Yesterday was the last day of this semester at school. It has been completely brutal. It didn't help that I had to travel a lot for the first half of the term, that my work AND B's work were insane, that I was taking the most work-intensive class of the whole stinking program, and that BOTH of my classes had group projects. I just realized I didn't even post here for almost two months!! Not that anyone probably really missed it, but it does say something about how busy things have been. It also says something about how busy things have been when the thing I'm looking forward to most is now having time to clean the shower.
I have always loved school. I'm that person. I'm the one who loves to learn things just to learn them, who actually likes writing papers, etc. I've especially loved grad school for two reasons: 1) sometime in my 20s, I lost my shyness, which I had to fake my way through in all my classes as an undergrad, so I've made more friends and participated a lot more in class; 2) I can actually use 90% of what I'm learning (the only real exception here is my PR class, which was a giant waste of time). But this semester, an alarming thing happened. I started to understand why people don't like school. I even started to understand why people drop out with a class or two to go. This semester really sucked. I think I did well in both classes, although the capstone class might have blown my 4.0 (down with group projects!), but I've also grown up enough (barely) to be able to realize that nobody but me cares about my GPA.
When I came home last night, though, my awesome family had decided to take me to dinner at my favorite restaurant, and I ate almost an entire bowl of guacamole by myself, and things started to look up. When I woke up this morning, my very, very first thought was: no homework today! So I'm going to just enjoy the next few weeks before I have to go back, and try to tackle more things at work and at home that I've been meaning to get to. Like Christmas shopping, which I haven't even started!
I'm pretty proud that in all of this craziness (me on overdrive with work and school, B having to work extreme amounts of extra hours), H doesn't seem to have noticed that we've been stressed out. I think that's the most important thing.
I'm so happy! Weeks and weeks off, and my last class in the spring has the potential to actually be fun. But for now, it's time to relax!
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Things I'm going to do when I graduate
I have come to hate school so very much this semester that I've decided visualization might be the only way to get through. Thus, I have taken to imagining myself walking across the stage at graduation, wearing my nifty hood and feeling ecstatic that I'm done. In my imagination, I am also shouting, "Woo hoo!" at the top of my lungs, and smiling really big. I must make this vision a reality, and so I have to power through 7 more months of school.
I've decided that, as further, motivation, I am going to start a list of stuff I'm going to do after I graduate. This is just the beginning:
1. Sleep.
2. Go out to dinner and drink a lot. I haven't made up my mind if it's going to be martinis, or if I'm just going to get a big bottle of Riesling. I have time to decide.
3. Do something fun with B and H.
4. Have a HUGE party. I'm inviting everyone I know. One of the reasons I decided NOT to push it, and to go ahead and graduate in the spring, is so the weather won't suck and I can actually have a party. I didn't have a chance to celebrate my undergrad degree because it was December in Indiana, and we had snow storms, and they interrupted our graduation ceremony to announce that parts of I-65 were closed.
5. Avoid school for a long, long, time, with the exception of H's school. Her school is fun.
6. Actually exercise with some regularity. I'm holding out hope that I might have the energy for it then.
7. Sleep some more.
8. Start watching TV shows again.
9. Re-institute movie night with B.
10. Eat cake. I think I will have earned a cake. Cake for everyone!!
I've decided that, as further, motivation, I am going to start a list of stuff I'm going to do after I graduate. This is just the beginning:
1. Sleep.
2. Go out to dinner and drink a lot. I haven't made up my mind if it's going to be martinis, or if I'm just going to get a big bottle of Riesling. I have time to decide.
3. Do something fun with B and H.
4. Have a HUGE party. I'm inviting everyone I know. One of the reasons I decided NOT to push it, and to go ahead and graduate in the spring, is so the weather won't suck and I can actually have a party. I didn't have a chance to celebrate my undergrad degree because it was December in Indiana, and we had snow storms, and they interrupted our graduation ceremony to announce that parts of I-65 were closed.
5. Avoid school for a long, long, time, with the exception of H's school. Her school is fun.
6. Actually exercise with some regularity. I'm holding out hope that I might have the energy for it then.
7. Sleep some more.
8. Start watching TV shows again.
9. Re-institute movie night with B.
10. Eat cake. I think I will have earned a cake. Cake for everyone!!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Feeling much better
Today was my last day of my summer class and...I actually managed to finish the project! It's not that I didn't really think I would do it - I knew I would somehow type enough words to fill the paper requirements - but I am just so relieved that I finished, presented without sounding too out of it, and am done. Having one less thing to worry about for a couple of months is going to be very helpful, I think.
I am still very stressed, but just removed one factor. School itself doesn't stress me out - and by that I mean that I don't really have trouble grasping or applying the concepts. But the time it takes to do a decent job on the work DOES stress me out because, at least for this crazy accelerated class, I certainly did not have the necessary time available. So I'm just glad to be done. There may even be a chance I can pull an A-, which would still ruin my 4.0 but is at least better than a B.
And yes, I know I am a total dweeb for complaining about the possibility of getting a B, and that people get Bs all the time and that they are okay, and that I should just shut up about it. You'd have to know how deeply rooted my desire for getting an A really is to understand that it's a big step for me to say that I'd still be okay with getting a B in this class. I mean, it's come to that. And I haven't had a B since high-school math class. But at some point it's important to acknowledge the obvious, which is that I am doing too much stuff right now, and a B is perfectly acceptable in that situation.
But part of me still hopes to eek out the A-. :)
Guess we'll see. I'm just SO GLAD TO BE DONE! I need a break for sure.
I am still very stressed, but just removed one factor. School itself doesn't stress me out - and by that I mean that I don't really have trouble grasping or applying the concepts. But the time it takes to do a decent job on the work DOES stress me out because, at least for this crazy accelerated class, I certainly did not have the necessary time available. So I'm just glad to be done. There may even be a chance I can pull an A-, which would still ruin my 4.0 but is at least better than a B.
And yes, I know I am a total dweeb for complaining about the possibility of getting a B, and that people get Bs all the time and that they are okay, and that I should just shut up about it. You'd have to know how deeply rooted my desire for getting an A really is to understand that it's a big step for me to say that I'd still be okay with getting a B in this class. I mean, it's come to that. And I haven't had a B since high-school math class. But at some point it's important to acknowledge the obvious, which is that I am doing too much stuff right now, and a B is perfectly acceptable in that situation.
But part of me still hopes to eek out the A-. :)
Guess we'll see. I'm just SO GLAD TO BE DONE! I need a break for sure.
Monday, June 22, 2009
I am tired.
I tried to think of some cute title for this post, but that seemed like a lot of work, so I gave up. I considered "Yes, I'm still alive" and "Yes, I still have a blog and I remembered the login" and "Hey, mom, here's that post you've been waiting for," but in the end I just went with something simple and true.
Last Friday was my worst travel experience ever, of any kind, and that includes the time I went to St. Louis and got a cab that the driver had to start with a hammer. Somewhere in hour three of the six-hour drive my colleague and I made from Charlotte, NC to Nashville, TN in our desperate bid to get home to Illinois, I started seriously questioning my career choice. And when I had to walk into class after my epic journey without even going home first, wearing clean socks and a clean t-shirt brought to me in the parking lot by my wonderful husband and child, I started seriously questioning my school choice. I have gotten over all this serious questioning, but am left feeling very overwhelmed, very tired, very inadequate as a spouse and mother and very uncertain of how to get myself out of this in one piece.
In case anyone I work with or for has happened to notice that I have a blog, and has somehow found it, I would like to be clear that I do, most of the time, like my job, and I do think I am basically good at it. But the amount of work has reached a critical mass that makes me feel like I'm not doing as well as I could at any of it, and I find that very frustrating. I like to be really good at things. I am a little weary of spending my days running from one meeting to the next, each about a different topic, throwing in a few business trips, trying to get homework done to some reasonable standard and still do a decent job of just being married, being a mom and occasionally cooking food or cleaning the bathroom.
One day last week, I had eight meetings. Eight. And I had a trip the next day (the fateful trip to NC), and I wasn't near being done with what I needed to do, and B had to work late because I was going to be gone the next two days and he wasn't going to get another chance. So I did the only thing I could think of, which is pick the kid up from school and take her back to work with me, at 6:30, so that I could finish my stuff. And she was beautifully well-behaved, wonderful in every way, as usual. But I felt like utter crap about it. I was getting ready to be gone for two days and I couldn't even spend some nice time with my kid watching Looney Tunes or building Legos or who knows what. She sat in a chair in my tiny cube and watched me work while she ate goldfish crackers.
So I went on the trip, then ran into travel insanity, and found myself finishing my homework for school while balancing my laptop on my knees while my colleague was driving to Nashville. I emailed the sorry thing to the professor at midnight that night when we finally got to the hotel. Thank goodness he was very understanding and didn't make me try to present my work after I stumbled into class 3 hours late, having flown in Saturday morning and driven straight to school. He even let me resubmit my homework so I could look it over to be sure it was coherent.
Yesterday was Father's Day, and while B said he had a great day, I wished I could have gotten it together to do more for him. He's been pulling all the weight at home lately, and he never complains or questions any of my travel or homework or anything. He just adjusts his schedule and makes things work, and even knows how to do ponytails so he can do Hannah's hair when I'm not home. He is wonderful. He is amazing. And I wanted to do something really great to show him how much every single thing he does means to me, and I couldn't get it together. I got him a t-shirt. He said, "Well, you've been busy." Which is true. But is it an excuse?
Then today at work was insane again, and I am just tired. And I have another trip Wednesday to Thursday. At least class is over on Saturday and I have the rest of the summer off. Let's not talk about the final project that's due in 5 days that I haven't even started...I guess that's what the plane ride is for.
But I have officially hit the wall. I am trying to do too much. And yeah, I get the next two months off from school, but what am I going to do in September when it all starts up again?
Last Friday was my worst travel experience ever, of any kind, and that includes the time I went to St. Louis and got a cab that the driver had to start with a hammer. Somewhere in hour three of the six-hour drive my colleague and I made from Charlotte, NC to Nashville, TN in our desperate bid to get home to Illinois, I started seriously questioning my career choice. And when I had to walk into class after my epic journey without even going home first, wearing clean socks and a clean t-shirt brought to me in the parking lot by my wonderful husband and child, I started seriously questioning my school choice. I have gotten over all this serious questioning, but am left feeling very overwhelmed, very tired, very inadequate as a spouse and mother and very uncertain of how to get myself out of this in one piece.
In case anyone I work with or for has happened to notice that I have a blog, and has somehow found it, I would like to be clear that I do, most of the time, like my job, and I do think I am basically good at it. But the amount of work has reached a critical mass that makes me feel like I'm not doing as well as I could at any of it, and I find that very frustrating. I like to be really good at things. I am a little weary of spending my days running from one meeting to the next, each about a different topic, throwing in a few business trips, trying to get homework done to some reasonable standard and still do a decent job of just being married, being a mom and occasionally cooking food or cleaning the bathroom.
One day last week, I had eight meetings. Eight. And I had a trip the next day (the fateful trip to NC), and I wasn't near being done with what I needed to do, and B had to work late because I was going to be gone the next two days and he wasn't going to get another chance. So I did the only thing I could think of, which is pick the kid up from school and take her back to work with me, at 6:30, so that I could finish my stuff. And she was beautifully well-behaved, wonderful in every way, as usual. But I felt like utter crap about it. I was getting ready to be gone for two days and I couldn't even spend some nice time with my kid watching Looney Tunes or building Legos or who knows what. She sat in a chair in my tiny cube and watched me work while she ate goldfish crackers.
So I went on the trip, then ran into travel insanity, and found myself finishing my homework for school while balancing my laptop on my knees while my colleague was driving to Nashville. I emailed the sorry thing to the professor at midnight that night when we finally got to the hotel. Thank goodness he was very understanding and didn't make me try to present my work after I stumbled into class 3 hours late, having flown in Saturday morning and driven straight to school. He even let me resubmit my homework so I could look it over to be sure it was coherent.
Yesterday was Father's Day, and while B said he had a great day, I wished I could have gotten it together to do more for him. He's been pulling all the weight at home lately, and he never complains or questions any of my travel or homework or anything. He just adjusts his schedule and makes things work, and even knows how to do ponytails so he can do Hannah's hair when I'm not home. He is wonderful. He is amazing. And I wanted to do something really great to show him how much every single thing he does means to me, and I couldn't get it together. I got him a t-shirt. He said, "Well, you've been busy." Which is true. But is it an excuse?
Then today at work was insane again, and I am just tired. And I have another trip Wednesday to Thursday. At least class is over on Saturday and I have the rest of the summer off. Let's not talk about the final project that's due in 5 days that I haven't even started...I guess that's what the plane ride is for.
But I have officially hit the wall. I am trying to do too much. And yeah, I get the next two months off from school, but what am I going to do in September when it all starts up again?
Friday, May 15, 2009
I blame Facebook
I haven't posted anything at all to my blog in weeks, but I've checked Facebook pretty much every day. In my defense, I've been really busy, and I also don't think anybody really misses my blog posts, as I have approximately 5 regular readers (Hi, Mom).
So, for an update, here are some random thoughts:
I finished the spring semester at school last night (goodbye, boring PR class), and I start my summer class tomorrow. The summer class is an accelerated course, which means it will be a brutal amount of work but that it will also be short (over at the end of June). This means I still get two months off before starting the fall semester. Also, there is no required textbook AND there are no tests, and the prof's syllabus is even funny - so I'm feeling pretty good about this class already. I'm so glad my classes this past semester were pretty easy; I remember how burned out I felt last year at this time, and I can't imagine what it would have been like trying to start a new class two days after finishing those courses. This time, though, it doesn't feel like a very big deal.
I spent some significant time at work today getting a handle on my travel schedule for the summer. I figured out I have three trips in May (two still to go), two in June, three in July, two in August...and that's just for now. There's more to come. It's insane and causes me exceptional guilt and stress, but I'm glad to at least have a job that I like most of the time.
The Wii Fit I got for Mother's Day talks about people behind their backs. When I got on it today, it asked me how I thought Brock was looking lately. I think it might have a crush on him. Also, I don't like its superior tone. I have decided that because it a) doesn't know how delightful chocolate chip cookies taste and b) doesn't even have legs, there is no way for it to possibly know what it's like to be me, so it should just keep its thoughts to itself! It said I've lost seven-tenths of a pound this week, and it seemed completely unimpressed. However, today I unlocked boxing, and that was pretty fun.
The new Green Day Album, 21st Century Breakdown, is awesome. I am extremely bummed I can't go to their concert in Chicago...but I'll be at a trade show in Ohio instead. :( At least Brock gets to go!
This weekend, our goal is to get our hotel and airfare booked for our summer vacation. I'd like to be locked in so we know we're going! Also, we don't think airfare is going to get any cheaper.
I am sleepy. Time to go to bed.
So, for an update, here are some random thoughts:
I finished the spring semester at school last night (goodbye, boring PR class), and I start my summer class tomorrow. The summer class is an accelerated course, which means it will be a brutal amount of work but that it will also be short (over at the end of June). This means I still get two months off before starting the fall semester. Also, there is no required textbook AND there are no tests, and the prof's syllabus is even funny - so I'm feeling pretty good about this class already. I'm so glad my classes this past semester were pretty easy; I remember how burned out I felt last year at this time, and I can't imagine what it would have been like trying to start a new class two days after finishing those courses. This time, though, it doesn't feel like a very big deal.
I spent some significant time at work today getting a handle on my travel schedule for the summer. I figured out I have three trips in May (two still to go), two in June, three in July, two in August...and that's just for now. There's more to come. It's insane and causes me exceptional guilt and stress, but I'm glad to at least have a job that I like most of the time.
The Wii Fit I got for Mother's Day talks about people behind their backs. When I got on it today, it asked me how I thought Brock was looking lately. I think it might have a crush on him. Also, I don't like its superior tone. I have decided that because it a) doesn't know how delightful chocolate chip cookies taste and b) doesn't even have legs, there is no way for it to possibly know what it's like to be me, so it should just keep its thoughts to itself! It said I've lost seven-tenths of a pound this week, and it seemed completely unimpressed. However, today I unlocked boxing, and that was pretty fun.
The new Green Day Album, 21st Century Breakdown, is awesome. I am extremely bummed I can't go to their concert in Chicago...but I'll be at a trade show in Ohio instead. :( At least Brock gets to go!
This weekend, our goal is to get our hotel and airfare booked for our summer vacation. I'd like to be locked in so we know we're going! Also, we don't think airfare is going to get any cheaper.
I am sleepy. Time to go to bed.
Monday, April 27, 2009
And I didn't write a blog post till now!
I have spent ALL DAY doing homework (it is an awesome way to use a vacation day; you should totally try it). I have two papers due in a couple of weeks with a big, time-consuming business trip between now and then, so it's basically crunch time for getting these things done. While I did get a little distracted by Facebook a couple of times, and probably posted on my status a little too often just because I haven't had anyone to talk to all day, I am really proud that I lasted till now - 9 hours into my paper-writing extravaganza - to write a blog post. Usually I use this as a big procrastination tactic, so maybe I'm improving.
By my calculation, I have generated more than 4,000 words and about 18 pages of stuff today, not counting all the time I spent editing and formatting the stuff I already had done. I still have two more sections of one paper to do, and I am determined to finish that tonight.
I will be glad when this semester is over. It's kind of been a drag.
By my calculation, I have generated more than 4,000 words and about 18 pages of stuff today, not counting all the time I spent editing and formatting the stuff I already had done. I still have two more sections of one paper to do, and I am determined to finish that tonight.
I will be glad when this semester is over. It's kind of been a drag.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Unmotivated
I did not realize it's been almost a month since I posted anything! Ah, I am a bad blogger. But really, I've been so unmotivated about just about everything "usual" lately that I guess I just didn't think about it.
Usually I use this space to whine about school, but I haven't been thinking much about school. I don't blog in any detail about work, which has consumed a huge portion of life lately with travel and then the inevitable, all-consuming aftermath of travel, where you try to get all the work done that piled up while you were traveling. And I've been totally slacking and using the little free time I do have as actual free time, and doing stuff like reading books (instead of homework), hanging out with family, celebrating Brock's birthday with a fun day in the city, etc.
So other than reading two really good books lately (The Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin and The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir - I am in a historical fiction mood), I don't have much to report.
I am taking a day off work next week to knock out my final papers for school, since for the first time in my life I have been actively choosing not to do my school work. I just can't get into it, and I haven't been forcing myself. I have a theory that because I will soon be 2/3 done (yippee), and because neither of my classes requires a great amount of thought or effort, I have hit a wall. Brock says I'm turning normal, and starting to act like a regular student, but it's weird for me. You'd think I would be more concerned, but I'm not. I just hope I can push through it before I start my summer class, because from here on out I don't think my classes will be easy at all. So I'm enjoying coasting for this semester, and I'm going to have to buckle down from here on out.
So yeah, I'm just kinda boring right now. That's okay.
Usually I use this space to whine about school, but I haven't been thinking much about school. I don't blog in any detail about work, which has consumed a huge portion of life lately with travel and then the inevitable, all-consuming aftermath of travel, where you try to get all the work done that piled up while you were traveling. And I've been totally slacking and using the little free time I do have as actual free time, and doing stuff like reading books (instead of homework), hanging out with family, celebrating Brock's birthday with a fun day in the city, etc.
So other than reading two really good books lately (The Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin and The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir - I am in a historical fiction mood), I don't have much to report.
I am taking a day off work next week to knock out my final papers for school, since for the first time in my life I have been actively choosing not to do my school work. I just can't get into it, and I haven't been forcing myself. I have a theory that because I will soon be 2/3 done (yippee), and because neither of my classes requires a great amount of thought or effort, I have hit a wall. Brock says I'm turning normal, and starting to act like a regular student, but it's weird for me. You'd think I would be more concerned, but I'm not. I just hope I can push through it before I start my summer class, because from here on out I don't think my classes will be easy at all. So I'm enjoying coasting for this semester, and I'm going to have to buckle down from here on out.
So yeah, I'm just kinda boring right now. That's okay.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
B is for Bueno
I am traveling for work (again) this week. I had one midterm paper due today and another one is due tomorrow. I have emailed them both to my instructors, so at least they're done. I have decided, all things considered, that they are both solid B papers, and that's okay. I don't like it, but it's reality. So I was talking to Brock on the phone tonight and he said "B is for Bueno" - which I liked.
When you are traveling for half the month your midterm papers are due, and you have dinners to go to and actual work you have to do each evening because the meetings you were in all day did not make it possible for you to do any work, a B just has to be okay, right? Really, at this point, I'm rather impressed that they're done and they're coherent.
I think I am going to try to be well-adjusted about this until I get my papers back. If I do, by some miracle, get an A on either of them, I am going to seriously consider dialing down the amount of effort I put into things. It would show that it is possible to get an A while being horribly distracted. *chuckle*
When you are traveling for half the month your midterm papers are due, and you have dinners to go to and actual work you have to do each evening because the meetings you were in all day did not make it possible for you to do any work, a B just has to be okay, right? Really, at this point, I'm rather impressed that they're done and they're coherent.
I think I am going to try to be well-adjusted about this until I get my papers back. If I do, by some miracle, get an A on either of them, I am going to seriously consider dialing down the amount of effort I put into things. It would show that it is possible to get an A while being horribly distracted. *chuckle*
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
A bit of shameless self-congratulation
If you were one of the 100+ people who took my blog reader survey for my research class project last year, I would like to say THANK YOU - because I found out today that my paper is being published in my school's communication academic journal! Woo!
I am really excited; I enjoyed that project a lot and learned that I was a research nerd in the process of doing it. And...my paper got accepted to the journal with NO requests for edits! I am so jazzed. :)
I am really excited; I enjoyed that project a lot and learned that I was a research nerd in the process of doing it. And...my paper got accepted to the journal with NO requests for edits! I am so jazzed. :)
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Midterm panic
I have two midterm papers due in approximately two and a half weeks, and I have started neither of them.
It's not for lack of trying. I have fallen asleep looking up stuff on the computer more than once. But work has been crazy busy, and as a result I've been totally unmotivated to give up family/home time. So here I am, T minus 2.5 weeks, and not only do I have not a word written, but I'm also getting ready for two horrible weeks of business travel. Two weeks that coincide with the two weeks I have left to get these papers done.
How did I let this happen to myself? Bah!
I just needed to whine about that a bit. Tonight I must at least finish the first couple sections of one of these papers, or I am probably doomed. Nay, definitely doomed. Bah (again)!
The only consolation I have is that after this, I only have three times left in my entire life when I will have to deal with midterms. Because after I get this degree, I am SO DONE with school. Forever. Unless I'm teaching it.
It's not for lack of trying. I have fallen asleep looking up stuff on the computer more than once. But work has been crazy busy, and as a result I've been totally unmotivated to give up family/home time. So here I am, T minus 2.5 weeks, and not only do I have not a word written, but I'm also getting ready for two horrible weeks of business travel. Two weeks that coincide with the two weeks I have left to get these papers done.
How did I let this happen to myself? Bah!
I just needed to whine about that a bit. Tonight I must at least finish the first couple sections of one of these papers, or I am probably doomed. Nay, definitely doomed. Bah (again)!
The only consolation I have is that after this, I only have three times left in my entire life when I will have to deal with midterms. Because after I get this degree, I am SO DONE with school. Forever. Unless I'm teaching it.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
School, schmool
I have always loved school. I haven't always loved all my classes, but I have always loved going to school and learning things and getting A's. :)
This semester I'm paying so little attention to school that it scares me. I'm 4 weeks in and I don't even remember when the midterms are due. And the worst part is that I periodically think, "I wonder when the midterms are due?" and I could, then, go look it up, but I don't.
I have one incredibly interesting class with a super-cool professor who doesn't seem to believe in having to do a lot of work and also believes in getting out of class early every week. This is the perfect storm of awesomeness for school: I learn something cool and applicable to my life every single week, but I don't even have to invest much to do it. I just show up and absorb. So I don't pay that much attention except for the couple hours a week I have to go there.
My other class is BORING and I am not learning ANYTHING so I'm having a hard time caring at all. It's an odd feeling not to care, but I really, really don't. For the first time ever, I'm embracing the idea that I can skate, and it's okay to skate, and I'm probably still going to get a good enough grade. I can't invest too much effort in something that's giving me no tangible or useful return except a grade and three more credit hours toward graduation. I even looked into dropping the class, but there's nothing else I can take; I've taken every other class that's being offered at the campus I prefer to attend, so I'm stuck.
It doesn't help that work is completely insane, so the amount of time I have left to divide between home and school is greatly diminished. And with two classes that don't really require me, at this point, to spend much time on them, I'm weighting my "free" time much more heavily toward home/family stuff.
It is so odd for me to just let this kind of thing go. But I guess I've finally hit the point where I know this is the way it has to be. Sometimes good enough is really good enough.
I've flirted with this "so what?" attitude before, but this is the first time I feel like it's really taking hold. I am beginning to understand how everybody in undergrad had so much time to go out and do stuff - they'd already arrived at this enlightened approach to education. Talk to me again, though, when I'm trying to get midterm papers done...because usually the closer the grade gets, the more wiggy I get. That will be the true test.
Which reminds me...I really should look up when those things are due. Bah.
This semester I'm paying so little attention to school that it scares me. I'm 4 weeks in and I don't even remember when the midterms are due. And the worst part is that I periodically think, "I wonder when the midterms are due?" and I could, then, go look it up, but I don't.
I have one incredibly interesting class with a super-cool professor who doesn't seem to believe in having to do a lot of work and also believes in getting out of class early every week. This is the perfect storm of awesomeness for school: I learn something cool and applicable to my life every single week, but I don't even have to invest much to do it. I just show up and absorb. So I don't pay that much attention except for the couple hours a week I have to go there.
My other class is BORING and I am not learning ANYTHING so I'm having a hard time caring at all. It's an odd feeling not to care, but I really, really don't. For the first time ever, I'm embracing the idea that I can skate, and it's okay to skate, and I'm probably still going to get a good enough grade. I can't invest too much effort in something that's giving me no tangible or useful return except a grade and three more credit hours toward graduation. I even looked into dropping the class, but there's nothing else I can take; I've taken every other class that's being offered at the campus I prefer to attend, so I'm stuck.
It doesn't help that work is completely insane, so the amount of time I have left to divide between home and school is greatly diminished. And with two classes that don't really require me, at this point, to spend much time on them, I'm weighting my "free" time much more heavily toward home/family stuff.
It is so odd for me to just let this kind of thing go. But I guess I've finally hit the point where I know this is the way it has to be. Sometimes good enough is really good enough.
I've flirted with this "so what?" attitude before, but this is the first time I feel like it's really taking hold. I am beginning to understand how everybody in undergrad had so much time to go out and do stuff - they'd already arrived at this enlightened approach to education. Talk to me again, though, when I'm trying to get midterm papers done...because usually the closer the grade gets, the more wiggy I get. That will be the true test.
Which reminds me...I really should look up when those things are due. Bah.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
The school debrief
So, I haven't mentioned on here that I am officially done with classes for the semester. I had kind of an anticlimactic end to the semester because on my last day of Saturday class, I didn't have to do anything but hand in my take-home final, and my last Thursday class got canceled because of the weather so all we had to do was email the take-home final to the instructor.
I do not enjoy studying or test-taking, generally, but it does make for sort of a sputtering end to the term when you can't do the brain dump onto your exam paper, drop the thing on the instructor's desk and emerge, triumphant, from the hallowed halls of learning that have sapped all your energy and free time for the preceding 15 weeks. But I am almost certain I got an A in both my classes, which makes me happy, because I like getting A's very much. :)
With this term, I am halfway done with grad school. This is AWESOME! I can totally see the end from here...it's like being at the top of the mountain, and while there's still a long walk down, at least from here on out I'm going down and not up anymore! Six more classes to go (two this spring, one over the summer, two in the fall and the big finish the following spring).
I'm planning to enjoy my nice, long break. I have to cram in some business travel in January since I'm not that available for business trips during the semester, but otherwise, I'll be happy to be home more. School only takes me from home two days a week, and I do almost all of my homework after Hannah goes to bed, but I still feel a little guilty that I'm not always here when she needs or wants me to be. Luckily, I have a great husband who totally picks up the slack for me, and keeps me sane.
I still love school, though. I'm kind of wondering what I'll do when I'm done. I like learning! I'm a nerd. :)
I do not enjoy studying or test-taking, generally, but it does make for sort of a sputtering end to the term when you can't do the brain dump onto your exam paper, drop the thing on the instructor's desk and emerge, triumphant, from the hallowed halls of learning that have sapped all your energy and free time for the preceding 15 weeks. But I am almost certain I got an A in both my classes, which makes me happy, because I like getting A's very much. :)
With this term, I am halfway done with grad school. This is AWESOME! I can totally see the end from here...it's like being at the top of the mountain, and while there's still a long walk down, at least from here on out I'm going down and not up anymore! Six more classes to go (two this spring, one over the summer, two in the fall and the big finish the following spring).
I'm planning to enjoy my nice, long break. I have to cram in some business travel in January since I'm not that available for business trips during the semester, but otherwise, I'll be happy to be home more. School only takes me from home two days a week, and I do almost all of my homework after Hannah goes to bed, but I still feel a little guilty that I'm not always here when she needs or wants me to be. Luckily, I have a great husband who totally picks up the slack for me, and keeps me sane.
I still love school, though. I'm kind of wondering what I'll do when I'm done. I like learning! I'm a nerd. :)
Monday, December 15, 2008
Almost done
So...I have one take-home final left, and that's it. I have zero motivation to even start it. (I've had it since Thursday night, and it has remained firmly in my pile of school books ever since.) My rationale for this is that, if I were to take the final IN CLASS, it would take an hour, so since I have three nights left in which to do it, certainly I can get it done in plenty of time. I know that fundamentally this is right. However, I really should've started the thing already. I mean, I haven't even LOOKED at it. I have no idea what's on it.
I think I might be turning into a "normal" student. And it only took nearly 30 years, a husband, a full-time job and a preschooler to get me here. *chuckle*
But speaking of "nearly 30 years," I went out for my "nearly 30th birthday" on Saturday and had a delightful time. (Probably saying it was "delightful" sounds old...like high tea or something. It was not like high tea, unless they have margaritas, tequila shots and vodka tonics at high tea...which, I believe, they do not.) Anyway, I went to The Baton in Chicago with some friends, which provides "the best in female impersonation" according to their website. (I'm not linking to the website because there's not much there, and you'd just be disappointed. Google it if you really care.) Anyway, the show was fantastic and we all had a great time. Two of the performers completely confused me with their flawless makeup and flawless other things. And two were totally making eyes at one of my friends, who happens to be a very cute gay man...partially because he's very cute and partially, I think, that they know they get tips if they stare at people in the audience.
And, remarkably, I was in "okay" shape the next day. I won't say I didn't need extra sleep, and I won't claim to have gotten through the day without Tylenol...and I did actually go outside the house without makeup for approximately the first time since giving birth because I just didn't have the energy to deal with concealer...but I was "okay." :)
So yeah, I'm NOT 30 YET!
And now, I must put my kid to bed and sort of think about maybe starting that final, I guess, perhaps...
I think I might be turning into a "normal" student. And it only took nearly 30 years, a husband, a full-time job and a preschooler to get me here. *chuckle*
But speaking of "nearly 30 years," I went out for my "nearly 30th birthday" on Saturday and had a delightful time. (Probably saying it was "delightful" sounds old...like high tea or something. It was not like high tea, unless they have margaritas, tequila shots and vodka tonics at high tea...which, I believe, they do not.) Anyway, I went to The Baton in Chicago with some friends, which provides "the best in female impersonation" according to their website. (I'm not linking to the website because there's not much there, and you'd just be disappointed. Google it if you really care.) Anyway, the show was fantastic and we all had a great time. Two of the performers completely confused me with their flawless makeup and flawless other things. And two were totally making eyes at one of my friends, who happens to be a very cute gay man...partially because he's very cute and partially, I think, that they know they get tips if they stare at people in the audience.
And, remarkably, I was in "okay" shape the next day. I won't say I didn't need extra sleep, and I won't claim to have gotten through the day without Tylenol...and I did actually go outside the house without makeup for approximately the first time since giving birth because I just didn't have the energy to deal with concealer...but I was "okay." :)
So yeah, I'm NOT 30 YET!
And now, I must put my kid to bed and sort of think about maybe starting that final, I guess, perhaps...
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Papers and presentations and tests, oh my!
Sometimes, I wonder what my undergraduate career would have been like, had there been blogs and Twitter and the general internet environment we find ourselves in today. Because I think I procrastinated a lot then, anyway, and I can't for the life of me figure out how I was doing it. I think maybe I just watched a lot of Dawson's Creek and had deep, philosophical discussions with my roommate about why we liked Pacey SO MUCH BETTER than Dawson. Anyway.
So, I was reading Vic's 3:30 a.m. post about not being able to sleep during finals, and I thought, "Yeah, why is it so annoying? Was I this annoyed as an undergrad?" I think I probably was, but I also had a lot less going on.
So this week, for example, I have a paper and presentation due tomorrow. Paper is done. Presentation is not. And it's not done because I had stomach flu yesterday. Not a terribly bad case, but bad enough that I couldn't eat any food, which meant that by about 3:30 yesterday afternoon (after TWO two-hour meetings, plus other meetings, plus three presentations on various things having to do with my job), I was just about done. And the weather was crap. And then I came down with a fever. So, meaning to only sleep for a couple of hours before getting up to try to at least draft the presentation, I actually fell asleep on the couch and didn't wake up till 11:30. At which point, I just went to bed, because you can't START homework at 11:30.
So today I am better, but I have no presentation, and I have two things I need to do for work tonight AFTER I finish and practice the presentation, and here I am blogging.
Because it's a lot more fun to complain about stuff than it is to actually do it.
Although I suppose I should just go do it anyway.
So, I was reading Vic's 3:30 a.m. post about not being able to sleep during finals, and I thought, "Yeah, why is it so annoying? Was I this annoyed as an undergrad?" I think I probably was, but I also had a lot less going on.
So this week, for example, I have a paper and presentation due tomorrow. Paper is done. Presentation is not. And it's not done because I had stomach flu yesterday. Not a terribly bad case, but bad enough that I couldn't eat any food, which meant that by about 3:30 yesterday afternoon (after TWO two-hour meetings, plus other meetings, plus three presentations on various things having to do with my job), I was just about done. And the weather was crap. And then I came down with a fever. So, meaning to only sleep for a couple of hours before getting up to try to at least draft the presentation, I actually fell asleep on the couch and didn't wake up till 11:30. At which point, I just went to bed, because you can't START homework at 11:30.
So today I am better, but I have no presentation, and I have two things I need to do for work tonight AFTER I finish and practice the presentation, and here I am blogging.
Because it's a lot more fun to complain about stuff than it is to actually do it.
Although I suppose I should just go do it anyway.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
It is so hard to focus!
You know, Christmastime is very distracting. Especially when you have a little kid who loves Christmas lights and Christmas trees and Christmas everything else. And super-especially if you happen to work with a bunch of wonderful people who get way into the holiday spirit and plan no less than six holiday activities for your department. And really-especially if your birthday and your anniversary all happen around Christmas. It's fun, but I am having a hard time getting anything done at work or at home!
Like right now, I should be working on the second question of my take-home essay final exam for one of my classes, but I just kind of don't feel like it. So I'm procrastinating. But I said I wasn't going to bed till it was finished, and I meant it.
I will just have to put the following thoughts out of my head:
1) I have not started Christmas shopping.
2) I haven't even made the list of people we need to shop for.
3) I haven't begun to think about sending Christmas cards.
4) I would really rather be thinking about any of these things than multicultural marketing.
And so...back to my regularly scheduled essays. But this was a nice break. :)
Like right now, I should be working on the second question of my take-home essay final exam for one of my classes, but I just kind of don't feel like it. So I'm procrastinating. But I said I wasn't going to bed till it was finished, and I meant it.
I will just have to put the following thoughts out of my head:
1) I have not started Christmas shopping.
2) I haven't even made the list of people we need to shop for.
3) I haven't begun to think about sending Christmas cards.
4) I would really rather be thinking about any of these things than multicultural marketing.
And so...back to my regularly scheduled essays. But this was a nice break. :)
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Steamrolling to the end of the semester
I think I'm really about three or four different people: School Me, Work Me, Home Me (which could further split into Mom Me and Wife Me), Friend Me.
School Me is torn about class right now, because the end of the semester is barreling toward me. I am 99% sure I'm going to get an A in the class I like. I am 99% sure that getting the paper done for the class I don't like is going to be wicked torture. How can I like one class so much and hate the other one so much?
Anyway, after Thanksgiving I only have two classes left for one course (the one I hate) and three classes left for the other (the one I like). After my Tuesday "Oh my gosh school is almost over and I haven't even outlined the biggest paper I have to do" session, I am in okay shape on getting everything done. I'll be in better shape if I can grab a few hours over the Thanksgiving holiday to get some more work done, but that's usually challenging because we're with family, and they want to, you know, talk to me and stuff. *chuckle* Of course, I love being with them, too...but I also just want to get this stupid paper finished and out of my life forever and ever.
The thing is, I like being School Me. I love school. I forgot how much I loved school until I went back. So I wonder...will I miss School Me when this three-year odyssey is over? I think I probably will.
But then I think...if School Me goes away again, maybe I could get Reading for Fun Me back. I do miss her a bit. :)
School Me is torn about class right now, because the end of the semester is barreling toward me. I am 99% sure I'm going to get an A in the class I like. I am 99% sure that getting the paper done for the class I don't like is going to be wicked torture. How can I like one class so much and hate the other one so much?
Anyway, after Thanksgiving I only have two classes left for one course (the one I hate) and three classes left for the other (the one I like). After my Tuesday "Oh my gosh school is almost over and I haven't even outlined the biggest paper I have to do" session, I am in okay shape on getting everything done. I'll be in better shape if I can grab a few hours over the Thanksgiving holiday to get some more work done, but that's usually challenging because we're with family, and they want to, you know, talk to me and stuff. *chuckle* Of course, I love being with them, too...but I also just want to get this stupid paper finished and out of my life forever and ever.
The thing is, I like being School Me. I love school. I forgot how much I loved school until I went back. So I wonder...will I miss School Me when this three-year odyssey is over? I think I probably will.
But then I think...if School Me goes away again, maybe I could get Reading for Fun Me back. I do miss her a bit. :)
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The most un-vacationy vacation day
So, it's 1:07 p.m. on a Tuesday, and I'm at home...on a "vacation day" to do homework. On one hand, that's about the most pathetic thing ever. On the other hand, I am getting a lot done, and I think that if I could have Mythbusters running in the background at work I would get more done there, too. Also, it helps if no one calls you and you're not obligated to answer your emails.
I was inspired to schedule this unrelaxing day after realizing that I only have, like, two classes left before I have all these big projects due, and I have really turned into a slacker this semester so I haven't been paying a lot of attention to schoolwork. (Brock is quite proud of me for this, and gave me a high-five for finally acting "normal" about school.)
Anyway, I spent the morning combing through dozens of sources for my fabulous paper on launching Oreo cookies in India. The good news is that my greatest fear has not yet come true - I haven't found any evidence that Kraft already did this, thus making my paper completely irrelevant. So I think I'm okay. And I typed up my reference list already, so that part is done. AND my literature review is already done...so really I only have 13 more pages to crank out, plus a presentation, by Dec. 6. The bad news is that I do actually need to have a big idea about how to launch Oreo cookies in India, but that, so far, has not happened.
The afternoon is dedicated to the project for my other class, which is about revitalizing the Taster's Choice instant coffee brand. I think if I can get my backgrounder done this afternoon, I'll be pleased. I'm less worried about this project because all the assignments for class have fed into it, so I'm much further along than I am on the Oreo thing.
Perhaps I should eat some Oreos for inspiration. I'm not drinking Taster's Choice because I don't even like coffee. ;)
I did go to Taco Bell for lunch, one of my all-time favorite indulgences when I am stressed out, and I'm amazed at how good my mood is after three hard-shell Taco Supremes. I don't know why or how, but Taco Bell has the best sour cream anywhere, and it makes me happy.
Okay, clearly I am procrastinating...time to get back to homework. Besides, I have to call into work for a phone conference at 2:30 (I told you this was the most un-vacationy vacation day)...
I was inspired to schedule this unrelaxing day after realizing that I only have, like, two classes left before I have all these big projects due, and I have really turned into a slacker this semester so I haven't been paying a lot of attention to schoolwork. (Brock is quite proud of me for this, and gave me a high-five for finally acting "normal" about school.)
Anyway, I spent the morning combing through dozens of sources for my fabulous paper on launching Oreo cookies in India. The good news is that my greatest fear has not yet come true - I haven't found any evidence that Kraft already did this, thus making my paper completely irrelevant. So I think I'm okay. And I typed up my reference list already, so that part is done. AND my literature review is already done...so really I only have 13 more pages to crank out, plus a presentation, by Dec. 6. The bad news is that I do actually need to have a big idea about how to launch Oreo cookies in India, but that, so far, has not happened.
The afternoon is dedicated to the project for my other class, which is about revitalizing the Taster's Choice instant coffee brand. I think if I can get my backgrounder done this afternoon, I'll be pleased. I'm less worried about this project because all the assignments for class have fed into it, so I'm much further along than I am on the Oreo thing.
Perhaps I should eat some Oreos for inspiration. I'm not drinking Taster's Choice because I don't even like coffee. ;)
I did go to Taco Bell for lunch, one of my all-time favorite indulgences when I am stressed out, and I'm amazed at how good my mood is after three hard-shell Taco Supremes. I don't know why or how, but Taco Bell has the best sour cream anywhere, and it makes me happy.
Okay, clearly I am procrastinating...time to get back to homework. Besides, I have to call into work for a phone conference at 2:30 (I told you this was the most un-vacationy vacation day)...
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Homework. Meh.
I am four weeks into the school year, which means that homework is now starting to pile up in earnest. There's reading. There are projects to start working on. (My professor yesterday had the nerve to ask if anyone "was encountering any issues" in working on our final projects - which are not due until December. The issue I'm encountering is having professors who think you might actually work on a project that's not due for three more months this far in advance. Who has time for that??)
My project topics this semester are...if not quite interesting, at least intriguing. One is to "reinvigorate" the Taster's Choice brand. The other is to market Oreos to people in India. While "Oreos to India" sounds like some misguided relief program, I think it will be really interesting to learn more about Indian culture and marketing segments; figuring out how to get them to purchase a cookie (although it is admittedly a delicious cookie) is kind of secondary for me.
The Taster's Choice thing is in another world entirely, as I think the idea of the project is really cool, but having to work on a brand I've never even tried (and won't, as I don't drink coffee!) is turning out to be really challenging. I'm having a hard time paying attention to it. I am drawing heavily on my first semester of grad school, where I had to work very hard to care about Gain laundry detergent, which I had also never tried before. I have since tried it, as I bought two bottles to use as visual aids for my presentation, but a year later I haven't even finished the second bottle. If I end up buying Taster's Choice to use as a visual aid, I have no idea what I will do with it - because everyone I've told about this project has said, "Wow, they still make Taster's Choice?"
I guess the upside is that I could be a hero to Nescafe and give them the blueprint for bringing Taster's Choice back from wherever it's been since the 1990s.
I'm rambling because I'm avoiding the draft of my situation analysis. Must go do real work now. :)
My project topics this semester are...if not quite interesting, at least intriguing. One is to "reinvigorate" the Taster's Choice brand. The other is to market Oreos to people in India. While "Oreos to India" sounds like some misguided relief program, I think it will be really interesting to learn more about Indian culture and marketing segments; figuring out how to get them to purchase a cookie (although it is admittedly a delicious cookie) is kind of secondary for me.
The Taster's Choice thing is in another world entirely, as I think the idea of the project is really cool, but having to work on a brand I've never even tried (and won't, as I don't drink coffee!) is turning out to be really challenging. I'm having a hard time paying attention to it. I am drawing heavily on my first semester of grad school, where I had to work very hard to care about Gain laundry detergent, which I had also never tried before. I have since tried it, as I bought two bottles to use as visual aids for my presentation, but a year later I haven't even finished the second bottle. If I end up buying Taster's Choice to use as a visual aid, I have no idea what I will do with it - because everyone I've told about this project has said, "Wow, they still make Taster's Choice?"
I guess the upside is that I could be a hero to Nescafe and give them the blueprint for bringing Taster's Choice back from wherever it's been since the 1990s.
I'm rambling because I'm avoiding the draft of my situation analysis. Must go do real work now. :)
Monday, August 25, 2008
A thankful heart is a happy heart
So, the title of this post is a song that's in the Madame Blueberry episode of Veggie Tales. It's a lesson about being thankful for what you have.
After several viewings of this episode, and having the aforementioned song stuck in my head for days and days and days, I have decided to actually listen to it. This is because I have been super-crabby about work for the past few days. (I think I have done a good job controlling the crabbiness outside of work.)
Suffice it to say that my work life is changing again and, after just taking my new job a couple of months ago, my responsibilities are shifting a bit. Although the logical part of my brain sees that there may be some good opportunities lurking in this situation, the illogical part of my brain would just like things to stay the same for 5 minutes so I have a chance to get good at what I'm doing without having to add more new stuff on top of new stuff. That's the part of my brain that's been making me crabby for the past week.
So I have decided to try very hard to be like Madame Blueberry, and be thankful for what I have: a good job at a company that's been around a long time (not to mention the wonderful non-work things I have, like my awesome family and good friends and a nice roof over my head). This is not to say I have totally banished the crabbiness, but my hope is that it will help my attitude recover a bit.
Also, I realized that school starts next week. Instead of panicking, I am also trying very hard to be thankful that I have the means to advance my education and learn new things.
I don't think this rosy view will last very long, as I am cynical and sarcastic by nature, but at least I'm making an effort here.
I am still not, however, thankful for what I have to go do now, which is work on my budgets for the next fiscal year. I just can't be thankful for budgeting. It is one of my least favorite things.
But I'm thankful for everything else. Really.
After several viewings of this episode, and having the aforementioned song stuck in my head for days and days and days, I have decided to actually listen to it. This is because I have been super-crabby about work for the past few days. (I think I have done a good job controlling the crabbiness outside of work.)
Suffice it to say that my work life is changing again and, after just taking my new job a couple of months ago, my responsibilities are shifting a bit. Although the logical part of my brain sees that there may be some good opportunities lurking in this situation, the illogical part of my brain would just like things to stay the same for 5 minutes so I have a chance to get good at what I'm doing without having to add more new stuff on top of new stuff. That's the part of my brain that's been making me crabby for the past week.
So I have decided to try very hard to be like Madame Blueberry, and be thankful for what I have: a good job at a company that's been around a long time (not to mention the wonderful non-work things I have, like my awesome family and good friends and a nice roof over my head). This is not to say I have totally banished the crabbiness, but my hope is that it will help my attitude recover a bit.
Also, I realized that school starts next week. Instead of panicking, I am also trying very hard to be thankful that I have the means to advance my education and learn new things.
I don't think this rosy view will last very long, as I am cynical and sarcastic by nature, but at least I'm making an effort here.
I am still not, however, thankful for what I have to go do now, which is work on my budgets for the next fiscal year. I just can't be thankful for budgeting. It is one of my least favorite things.
But I'm thankful for everything else. Really.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Alice Cooper had it right
Sing it with me:
Schoooooool's out for summer!
I've been singing that all day, because today was my last day of class! Wahoo! And while I am already sort of regretting the extra time it will take me to finish school because I'm not taking summer classes, I am SO HAPPY I get three and a half months off.
So, congratulations to me (and Brock and Hannah, who had a vested interest) for getting through my first year of grad school. I am 1/3 finished!
And...Saturday we all went to pick up my research report on blog readers (Hannah was excited to see my school). I got 100% on the paper, and my professor encouraged me to submit it for publication to our department's journal. Who knows if it'll get accepted, but I was really excited that she thought it was that good. So...thanks again if you took my survey!
I am pretty sure I'm going to get an A in both of my classes. The research class is a definite, and unless I completely bombed my short final paper and presentation in ethics, I should be okay there too. I was a little miffed that the prof took 4% off my greenwashing paper, because she wrote zero comments on anything other than that I should have used section headings. She never told us we had to have section headings, and anyway, I don't particularly think a lack of section headings is worth 4%. But...I still got an A, after all the heartache (and headaches, and heartburn), so I should probably just be happy, stop trying to be a perfectionist, and get over it. *chuckle*
This means I can start on my list of things to do when school's out. I already ate lunch away from my desk, have been hanging out with my family more, and started making a dent in my magazine pile. Tomorrow I'm going out for sushi (spicy tuna rolls...mmmm). Tomorrow is also going to be the first day of what I'm calling CaffeineWatch 2008, where I try to wean myself off my reliance on caffeinated beverages. For week one of CaffeineWatch 2008, I am going to try to limit myself to one caffeinated drink per day. We'll see how I do.
Also, I might be getting a cold, but I don't even care because...
Schoooooool's out for summer!
Schoooooool's out for summer!
I've been singing that all day, because today was my last day of class! Wahoo! And while I am already sort of regretting the extra time it will take me to finish school because I'm not taking summer classes, I am SO HAPPY I get three and a half months off.
So, congratulations to me (and Brock and Hannah, who had a vested interest) for getting through my first year of grad school. I am 1/3 finished!
And...Saturday we all went to pick up my research report on blog readers (Hannah was excited to see my school). I got 100% on the paper, and my professor encouraged me to submit it for publication to our department's journal. Who knows if it'll get accepted, but I was really excited that she thought it was that good. So...thanks again if you took my survey!
I am pretty sure I'm going to get an A in both of my classes. The research class is a definite, and unless I completely bombed my short final paper and presentation in ethics, I should be okay there too. I was a little miffed that the prof took 4% off my greenwashing paper, because she wrote zero comments on anything other than that I should have used section headings. She never told us we had to have section headings, and anyway, I don't particularly think a lack of section headings is worth 4%. But...I still got an A, after all the heartache (and headaches, and heartburn), so I should probably just be happy, stop trying to be a perfectionist, and get over it. *chuckle*
This means I can start on my list of things to do when school's out. I already ate lunch away from my desk, have been hanging out with my family more, and started making a dent in my magazine pile. Tomorrow I'm going out for sushi (spicy tuna rolls...mmmm). Tomorrow is also going to be the first day of what I'm calling CaffeineWatch 2008, where I try to wean myself off my reliance on caffeinated beverages. For week one of CaffeineWatch 2008, I am going to try to limit myself to one caffeinated drink per day. We'll see how I do.
Also, I might be getting a cold, but I don't even care because...
Schoooooool's out for summer!
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