As of 8:23 A.M. CDT, I, upon sending an email with an attached .pdf, finished the first year of my doctoral program in the Department of History at UW-Madison.
My feelings? Well, whew! for a start. (I realize that sentence was interestingly punctuated; deal with it."
These past months (although it seems like about three hours ago) have been a challenge, but I think that I have risen to it. Those of you who have gone to graduate school know that it is more of a marathon than a sprint and tenacity is tested almost more than ability. They figure that by now, you know how to play the game. Take it to the next level.
Grad school is like the Super Bowl of Nerdiness...this is the Big Dance. Do you have the stomach to go all the way?
Well, those of you who know me know that my stomach is ready for damned near anything.
Speaking of that, is it wrong that it is about 8:30 AM and I want a beer? Do I have a problem or have I just found the right solution? I guess it is a matter of perspective, but I will say no, that is not at all wrong.
The paper that I finished and sent just now was, to put it mildly, surgery with a baseball bat...or an oil tanker. Yeah, I made the point, but the specifics are just not there. Oh well, what could one indeed say for a historian in the midst of linguists. They, like everyone in the social sciences (history is humanities, folks), just get to make shit up.
What now? Oddly enough, in a strange case of bookending, there is a party at the same place there was one the second night I was here. It is a serious case of veja du.
As for the long term, I will not care for a few weeks, then, back at the reading for fall and prepping for prelims (a.k.a. the test from fucking hell).
Well, that is quite enough of my personal troubles. They are not that interesting, but I felt that this was an adequate time for reflection.
Oh, thanks for the response to the Hitler thing. I guess if attention to detail, cognizance of the worst cases possible and a slight suspicion of people makes me Hitler, well then, I'm Hitler, I guess (more interesting punctuation).
Jenks-I forgot about the Trevor Wilson thing...that is indeed odd. If I recall, Giles accused me of Nazi-ish behaviors once (probably). Also, thanks for the comment on my wild speculations. Read my response.
The Rest Of You- Enjoy Every Sandwich.
Do Not Worry
5 years ago
4 comments:
Congrats on the grad school progress, and no there is nothing wrong with WANTING a beer at 8:30AM.
Actually DRINKING a beer at 8:30AM that is pure PUMA!
Good job Will! If anyone can pull this grad school thing off, it has to be you. Hope you enjoyed your beer. :0)
Don't forget, way back in 1998, I cracked a beer open around 9:45 am after I finished Fr. Poop's final exam. And that was long before I ever had to deal with graduate school.
Like K-Diddy said, that is pure PUMA, my friend.
Congratulations on finishing your first Ph.D. year! Will you stay in Wisconsin for the summer or reside with your folks until the fall?
I still miss graduate school sometimes. Lately I have a hard time finishing a book--there's no longer any pressure.
Post a Comment