It's about to get real!

For the past three months I have had to balance two important thoughts. Finishing my Masters thesis and knowing that my next goal is just around the corner. In retrospect, I have enjoyed the past two years. But I have not forgotten the numerous weeks of stress, aggravation, and lack of sleep. However, I have kept my focus on my future and with the support of my amazing hubby I am now less then a week away from graduating with my Masters.

Now, the only thing between me and my dream career is four more years of intense work and dedication. In total I have 54 credits, 18 hours of comps, and one dissertation to complete. It will take hard work, perseverance, prayer, a little help from my friends, and more then likely a few (dozen) glasses of wine.

In the end I want to teach communication at the college level for the rest of my life. I love to research as well as teaching. Really teaching has been all I have ever wanted to do. But it was not until five years ago that I realized that teaching at the college level was where I wanted to be. Recently I have been able to teach not only as a TA for my department, but was requested to take the place of another professor at a small liberal arts college in town. After some thinking and a few talks with the hubby, I took the position. To be honest I think this new position helped me work even harder. I had to manage my time in a whole new way which kept me focused. And because of my success with the class I took over I have been offered two class this summer.

SO although I am still a few days away from OFFICIALLY being a PhD candidate I am ready and eager to begin the challenge. So... as I sit at my little MAC, I wonder what adventures I am about to experience. I am sure I will laugh, cry, scream, and smile. I know I can do it, and hopefully I will have this as a way to always remember what is was like to be a PhD candidate.

How to Survive Grad School pt. 1

Find a children's book series and buy all of the books in it. I have found that after reading, and reading, and reading; journal after journal after journal your brain (if anything like mine) will soo turn to mush.

At this point you have a few choices....

1. Cry ( Waste of time and energy)
2. Play Wii (Great escape, but you run the risk of getting sucked in... and then you fail)
3. Read something FUN ( Kids books take about no brain power and normally, depending on the book, only about ten minutes to read!)

My Personal favorite are the pigeon books. I have ALL of them and they are short, sassy, and so much fun. My husband even found the pigeon in a stuffed animal form. He (the pigeon not my husband) sits on my desk and stares at me while I finish my thesis. When I think I need a break I look at Pigeon and he just looks at me and seems to say... "What are you looking at me for, I am not going to write that silly paper!"

Mo Williams is the author of the pigeon books and they are all great. He also has other books that are great.

Another idea is to find a comic book or two. These are short and can give the escape you need but will not take long to read. I was never a comic girl before I met my hubby but now I have reached FULL Dork status by being smart, a video game nerd, and now a comic book lover. The other choice...Audio books! I don't have time to read the fun books so I have found that when I am in the car I can listen to the fun books. I also listen to them while I am grading (sometimes) and when ever I am entering data into SPSS. Audio books let you relax, escape, and give you the ability to do other things while listening to them.

So... What are you waiting for.... get going... try one of these ideas!

In the beginning....The acceptence letter!

Just a quick note to let you know that the faculty in the Department of
Communication have approved your admission into the PHD program.

The formal letter should follow in a week.

Congratulations, let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

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YAY!!!! Now I just have to do it!

I am too excited.... and a little scared! DO I have the energy to do this? Do I have a choice?

SO, yeah....

Here I am 27, married for a about a year and a half , about to finish my MA in COM (in fourteen days!) and then I begin my PhD!! Over the next four years I hope to document my joys, sorrows, achievements and failures (hopefully not to man failures) here.

I have never had a blog before so this will be an adventure for us all. ( Given that ANY one actually reads this.) SO here we are. More to come I am sure!