Where has the summer gone?? I feel like we have been busy all of the time, but yet when I look back at the past few months we essentially have accomplished nothing. Actually, Brooke completed a few classes. That means that she has been productive, but that I am the one who really hasnt done a thing. School starts again August 25th. This date has created a bit of a panic in me. There are two reasons for this:1) I need to work on my dissertation. With everyone back on campus this means their attention will turn once again towards me. Deadlines will appear and suddenly I will be a student again.
2) Essentially, there are three parts of my program. A certain amount of credit hours, a qualifying exam, and a dissertation/thesis. I passed the exam and am in the very beginning stages of my dissertation, but I still need 12 more credit hours as part of my graduation requirements. For these 12 hours I do get free tuition, but in exchange for that "free tuition" I am bound to the University for 20 hours a week. Since I have 12 more hours, that means in addition to working on my dissertation this semester I have to work 20 hours a week.
I am not sure what has created more panic in me, the dissertation or the work. I havent been on campus since June of 2008. That is a long time! Now I am required to work, be on campus, do my dissertation ... all of these things that take time, effort and attention from my new #1 priority. The bossy, high-maintenance, little pip-squeak that occasionally calls me "ma ma" (but also calls a lot of other things "ma ma").
I now have to faculty members who will be giving me orders, in addition to a soon-to-be-11-month-old-baby. How do I prioritize? How do I manage when all three are barking orders at me simultaneously? And when none of them take "no" for an answer?
To top off my three bosses, I still hope to enjoy some element of free time. I want to find time for a race, and time to train for that race. I want to watch movies and read books. In addition to my daughter, my husband occasionally requests a bit of my time as well. I think I need some help with time management :) I'm sure that everything will flow smoothly, but for now the future sits looming over my head and making me a bit queasy.
2 comments:
Don't worry, we can drink school stress away together...
That's a lot on your plate! I know several people who have recently completed their dissertations, and I know that that alone was incredibly time consuming and stressful for them, and none had a baby too!
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