surfacing quickly
just popping in to show y'all the fibery things i've been up to in the past two weeks. I am creeping along on St. Moritz. Creeping is good though, it has NOT been thrown into the UFO-basket-of-doom. I completed the pieces for "super easy boatneck 2 : baby sweater boogaloo". I just need to make myself seam it up and get it in the mail! I also finished spinning a few skeins of that bluefaced leicester i was working on in the last post.
I have been a good girl and finished beaucoup de schoolwork as well. I haven't had a chance to read anyone else's blog in weeks, though. I feel very out of the loop. I hate it when i don't know whats going on in the rest of the yarniverse! (yes, it did occur to me that i could've saved myself money and time if i had been ignoring blogs the week that stephanie announced the KO. ha!)
For those of you who are also scientists and/or familiar with the grad school jargon, here's a bit about whats going on in my life. Yesterday i started my 4th (and final) rotation. I have to write a rotation report and give a presentation about the 3rd one on monday. I also have a big midterm in one week (tuesday). I've started writing my qualifying proposal and have to turn in a rough draft next week (also tuesday). I have to decide which lab i want to join for thesis research by may, then defend the qualifying proposal in early june. *sigh* In general, i am enjoying grad school immensely. And all this stuff will get done. But i feel constantly overwhelmed and stressed out and i think about quitting regularly. I'm not sure why, but the worst day is always monday. I guess i relax on the weekend and then i have to face all the stuff looming over me and have a hard time dealing with it.
ok, i would really like to be knitting right now, but instead i will exert self-control and write a report.
posted by Dharia @ 7:03 PM
5 Comments:
You have been busy! It is nice to see you popping up to say Hi! :)
Grad school isn't easy. I saw my father help a lot of students through it when he was a professor, but it is really worth it in the end. You'll do fine!
Hugs. You can do it. If you need any encouragement, look up my close friend in the Petska-Ringe lab. She's defending in two weeks. She also spent a few years as a lab rat before going back for her PhD.
Nice to see you. Glad you popped in. Don't worry that knitting progress is going slowly. As you said, at least it's not turning into another UFO. Congratulations.
As to school, keep your eye on the prize. Each degree = increase in available yarn cash!
Hi, having struggled through graduate school myself, I won't tell you it will be worth it and to hang in there. I think the value of the degree or lack of the degree is different for every person. I've seen a student who was going to finish a biology PhD in 4.5 years drop out at the end of her 4th year and be very happy about the decision. She said it was like a weight lifted off her shoulders.
All graduate students know the degree process is not easy. I do know that if you want the degree, you can get the degree, but it may be filled with ups and downs and be a constant struggle. If you really don't want the degree, you will know it.
A few things that helped in graduate school -- 1) a mentor, someone you look up to that is NOT associated with your committee -- this can be a previous mentor at an undergrad institution or one you come in contact with during your graduate career, 2) having a hobby that takes you away from the stress of graduate school and this you already have (knitting, etc). I also joined a group outside of biology (my knitting/spinning guild) that gave me great stress relief.
And finally, not finishing graduate school is not the end of the world. I know lots of people who got masters and went on to do things they enjoyed even more, some even in science!
Hang in there -- this is the hardest part of grad school, getting through the hoops and into the lab where you'll get to do your thesis work. I got my PhD in neuroscience, and feel like I paid more than my share of dues along the way -- thought about quitting more than once, but finally found the right lab. I'm happy to have found your blog; kindred spirits in the science geek/knitting world! Good luck and remember that the worst will be over in time.
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