Waiting for E-mail
I don't think that I have ever been so eager for an e-mail or an exam ever in my life. I am currently waiting for one of my professors to e-mail me the ten questions that will rule my life for the next 31 days. That's right, I'm taking my comprehensive exams. (finally)
After 2+2+(2)+1.5 years in graduate school, I've reached the first in a series of rigorous rights of passage that I must go through in order gain the title of doctor. The 5.5 (or 7.5) years of being on the roster were not enough. Now I have to show not only was I paying attention in my 11 semesters of course work, but that I have retained most of it as well as developed the skills to find the information that I have not yet come across.
And did I mention I was suppose to get these questions at 2:30? And it is now 6?!?!?
Ok... I guess the program chair didn't say he would send them at 2:30. He said that would be the soonest he would be able to send them. But still. I doubt he is sitting at the university right now editing them. Hard working professors stay until 3 or 4pm. Newbie faculty leave by 5pm. Only graduate students are there this late!
Is this part of the tradition of the test? Making us wait? If so, I don't like it. I was really excited about taking a stab at the exam earlier today. Now I just want to read the questions and go think about something else. I really should try to skip step one and go think about something else. But I don't want to miss when the question first comes in.
There is one other student who is taking the test with me. We hung out together in the library this afternoon from 2:30 until 4. During that time I worked on writing a late assignment and she worked on her dissertation proposal a little. Then I pulled some teen fic books to read when I grant myself sanity breaks, and she took a nap. I made a print out of the library's hours over break, and she slept some more. I got to say, as someone who was practically born to be a professional sleeper, I was impressed with her skills. She only woke up because I noisily packed up my things at 4pm. (I wasn't being mean. I just couldn't decide if I should let her sleep while I leave or try to wake her up. I thought being a loud packer was a great compromise.)
2hrs later, still no test. I want to eat but feel to restless to cook. Too bad Cheetos can't be a meal.
After 2+2+(2)+1.5 years in graduate school, I've reached the first in a series of rigorous rights of passage that I must go through in order gain the title of doctor. The 5.5 (or 7.5) years of being on the roster were not enough. Now I have to show not only was I paying attention in my 11 semesters of course work, but that I have retained most of it as well as developed the skills to find the information that I have not yet come across.
And did I mention I was suppose to get these questions at 2:30? And it is now 6?!?!?
Ok... I guess the program chair didn't say he would send them at 2:30. He said that would be the soonest he would be able to send them. But still. I doubt he is sitting at the university right now editing them. Hard working professors stay until 3 or 4pm. Newbie faculty leave by 5pm. Only graduate students are there this late!
Is this part of the tradition of the test? Making us wait? If so, I don't like it. I was really excited about taking a stab at the exam earlier today. Now I just want to read the questions and go think about something else. I really should try to skip step one and go think about something else. But I don't want to miss when the question first comes in.
There is one other student who is taking the test with me. We hung out together in the library this afternoon from 2:30 until 4. During that time I worked on writing a late assignment and she worked on her dissertation proposal a little. Then I pulled some teen fic books to read when I grant myself sanity breaks, and she took a nap. I made a print out of the library's hours over break, and she slept some more. I got to say, as someone who was practically born to be a professional sleeper, I was impressed with her skills. She only woke up because I noisily packed up my things at 4pm. (I wasn't being mean. I just couldn't decide if I should let her sleep while I leave or try to wake her up. I thought being a loud packer was a great compromise.)
2hrs later, still no test. I want to eat but feel to restless to cook. Too bad Cheetos can't be a meal.