Tag Archives: advice

Will a professor write you a letter of recommendation? My answer: Writing student recommendations comes with the faculty job, and I usually write if asked. But since this academic territory is often so unfamiliar to grad and undergrad students, let me give some general guidelines and advice. (For general advice on PhD applications see this post, and for other PhD advice see the right sidebar, including How to Get a PhD and Save the World) What do letters do? Let’s start by asking how PhD...

In light of the current crisis, a journalist reached out for general advice for people who want to make a difference, whether it’s with refugees or those still in country. Do send heavy blankets, used clothes, food, and teddy bears, preferably collected in at home and shipped overseas. Canned goods or dried beans are even better, both because of their high weight-to-value, and their widespread availability in the destination country.   Don’t support organizations that give the afflicted...

In light of the current crisis, a journalist reached out for general advice for people who want to make a difference, whether it’s with refugees or those still in country. Do send heavy blankets, used clothes, food, and teddy bears, preferably collected in at home and shipped overseas. Canned goods or dried beans are even better, both because of their high weight-to-value, and their widespread availability in the destination country.   Don’t support organizations that give the afflicted...

A friend asked this on Twitter, and it got me thinking about our approach. To a lot of people, unless it’s a resort, taking kids abroad sounds challenging, expensive, and anything but rejuvenating. We’ve found the opposite. Our foreign trips are easier, cheaper, and more more rewarding and replenishing than our US holidays. Gradually, over regular trips to Latin America, a few Western Europe visits, as well as Canada and Vietnam, we’ve figured out some things that work for us. On the chance...