Registration

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Overview

We know that writing can be hard to find time for, especially when you’re writing something non-scientific. But we also know there are certain things that every scientist needs to write at some point – like a personal bio, a cover letter or résumé, a conference proposal, or a teaching statement.

If you are working on applications for jobs, internships, fellowships, or anything else, now is the perfect time to join us! Writing in community, rather than in isolation, can help make this process a little less painful – and maybe even a bit fun. That’s why we hope you’ll bring your friends to this writing retreat.

We’ll provide you with a work station, outlets, lunch, coffee, snacks, a structured schedule, and a consultation room where you can come to get help from OCPD staff if you hit a roadblock. All you need to bring is your laptop, charger, and a writing project you’d like to work on.

This event is not a workshop, it's more choose-your-own-adventure. It's likely that everyone attending will be working on something different! But no matter what you're working on, we'll be there to answer questions and cheer you on. Our goal is to provide a supportive environment for you to make progress on a writing goal that’s important to you. Come for a single 45-minute writing “sprint,” or stay for the full retreat. We hope to see you there!

Schedule

Please note that this writing retreat takes place later in the day than our previous writing retreats.

• 12 - 12:30 p.m.: Lunch and get set-up
• 12:30 - 1:15 p.m.: Writing sprint #1
• Stretch break (15 min)
• 1:30 - 2:15 p.m.: Writing sprint #2
• Coffee break (15 min)
• 2:30 - 3:15 p.m.: Writing sprint #3
• Stretch break (15 min)
• 3:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.: Writing sprint #4
• 4:15 - 4:30 p.m.: Congratulate yourself and pack up

If you like, head over to our Winter Celebration for dinner afterwards! Learn more and register separately on the Winter Celebration event page.

FAQs

Is this a workshop? Nope! This retreat is a space for heads-down time to write. That said, you can pop into the consultation room anytime if you have questions!  

How long do I need to stay? You can register for as many or few of the 45-minute writing sprints as you like. Space is limited, so we ask that you register only for the sessions you plan to attend.  

What if I don’t know how to write a resume/cover letter/teaching statement? This is a great place to start figuring it out! We can orient you to where to find the OCPD’s sample documents, and you can pop into our consultation room any time for more info. Or if you’d prefer to learn in a workshop setting, subscribe to our listserv to be alerted when we’re offering lunch-and-learn workshops on these topics.

Will it be quiet? Yes! We’ll be keeping our writing room quiet during each of the 45-minute "sprints,” with breaks in between for stretching and snacks.

Can I get feedback? Participants can come to the consultation room anytime during the retreat for drop-in questions about career and professional development-related documents, such as resumes, cover letters, teaching statements, and LinkedIn profiles. The consultation room will be a small-group or semi-private environment. If you’d prefer a private 1:1 appointment, you can make one with us anytime.

What can I work on? You’re welcome to use this retreat to work on any project that would benefit from some dedicated heads-down time. We especially encourage you to bring any projects that are hard to find time for in your regular day-to-day work.  

Can postdocs attend? Yes! This writing retreat is open to all graduate students and postdocs.