport, i20, some other proofs of identity if you have them, lease agreement, acceptance letter, transcripts, and degree certificates. And some photographs in case you need them for some forms after you arrive. Also, keep several photo copies of all the documents, especially your passport, visa and i20. Apart from that clothes, some food items that you can't live without, toothbrush and a comb are the most important. The rest you can buy after arriving. Also, consider the weather of the place you are going to and pack accordingly.

Just before leaving: Make sure to have your phone properly charged. Invest in an international roaming plan if you are moving to a new country. Put a copy of all the documents in your carry-on luggage. Put an ATM card/debit card in your wallet. Make arrangements for transportation from airport to the place where you you will stay. If you want, you can book a taxi beforehand. Or if you are feeling adventurous, you can use public transport too. Or you can explore shuttle services too. I personally prefer public transport but that can be a hassle for some, particularly if you have too much luggage.

After arriving: Attend the orientation and report to the international student organisation in your campus. You will be required to fill several forms and complete some procedures like submitting the i94 form etc. Don't worry about these things before you leave. Just make sure you pack all the documents that you have, both the originals and some copies. After, or maybe even during, the week of orientation, you will have to open a bank account which is a very simple process in the USA. You will just have to bring you passport (with the visa stamp), the lease agreement as proof of residence, acceptance letter from the university tot eh bank and you will leave with a bank account.

Social security number is needed only if you are a salaried i.e. receive a stipend from the university in some form. SSN is not at all essential for life in the US. You will need to fill out some forms and make an appointment at the SSN office to apply for a new SSN. You will have to bring all your documents to the SSN office on the appointed day. (Piece of advice: Reach the office very early, may be about 1.5-2 hours before the office opens. There is always a long queue at the office.)

This is all I can think of at this time. Though some of the details in this post relate to only US, but I think the majority of the content should be useful for anyone moving to a new country for education. I hope I have been of some help to you. Comment if you think I missed some things.
Cheers.

Selecting the best option

Congratulations! The moment you have been waiting for is finally here. You got accepted!
It's time for parties and some very hard decisions. Don't you sometimes feel that someone would just tell you what to do, which school to select and what program to study? I know you do. Almost everyone does. It is a completely natural reaction of coping with what could be the most important decision of your life. Through this post I hope to shed some light on some of the factors that need to be considered while making this decision. I hope this will be helpful to at least some of you.

An important thing that many people don't consider is the fit of the university to their research, academic and personal interests. Though the reputation of the university is important, it is not as important as the fit of the university to your interests. Going to a university that doesn't have a good group working in your area of interest can make your next 4-5 years frustrating. Ultimately, at the end your PhD, your university doesn't matter nearly as much as your work; and good research is best done with a good research group.

Another choice that you may have to make is choosing between a star professor and a new, relatively unknown professor as your advisor. That is a decision that completely depends on you. The senior professor will be extremely well connected among the community and could lead to new associations for you. He/She will have a well established research group and you will be able to jump start your research. However, the senior professor will have several students and several commitments apart from his/her research and will not be able to give you as much time as you may need. On the other hand, a new professor will have more time to guide you and will devote more energy towards your success. He/She may not have an established research group but you can see this as an opportunity to lead the establishment of his/her research group. You will have to be more proactive if you want to work for a new professor. He/she will not be able to introduce you to too many people but this will give you the opportunity to go out and meet people.

Some offers that you get may promise funding and some offers may not offer any funding during the first year. Deciding between these offers could be tough, especially when the unfunded offer is from a place you really want to go to. I believe that in this case you should consider how these universities fit with your research goals and select based on the fit. I think, unless you are not able to support yourself for even for a semester, you should not take funding into consideration while making your decision. Go to the place which you feel is the best fit. You will be able to arrange for funding within a semester or an year under some professor or the other.

You should always talk to current graduate students in all the universities you are considering. They are the best source of information about the university in general and a potential advisor in particular. You will be able to decide whether you can work with a professor, do your personalities complement each other, how are the other students, how are the facilities at the university, what are the career prospects after graduation, where are the recent graduates placed, etc. They will also be able to inform you whether the university has adequate facilities and resources for your particular needs.

You might have to decide between a direct PhD program and a program that offers the option of a terminal masters. If you are not completely sure whether PhD is for you, then terminal masters will be the best option for you. You get to experience the actual work environment and research and if you don't like what you are doing, you can quit with a masters in two years. On the other hand, if you are completely sure that you want to complete a PhD, then opting for the direct PhD option might be the best.

Sometimes personal preferences and boundaries can affect your decision. For example, you might want to live with your partner and they can't move to a very far away place, then you will have to choose a university that is nearer. Or, you may not like cold at all so you would want to avoid the universities located in regions which experience extreme cold in winters. Or you may want to live in a big city instead of living in a small university town or vice versa. These factors may not seem very important at this stage, but 3-4 years down the line, you may regret your decision of joining a university without considering your personal preferences and comforts. These factors might be the difference between a good PhD and a great one.

This is almost everything I wanted to say about the decision process. If you ave any comments or questions, feel free to leave them in the comments and I will do my best to answer those.

Cheers.

Dealing with rejections

Failures and rejections are as much a part of life as success an acceptance. Nowhere is this more true than during graduate school applications. Failing is inevitable. Only a handful of people get accepted at every place they apply to. Rejections can be very tough. Most of the universities send the rejection before the acceptances. Be prepared in the first two months after the application to receive rejections from some universities. Unless you are among the above mentioned handful of people, universities mostly send acceptances in February for the fall semester. Be ready to wait. Be ready to see your friends and classmates being accepted at several universities. Celebrate their success with them. Never ever be jealous. This is too small a matter to ruin your friendships. Remember that your acceptance is on its way too, if not this time then definitely the next.

An important thing I learned during my application period was that you don't need 10 acceptances. You just need 1. And probably you will get just 1 or 2. So, it is not a good idea to apply to places where you are sure you will not go even if they are your only acceptance. Every application you send should be to a place where you are willing to do your graduate studies if accepted.

Rejections are not the end of the world. Every one has to go through rejections. You might feel that you are the only one who is rejected every time, but nothing can be further from the truth than that. You have to be resilient and instead of being dismayed rejections, you should start analysing what went wrong and aim to improve your application next year.

The time when universities send out the results could be the darkest time for many people. It was for me. It was for my friends. Probably it will be for you. But there is always light at the end of the tunnel. If you want it enough, you will get accepted. Resilience and perseverance are extremely important. Give your best for the next round of applications.

Good luck.