Dear Fred,
One of the toughest dilemmas that any student faces is the nightmare of writer's block.  In your case you have "topic block". There are several ways you could go about tearing down that wall.  The most logical is to go and talk to your advisor about the difficulties you are having.  One reason professors are assigned to be advisors is so they can assist students who are having difficulties such as yours.  If for some reason you are uncomfortable talking to your assigned advisor, you could speak with the graduate field representative, who could either help you to find another advisor, or make other suggestions as to who to speak to.




         Another possibility is to talk with other students who are studying in your field area.  Maybe some of you could do a group project together. Sometimes two or three heads are better than one! You could also look at the research that has been done by other students in your field; all previously conducted research should be easily accessible in the Cornell library system. Seeing how the subject area was approached from different angles may be just what you need to get your creative juices flowing.
         Talking to specific professors in the field is another helpful way to spark some ideas. A few expert opinions may provide you with the motivation you need.  A final option is to search the materials from class readings and discussions for possible thesis topics.
         Starting on a thesis can often seem to be an overwhelming task. Whenever you start feeling overwhelmed and "blocked" remember that great journeys are made from many small steps. Break down tasks and decisions into a series of small, accomplishable steps, and concentrate on one at a time.  Before you know it, you will have arrived!                              Uncle Ezra

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Grad-to-Be,
Happily, there are two offices on campus which not only can provide you with the info you need, but also offer counseling and support as you face the challenge of sorting out your post-graduation plans. The two Career Center Offices are located at Sage Hall (114 East Ave, 255-5221) and 203 Barnes Hall (255-0549).  In addition to providing general after-graduation information and counseling, they offer such services as: info about GRE's and other graduate exams; test preparation courses; seminars about applying to grad schools; seminars about career choices in various fields; and info about career choices after graduation. To find out specifics on dates and times of seminars, etc., watch the Cornell Daily Sun for the Career Center Page, or call the offices directly.
        The GRE's are given worldwide, in many locations throughout each year. The upcoming test dates are:   October 8, 1988 (not in New York State); December 10, 1988;  February 4, 1989;  April 8, 1989;  and June 3, 1989.  For more specifics, stop by one of the Career Center offices to pick up a free copy of the "GRE Information Bulletin" which will provide you with (almost) everything you ever wanted to know about the GRE's.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Chuck,
Since woodchucks (or groundhogs) are indigenous to North America, it is reasonably certain the name "woodchuck" is an alteration of an American Indian word.  However, different dictionaries do not agree upon which actual word it is.  The Oxford Engish Dictionary states that "woodchuck" is the "alteration, by association with wood, of an American Indian name: cf. Cree WUCHAK," while the Random House Dictionary of the English Language claims that the name is "presumably a reshaping by folk etymology of a word in a southern New England Algonquian language; cf. Narragansett OCKQUTCHAUN."  The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language also states that "woodchuck" is a variant of a Cree word, which came from the Proto-Algonquian word "WECYEKA". While each of these purported original forms may simply be different English spellings of the same Native American word, it seems reasonably certain that our "woodchuck" is at least the result of changes in a word originated by the Cree tribe of Algonquian Indians. The tribe used to live in an area extending from the southern end of Hudson Bay to northern Alberta, Canada.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear WGS,
The Registrar expects the final exam schedule to be ready in about two weeks.  The schedule is always posted in front of the Registrar's Office (222 Day Hall), on your college registrar's bulletin board, in libraries, and on CUINFO, which will have the most up-to-date info should any changes occur.
        I'm glad to see you're thinking ahead!  Knowing your reservations are all set to fly to a sunny southern clime can be a comforting thought on a dreary day.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Women Icers Fan,
I am more than happy to report on the prospects for the Big Red Women's ice hockey team.  Of course I wanted to hear what their coach, Dave Harackiewicz, had to say: "With a good returning corps and some very talented fresh(wo)men (parentheses courtesy of your Uncle), the women's ice hockey team has goals to challenge and win the Ivy League title."  It sounds like Cornell is in for a very competitive and exciting ice hockey season. I'll be sure to catch a few of both the women's and men's games. See you there!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Old Timer,
When you wrote (first week in August), we were still within the 1987-88 academic calendar, and so that's the one that was posted.  The 1988-89 calendar is now current, and, as you'll see, there is a separate Study Period before exams.  By the way, CUINFO contains academic calendars through 1993, so if you run into a similar problem next summer, just look at the FUTURE calendar, rather than the CURRENT one.

Uncle Ezra