Yesterday I met my graduate adviser for the first time (my adviser until I choose a dissertation adviser in a few years). I had spoken to him on the phone a few times and e-mailed back and forth with him, but I finally met him yesterday. I think he and I are really going to get along. He’s nice and helpful and knowledgeable, but also witty and kind of cranky (like me).

In our meeting, we largely discussed my schedule for this year, as well as took a first pass at mapping out my whole PhD program. As it is planned now, I will not be earning a pass-through Master’s degree, just the PhD (which is fine with me and if I changed my mind I’d need at least an extra semester, if not a whole extra year; my adviser said the only reason to even do it is if the person I choose as my dissertation adviser will only advise me if I have a master’s first, otherwise there is no real advantage/disadvantage to earning it and he wouldn’t recommend it). I have to take a core series in each of four areas: abstract algebra, real analysis, complex analysis, and topology. I need to pass qualifying exams in two of these by my third year. I also need to take “breadth” series in 3 of the 4 areas (an extra two courses above and beyond the core). Then I’ll be taking “reading” courses (choose a professor and a topic and design an individualized course with them in whatever I want to study). Once I’ve earned 78 credits as a graduate, I can start my dissertation hours (at least 12 of those). I will not be required to spend summers on campus (no taking/teaching classes needed) but if I want to finish within 5 years, I’ll have to pick up 6 extra credits somewhere (easiest way to do that is to take two classes during a summer session or two).

As for my teaching fellowship, I will only have to TA my first year (assist with courses, but not teach my own). Then starting next year I will be an official TF (fellow, teach my own courses). The chair of the department (who I’ve met twice now and seems super nice and really cool and I really like him. He’s an algebraist, so I think we’ll get along) doesn’t like first year grad students teaching their own classes; he thinks they should focus on their studies for a year first. I’m totally okay with that! I’m still going to get paid, then next year I will get a raise and increased responsibilities. And this will give me a year to settle into the groove of grad school before going super crazy with work. I’m definitely thankful for that.

So, this semester I am taking 3 classes and TA-ing 2 classes. I’ll be taking one course on how to teach math/how to be a good TA/TF, I’ll start the algebra core (in preparation for taking the algebra qualifying exam next August), and I’ll start a “baby” series in analysis. Since I don’t feel super comfortable with my analysis background, I am not going right into the analysis core, but am taking an intro to the fundamentals of analysis series before taking the analysis core. It’s still a grad level course, but not quite as rigorous as a course intended to prepare for the qualifying exam. I think this is a very wise choice, as I don’t want to overwhelm myself. Then at the end of my fourth semester I can take the analysis qualifying exam (or the topology qualifying exam, as I’ll be taking that core series my second year along with the analysis one, so I’ll be able to choose whichever I feel most confident about).

As far as teaching/TA-ing goes, I haven’t been assigned to classes yet, but I should find out what I’ll be doing within the next 24 hours. Yesterday I filled out a standard form they have about what I’d prefer, but I pretty much filled everything in with “no preference.” I don’t want to be the picky one my first semester. I could handle TA-ing any intro level course they throw at me. They’ve got SUPER BASIC courses, which would be easy, then they’ve got your standard statistics 1, calc 1, calc 2, and linear algebra courses. Truth be told, I think ideally I would like stat 1 and linear algebra. Stat 1 because I didn’t take a stat course in college, so it would force me to learn the material. Linear algebra because I LOVED that course as an undergrad, but I’ve forgotten a lot of it so it would be fun for me and allow me to dig all that out of the memory banks.

Today we had the official meeting for all new Teaching Fellows. The graduate adviser and the department chair ran it. All the people in the same boat as me (starting classes this fall and having a teaching fellowship) were in attendance. We learned a little bit about what is expected of us, and filled out all our employment paperwork. I was out of there within an hour, so it wasn’t so bad. It helped that I spent almost 2 hours on campus yesterday taking care of other administrative things (scheduling classes, talking to my adviser about the program in general, getting my student ID made, setting up a university computer account, etc). It also helped that Sunday afternoon I walked around trying to familiarize myself with the campus. The math building was open so I went up to the department floor and walked around to get a feel for it. (Oh, I should have my office keys by tomorrow! Yeah, an office! Take that, ABC IT! :P) It’s a gorgeous campus and I really like the building/floor the math department is in. I could definitely get used to this and be comfortable and happy here. 🙂

Anyway, still LOTS of unpacking to do. I’ll get pictures up as soon as I’m organized!