I'm freaking out - my monkied brain

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27 February 2007 @ 06:27 pm

I'm freaking out

I got accepted to my first academic conference!! I'm freaking out. For many reasons. First, because when I sent my prospectus to my adviser, I also sent it to the conference committee, and then she told me she didn't think I should submit it. EEEK. Second, because ... it's a conference! I'm going to be presenting to a conference! EEEEK. I mean, I can talk a mile a minute on many subject matters, and in this particular instance I think I'm sort of reasonably authoritative, but

holy god, i'm going to have to talk in front of my peers.

and about this: the representation and construction of social norms, identities and relationships in film, literature and language.

Yep, that's what the conference topic is about. My topic? A sci-fi film that was created by an obscure religious group in order to promote their doctrine in kind of a unique way.

Oh my god. The butterflies are killing me already.

Third, because we just had this seminar about how one shouldn't be a total conference slut. and now i'm going to a conference!

Tags: school

23 scribblers | scribble?

23 scribblers —

( 23 scribblers — scribble? )

elementalv on February 27th, 2007 09:20 pm (UTC)

Congratulations!

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katekat1010 on February 27th, 2007 09:27 pm (UTC)

Hee!! Thanks!

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lorelei_frolick on February 27th, 2007 09:34 pm (UTC)

Wow, that sounds like a fascinating conference.
Congrats and good luck! :)

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katekat1010 on February 27th, 2007 09:38 pm (UTC)

thanks sweetie!!

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mishloran on February 27th, 2007 09:35 pm (UTC)

I hope you are freaking out in the good way BECAUSE THAT IS FREAKING AWESOME! OH MY GOD, SO EXCITED FOR YOU! EEEEEEEE! GO KATE!!!!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3

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katekat1010 on February 27th, 2007 09:39 pm (UTC)

i'm freakign the hell out mish!! but thank you!! now i'm petrified because i have to tell my advisor that i sent my prospectus in even though she told me not to - EEK! *clings and hides behind mish*

and then? you know what? I'm gonna have to actually talk to these people!? in front of them! EEEEEK!

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mishloran on February 27th, 2007 09:43 pm (UTC)

Well, it was obviously good enough. Maybe your advisor didn't want you to freak out? ;) But I'm sure once she hears you got it, she'll be pleased as punch. You're her padwan learner, it is a great achievement, and this will reflect on her, too, she'll probs be proud of you pookie! And if she goes "OH MY GOD, I TOLD YOU NOT TO" you can go "...but the peeps organising the conference obviously thought i was awesome enough to present a paper on this subject! Thereby I must have done the Right Thing"

As for talking in front of them: you said yourself, it's a bit obscure, so YOU'LL be the most knowledgeable person in the room! And you can lord your intelligence over them by telling them all about it. And they'll be interested and it'll be great! Ohmygod. Excited.

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katekat1010 on February 27th, 2007 09:50 pm (UTC)

you are so soothing. i feel (marignally) better (my freakout was hitting chaotic proportions)

will you fly over and come with me to the conference? then i will be ok. i can pretend i'm only talking to you.

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mishloran on February 27th, 2007 09:52 pm (UTC)

mew, I know how these things are (esp having had many the AAARGH recently myself - but generally 'cause I'm shit academically rather than brilliant enough to shine into a conference!) but really, your lecturer will be pleased with you. It would be curlish not to be. Also, it will look EXCELLENT on your CV! :)

oh my god, that would be socool!!!!!!! But alas, I cannot. You can pretend I am there, though! If it helps?! Standing in the back nodding respectfully. Or going :P and making funny faces!

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mishloran on February 27th, 2007 09:53 pm (UTC)

churlish? i do not know how to spell that.

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katekat1010 on February 27th, 2007 10:06 pm (UTC)

churlish? perhaps? i do not know either - but i got your intent!

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katekat1010 on February 27th, 2007 10:06 pm (UTC)

ah the CV the CV frightens me too! heee. but you are right. she will probably be pretty decent about it. I will perhaps bring her treats to sweeten her disposition? i can make treats and then that will make everyone happy.

and funny faces! although somehow i think giggling will be a bad idea throughout the conference. *sigh* academic people do take themselves seriously, don't they?

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mishloran on February 28th, 2007 07:53 am (UTC)

curriculum vitae are scary, scary things. I fear the time when mine has to be written. Oh, those two shop jobs and no hobbies to speak of are going to look so great and make me seem like such an interesting and broad minded individual... uh.

Treats are always reccommended! Mmm, nummy treats!

I don't understand why academics are so stern faced and serious. Because let's face it, they have their perfect jobs. Why not shove a smile on their faces and a twinkly glint in their eyes as well?!

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elizabuffy on February 27th, 2007 11:16 pm (UTC)

normally, i'd write more on this, but i made the dastardly mistake of reading comments beforehand, so there's really not much to say.

your topic sounds absolutely fabulous. and I wouldn't worry about what your advisor said. i can't see it being a huge deal. you DID send them at the same time. besides, she should be happy for you :)

i'm sure the seminar was held by someone who's never invited to present at conferences ;) (j/k)

now...onto my response:

WHEEEEE! That is very, very cool! You'll have a lot of fun, I'm sure...plus? you get to present something you like and know about. I find that exciting :)

~e!

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katekat1010 on March 1st, 2007 02:39 am (UTC)

the evils of comments! I totally understand that!

and thank you for both the reassurance AND the EB!response! which was so cute and made me smile. I'm feeling better about it by the second, actually, which is good. :D

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xanzpet on February 28th, 2007 12:24 am (UTC)

WOO! This is fabulous news, babe! I've presented at conferences, and I was always nervous...until I actually began speaking. As long as you know your material, you'll be fine! And I have no doubt that you know your stuff! Conferences are so wonderful. I got to meet people whose articles I read, made friendships which have lasted to this day, and was welcomed into a community with a real sense of comradery. You're gonna kick so much ass!

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katekat1010 on March 1st, 2007 02:41 am (UTC)

Thanks darlin! I'm getting more excited (and less freaked) about it, by the second. And the good part is that it's a relatively diverse group of people, so even if they know something about Japan, there's probably not going to be a new religion specialist who's into the exact religion i'm writing about - which then makes me a total authority on it, which always makes me happy!

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xdawnfirex on February 28th, 2007 12:28 am (UTC)

This wouldn't be the horrible Scientology movie, would it?

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katekat1010 on March 1st, 2007 02:42 am (UTC)

Nope. It's an anime movie by a religious group in Japan. However, I do bring up battlefield earth as an "unsuccessful" version of this kind of attempt.

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antennapedia on February 28th, 2007 12:37 am (UTC)

Awwwwwwesome! Go you! And don't fret about your adviser. You do need some practice doing this conference thing.

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katekat1010 on March 1st, 2007 02:43 am (UTC)

Thank you!! And i'm going to tell her tomorrow, and so i'm hoping it'll go well (either way, i'm sure it'll be fine). *hugs*

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crayonbreakygal on February 28th, 2007 03:45 am (UTC)

OMG, be a conference slut! How do they think that profs get tenure? Going to conferences, writing papers, giving speeches, etc. This sounds wonderful. Sounds like a cool topic too. Go you!

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katekat1010 on March 1st, 2007 02:45 am (UTC)

Heee! well, they do differentiate between someone who goes to Conferences and someone who goes to tooo many conferences, shopping the same papers around and not doing enough research. It's a pretty tight community and after a while they want you to kind of produce, ya know?

That being said, i think this is going to be a good opportunity to get my feet wet, so yay! Thanks for the encouragement too sweetie!

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