" When you're in Texas look behind you, 'cause that's where the ranger's gonna be."
- Theme from Walker, Texas Ranger
Graduation leers behind my back and above my head, taunting, pushing, and stressing me out.
But I crave it's attention. Graduation means I have completed my thesis; means I'm done with school; means I can take my life back; means I have to take my future education into my own hands; means I'm FINISHED with school; means I have to pay back student loans; means I can take my life back (did I already mention that?). I will miss it/I won't miss it.
Maybe it means the Razorbacks will start winning again...I would hate to think I'm somehow a bad omen for the team, but they've been sucking it up since I set foot on campus, and there's no excuse for an SEC team to lose to the yankees at Rutgers two years in a row. For SHAME.
Today, I had an epiphany. The cold makes me long for the holidays. As I was making copies for my supervisor's class, I had a thought about how nice it will be to read A Christmas Carol, as I do every year, but this year with no amount of homework hanging over my head. I defended my thesis before Thanksgiving and I will graduate this weekend, before Christmas making this year the most relaxing and satisfying of these holidays to date (I hope).
After finishing the statistics class from hell this week, I am officially done with classwork and can start to enjoy the holiday. When will I feel the relief! It has yet to hit me that I'm done. Such a strange feeling! Once the grades have all been tallied, and the chips fall where they may, I suppose I can officially relax and revel in my Master's degree before I have to face the real world head on and pay back my student loan debt.
Graduation is a special time. Boring ceremony, family gathering, and lots of pride. Afterward, I intend to celebrate with my big ol' Southern family and group of friends who have supported me along the way. Bless them for putting up with the ups and downs that education placed on my moods and emotions, and supporting me even if they didn't understand what I was doing or going through.
And to all of you who are pursuing advanced degrees, don't give up or lose hope! It can be done! I have faith in you.
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